Whatever Happened To Repentance? Series

Repentance, as a word, is mostly lost in today culture, along with the words holiness and sin. As a church word, it has lost its meaning over the years. We hear the word, “but what,” we may ask, “has it do with me?” Everything.

We are called to be much more kind, and gentle, not wanting to offend anyone. But, we look back at those great preachers in the past, preaching fire and brimstone, hell and damnation. The fear of God was real and people were called to get right with God. The word used over and over was “repent.” Even those preachers of righteousness in the scripture were not politically correct.

Noah’s message from the steps going up to the Ark was not, “Something good is going to happen to you!”

Amos was not confronted by the high priest of Israel for proclaiming, “Confession is possession!”

Jeremiah was not put into the pit for preaching, “I’m O.K., you’re O.K.!”

Daniel was not put into the lion’s den for telling people, “Possibility and positive thinking will move mountains!”

John the Baptist was not forced to preach in the wilderness and eventually beheaded because he preached, “Smile, God loves you!”

The two prophets of the tribulation will not be killed for preaching, “God is in his heaven and all is right with the world!”

Instead, what was the message of all these men of God? Simple, one word: “Repent!” [1]

But we say, “I told God I was sorry for my sins and asked for forgiveness, isn’t that enough?” The problem is we are sorry for getting caught. We are sorry we have to suffer the consequences of our wrong doings. We are sorry, it happened and someone else suffered, but we’re not sorry we did it. The fact is, saying “I’m sorry” doesn’t cut it when we turn around and do the same things over and over again. We are called to repentance.

2 Corinthians 7:8–11

When Michigan University played Wisconsin in NCAA basketball early in the season in 1989, Michigan’s Rumeal Robinson stepped to the foul line for two shots late in the fourth quarter. His team trailed by one point, so Rumeal could regain the lead for Michigan. He missed both shots, allowing Wisconsin to upset favored Michigan.

Rumeal felt awful about costing his team the game, but his sorrow didn’t stop at the emotional level. After each practice for the rest of the season, Rumeal shot 100 extra foul shots.

A few months later at the championship game, a game that went into overtime, Rumeal was fouled with 3 seconds on the clock.

Rumeal stepped to the foul line to make two free throw shots with the national championship at stake and 3 second on the clock. Winning or losing was in those shots. Swish went the first shot, and swish went the second. Those shots won Michigan the national championship. Rumeal’s repentance had been genuine, and sorrow motivated him to work so that he would never make that mistake again. As Paul wrote, “Godly sorrow leads to repentance” [2]

Repentance, true repentance, is a theme found throughout the Bible. One commentator said: “But true repentance is not the first step toward salvation. It is salvation.” [3] He goes on to say that: “Repentance is more than an admission of guilt. It is more than an apology or an explanation for our behavior. It is even more than a promise to stop. Repentance is a well-aimed missile into the heart of our sinful nature.” [4]

What did Jesus preach, and John the Baptist before Him?

Matthew 4:17 From that time Jesus began to preach and say, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

This message was central in the Old Testament as well:

Ezekiel 18:32

For I have no pleasure in the death of anyone who dies,” declares the Lord GOD. “Therefore, repent and live.”

And this repeated over again in the New Testament many times.

2 Peter 3:9 The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.

The very act of repentance is an integral part of our salvation and in our sanctification.

In today’s text, Paul is writing to the Corinthians, not just for the second time. Many Biblical scholars believe that 2 Corinthians was at least the third letter Paul wrote. Many of these scholars believe there was another letter that is lost to us.

2 Corinthians 2:4 For out of much affliction and anguish of heart I wrote to you with many tears; not so that you would be made sorrowful, but that you might know the love which I have especially for you.

This lost letter is what is known in the Biblical scholars circles as the “letter of tears” Paul must of written the church at Corinth at some point when he heard there were factions against him and that corruptions and sinful lifestyles where being tolerated. So a strong letter of rebuke was written that caused much pain and suffering. For whatever reason, God saw to it that that letter was not entered in our canon of Scripture. If 1st Corinthians was that letter, then it must refer to chap 5 where Paul deals with the issue of sexual immorality going on in the church at Corinth.