Repentance From Dead Works
Hebrews 6:1-2
Definition of Repentance—turning from sin, turning to God.
True repentance is a changed life—2 Corinthians 5:17, it is setting your goals on the things of Christ. It is a willful change of heart, mind and behavior.
Key Verse—Except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish. Luke 13:5
Repentance from sin is a mandate for survival. Jesus explained that the way to eternal life was through him, if any man rejects this way, they will perish in their sins.
I. Repentance was an emphasis of all Biblical preaching.
a. John the Baptist-Repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand—Matthew 3:2
b. Jesus-Repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand-Matthew 4:17
c. The disciples-They went out and preached that men should repent—Mark 6:12.
d. Then Peter said, Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. Acts 2:38
e. Paul-they should repent and turn to God and do works meet for repentance. Acts 26:20
There is a lot of great preaching in our society on many subjects. There are some preachers that are even known for preaching on one particular subject: faith, prophesy, church growth, worship and stewardship. These are all good, but if the message of repenting of sin is never part of someone’s ministry, they are not a biblical preacher.
II. Repentance is part of the Conversion process—
a. repent ye therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord. Acts 3:19
b. if we are not sorry for our sins, then we will not repent of them. To be truly born again, repentance, or a turning from sin is essential. If someone comes to the altar, confesses Christ as Savior, but refuses to turn from sin, they have only done step A, but left out step B, to they aren’t truly saved.
c. David cried out, against you O God, have I sinned. True repentance is a sorrow that my sin hurts God. It breaks relationship with Him. Until I see the darkness of sin, I will not truly see the brightness of Christ.
III. Repentance is an on-going process in our lives—
a. he that covereth his sins shall not prosper, but whoso confesses and forsakes them shall have mercy—Proverbs 28:13 Repentance from sin isn’t just a one time event, but repentance should be a part of our walk with God.
b. Any man who says he has no sin, is a liar and the truth is not in him.
c. When Isaiah in Chapter Six had his vision of God—he immediately cried out in repentance, that he was unholy, and unclean, among people of unclean lips. This holy prophet of God in light of the glory of God, cried out for mercy.
Our ability to repent of sin makes the difference in carrying the mantle of God or losing it. David and Saul both sinned, but when both were found out, David repented, Saul made excuses. One died in defeat, the other ruled in greatness.
IV. Repentance over Religion—Dead Works
The writer of Hebrews adds a twist by adding repentance from Dead Works. If you understand the whole theme of this book, you see that it in some way is a unveiling of Christ as Superior to religion. One of the principal teachings of Hebrews is that salvation is a work of Christ, not of human endeavor.
a. By grace are ye saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God, not of works, lest any man should boast. Ephesians 2:8-9
b. All our righteousness are as filthy rags-Isaiah 64:6
c. For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous-Romans 5:19
V. Without Godly Sorrow, there is no true repentance—2 Corinthians 7:10—for Godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation
a. if we aren’t sorry for sin, if we don’t recognize the damage that sin creates in our own lives and the lives of others, then we will not know true repentance.
b. We cannot sin so grace abounds—Romans 6:1—there was a false teaching that Paul confronted in this chapter that God didn’t care if we sinned or not, He just loved giving out grace. They had turned grace into a license to sin. But even though God forgives sin, and grace abounds, someone who chooses a lifestyle of sin without true repentance, has turned the grace of God into lasciviousness.
c. The story of the prodigal son coming home is the story of brokenness. If the son would have come home and said, gee dad you were right, it’s tough out there, what’s for supper, that wouldn’t be repentance. If he would have come home and said, Dad, if you are a really good Dad, you have to let me back in, that wouldn’t have been repentance. But when he said, Dad, I am not worthy to be called your son, he hit the spiritual jackpot. He was sorry that he had hurt his father.
Close: what are the consequences of not preaching repentance as part of the salvation process.
1. people get the idea that if their sin isn’t hurting anybody else, then it is okay. Our sin hurts God. Our sins separate us from him. Our sins keep us from operating in the fullness of His Spirit.
2. if people don’t turn away from sin, then the church will not have any distinction from the world.
3. if repentance isn’t the main key in the salvation process, then people will substitute religious involvement as their means of acceptance with God, which isn’t accepted at all.
4. your faith, prosperity, knowledge of end times, understanding of angels or any other subject will not get you into heaven until true repentance takes place in the heart.
· Pastoral encouragement: let’s make the altar place the most important place in the church. Over the pulpit, over the choir loft, over the board room, over the fellowship hall, let’s take time in the altars, so that God can visit us with his grace, mercy and love.
