Tears And Fears Don’t Get It Done

Being tearful over sin or fearful of retaliation does not automatically equate to repentance.   #daybydaylw   Interested in learning more about becoming a devoted follower of Christ? Go to follow.lifeword.org!   ~~~   Yesterday we learned that there can be this false notion that tears alone equals repentance; but there is also the false notion that fears alone equal repentance. Much of what we may call repentance is nothing more than “fox-hole religion.” The prospect of grave consequences are brought upon your conscience, and vows are made to never do such and such again. But once the threat is removed, once the fear is gone, it’s back to life as it once was. Fear and acting on self-preservation are not the same as repentance. But isn’t that what we do? We get scared of the consequences, we tremble, and maybe we change behavior in order to avoid the those consequences, at least for a little while, and when the fears subside, it’s back to the way things were. If fears alone equaled repentance, then why wouldn’t the demons be considered repentant, because do not even they demons tremble? Couldn’t we read throughout the gospels and see where Jesus worked miracles that produced all kinds of fear, but not necessarily true repentance? Or consider Paul, who stood before Felix the Governor in Acts 24. Paul, defending his case before Felix, and never missing an opportunity to witness for Christ, was reasoning with Felix about, “righteousness, and self-control, and the coming judgment.” And while this was happening, Felix was alarmed and said, “Go away for the present time.” But there was no true repentance! So be on guard of your own heart. Tears alone and neither fears alone equate to biblical repentance. It is the turning away from sin, the hating of sin like God hates sin, that is the sign of repentance.