Three Pillars of Repentance
Jeremiah 4:1 If thou wilt return, O Israel, saith the LORD, return unto me: and if thou wilt put away thine abominations out of my sight, then shalt thou not remove.
As Israel, often times many Christians find themselves in opposition to what God deems holy and just. While in this rebellious state, the wandering sheep have not lost the love of the Shepard, but have placed themselves in proximity of chastisement. What a wonderful mercy it is to be able to turn our hearts back to God before His loving hand corrects us through stern discipline. If we would return to the Lord let us do these three things and it will be well pleasing to the Father, for Jesus' sake.
First we must return. It must not be a half-hearted return, but one of full heart and weight. Our desire is towards God and our plea is the blood of Jesus that will cleanse all our sin. When we desire Him in this way, the Spirit is well pleased. With this plea He creates a renewed desire of holiness in the saint to yield to. Now he has a divine nature to obey, a nature which sends the reconciled heart into throngs of joy. Christ's longings now become your longings, and a infinitely better choice is found within besides the law of sin.
Second we must put away our abominations. This is rightly described as vomiting of the soul. We must reject the sin as the body rejects faulty and soured food. This only can be done by yielding to the new desire of holiness found upon confessing the sin to Christ. Though the flesh will never be finished with sin, the new nature is quick to be through with it.
Thirdly we must stand in the liberty of the Spirit. Thou shalt not remove. Do not faint to the ever-seducing pull of sin. How often sin wrecks our soul with a vain promise and then paints its face of death with attraction and charm to deceive again those who pass by. Do not fall for it, rather do not move from your place of repentance and liberty in Christ. It is here in this liberty that we may find the freedom and joy that communion with Christ makes. May we never let sin disrupt that communion.
First we must return. It must not be a half-hearted return, but one of full heart and weight. Our desire is towards God and our plea is the blood of Jesus that will cleanse all our sin. When we desire Him in this way, the Spirit is well pleased. With this plea He creates a renewed desire of holiness in the saint to yield to. Now he has a divine nature to obey, a nature which sends the reconciled heart into throngs of joy. Christ's longings now become your longings, and a infinitely better choice is found within besides the law of sin.
Second we must put away our abominations. This is rightly described as vomiting of the soul. We must reject the sin as the body rejects faulty and soured food. This only can be done by yielding to the new desire of holiness found upon confessing the sin to Christ. Though the flesh will never be finished with sin, the new nature is quick to be through with it.
Thirdly we must stand in the liberty of the Spirit. Thou shalt not remove. Do not faint to the ever-seducing pull of sin. How often sin wrecks our soul with a vain promise and then paints its face of death with attraction and charm to deceive again those who pass by. Do not fall for it, rather do not move from your place of repentance and liberty in Christ. It is here in this liberty that we may find the freedom and joy that communion with Christ makes. May we never let sin disrupt that communion.
