“When human beings began to increase in number on the earth and daughters were born to them, the sons of God saw that the daughters of humans were beautiful, and they married any of them they chose. Then the LORD said, “My Spirit will not contend with humans forever, for they are mortal; their days will be a hundred and twenty years.” The Nephilim were on the earth in those days — and also afterward -- when the sons of God went to the daughters of humans and had children by them. They were the heroes of old, men of renown. The LORD saw how great the wickedness of the human race had become on the earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of the human heart was only evil all the time. The LORD regretted that he had made human beings on the earth, and his heart was deeply troubled” (Genesis 6:1-6, NIV).
An American pastor-theologian was quoted as saying, “Preferring anything above Christ is the very essence of sin. It must be fought.”
And if we realized, we committed or done anything that displayed our preference more than Christ, we need to repent now as pointed out in Acts 17:30, “In the past God overlooked such ignorance, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent.”
So, this time, let’s have a bigger picture for the need to repent, as we discuss our topic… REPENT AT ONCE, as we focus on our text (Genesis 6:1-6).
So, aside from being commanded, why is there a need, especially for God’s children, to repent at once when they realized they sinned?
After Cain killed his brother Abel and Cain “went out from the Lord’s presence and lived in the land of Nod, east of Eden,” we read in Gen 4:25-26, “Adam made love to his wife again, and she gave birth to a son and named him Seth, saying, ‘God has granted me another child in place of Abel, since Cain killed him.’ Seth also had a son, and he named him Enosh. At that time people began to call on the name of the LORD” – this suggests that the family line of Seth and Enosh is righteous; the family making its petition and praise in the name of the Lord.
In chapter 5, it was recorded that Adam lived 930 years before he died; Seth lived 912 years; Enosh lived 905 years. Other names were mentioned who lived for many years and the longest was Methuselah who lived for 969 years.
Now, the account in our text, God is portrayed in different ways. And as He is portrayed, we could also see the need why we have to repent at once. Why?
I – God is not going to plead forever (verses 1-3).
We read verses 1-3, “When human beings began to increase in number on the earth and daughters were born to them, the sons of God saw that the daughters of humans were beautiful, and they married any of them they chose. Then the LORD said, “My Spirit will not contend with humans forever, for they are mortal; their days will be a hundred and twenty years.”
When men began to increase, sin also would increase. And the sin that particularly addressed here was when the “sons of God” – those men who were in the family line of Seth – would marry those women in the family line of Cain. “They married any of them they chose.” They married just based on the outward appearance. They were beautiful.
So, what did God say: “My Spirit will not contend with humans forever…” – “contend” is also translated “strive” – meaning, “devote serious effort or energy”; also translated “plead.”
In the New Living Translation, verse 3 is translated: “Then the LORD said, “My Spirit will not put up with humans for such a long time, for they are only mortal flesh. In the future, their normal lifespan will be no more than 120 years.”
God will not strive or plead with sinners for a long time. Since, men are just mortal, He decreed that they will live not more than 120 years.
Thus, sinners could not just go on sinning. For the Holy God would not just allow them to go on and on without end.
In the book of Acts 17:30-31, Paul told his audience:
“In the past God overlooked such ignorance, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent. For he has set a day when he will judge the world with justice by the man he has appointed. He has given proof of this to everyone by raising him from the dead.”
We read that “…now …(God) commands all people everywhere to repent.” For the unbelievers, they need to realize that God “has set a day when He will judge the world with justice…”
How about us, believers or lovers of Christ – do we still need to repent of sin? Of course, there is still need. Though we have repented before, as we acknowledged that we were sinners and believed that only Jesus could save us, we still sin as we go on in our Christian life.
We are familiar with 1 John 1:8-9, which says: “If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”
Let’s continue in chapter 2, verse 1: “My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have an advocate with the Father — Jesus Christ, the Righteous One.”
In fact, we are instructed by our Savior, not just to ask for our physical needs daily but also for forgiveness.
And as we realized that we sin, we need to repent at once. God may not disown us as His children, but He could terminate our physical life soon to end our sinful practice. He could also tell us, “I will not strive with you forever…”
An American pastor, Burk Parsons, said: “I want to hate my sins more than I hate the sins of others who sin differently than I do.”
As followers of Christ, we need also to have that kind of attitude. If we sin, immediately repent of it.
What is another reason we need to repent at once?
II – God is being grieved with sin (verses 4-6).
We read verses 4-6, “The Nephilim were on the earth in those days — and also afterward — when the sons of God went to the daughters of humans and had children by them. They were the heroes of old, men of renown. The LORD saw how great the wickedness of the human race had become on the earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of the human heart was only evil all the time. The LORD regretted that he had made human beings on the earth, and his heart was deeply troubled.”
Verse 6 states, “…His heart was deeply troubled.” In the English Standard Version, we read: “…it grieved him to his heart.” When God “saw how great the wickedness of the human race had become on the earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of the human heart was only evil all the time,” it grieved him.
God knew our great potential to sin. But, but He didn’t “toughen” Himself, that when we actually commit evil deeds He is no longer “affected” with it. He is not surprised by the seriousness of our transgression, but He is deeply troubled by it.
The tendency of human beings is just to go on doing the things that would appeal to them – without any regard if it’s against God or not. Some of them would repent – the so-called worldly repentance – because they just hurt themselves or just saw others to suffer, because of their misdeeds.
Never they would repent, because they grieved God, who showered them with good things. Instead, they would try not to offend or grieve other human beings whom they prefer to find favor.
But Paul told the Christians in Ephesus, “…do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God…” (Eph. 4:30.)
How about us, believers or lovers of Christ – is it also our desire not to grieve the Holy Spirit of God?
We read Ephesians 4:29-32:
“Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.
Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.”
Since we could grieve the Spirit, repent at once when we sin. If we find unwholesome talk come out of our mouths, let’s try now that what would come out from our mouths is only what is helpful for building others up, that it may benefit those who listen.
If there is bitterness, rage and anger, brawling slander, along with every form of malice in us, let’s repent now and be kind and compassionate, forgiving each other.
Let us not grieve our Heavenly Father with our sin. Repent at once.
CONCLUSION:
When King David committed the sin of adultery and murder, the prophet Nathan came to him and said: “Why did you despise the word of the LORD by doing what is evil in his eyes? You struck down Uriah the Hittite with the sword and took his wife to be your own. You killed him with the sword of the Ammonites” (2 Samuel 12:9).
What was the reaction of David?
We read the initial words in verse 13, “Then David said to Nathan, ‘I have sinned against the LORD.’”
David did not try to cover up or justify himself. Immediately he acknowledged his sin against God. And we could read his prayer of repentance in Psalm 51.
Every day we sin. So, let’s always pray that God will grant us the gift of repentance. For He will not plead with us forever and He is grieved by sin.
