Pastor’s Corner: “The Beauty of Repentance”
Lamentations 3:40-42 (NLT) – Let us test and examine our ways. Let us turn back to the Lord. Let us lift our hearts and hands to God in heaven and say, ‘We have sinned and rebelled.
We often think of the word “repentance” in very negative terms. We think of a street preacher on a corner, or sweaty Baptist or Pentecostal preaching pounding on a pulpit thundering, “Turn or burn!” As a result, a lot of people think of repentance as God is sucking all the fun out of things and wants to keep us from the good stuff of life.
That’s what the Devil said to Eve in the garden. “God doesn’t want you to eat that fruit over there because He’s holding out on you…“ So, people think when God says things like, “Don’t have sex before marriage” or “Don’t get drunk,” well… that’s just crazy talk. Who’d want to avoid all that fun stuff? Why be denied of the opportunity to engage in fun and pleasurable activities? This perspective is a wrong view of repentance.
What Is Repentance? Repentance in its’ essence is simply the turning away from doing things your way and instead doing things God’s way. And when we have the right mindset, repentance is not a negative thing, it is actually an amazing and beautiful thing. God’s not trying to rob you of anything amazing. Instead God is trying to open your eyes to the beautiful way that He would have you to walk in. It is a way full of love and goodness. There is nothing more beautiful in this world than learning to walk in God’s will for us. And in God’s ways we will ultimately delight.
A scripture to consider when thinking about repentance: Psalm 1:1-6 (NASB) – How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, Nor stand in the path of sinners, Nor sit in the seat of scoffers! 2 But his delight is in the law of the Lord, And in His law he meditates day and night.3 He will be like a tree firmly planted by streams of water, Which yields its fruit in its season
And its leaf does not wither; And in whatever he does, he prospers.4 The wicked are not so, But they are like chaff which the wind drives away. 5 Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, Nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous. 6 For the Lord knows the way of the righteous, But the way of the wicked will perish.
This may not look like a passage you’d typically associate with repentance. But if you look closely, you’ll see that it shows a man who is in love with God, and in love with seeing His splendor and beauty. The Beauty of God ultimately is what saves us, and not someone beating us to death with a “turn or burn” call to repentance. Throughout the Bible, God calls men and women to repent, and the primary draw is the call to see and taste that the Lord is good, and that His way is delightful and beautiful.
Luke 15:7 (NLT) – 7 In the same way, there is more joy in heaven over one lost sinner who repents and returns to God than over ninety-nine others who are righteous and haven’t strayed away! Repentance is Beautiful to God as well. This is Jesus’ attitude, the attitude of heaven and also attitude of angels. It is very different from our attitude. We like righteous people, we like good people, but somehow God has a special heart for those who are broken, those who fail, who fell. Somehow, God has a very special heart for the people the world would call losers. People don’t want to associate with these people. They’re sinners and they’re not good for society, for family, or for anyone. But somehow Jesus always spent time with them and the Jesus had a special heart for these people. Repentance is beautiful to God because it represents our reconciliation with Him and this brings Him more joy than we could ever imagine!
In His Grace,
Pastor Hamilton