Call to Repentence
Call to Repentance
Matthew 9: 12-13
12But when Jesus heard that, he said unto them, They that be whole need not a physician, but they that are sick.
13But go ye and learn what that meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.
What Jesus is telling his Disciples is that we are all sinners. He didn’t come for some to be saved, but for all of us to be saved. When he refers to the righteous in verse 13, he is indeed saying that they are being self-righteous. So often we forget that we are not perfect and where we have been brought from, which is out of sin. When we can remember where God has brought us from, we should then have greater compassion for others, especially since Gods has been so merciful towards us.
Ezekiel 14:6 says “Therefore say unto the house of Israel, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Repent, and turn yourselves from your idols; and turn away your faces from all your abominations.” So therefore if we are putting anything or anyone before God, than that person or possession becomes an idol. This could be our husbands, wives, friends, jobs or possessions. He says to repent and turn away from all abominations. An abomination is an action that is vicious or vile. So God is saying that that is a vicious or vile act to Him.
Acts 11:18
18When they heard these things, they held their peace, and glorified God, saying, Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life.
We are the gentiles, we should all be rejoicing with knowing that we have been granted this gift. This gift allows us to go before God in the name of Jesus in prayer and ask for forgiveness of all our sins. Repentance is an invitation to salvation; which delivers us from sin and saving us from all evil. When we turn away from all evil, we no longer allow our flesh to dictate to us how we should behave, for we then should be operating in the Holy Spirit. Galatians 5: 19-21 says“Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.”
When we examine the works of the flesh, it becomes fairly easy to see why these things are an abomination to God. When we have received the gift of the Holy Spirit, we should then be operating in the fruits there of. “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.” (Galatians 5: 22-23).
And finally we learn to walk in the fruits of the spirit by allowing the Holy Spirit to lead and guide us in every aspect of our lives; we can be assured that God has a promise for us all who endure to the end. Revelations 3:19-21 says, “as many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent. Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me. To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.” What a promise that is, to be able to sit with Christ at His throne, by means of overcoming all things of this world, and of the flesh.
Revelations 22: 1-5
1And he shewed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb.
2In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.
3And there shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and his servants shall serve him:
4And they shall see his face; and his name shall be in their foreheads.
5And there shall be no night there; and they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the Lord God giveth them light: and they shall reign for ever and ever.
What a place to spend eternity, and all we have to do is repent and turn away from evil. My prayer today is for us to have a heart of repentance. Often times we will sin unawares, and that is a sin we have not asked for forgiveness for. So when we give our lives to God let us truly turn away from all wickedness and always live a life of repentance, never thinking ourselves righteous in our own eyes, for only God can truly judge any of us. Let us seek repentance in sincerity, knowing that we should never take God’s grace for granted. “And they shall see his face; and his name shall be in their foreheads.” (Revelations 22: 4). In Jesus name, let the Body of Christ continue to pray one for another in Faith; amen!
Set Apart 