Part 6 – Repentance

“Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfil his good purpose.” Philippians 2:12-13

This “working hard to show the results of your salvation” involves four things: Repentance, Faith, Perseverance and Discipline. Repentance is a voluntary change in mind, in which the person turns from a life of sin to living a life of righteousness. This is done in three spheres:

• Mind (Intellect) - recognition of personal sinfulness and guilt before God (Psalm 51:3; Romans 3:20)
• Emotional (Heart) - genuine sorrow for sin - Godly sorrow... leads to repentance (2 Corinthians 7:8-10)
• Will - decision to turn from sin, self-pleasing and self-centredness to God.

The importance of repentance was central to the teaching of:

• Jesus (Matthew 4:17; Mark 1:15);
• John the Baptist (Matthew 3:1-2)
• Apostles (Acts 2:38; 20:21).

Repentance was commanded by God (Acts 17:30). It was God’s will that all people should repent (2 Peter 3:9; 1 Timothy 2:4) In the next podcast, we look at the role of faith in the life of the Christian Disciple

Lord, my heart is not proud;

my eyes are not haughty.

I don't concern myself with matters too great

or too awesome for me to grasp.

Instead, I have calmed and quieted myself,

like a weaned child who no longer cries for its mother's milk.

Yes, like a weaned child is my soul within me.

O Israel, put your hope in the Lord

- now and always.

Part 5 – The Who, What, Why of Salvation

“9 If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by openly declaring your faith that you are saved.” Romans 10:9-10 New Living Translation

Who decides who is saved has been a question asked for centuries!! There are two extremist views in regard to salvation – there is “hyper-Calvinism” that says God has decided all things and there is nothing we can do about it. Then there is the opposite end, “universalism”, which says that God will grant salvation to all, regardless of creed, race or religion. However, there is a third way. But we need to see these two “isms” in the balance of Scripture. Firstly, God does choose individuals to fulfil His purposes (Romans 9) and He chooses those who are, or will be, saved (John 15:16). These chosen ones are called the elect. However, it is also His will that all people should be saved (1 Timothy 2:3-4) and that nobody should perish (2 Peter 3:9). So in reading those two statements, it is imperative that we accept both these Scriptural statements as equally and absolutely true. When we use words about God with a time element such as 'chose', 'elect', we need to use these considering God's infinite time framework (timelessness), and not in our human finite time framework. So God offers salvation to all, and leaves the responsibility to take up the offer with humans. Very often Christians will realise that although they thought at the time, they were making their own free decision to follow Christ, looking back they can see how God led them to that point. We choose; he elects. That is a puzzle we will never understand the answer to but that is the way that it is. As a Christian Disciple you have taken up God’s offer of salvation! But now what? What happens after the decision to become a Christian has been made? The answer to that, in the next podcast!

Psalm 149

Praise the Lord!

Sing to the Lord a new song.

Sing his praises in the assembly of the faithful.

O Israel, rejoice in your Maker.

O people of Jerusalem, exult in your King.

Praise his name with dancing,

accompanied by tambourine and harp.

For the Lord delights in his people;

he crowns the humble with victory.

Let the faithful rejoice that he honors them.

Let them sing for joy as they lie on their beds.

Let the praises of God be in their mouths,

and a sharp sword in their hands -

to execute vengeance on the nations

and punishment on the peoples,

to bind their kings with shackles

and their leaders with iron chains,

to execute the judgment written against them.

This is the glorious privilege of his faithful ones.

Praise the Lord!

Part 4 – The Christian is to Walk In The Spirit

Today we are looking at the process by which the Christian is declared clean, righteousified and sanctified. Or you may know it as, walking in the Spirit The Process by which this is achieved, is by the Christian Disciple devoting him or herself to righteousness (Romans 6:19,22) with a desire and choosing to be holy, submitted and consecrated to God. Christian Disciples are to put off the old nature - crucify the passions and desires (Ephesians 4:22; Galatians 5:24; Colossians 3:5) and put on the new nature created to be like God (Ephesians 4:24; Colossians 3:12-14). This is done by a work of God (1 Thessalonians. 5:23, Philippians 2:13) for the Christian is indwelt by God the Holy Spirit from the moment of conversion, and therefore a Christian Disciple is to ‘walk by the Spirit’ and ‘be led by the Spirit’ (Galatians 5:16,18). This is done by:

• Desiring holiness. Feed the new nature with God’s Word in order to renew our mind.
• Communicating with God. Talk to Him!! By doing this sin will be starved.
• Confessing known sin immediately, consciously allowing Christ total control in all circumstances

Remember the Holy Spirit lives within the Christian Disciple and empowers you and I - we can overcome sin and temptation by relying on His power to overcome rather than relying on your own strength. But we do have to accede control to Him. That of course, can be very difficult to do.

~

Selah.

Selah.

Selah.

You can also click or tap here to visit this page on our site and download all Psalms as CD quality MP3

Part 3 - The Christian is Declared Clean

However. There is a problem with the words ‘justified’ and ‘righteous’ in English. They sound so different but translate as two words which are very similar, because they share the same root in Greek. We could replace ‘justified’ with ‘righteousified’, and know what it meant better, if only there was such a word in English!

So we are justified (or ‘’righteousified’) – treated as though we are righteous in the eyes of God (Romans 3:24,26). We receive the gift of righteousness and so will reign in life (Romans 5: 17) and the list of the Christian Disciples sins is nailed to the cross of Jesus Christ (Colossians 2:13-14). Sanctification Then there is sanctification or cleansing of which there are 3 stages. We have been sanctified and made holy (Hebrews 10:10) by the death of Jesus Christ and we are washed clean (1 Corinthians 6:11). As a result, we are challenged to become increasingly sanctified. (2 Corinthians 7:1). We are also being transformed into the image of Jesus Christ (2 Corinthians 3:18) and conformed to His likeness (Romans 8:29-30). We are to be living sacrifices, transformed by the renewing of our minds (Romans 12:1-2). This holiness is the pursuit of moral excellence, not just obeying the law, and is by necessity a high standard (1 Thessalonians 4:3-8) because we have to do with a Holy God. We are sanctified and cleansed and we are to go on being sanctified and cleansed. We will only be fully and completely holy and pure before the Lord when we join him in the new heavens and the new earth (Philippians 3: 20-21)

In principle, we are saints, and God has already declared all Christian Disciples sanctified. We have been set apart - separated from sin, therefore we have been made holy (Hebrews 10:10) and we are washed and sanctified (1 Corinthians 6:11). In practice, as growing Christian Disciples, we should be perfecting holiness, being careful to avoid the contamination of sin (2 Corinthians 7:1). Christian Disciples are to work hard at the process of becoming Christ-like (Romans 8:29; 2 Corinthians 3:18; Colossians 3: 1-4). That is done by renewing our minds in order to transform our character (Romans 12:1-2). The standard all Christian Disciples are to attain and maintain is as Peter says: “Be holy, because I am holy” (1 Peter 1:16)

A Psalm by Asaph. 50:1 The Mighty One, God, Yahweh, speaks, and calls the earth from sunrise to sunset. 50:2 Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty, God shines forth. 50:3 Our God comes, and does not keep silent. A fire devours before him. It is very stormy around him. 50:4 He calls to the heavens above, to the earth, that he may judge his people: 50:5 “Gather my saints together to me, those who have made a covenant with me by sacrifice.” 50:6 The heavens shall declare his righteousness, for God himself is judge. Selah. 50:7 “Hear, my people, and I will speak; Israel, and I will testify against you. I am God, your God. 50:8 I don’t rebuke you for your sacrifices. Your burnt offerings are continually before me. 50:9 I have no need for a bull from your stall, nor male goats from your pens. 50:10 For every animal of the forest is mine, and the livestock on a thousand hills. 50:11 I know all the birds of the mountains. The wild animals of the field are mine. 50:12 If I were hungry, I would not tell you, for the world is mine, and all that is in it. 50:13 Will I eat the flesh of bulls, or drink the blood of goats? 50:14 Offer to God the sacrifice of thanksgiving. Pay your vows to the Most High. 50:15 Call on me in the day of trouble. I will deliver you, and you will honor me.” 50:16 But to the wicked God says, “What right do you have to declare my statutes, that you have taken my covenant on your lips, 50:17 since you hate instruction, and throw my words behind you? 50:18 When you saw a thief, you consented with him, and have participated with adulterers. 50:19 “You give your mouth to evil. Your tongue frames deceit. 50:20 You sit and speak against your brother. You slander your own mother’s son. 50:21 You have done these things, and I kept silent. You thought that I was just like you. I will rebuke you, and accuse you in front of your eyes. 50:22 “Now consider this, you who forget God, lest I tear you into pieces, and there be none to deliver. 50:23 Whoever offers the sacrifice of thanksgiving glorifies me, and prepares his way so that I will show God’s salvation to him.”