This past Tuesday evening I got a call from the healthcare center that my brother had a 103 degree temperature and was tachycardic; his heart rate was over 160. On Wednesday evening the lung doctor said he had pneumonia and said no antibiotic could rid him of that infection and he did not recommend placing Gary on the ventilator.
Well, I went early Thursday morning and told Gary that he was critically ill and would not live long. I said right now in your mind and in your heart you can will to repent of how you have lived your life and you can change your mind about not believing in God and tell Him you want to believe in Him and receive His eternal life right now. I am going to pray for you and then you can tell God what you want in your mind and heart and will.
I don’t know what mind Gary has right now nor what he actually did Thursday morning. However, I do know that as of yesterday Gary was more alert and the Doctor said his infection was clearing up much to his surprise. So what is the gospel message? What is “True Repentance?”
Many people think the gospel message or being a Christian is merely a matter of living a good life. That attitude says, “to become a Christian you just make a commitment to change your life and try to live like Jesus.” But that isn’t good news. That’s impossible. It’s impossible to live like Jesus. If you could change your life, why would you need Jesus? No, the gospel doesn’t require you to change your life. The good news is that Jesus makes you into something brand new. This transformation takes place through what the Bible calls repentance.
Now, most of us think repentance is a word that deals primarily with our behavior. We often use it in relationship to our sins (plural) and frequently hear the phrase, “repent of all your sins,” in sermons and evangelistic appeals. We use it in the sense, “I used to smoke, but now I don’t.” But that could be or could not be because you could start smoking again. However, repentance is a very severe, stern and harsh word. That is, repentance in the Scripture is like your breakfast of bacon and eggs. The chicken made a contribution to your breakfast while the pig made a total life commitment to your breakfast. You get what I mean? So repentance is talking about bacon, not eggs. Again, most people think repentance is a word that deals with our behavior. However, true repentance goes much deeper than behavior. The Greek word is metanoia and it means to change one’s mind. Biblically, it means to change one’s belief system. You see, we’re born into this world as unbelievers. And through repentance you go from being an unbeliever to being a believer. That’s a transformation which requires the power of God. 2 Peter 3:9 says, “The Lord is not slow in keeping His promise as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance."
So when you change your mind and heart and will it’s like this ugly, hairy worm crawling around on the ground called a caterpillar. Now you can give it flying lessons. You can send it to Worm University and get it educated. You can send it to P.U. and get it smelling good, but what you’ll have is a good smelling, educated worm. And you can send it to Church and he’ll be a religious, churchy worm, but he’s still a worm. So, God comes to that worm and says, “Are you satisfied with who you are and your lifestyle?” And the worm says, “No, I’m really not.” Well God says, “Through a process of metamorphosis I can change you into a beautiful butterfly. Right now the girls don’t like you, they say Uck! when they see you. Afterwards, they’ll look at you and say, ‘you’re the most beautiful thing alive!’ You’ll be able to fly instead of crawl. So if you want to get across the room you can get there in a second! Otherwise, you’re going to have to crawl for the rest of your life. But I want to tell you something. You’re never going to be a worm again if you decide to let Me make you into a butterfly. It’s a total change! It’s not a change of behavior, it’s a total change of identity. You’ll never be called a Worm again, you’ll be called a Butterfly!” So the caterpillar says, “I want to become a butterfly.” And God weaves a cocoon around it and one day, what was a ugly, hairy worm is transformed into a beautiful butterfly and that’s new birth! It’s a change of identity.
Now, when you and I see a butterfly, we don’t call our wives over and say to them, “Honey look at this good looking converted worm” do we? Nor do we go to the Christian bookstore as ask, “Do you have any converted worm necklaces?” We call them butterflies. Now how did they get to be one? It was an old worm converted, but now it’s something new. We walk around as Christians with a long face calling ourselves, “Sinners saved by grace.” I’m just an old Sinner saved by grace. And you look like one! But what are you called in the Bible? Do you ever see Paul addressing the believers by that title? “Paul to the ‘sinners saved by grace at Philippi, Colossae, Corinth . . .” What does he call them? “Paul to the saints . . . “ You are a new creation, with a new identity. Most Christians are walking around not having a clue that they’ve been changed into something brand new! It’s all about identity.
According to 2 Peter 3:9 what’s God’s desire for everyone? To come to repentance. What is the fate of those who don’t come to repentance? They perish! Clarence McCartney said that was the most harassing word in the New Testament. Perish, a road that leads to nowhere. Romans 2:4 gives us the characteristic of God which leads you to repentance. “Or do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, tolerance and patience, not realizing that God’s kindness leads you toward repentance?” So what characteristic of God leads you to repentance? Kindness: chrestotes in Greek, goodness, gentleness. It’s the grace which pervades the whole nature of God, mellowing all which would have been harsh and austere, severe, strict or stern. God is the “ancient of days.” He “chills out” toward us.
In fact, Jesus said in John 16:7-9, “But I tell you the truth: It is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Counselor will not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him to you. When He comes, He will convict the world of guilt in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment: In regard to sin, because men do not believe in Me. . . .” Who did Jesus promise to send once He had gone away? The Counselor, Paraclete. Who is that? The Holy Spirit. What is the Holy Spirit’s job? To convict or convince the world of guilt concerning sin. How does God define sin in verse 9? Not believing in Jesus.
John 3:36 says, ”Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on him.” So what is necessary to inherit eternal life? Believe on Jesus Christ. What’s the destiny of those who try to change their lifestyles, but continue to live in unbelief? The wrath of God abides on them. If you’re to inherit eternal life, what’s the one sin that must be repented of? Unbelief. The world’s sin is unbelief in Jesus Christ. Each person enters this world as an unbeliever. To become a believer, you must change your mind concerning Jesus Christ. That takes the power of the Holy Spirit. So once you see that sin is unbelief and you place your faith in Jesus, you’ll never be an unbeliever again. You’ll never be the same again. You’ll become a butterfly rather than a caterpillar.
So my question this morning is: “Are you satisfied with who you are and your lifestyle?” If not, are you willing to repent, change your mind and allow God the Holy Spirit to change your life, your identity?
