Repentance is Freedom

I have been teaching through Luke during our worship gatherings. As I prepare each week I’m surprised by how often repentance is brought to the fore by Jesus.

I shouldn’t be. But, I am.

Why do you think that is? Why are we surprised by Jesus constant and consistent call to repentance?

Could it be that we don’t really think that we need to repent? I know that’s true for me. You see, I was sold a bill of goods when I became a Christian that it was just about praying a prayer and then I was “saved”. I was, spiritually “all better”. But, I wasn’t. I was still messed up on the inside. I was still angry, hurt, and sin was running rampant in me. I was “saved” but I wasn’t experiencing salvation. I had work to do. I needed to “work out my salvation in fear and trembling.”

This fear and trembling is the work of repentance and faith. It’s the hard of dying to self and coming alive in Christ.

As sin is exposed in our life we experience guilt and shame. Repentance frees us from guilt. Repentance allows us to raise our heads and look up in faith. As we repent and turn back to God in Christ through faith we are freed from guilt and shame.

I need to repent. Every single day. Over and over and over again. Why? Because I’m still working out the sin issues in my life. I’m daily working out living into the faithfulness of God on my behalf in Christ.

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