Fruit of Repentance Repentance is More Like a Path Than a Landmark

Fruit of Repentance

Repentance is More Like a Path Than a Landmark

The Path of Righteousness is not always an easy path

The Path of Righteousness is a path of giving up the past

Repentance is more than God saving you

God saved Lot’s wife from the destruction of Sodom

Yet, she turned back and perished

God saved the Children of Israel from Egypt

Yet, only a few entered into the Promise Land, almost all died in the wilderness     

Repentance is more like a path than a landmark

Remember John the Baptist’s words

“Bring fruit worthy of repentance”

 

Repentance is More Like a Path Than a Landmark

 

The definition of Repentance

according to Ephesians 4:20-24 is…

 

You, however, did not come to know Christ that way.

Surely you heard of him and were taught in him

in accordance with the truth that is in Jesus.

You were taught,

with regard to your former way of life,

to put off your old self,

which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires;

to be made new in the attitude of your minds;

and to put on the new self,

created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.

 

Repentance happens when an event takes

place in someone’s life that changes

their mind, their thinking, about life.

 

If you were to interview Christians…

 

 You would find stories that tell

of a life changing moment.

 

A time that awakened the person

to life being more than existence.

 

Solomon tells us…

 

It is better to go to a house of mourning

than to go to a house of feasting,

for death is the destiny of every man;

the living should take this to heart.

Ecclesiastes 7:2

 

Many people faced with death

turn to God for answers.

 

We call this life-changing

point in time, Conversion.

 

Sadly, I have been with family at the death

of a loved one and heard these words…

 

“I remember when he or she

 asked Jesus into their heart.”

 

Although this is comforting…

 

 Many times that deceased loved one

never produced fruit of that decision.

 

Repentance is more than a landmark…

 

 It is a path.

 

Jesus in Luke 17 is warning the disciples

of coming judgment and destruction.

 

He speaks of a destroying flood

in the days Noah and

the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah.

 

Jesus says…

 

Remember Lot's wife!

Whoever tries to keep his life will lose it,

and whoever loses his life will preserve it.

Luke 17:32-33

 

Lot, his wife and two daughters reluctantly

fled Sodom and were told not to look back.

 

Genesis 19:26 tells us…

 

But Lot's wife looked back,

and she became a pillar of salt.

 

The Children of Israel,

after being rescued from Egypt,

faced hardship in the wilderness

and grumbled against the Lord

who brought them out of bondage.

 

The Israelites said to them,

"If only we had died by the LORD's hand in Egypt!

There we sat around pots of meat

and ate all the food we wanted,

but you have brought us out into this desert

to starve this entire assembly to death."

Exodus 16:2-3

 

The Path of Righteousness is

not always an easy path.

 

The Path of Righteousness is

a path of giving up the past.

 

Repentance is more than God saving you.

 

God saved Lot’s wife from

the destruction of Sodom…

 

Yet, she turned back and perished.

 

God saved the Children of Israel from Egypt…

 

 Yet, only a few entered into the Promise Land,

almost all died in the wilderness.

      

Repentance is more like a path than a landmark.

 

Remember John the Baptist’s words…

 

“Bring fruit worthy of repentance.”

 

 

Scripture Reading

Ephesians 4:20-24 NIV

 

20 You, however, did not come to know Christ that way. 21 Surely you heard of him and were taught in him in accordance with the truth that is in Jesus. 22 You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; 23 to be made new in the attitude of your minds; 24 and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.