I just wanted to share some things I've found while studying and see where the conversation leads us.
1 Corinthians 15:34 "Awake to righteousness, and sin not; for some have not the knowledge of God: I speak this to your shame."
Upon reading the previous verse, I would take it to mean the following: We need a proper KNOWLEDGE of the Word of God in order to awake to a right standing with God and quit the sin business.
Then I ask myself, "HOW do I get this
KNOWLEDGE; or HOW do I BEGIN in this
KNOWLEDGE of God?"
Proverbs 1:7 "The FEAR of the Lord is the BEGINNING OF
KNOWLEDGE: but fools despise wisdom and instruction."
So, the FEAR of the Lord is the BEGINNING of knowledge! Hmmmmm!
Then I ask myself, "What does it mean to FEAR the Lord?" I've found this FEAR is NOT the fear of some vengeful Being standing over us with a sledge hammer, just waiting to punish us for the least infraction against His commands. This FEAR has more to do with REVERENCE, RESPECT and HONOR.
Then I ask myself, "
HOW do I FEAR the Lord?"
Proverbs 8:13 "The FEAR of the Lord is to HATE EVIL: pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the froward mouth, do I hate."
So, as I understand it:
1) We
CAN AWAKE to righteousness and QUIT the sin business IF we have a proper KNOWLEDGE of God and His Word (1 Cor. 15:34).
2) We BEGIN in a proper KNOWLEDGE of God and His Word by FEARING the Lord and His Word(Prov. 1:7).
3) The only way we can FEAR (revere; respect; honor) the Lord and His Word is by HATING EVIL (Prov. 8:13).
Here's another question:
HOW do we PROVE or DEMONSTRATE to the Lord and others that we HATE EVIL?
Proverbs 3:7 "BE NOT wise in thine own eyes: FEAR the Lord, and DEPART FROM EVIL."
In fact, the New Testament tells us, "Bring forth therefore fruits MEET FOR REPENTANCE" (Matt. 3:8).
We are told to bring forth fruits MEET (TO PROVE) our REPENTANCE! "By their fruits ye shall KNOW them." Proof is required to discourage mere profession of faith and outward show.
We PROVE we FEAR the Lord by HATING EVIL.
We prove we HATE EVIL BY DEPARTING FROM EVIL!
Now to my original topic, "REPENTANCE DEFINED IN TWO WORDS:"
What does it mean to REPENT?
The Greek,
metanoia, [translated "repent" in Matt. 3:8; etc...] is a real change of mind and attitude; a change of mind and love.
IF someone has CHANGED their mind and love for sin, they NO LONGER love sin; THEY HATE SIN!
REPENTANCE DEFINED IN TWO WORDS is to simply HATE SIN or HATE EVIL!
In conclusion:
1. We awake to righteousness and quit the sin business by a proper knowledge of the WAY of TRUTH that gives LIFE.
2. We begin in a proper knowledge of the WAY of TRUTH that gives LIFE by FEARING God and His Word.
3. We FEAR God and His Word by HATING EVIL (REPENTING).
4. We demonstrate or prove we HATE EVIL (have repented) by DEPARTING FROM EVIL.
We bring forth fruits MEET FOR REPENTANCE or TO PROVE WE HAVE REPENTED - HATE EVIL (Matt. 3:8).
HOW do we PROVE we HATE EVIL?
BY DEPARTING FROM EVIL!
GO!
SIN NO MORE, LEST A WORSE THING HAPPEN UNTO THEE!
IF we continually keep asking God to forgive us for the same sin over and over again, we might need to ask ourselves if we actually HATE THAT SIN?
IF we continually commit the same sin (habitual sin) and do not depart from it [all the while claiming to be a christian] we are being "wise in our own eyes." We need to truly "FEAR THE LORD AND DEPART FROM EVIL!" (Proverbs 3:7)
Becoming a child of God is the most important commitment one can make in life...EVER! I believe there are many who don't know how important it really is. I believe there are many who don't really understand what it means to REPENT.
When Jesus began His ministry, He would say,
"REPENT (HATE EVIL): for the kingdom of heaven is at hand" (Matt. 4:17).
"In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judea, and saying, REPENT ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand" (Matt. 3:1-2).
"And said unto them, Thus it is written,
and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day: And that REPENTANCE and remission of sins should be preached in His name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. And ye are witnesses of these things" (Luke 24:46-48).
Jesus knew, IF the people did not REPENT (HATE EVIL), they could not FEAR the Lord;
IF they could not FEAR the Lord, they could not BEGIN in His KNOWLEDGE of the WAY of TRUTH that gives LIFE eternal.
IF they could not BEGIN in His KNOWLEDGE of the WAY of TRUTH that gives LIFE eternal, they could not AWAKEN to HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS and QUIT THE SIN BUSINESS.
IF they could not AWAKEN to HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS and QUIT THE SIN BUSINESS, they could not inherit His kingdom.
Jesus was the WORD who came in the flesh to give us KNOWLEDGE of HIS WAY of TRUTH that gives LIFE eternal. HE ALONE IS THE WAY, the TRUTH, and the LIFE. NO ONE comes to the Father but by Jesus!
A WORKING KNOWLEDGE of the WAY of TRUTH that gives LIFE eternal AWAKENS US to righteousness and ENABLES US to QUIT THE SIN BUSINESS!
IF WE WANT TO QUIT HABITUAL SIN, we need to make up our mind and settle it in our heart to HATE THAT SIN that separates us from God!
Many seek to enter in, but few who will ever find it!
Few will ever make up their mind to HATE EVIL!
We have to resolve to STOP gratifying ourselves at the expense of the best good of others. Our very soul depends on it!
We must BEGIN gratifying the best good of others at the expense of self.
That is what it means to DENY SELF.
SELF GRATIFICATION IS THE ROOT OF ALL SIN!
PEOPLE SIN TO GRATIFY THEMSELVES! Let's crucify SELF with its affections and lust!
"For though we walk in the flesh, WE DO NOT WAR AFTER THE FLESH: (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the PULLING DOWN of strong holds
CASTING DOWN imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the KNOWLEDGE of God, and BRINGING INTO CAPTIVITY EVERY THOUGHT TO THE OBEDIENCE OF CHRIST; And having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, WHEN YOUR OBEDIENCE IS FULFILLED" (2 Cor. 10:3-6).
Some say, "Everyone sins everyday in thought, word or deed." The Word's WAY of TRUTH that gives LIFE does not teach us this. His WAY will present us faultless and without spot or blemish before His presence with exceeding joy IF WE HOLD ON TO IT TO THE END! We have been given power to become the sons of the Living God if we have repented! Lets take hold of the power given to us and bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.
We have NOT sinned if a thought comes into our mind to tempt us! We haven't! If we have delight in the thought and entertain the thought, THEN has lust conceived and sin has been committed (James 1:13-16).
Regards,
David Ward Jr
