Scripture Matters Podcast - Episode 11 (Chapter 9 "Getting Repentance Right")

WEBVTT
00:00:10.800 --> 00:00:17.679
Imagine living your Christian life like you're constantly trying to reach a checkpoint.
00:00:18.000 --> 00:00:23.199
Sure, everything is fine as long as you make it to the next one.
00:00:23.519 --> 00:00:28.320
But if you mess up in between, you're not safe anymore.
00:00:28.640 --> 00:00:33.600
So you hurry back, you reset, you try to get right again.
00:00:33.920 --> 00:00:38.640
And for a lot of people, that's exactly how repentance feels.
00:00:38.960 --> 00:00:42.320
Not a direction, but a reset button.
00:00:42.640 --> 00:00:46.960
Yeah, not a life, but a series of emergency corrections.
00:00:47.280 --> 00:00:51.200
And the result is you're never really settled.
00:00:51.520 --> 00:00:55.840
Because your confidence rises and falls with your last moment.
00:00:56.479 --> 00:00:58.320
Your last failure.
00:00:58.640 --> 00:00:59.920
Your last prayer.
00:01:00.560 --> 00:01:03.679
Your last attempt to fix it.
00:01:04.159 --> 00:01:08.719
But here's the problem that's not the picture scripture paints.
00:01:09.120 --> 00:01:10.400
Not even close.
00:01:10.719 --> 00:01:14.480
Repentance was never meant to keep you guessing.
00:01:14.799 --> 00:01:17.840
Instead, it was meant to ground you.
00:01:18.239 --> 00:01:23.680
It wasn't designed to make you feel like you're constantly starting over.
00:01:24.239 --> 00:01:28.319
But to show you what it means to keep walking forward.
00:01:28.640 --> 00:01:34.480
And if we don't get this right, we won't just misunderstand repentance.
00:01:35.040 --> 00:01:38.079
We'll struggle to understand assurance.
00:01:38.400 --> 00:01:44.079
So today, we're not just defining repentance, we're correcting it.
00:01:44.400 --> 00:01:49.359
Because when you see it clearly, folks, it changes everything.
00:01:49.599 --> 00:01:57.840
And that's what we'll be talking about here today, right here on another episode of the Scripture Matters Podcast.
00:01:59.439 --> 00:02:07.439
You've tuned in to the Scripture Matters Podcast, produced and published in cooperation with the Waters Road Church of Christ.
00:02:07.599 --> 00:02:12.479
Looking for a church home in the Houston area that lovingly stands upon God's Word?
00:02:12.719 --> 00:02:15.919
Waters Road is the place where you belong.
00:02:16.240 --> 00:02:26.400
If you need more information about the Waters Road Church of Christ, check out their website at www.wrcomc.org.
00:02:26.800 --> 00:02:35.039
We'd like to thank each of you who helped make this podcast possible, especially the prayerful support of our wives and families.
00:02:35.360 --> 00:02:42.319
And now, good folks, let's get back to another episode of the Scripture Matters Podcast.
00:02:48.000 --> 00:02:58.159
We welcome you back to Scripture Matters, and we're indeed thankful that you've tuned in to what Cliff and I believe will be a landmark episode.
00:02:58.400 --> 00:02:59.759
Absolutely, Jonathan.
00:02:59.840 --> 00:03:10.400
Whether you're watching on YouTube or Facebook or listening on one of your favorite podcast platforms, we're so grateful you're here and studying along with us.
00:03:10.719 --> 00:03:12.400
My name is Jonathan Sanford.
00:03:12.479 --> 00:03:19.039
I serve as the pulpit minister alongside the wonderful brethren of the Waters Road Church of Christ.
00:03:19.280 --> 00:03:20.960
And I'm Cliff Thompson.
00:03:21.120 --> 00:03:28.319
I also serve as an elder as well as a Bible class teacher for the brethren at Waters Road Church of Christ, right along with Jonathan.
00:03:28.560 --> 00:03:28.960
That's right.
00:03:29.039 --> 00:03:32.560
And so we come now today to episode 11.
00:03:32.800 --> 00:03:33.039
Wow.
00:03:33.280 --> 00:03:41.039
We're diving even deeper into our review of Jack Wilkie's book, You Are Saved, a Christian's Assurance.
00:03:41.360 --> 00:03:48.240
As today we are stepping into chapter nine entitled Getting Repentance Right.
00:03:48.479 --> 00:03:55.280
But before we get there, Jonathan, let's take a just a moment to look back at where we were in last Friday's episode.
00:03:55.520 --> 00:03:56.319
Yes, Cliff.
00:03:56.479 --> 00:04:03.039
In episode 10, we spent our time together in chapter 8 entitled The Helper.
00:04:03.520 --> 00:04:12.159
And we focused primarily uh last week on the role of the Holy Spirit that it plays in our Christian life.
00:04:12.479 --> 00:04:20.639
And that was such an important discussion, folks, because it shifted the way we think about living faithfully.
00:04:20.879 --> 00:04:21.120
Right.
00:04:21.199 --> 00:04:29.120
And you know, it reminded us that the Christian life is not something that we're just left to carry on our own.
00:04:29.279 --> 00:04:33.199
Yeah, God doesn't just save us and then he steps away.
00:04:33.519 --> 00:04:35.920
No, he sustains us.
00:04:36.560 --> 00:04:46.879
And through his spirit, he is actively helping us grow, guiding us through his word, and strengthening us as we walk with him.
00:04:47.279 --> 00:05:01.120
And you know, that really sets the stage for where we're headed here today, uh, because understanding the spirit's role helps us better understand how repentance fits into our Christian life.
00:05:01.360 --> 00:05:09.519
And before we move forward, we want to take a moment to remind you, as always, folks, this is not just a one-way conversation.
00:05:09.839 --> 00:05:17.120
Yes, we truly want this to be a study that involves all of us working together.
00:05:17.439 --> 00:05:29.759
So if you have questions, if you have comments, or even things you're working through as we go through these chapters, we uh we just absolutely love to hear from you.
00:05:29.920 --> 00:05:38.000
Yeah, you you can reach out to us using the email addresses or social media information that you see on your screen.
00:05:38.240 --> 00:05:40.800
And this is not just lip service, folks.
00:05:40.879 --> 00:05:51.439
Trust me when I tell you your feedback, uh, your questions, um, all of it, your insights, they are so valuable to us as part of what we're doing here.
00:05:51.759 --> 00:05:55.120
Because this isn't just about Jonathan and I talking.
00:05:55.360 --> 00:06:00.879
No, it's about us all growing together and working through the scripture together.
00:06:01.120 --> 00:06:03.279
So don't hesitate to reach out.
00:06:03.439 --> 00:06:06.240
We genuinely look forward to hearing from you.
00:06:06.480 --> 00:06:13.600
And with that in mind, Cliff, uh, tell you what, let's begin our journey together here today through chapter number nine.
00:06:14.079 --> 00:06:16.079
Getting repentance right.
00:06:16.879 --> 00:06:20.000
Well, we begin here as chapter nine opens.
00:06:20.079 --> 00:06:27.279
Uh, the first thing that Jack Wilkie, the author, he does is take us straight to the beginning of the message.
00:06:27.920 --> 00:06:33.839
Not opinions, not traditions, but what was actually preached.
00:06:34.079 --> 00:06:37.920
And he starts right there with good old John the Baptist.
00:06:38.079 --> 00:06:42.160
Matthew chapter three, if you'd like to look there with us in verses one and two.
00:06:42.480 --> 00:06:52.000
Again, Matthew chapter three, verses one and two, it says this in those days, John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea.
00:06:52.319 --> 00:06:56.319
Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.
00:06:56.879 --> 00:07:01.759
Now that's important because repentance isn't introduced later.
00:07:02.000 --> 00:07:06.399
No, it's right there at the very onset of the message.
00:07:06.720 --> 00:07:10.160
Before the ministry of Jesus even fully begins.
00:07:10.480 --> 00:07:17.920
And then what's amazing, Cliff, is that Jesus comes preaching the exact same message.
00:07:18.079 --> 00:07:32.879
In Mark chapter 1 and verse 14 and 15, we see this Jesus came into Galilee proclaiming the gospel of God and saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand.
00:07:33.519 --> 00:07:36.720
Repent and believe in the gospel.
00:07:37.040 --> 00:07:40.480
So, folks, right away, you've got a pattern.
00:07:40.800 --> 00:07:43.519
Repentance isn't optional, folks.
00:07:43.600 --> 00:07:46.720
It's central, it's not a side note.
00:07:46.879 --> 00:07:50.079
No, it's part of the core message.
00:07:50.240 --> 00:07:59.199
And and I think, Cliff, looking back, this is for me anyway, where the chapter began to press into me in a personal way.
00:07:59.439 --> 00:08:07.279
Yeah, Jonathan, because if repentance is that central, then we need to make sure we actually understand it correctly.
00:08:07.759 --> 00:08:18.480
I think you're so right, Cliff, because something it can be emphasized in scripture, yes, uh, and and still be misunderstood in practice.
00:08:18.800 --> 00:08:22.399
And folks, that's what Jack Wilkie is beginning to expose.
00:08:22.639 --> 00:08:29.360
That repentance is preached clearly, but is often practiced incorrectly.
00:08:30.240 --> 00:08:45.360
And then he expands uh that beyond just John the Baptist and Jesus, because this wasn't a temporary message, it was a theme that continued even beyond the resurrection.
00:08:45.519 --> 00:09:01.360
In Luke chapter 24, beginning in verse 46 and 47, it says, Thus it is written that repentance for the forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all the nations.
00:09:02.000 --> 00:09:08.879
So now it's not just the beginning of the message, it's the ongoing message, folks.
00:09:09.200 --> 00:09:14.799
You see that immediately in Acts chapter 2 and verse 38, it's right there at the beginning.
00:09:15.039 --> 00:09:21.279
Repent and be baptized, every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins.
00:09:21.519 --> 00:09:27.519
That's the response to the gospel, and yet, good folks, it doesn't stop there.
00:09:28.000 --> 00:09:36.960
Acts chapter 17 and verse 30 says, God now commands all people everywhere to repent.
00:09:37.679 --> 00:09:39.039
That's not limited.
00:09:39.279 --> 00:09:47.759
No, sir, Jonathan, that's universal, and then even later, you see it in the letters to the churches.
00:09:47.840 --> 00:09:50.240
You know those seven churches in Asia Minor?
00:09:50.559 --> 00:09:53.759
Revelation chapter two and verse five.
00:09:54.159 --> 00:10:00.320
Remember, therefore, from where you have fallen, here's that word, repent.
00:10:01.039 --> 00:10:10.240
So, Jonathan, what you're saying is this just isn't something for becoming a Christian, it's part of continuing as one.
00:10:10.639 --> 00:10:23.039
And that's a huge step towards really where chapter nine is taking us on our journey today, because uh at this point, one thing is truly undeniable.
00:10:23.600 --> 00:10:27.600
Repentance is everywhere in this message, yeah.
00:10:27.759 --> 00:10:31.759
In the beginning, in the middle, and ongoing.
00:10:32.000 --> 00:10:40.399
And if you think about it, if something is that consistent in scripture, then folks, we cannot afford to get it wrong.
00:10:40.639 --> 00:10:41.279
No, all right.
00:10:41.440 --> 00:10:46.399
So before we move forward, let's summarize what we've seen here.
00:10:47.039 --> 00:10:55.279
Repentance is not a minor theme in scripture, no, it's central to the message from the very beginning.
00:10:55.600 --> 00:11:00.559
John preached it, Jesus preached it, the apostles preached it.
00:11:00.799 --> 00:11:04.879
And here's the thing the church was called to continue it.
00:11:05.279 --> 00:11:15.840
Which means the question isn't whether repentance matters, no, it's whether we understand it in the way that scripture defines it.
00:11:16.159 --> 00:11:19.679
And that's exactly where the chapter is about to take us next.
00:11:20.000 --> 00:11:20.799
Thank you, Cliff.
00:11:20.879 --> 00:11:21.440
It really is.
00:11:21.600 --> 00:11:37.440
It's clear if you've read chapter nine, like Cliff and I have, that after establishing just how central repentance is to the message, the chapter begins to press into something even deeper.
00:11:38.159 --> 00:11:43.360
Not just that repentance is preached, but how we've come to think about it.
00:11:43.600 --> 00:11:44.080
That's right.
00:11:44.240 --> 00:11:58.080
Because for a lot of people out there, and you may be one of them, repentance is treated like a moment, something you do once, or something that you only return to whenever something goes wrong.
00:11:58.320 --> 00:12:08.480
Yeah, almost like it's tied to some specific point in time, and that's where Jack Wilkie, the author, begins to just slow us down a little bit.
00:12:08.799 --> 00:12:18.080
Because when you look at the way repentance is presented in scripture, it does not uh feel limited to moments.
00:12:18.320 --> 00:12:51.919
No, folks, it feels bigger than that, and and one of the ways that he shows that is by the language itself, yeah, Jonathan, because the Greek word translated repent carries the idea of a change of mind, yeah, uh a reorientation, a shift in direction, not just something that you say, but something that affects the way that you live, and and that begins to truly challenge the way often people approach it.
00:12:52.240 --> 00:13:01.200
Because if repentance is only a moment, then it's something that you do and then it's over with, it's complete, yeah.
00:13:01.519 --> 00:13:06.960
But if it's a change in direction, then it's something you must continue.
00:13:07.120 --> 00:13:10.000
And Jonathan, that's a major difference.
00:13:10.240 --> 00:13:20.879
Oh, I agree 100%, Cliff, because now we're not just talking about just checking a box, we're talking about a way of living.
00:13:21.120 --> 00:13:28.159
Think about this, and I think that's where it really starts to connect with what we saw in our previous chapter.
00:13:28.399 --> 00:13:38.559
Yeah, Jonathan, because if the Holy Spirit is helping God and shaping our lives, and as we discussed and confirmed last week, he certainly is.
00:13:38.720 --> 00:13:42.080
Yeah, then repentance isn't separate from that.
00:13:42.320 --> 00:13:50.320
No, I would say, and I think you would agree, Cliff, that it is an inseparable part of our ongoing transformation.
00:13:50.639 --> 00:13:52.799
Yeah, not just the starting point.
00:13:53.039 --> 00:14:08.559
Yeah, and you can see that reflected even in passages like Acts 26 and verse 20 that says that they should repent and turn to God, performing deeds in keeping with their repentance.
00:14:08.879 --> 00:14:14.000
That's important, Jonathan, because repentance is connected to a way of life.
00:14:14.240 --> 00:14:20.399
Again, not just a single act, it shows up in how someone lives.
00:14:20.960 --> 00:14:23.440
And I gotta be honest with the folks out there, Cliff.
00:14:23.519 --> 00:14:27.200
Here's where I felt like Jack Wookiee started stepping on my toes a little bit.
00:14:27.360 --> 00:14:30.480
You know, as a preacher, people tell me I step on their toes, right?
00:14:30.559 --> 00:14:32.720
Well, Jack repaid the favor here.
00:14:32.879 --> 00:14:46.879
I don't know about you, Cliff, but uh, but Jack is really forcing us to ask have we reduced something that's meant to be ongoing to something that's just occasional?
00:14:47.120 --> 00:14:47.679
Yes, sir.
00:14:47.759 --> 00:14:51.919
And Jonathan, he even got to me through steel-toe boots as well.
00:14:52.240 --> 00:15:03.120
Well, as to the question, if that is so, brother, that will negatively affect how we understand everything else, including assurance.
00:15:03.440 --> 00:15:14.000
Because if repentance is only something that you do in your Christian life at certain moments, then your confidence may feel tied to only those certain moments.
00:15:14.240 --> 00:15:26.559
But if repentance is a direction, then your confidence is tied to the life that you're living in Jesus Christ, and that's a completely different way of thinking, folks.
00:15:26.799 --> 00:15:34.080
All right, let's okay, as I had to do when I was reading this, uh, let's just pause here and take a deep breath, right?
00:15:34.320 --> 00:15:39.759
Um, before we move forward, how about let's summarize now what we've seen in this segment?
00:15:40.080 --> 00:15:45.120
Good idea, Jonathan, because this might be, as you said earlier, new to a lot of people.
00:15:45.279 --> 00:15:53.440
Remember, folks, the first thing is this repentance is not just something that happens at isolated points in time.
00:15:53.679 --> 00:16:04.960
Now here's the deal: it reflects a change of mind and a change of direction, something that continues, something that shapes how a person lives.
00:16:05.200 --> 00:16:15.120
And if we misunderstand that, then folks, the honest truth is we're going to struggle to understand repentance the way that scripture presents it.
00:16:15.440 --> 00:16:18.960
Which beautifully moves us on to the segment number three.
00:16:19.200 --> 00:16:20.639
That's right, Cliff.
00:16:20.799 --> 00:16:26.320
This is where the chapter really begins to truly expose the problem.
00:16:26.559 --> 00:16:31.759
Yeah, Jonathan, because now we're not just talking about what repentance is.
00:16:32.080 --> 00:16:36.399
No, we're actually talking about the way most people tend to treat it.
00:16:36.639 --> 00:16:39.519
And this is where that illustration comes in.
00:16:39.840 --> 00:16:40.159
Right.
00:16:40.320 --> 00:16:45.679
It's the idea of what is referred to as a save point.
00:16:45.759 --> 00:16:48.879
That's S-A-V-E save point.
00:16:49.200 --> 00:16:50.960
Yeah, like in a video game.
00:16:51.360 --> 00:16:54.240
You're uh at least young enough to know about video games, right?
00:16:54.320 --> 00:16:57.840
They, you know, that that those old video games, I'm sure, for Cliff.
00:16:58.080 --> 00:17:02.639
But in a video game, right, you make progress, you move forward.
00:17:03.039 --> 00:17:12.319
But if something goes wrong and you lose a life, well, with a click of a button, you can go right back to the last place you saved.
00:17:12.559 --> 00:17:24.720
And you know, for a lot of people, that's exactly how apprentice functions in their mind, it becomes a recess point, a place you return to to get back to where you were.
00:17:24.960 --> 00:17:26.400
And that sounds subtle.
00:17:26.640 --> 00:17:31.279
But the truth is, folks, it changes everything.
00:17:32.079 --> 00:17:56.880
Because now your relationship with God feels unstable, like you're constantly moving in and out of a saved position based on your last action, your last sin, your last prayer, your last moment of repentance, and that creates a cycle.
00:17:57.119 --> 00:18:09.599
And that cycle sounds like this sin, panic, reset, sin, panic, reset over and over again.
00:18:10.000 --> 00:18:14.799
And the result is, folks, you never ever feel settled.
00:18:15.039 --> 00:18:22.640
No, because your confidence is tied to how recently you've fixed things, yeah.
00:18:22.799 --> 00:18:26.480
And I think this is where the chapter really challenges us, Jonathan.
00:18:26.640 --> 00:18:33.119
Yeah, because now uh that that's just not how repentance is presented in scripture.
00:18:33.519 --> 00:18:43.200
No, not as a reset button, that's right, not as a place that you return to over and over in order to stay saved, folks.
00:18:43.440 --> 00:18:50.559
And this is where passages like first John chapter one and verse seven begin to matter.
00:18:50.640 --> 00:18:51.599
Listen to this.
00:18:51.759 --> 00:19:01.519
It says, if we walk in the light, the blood of Jesus, God's Son, cleanses us from all sin.
00:19:02.400 --> 00:19:05.359
Now, I want you to notice the language there, folks.
00:19:05.599 --> 00:19:25.759
It's not describing a moment, no, it's describing a walk, an ongoing life, not constant restarting, but continuous cleansing, and that stands in direct contrast to the save point, that save point way of thinking.
00:19:26.000 --> 00:19:34.240
Because now, instead of going back, you're moving forward, and that doesn't mean, folks, that sin isn't serious.
00:19:34.400 --> 00:19:36.640
Please do not misunderstand us.
00:19:37.119 --> 00:19:45.519
All of us, I think, that are watching this know how serious, without a shadow of a doubt, we know how serious sin truly is.
00:19:45.920 --> 00:19:50.000
And this doesn't mean repentance isn't necessary either, folks.
00:19:50.079 --> 00:19:54.480
It's absolutely, positively, 100% necessary.
00:19:55.039 --> 00:19:56.799
But here's the reality, folks.
00:19:56.960 --> 00:20:00.400
Please listen carefully to what I'm about to share with you.
00:20:00.640 --> 00:20:14.000
What Cliff and I are saying here today is that repentance is not functioning in the way that many people within the Lord's church have traditionally uh tended to treat it.
00:20:14.240 --> 00:20:19.200
Yes, and I know this is so hard for some folks out there to hear.
00:20:19.279 --> 00:20:19.599
Yeah.
00:20:19.839 --> 00:20:27.920
But trust Jonathan and I today as we tell you, repentance is not a reset mechanism.
00:20:28.240 --> 00:20:34.160
Instead, folks, here's the beautiful truth that I hope and pray that you will accept.
00:20:34.480 --> 00:20:39.119
It's part of a relationship, folks.
00:20:39.279 --> 00:20:45.599
It's a life that is being lived in the light, and that's such a huge shift.
00:20:45.759 --> 00:20:50.880
Yes, because now we're not asking, did I reset correctly?
00:20:51.119 --> 00:20:54.799
No, we're we're asking, Am I walking with God?
00:20:55.119 --> 00:20:59.599
And folks, that changes everything about how you think about assurance.
00:21:00.000 --> 00:21:00.400
All right.
00:21:00.480 --> 00:21:11.039
Well, we're we're chipping away at this a little bit of the time, and I like the progress that we're making, but before we move forward, let's summarize here what we've seen in segment three, Cliff.
00:21:11.279 --> 00:21:17.039
Okay, now remember the save point way of thinking treats repentance like a reset button.
00:21:17.200 --> 00:21:22.160
Yeah, something that you must return to in order to stay saved.
00:21:22.400 --> 00:21:25.279
But scripture presents a completely different picture.
00:21:25.519 --> 00:21:26.559
Oh, a beautiful one.
00:21:26.720 --> 00:21:40.000
One of us walking in the light, of an ongoing relationship and continuous cleansing, which means repentance is not about constantly starting over.
00:21:40.319 --> 00:21:44.400
No, it's about continuing in the right direction.
00:21:44.799 --> 00:21:45.119
Okay.
00:21:45.599 --> 00:21:51.119
Now that we have a handle on this, let's go ahead and move on forward to segment number four, Jonathan.
00:21:51.359 --> 00:21:59.759
Well, uh, after Jack exposes that save point way of thinking, the chapter now begins to rebuild our understanding.
00:22:00.319 --> 00:22:03.200
Not just what repentance is not.
00:22:03.519 --> 00:22:05.680
No, but what it actually is.
00:22:06.240 --> 00:22:10.799
And it starts with something simple, but oh so powerful.
00:22:11.039 --> 00:22:11.440
Yeah.
00:22:11.759 --> 00:22:12.240
Amen.
00:22:12.480 --> 00:22:14.799
Repentance is a change.
00:22:15.359 --> 00:22:17.279
A change of mind.
00:22:18.079 --> 00:22:21.119
That leads to a change in direction.
00:22:21.440 --> 00:22:27.599
And that's important because now we're not just talking about isolated moments or actions.
00:22:27.759 --> 00:22:35.440
No, we're talking about a reoriented life, a life that is now moving toward God.
00:22:36.240 --> 00:22:40.799
Not perfectly, but intentionally.
00:22:41.119 --> 00:22:45.440
And I think, Jonathan, that distinction really does matter.
00:22:45.680 --> 00:22:52.559
Oh, it does because a lot of people they hear repentance and automatically think perfection.
00:22:52.880 --> 00:22:57.119
Like if I repent, I won't struggle anymore.
00:22:57.359 --> 00:22:59.519
Or I won't fail again.
00:22:59.839 --> 00:23:02.799
But that's not the picture scripture gives us.
00:23:03.119 --> 00:23:04.880
No, no, no, not at all.
00:23:05.359 --> 00:23:17.519
You can see that even in passages like Proverbs chapter 24 and verse 16, where the Bible says, For the righteous falls seven times and rises again.
00:23:18.000 --> 00:23:21.359
That's not describing someone who never falls.
00:23:21.519 --> 00:23:29.359
Folks, it's describing someone who doesn't stay down when they fall, someone whose direction is set.
00:23:29.759 --> 00:23:34.240
And that lines up oh so perfectly with what we saw earlier.
00:23:34.559 --> 00:23:40.240
Walking in the light, first John chapter 1 and verse 7 that we mentioned earlier.
00:23:40.400 --> 00:23:43.519
That's not a description of perfection.
00:23:43.680 --> 00:23:47.920
Instead, it's a description of direction.
00:23:48.240 --> 00:23:52.400
And that's a life, again, as we've said, that is oriented toward God.
00:23:52.880 --> 00:23:56.160
And that is where repentance truly lives.
00:23:56.400 --> 00:24:05.599
Yeah, not just in a moment, but in a mindset, a heart that is continually turning towards God.
00:24:05.839 --> 00:24:09.920
And what I love about that is that helps clear up a lot of confusion.
00:24:10.160 --> 00:24:16.960
Yeah, because now repentance is not just something you redo every time you fail.
00:24:17.119 --> 00:24:21.920
No, it's something that defines the way you respond when you fail.
00:24:22.160 --> 00:24:25.359
And Jonathan, that is a big difference.
00:24:25.599 --> 00:24:31.039
It is because instead of asking, hey, did I reset correctly?
00:24:31.279 --> 00:24:35.279
Yeah, you're asking, Am I still turning towards God?
00:24:35.599 --> 00:24:39.599
And that's uh a so much more stable place to live.
00:24:39.839 --> 00:24:46.640
Yes, it is, because now your relationship with God is not hanging on perfect performance.
00:24:46.880 --> 00:25:00.079
No, it's grounded in a consistent direction, a heart that continues to turn back to him, and that's exactly what you see throughout all of scripture.
00:25:00.319 --> 00:25:01.359
Yeah, Jonathan.
00:25:01.759 --> 00:25:04.720
Look at Acts chapter 3 and verse 19.
00:25:04.960 --> 00:25:09.839
Repent, therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out.
00:25:10.079 --> 00:25:14.160
Yeah, notice carefully the language that is used there.
00:25:14.480 --> 00:25:15.680
Turn back.
00:25:16.000 --> 00:25:19.359
And that's direction, it's movement.
00:25:19.680 --> 00:25:22.480
Yeah, not just a single point in time either.
00:25:22.799 --> 00:25:27.519
And that's what this entire chapter is helping us to see.
00:25:27.839 --> 00:25:36.240
That repentance is not about constantly starting over, no, it's about continually turning toward God.
00:25:36.400 --> 00:25:43.599
And when you begin to understand that, good folks, it changes the way you see your walk with Him.
00:25:43.839 --> 00:25:50.559
Yeah, it brings clarity, oh, it brings stability, and it brings confidence as well.
00:25:50.799 --> 00:25:55.759
All right, so before we move forward, let's summarize what we've just seen here together.
00:25:56.079 --> 00:26:11.039
Okay, repentance is a change of mind that leads to a change in direction, it is not perfection, but it is intentional movement towards God, it's not about resetting your salvation.
00:26:11.279 --> 00:26:13.519
No, it's about continuing your walk.
00:26:13.839 --> 00:26:22.480
And when you understand that correctly, it removes confusion and strengthens assurance.
00:26:22.720 --> 00:26:26.000
And that leads us into the final piece of the chapter.
00:26:26.400 --> 00:26:34.880
All right, as this chapter begins to come to a close, everything really begins to just come together.
00:26:35.119 --> 00:26:48.000
Yeah, because what we've seen is not just a correction of repentance, no, it's a correction, uh, even more so about how we think about our relationship with God.
00:26:48.319 --> 00:26:49.599
Exactly, Jonathan.
00:26:49.759 --> 00:26:55.599
Because if repentance is misunderstood, then assurance is going to be unstable.
00:26:55.920 --> 00:27:00.480
But when repentance is understood correctly, guess what it does?
00:27:00.640 --> 00:27:06.960
It actually strengthens our assurance, and that's such an important shift.
00:27:07.200 --> 00:27:17.519
It is, folks, because now we're not living in fear of every single mistake, we're living in confidence of a relationship.
00:27:17.839 --> 00:27:26.960
And I think this is where passages like first John chapter 1, verses 7 through 9 really need to be seen clearly.
00:27:27.119 --> 00:27:30.000
Listen to these words, meditate on them.
00:27:30.319 --> 00:27:37.359
If we walk in the light, the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin.
00:27:37.920 --> 00:27:47.119
And it goes on to say if we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins.
00:27:47.440 --> 00:28:00.559
Folks, that's not describing a system of constant resetting, it's describing a relationship of ongoing forgiveness, a life that is being lived in the light.
00:28:00.799 --> 00:28:04.000
And yes, please do not misunderstand us here today.
00:28:04.160 --> 00:28:06.640
There is confession, no doubt.
00:28:06.720 --> 00:28:10.319
And there is 100% repentance.
00:28:10.640 --> 00:28:13.119
But please listen to Cliff and I, folks.
00:28:13.200 --> 00:28:22.720
It's not functioning, as we've said, as a reset button, it's functioning as part of our ongoing walk with God.
00:28:22.799 --> 00:28:26.240
And that, oh folks, it changes everything.
00:28:26.559 --> 00:28:31.279
Because now, instead of asking, Am I still saved?
00:28:31.680 --> 00:28:35.920
We're asking, Am I still walking with Him?
00:28:36.160 --> 00:28:39.839
And folks, that's a much more stable question.
00:28:40.160 --> 00:28:43.759
Because it's not based on perfection.
00:28:44.240 --> 00:28:47.200
Again, remember, it's based on direction.
00:28:47.519 --> 00:28:52.960
And I think that's where, Cliff, a lot of Christians out there watching this need to find some rest.
00:28:53.200 --> 00:28:59.839
I agree, Jonathan, because they've been living way too long in that cycle we talked about.
00:29:00.079 --> 00:29:02.799
Yeah, sin, panic, and reset.
00:29:03.039 --> 00:29:04.319
Y'all are hearing this out there.
00:29:04.480 --> 00:29:06.319
You've lived that, you know what I'm talking about.
00:29:06.480 --> 00:29:08.000
Sin, panic, reset.
00:29:08.240 --> 00:29:09.680
Over and over.
00:29:09.920 --> 00:29:12.000
It's such a tiring way to live.
00:29:12.079 --> 00:29:14.559
And you never really feel secure.
00:29:14.880 --> 00:29:21.680
But when you really understand repentance correctly, that cycle is broken.
00:29:21.759 --> 00:29:23.359
And I say to that, Amen.
00:29:23.680 --> 00:29:25.119
Yes, amen.
00:29:25.599 --> 00:29:31.519
Because when it is, you're no longer trying to constantly get back.
00:29:31.839 --> 00:29:34.880
No, instead, you're continuing to move forward.
00:29:35.119 --> 00:29:38.319
And that doesn't make sin less serious now, folks.
00:29:38.480 --> 00:29:43.119
And it doesn't make repentance an optional add-on to the Christian life.
00:29:43.359 --> 00:29:47.920
No, but what it does, it puts both of those things in the right place.
00:29:48.480 --> 00:29:50.480
And listen, this is where they live.
00:29:50.799 --> 00:29:53.200
Inside a relationship.
00:29:53.440 --> 00:29:55.839
Yeah, folks, not outside of it.
00:29:56.079 --> 00:30:00.160
And that when you understand it, that's where confidence begins to grow.
00:30:00.319 --> 00:30:05.920
Not because we're perfect, but because God is faithful.
00:30:06.240 --> 00:30:20.799
And that's exactly what first John emphasizes that God is faithful and just to forgive, that his cleansing is ongoing, and that our walk with him, folks, is real.
00:30:21.759 --> 00:30:28.240
So as we bring this another chapter to a close, let us please make it clear.
00:30:28.319 --> 00:30:29.920
We're going to say it one more time.
00:30:30.319 --> 00:30:33.359
Repentance is not a reset button.
00:30:33.599 --> 00:30:36.880
Please remember, folks, it is a direction.
00:30:37.440 --> 00:30:46.240
It is not about constantly having to start over, it's about continually turning towards God.
00:30:46.480 --> 00:30:52.480
And the most beautiful thing is when that is understood correctly, it doesn't weaken assurance.
00:30:53.039 --> 00:30:54.799
No, it strengthens it.
00:30:55.119 --> 00:31:06.559
Because now our confidence is not in our last perfect moment, but in a faithful God who continues to forgive and sustain.
00:31:07.200 --> 00:31:10.240
And folks, that's where this chapter leaves us.
00:31:10.559 --> 00:31:18.880
In confidence, in clarity, and in better understanding of what it truly means to repent.
00:31:19.200 --> 00:31:29.440
Good folks out there today, as we now wrap up our study of chapter 9, getting repentance right, everything really comes down to this.
00:31:29.920 --> 00:31:37.359
Repentance was never meant to leave you uncertain, it was meant to give direction.
00:31:45.920 --> 00:31:51.680
And when you begin to see it that way, it doesn't weaken your confidence.
00:31:52.079 --> 00:31:54.000
Folks, it strengthens it.
00:31:54.240 --> 00:32:08.799
Because now your assurance is not based on a single moment, but to a relationship that is ongoing, continuing to walk in the light.
00:32:09.359 --> 00:32:12.720
A life that continues turning towards him.
00:32:13.599 --> 00:32:31.759
And if anything that Cliff and I that we have discussed here together with you, it if it if it's helped you in any way to see repentance more clearly, and in turn help strengthen your assurance, even just a little.
00:33:23.200 --> 00:33:28.319
Yeah, that's important because this is not just a powwow between Jonathan and I.
00:33:28.720 --> 00:33:29.759
No, I think about it.
00:33:29.920 --> 00:33:38.400
This is just as much of a Bible study as a Bible class that you're setting in on a Sunday morning or a Wednesday night.
00:33:38.720 --> 00:33:46.160
And our goal is that every person who tunes in feels a real connection to what we're doing here.
00:33:46.400 --> 00:33:56.079
So if you're out there and you have questions or thoughts or concerns of things you're working through, we would really and truthfully love to hear from you.
00:33:56.319 --> 00:34:02.799
And as always, we want to encourage you to take a moment to like and share this episode.
00:34:03.119 --> 00:34:07.279
And if you haven't subscribed yet, folks, now is the time to do so.
00:34:07.519 --> 00:34:14.719
Yeah, because we've been incredibly encouraged by the growth that we've seen through these uh first several weeks.
00:34:15.119 --> 00:34:19.920
The increased viewership, the messages, the engagement.
00:34:20.079 --> 00:34:23.119
Oh, it has meant so much to us, folks.
00:34:23.360 --> 00:34:31.119
And here's the thing we're excited to see just how far the Lord will continue to bless us to grow.
00:34:31.280 --> 00:34:32.239
Lord willing.
00:34:32.559 --> 00:34:37.440
But above all, here's the thing to God be the glory.
00:34:37.760 --> 00:34:38.159
Amen.
00:34:38.960 --> 00:34:41.840
For everything we do here on Scripture Matters.
00:34:42.079 --> 00:34:42.639
That's right.
00:34:42.719 --> 00:34:47.360
Well, listen, folks, we're so grateful that you've joined us and been with us here today.
00:34:47.599 --> 00:34:59.599
And we hope you'll join us next time as we continue to study together every Friday at 3:30 on YouTube, Facebook, and all major podcast platforms.
00:34:59.840 --> 00:35:04.480
Well, until then, stay grounded, stay focused.
00:35:04.719 --> 00:35:09.039
And remember, as always, good folks, Scripture Matters.
00:35:09.199 --> 00:35:09.360
Yes.
00:35:09.599 --> 00:35:10.480
Goodbye, everybody.
00:35:10.719 --> 00:35:11.840
Bye, folks.
00:35:12.400 --> 00:35:16.960
Thanks for spending part of your day with us on the Scripture Matters Podcast.
00:35:17.119 --> 00:35:21.199
We'll be back with a new conversation every Friday at 3.30 p.m.
00:35:21.519 --> 00:35:25.519
on YouTube, Facebook, and all major podcast platforms.
00:35:26.239 --> 00:35:33.119
Until then, may the word guide you in your week and as always remember Scripture Matter.