Why should I repent?

While I write, typically in a room by myself, except for one or two little dogs nearby, I don’t write in a vacuum.  As I read, pray, ponder and think, in my mind are faces that question, faces that disbelieve with expressions of, ‘you need to give me more than that’.  Matthew paints the picture of John the Baptist in the desert, preaching the need for people to repent; soon, it will be Jesus preaching a message of repentance.  I can think of some who would question, ‘Repent?  Why should I?  I mean, I’m an okay person, I think.  Repent?  Seems a little extreme.’  And another , ‘Confession?  Please, isn’t that something they do in the Catholic Church?  I do not know that I feel a need to confess my sins or wrong doing.’

In the briefing, “John Calls Them Out” - http://pastorwoman.com/ReadArchive.aspx?id=1474  I discussed confession and repentance.  First comes admission and recognition, (confession), followed by changing our minds, going the other direction … i.e., a change of action (repentance).

But why? What causes us to admit that we do in fact transgress?  Why is it said that confession is good for the soul?  And as for the second part of repentance, what leads us to want to change, and do differently?  Ultimately, it can’t just be that we want to be mentally and emotionally whole, our psyches strong, nor can it be that we want to be a ‘good’ person--no, I believe there is more than that. 

The Old Testament Jews sacrificed animals to pay for sin, because “without the shedding of blood there was no forgiveness”¹; John preached about repentance because the Messiah was coming, and people had to prepare themselves.  The Messiah was coming to make recompense for sin—once and for all, for all men.  You see, all of it, from the beginning has been and is intended to be about relationship – relationship with a holy God.  

In recent weeks, we have talked about the three persons of the Trinity, our triune God—and about the names of God; for instance,

ELOHIM: God “Creator, Mighty and Strong”²

YAHWEH / JEHOVAH: “LORD”³– strictly speaking, the only proper name for God. Translated in English Bibles “LORD” (all capitals).  Speaks of an immediacy, of God’s presence.

JEHOVAH-JIREH: "The Lord Will Provide"⁴

But we have not really talked about the sheer holiness, majesty and might of our God.  When God appears in Scripture, the first responders show abject terror.  When Isaiah the prophet, a holy man of God, encountered God, he was absolutely certain he would be struck dead, so in awe, so aware of how far short  he fell of the glory and grandeur of God. 

One day, you and I will stand before God – do you think about that very much?

You see, here’s the point—when we are thinking about our own goodness, we typically compare ourselves to other people, so we can feel pretty darn good about our relative ‘goodness’.  Most people think they are good people—its true.  But can you imagine what it will be like when we stand before God?  And one day, WE WILL ALL STAND BEFORE GOD.  Have you thought about that day, and what it will be like?  Because on that day for sure, whether or not, we have repented of our sins, whether or not we have apprehended the grace he offered/s through Jesus Christ, is all that will matter.  Everything, underscore everything else will fall away.

In light of that day, and in light of the fact, that we are invited into relationship with this holy God, I want to ‘come proper’⁵ with him.  That involves my recognition that I sin—regularly—I fall short in so many ways: my thoughts, words, deeds—of the holy and righteous God.  I do not confess my sins because I am trying to be ‘gooder’ than my neighbor, it is in relationship with the holy God I serve, and wanting to be right with him.  That is why I repent.  That is why you should repent.

Christine 

1 – Hebrews 9.22

2 - (Genesis 17:7; Jeremiah 31:33)

3 - (Deuteronomy 6:4; Daniel 9:14)

4 - (Genesis 22:14)

5 – ‘Come Proper’ is a street expression, meaning being straightforward with right motives