The "R" Word

I've been thinking lately how the word "consequences" typically carries with it a negative connotation.  Very rarely is the word used to convey something desirable.  If we talked about the consequences of sin, it would almost seem a stretch to find anything good from sinning against God.

Last Sunday at Calvary Chapel Sydney, we examined the passage in 2 Samuel 12 when David was confronted by the prophet Nathan about his sin:  the murder of Uriah the Hittite and the theft of his wife.  God makes it clear that the core of sin is not human weakness or indiscretion, but stems from the hatred of God.  The prophet spoke for God in 2 Samuel 12:10:  "Now therefore, the sword shall never depart from your house, because you have despised Me, and have taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your wife."  David had done a horrible thing in sinning against God.  Yet when confronted with his sin, David owned it, confessed without reservation, and repented.

Repentance is a critical and necessary doctrine in the church today.  Without repentance, there can be no forgiveness or salvation.  Luke 24:46-47 says of Christ, "Then He said to them, "Thus it is written, and thus it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day, ⁴⁷ and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem."  Also Paul said in Acts 17:30-31:  "Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent, ³¹ because He has appointed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by the Man whom He has ordained. He has given assurance of this to all by raising Him from the dead."  The word "repent" has the meaning to "think differently" and results in a change of life as one chooses to live according to God.  Except we repent, we will perish.

Sorrow takes a primary role in the act of repentance.  Webster wrote in his 1828 Edition Dictionary of what it means to repent:  "In theology, to sorrow or be pained for sin, as a violation of God's holy law, a dishonour to His character and government."  He writes of "repentance:"  "Sorrow for any thing done or said; the pain or grief which a person experiences in consequence of the injury or inconvenience produced by his own conduct...real penitence; sorrow or deep contrition for sin."  Because the concept of repentance is tied closely to sorrow for sin, repentance never tends to be a popular subject.  People can be overwhelmed by their sense of grief for past sins and some remain in a constant cycle of guilt, embarrassment, and shame.  An improper understanding of repentance leads people to remain mired in past sins and therefore prevented from entering into the joy of the LORD.

Repentance is actually a very good thing to come out of sin.  Our God is a Redeemer, and repentance is the step a man must take before He can be restored to fellowship with God.  Something Webster neglected to address is the end of repentance - another "R" word - rejoicing!  Did you know that the end of repentance is rejoicing?  After David confessed his sin, look at what he wrote in Psalm 51:8-12:  "Make me hear joy and gladness, that the bones You have broken may rejoice. ⁹ Hide Your face from my sins, and blot out all my iniquities. ¹⁰ Create in me a clean heart, O God, And renew a steadfast spirit within me. ¹¹ Do not cast me away from Your presence, and do not take Your Holy Spirit from me. ¹² Restore to me the joy of Your salvation, and uphold me by Your generous Spirit."  Rejoicing in the ultimate consequence of repentance.  Understand this:  we do not rejoice over our sin, but in the goodness of our God to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.  God chastens those whom He loves, and we should rejoice in such love.  Do you not know heaven rejoices over one sinner who repents?  When David repented, heaven rejoiced.  Jesus says in Luke 15:7:  "I say to you that likewise there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine just persons who need no repentance."  If God and all heaven rejoice over your repentance, should we remain in perpetual sorrow?

If repentance has not resulted in rejoicing, there remains a step of faith for you to take.  Paul wrote while incarcerated in Philippians 4:4:  "Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice!"  This is the cutting edge:  we are to rejoice in the LORD always.  When we are in sin, God has ceased to be our focus and first love.  We are to approach repentance with a similar view of Christ's crucifixion.  We view Christ suffering and dying on the cross with sorrow because of our sin.  Yet we take comfort that it pleased the Father to bruise Jesus and make Him a sacrifice for sin so we could be cleansed and make whole.  Should the disciples have continued to mourn Christ's death when He stood among them alive three days later?  No!  If we are risen with Christ, forgiven and made new, may the joy of the LORD be our strength.  Repentance isn't a dirty word.  The intended end of repentance is rejoicing.  Repent, and by faith enter in!