Repentance... No longer a part of church today.

Whatever happened to repentance? You rarely hear the word mentioned in most churches today — even in Baptist, Pentecostal or charismatic churches. Pastors nowadays seldom call for their congregations to repent over sin. And what about when the pastor sins? (I guess that's for another blog post..see perfect pastor blog post.)

Instead, the message we hear from many pulpits today is, "Just believe. Accept Christ, and you'll be saved." The text used to justify this message is
Acts 16:30-31.
30And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved?

31And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.

In this passage, the apostle Paul was being held in jail when suddenly the earth shook and all the cell doors opened. The jailer immediately thought all the prisoners had fled, which meant he faced execution. In despair, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself when Paul and Silas stopped him, assuring him no one had escaped.

Seeing this, the man fell down before the apostles and cried out, "…Sirs, what must I do to be saved? And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house" (Acts 16:30-31).

As we read this, it's important to remember that the jailer was on the verge of suicide, with sword in hand. He was already at a point of repentance — on his knees, broken and trembling, before the apostles. So his heart was truly prepared to accept Jesus in genuine faith.

In the gospel of Mark, Jesus tells his disciples, "He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned" (Mark 16:16). It's clear from what Jesus says here that salvation is found in simply accepting him and being baptized.

However, Jesus prefaces his statement with this word: "…Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature" (verse 15). He's saying, in essence, that before people can believe in him, the gospel must first be preached to them.

And what is this gospel Jesus refers to? It's the gospel that Jesus himself preached — the gospel of repentance!

Think about it — what was the first message Jesus delivered, after he emerged from the temptation in the wilderness? Scripture says, "From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand" (Matthew 4:17).

Jesus called people to repent before he even called them to believe! Mark writes, "…Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, and saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel" (Mark 1:14-15). Christ preached, "Repent first — and believe."

In Matthew 9:13 Jesus says of his mission, "…I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance" (Matthew 9:13). And he told the Galileans, "I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish" (Luke 13:3).

Jesus' gospel was all about repentance!

I know how hard it is to admit when you are wrong. I know how it is to know that there is sin in your life. I too sin and if it were not for the grace of God and his forgiveness, I would be condemned to hell.
It's not too late and your problems are never too large. You are not perfect. You never will be perfect, on this earth anyway. I encourage you to repent! Get the weight of sin off you and become the man or woman that God sees, not the person that man/woman sees.

Ready or Not he will come

As a little boy growing up in ruaral South Carolina on what was a dirt road but now is paved, I really enjoyed playing hide and go seek.

I loved it no matter if I was the one hiding trying not to get caught, or if I was the one seeking; who was trying to catch those hiding.

Although I have not played in a quite some time, I do remember that the seeker, was called the "It".

The “It” would close their eyes and count to 20 or 100 giving time for the others to hide.

Now sometimes the seeker would cheat a little bit, I must admit I did and would peek around. But then you could hear the count, "One Mississippi Two Mississippi" All the Way To whatever Mississippi.

Then you would hear the counter scream out, "Ready or not here I come."

Four things were always certain in the game:

(1) - The “It” was surely coming

(2) - The “It” was coming when they were good and ready and not before

(3) - The “It” was coming whether you were ready or not

(4) - And If you were not ready, then you would pay the consequences.
Little did I realize as a child how much this game of hide and seek was much like the Return or The Second Coming of Jesus Christ.

Paul pleaded with the church of Thessalonica and us today about the importance of being ready.

Hear Paul’s words to the believers gathered in Thessalonica.

1 Thessalonians 5:1-2

King James Version (KJV)

1But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you.

2For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night.

The Second Coming of Jesus Christ is one of the most repeated teachings in all of Scripture.

Paul was aware of Christ’s return and he explained it to the believers gathered in Thessalonica.

As a matter of fact, Paul told them that he should not have to remind them about this fact again.

It is much like a story I read years ago of a tourist driving through Texas who stopped at a gas station.

He saw a piece of rope dangling from a sign labeled "Weather Forecaster."

The tourist was curious and asked "How can you possibly tell the weather with a piece of rope?"

"It’s simple, Sonny," the person said.

"When the rope swings back and forth, it’s windy.

When it gets wet, it’s raining.

When it’s frozen stiff, and it has white stuff on it well it is snowing,
And when it’s gone... tornado!"

There are some things that should be obvious without even asking.
The return of Jesus Christ is one of those things.

The Scriptures inform us that the Messiah will return how? "...as a thief in the night."

The question is not "If Jesus will return?" but "When will Jesus return?"

Paul answers this question "No one knows."

Paul explains this by describing the time of Jesus return as A thief in the night.
Just as a thief plans to entr at an uncertain time that is when least expected; so it will be with the coming of the Son of Man.

Jesus Himself proclaims this truth in Matthew (Matt. 24:35) "But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only."

Latter Jesus shares this warning (Matt 24:44) (Slow) “Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour when you do not expect Him."
1 Thessalonians 5:3-5

King James Version (KJV)

3For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.

4But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief.

5Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness.


Several places in the bible often refers to the Second Coming of Christ as the "Day of the Lord."

The way I interpret the "Day of the Lord" was the designation of the time when God would pour out His wrath on the ungodly.

After Jesus comes for His people, Our Lord will begin to pour out His judgments upon them; in a time which is often referred to as the “Great Tribulation.”

The tragedy of this day is that so many, so many will be unprepared.

And not only will they be unprepared they will actually be deceived. And they will be actively deceiving others as they proclaim we have "Peace and Safety."

Many will be convinced that there is no danger when in fact destruction the end is near.

Another mistake we tend to make is, we dont know if you will die today!! Could that mean you will be meeting YOUR Savior that day?

We must live daily with an Attitude of Watchfulness.
Hear Gods Word to us:

1 Thessalonians 5:5-7

King James Version (KJV)

5Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness.

6Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober.

7For they that sleep sleep in the night; and they that be drunken are drunken in the night.

During my time served in the Army we were commanded to "Stay alert while on your post”, so should we be as Christians.

A Roman soldier would be put to death for falling asleep on his watch.

The outcome could be just as fatal for those who are not constantly on alert.

We as disciples must be Disciplined in our walk .

As disciples we should know who they are in Christ.

as disciples we should seek to be made into the image of Christ.

Paul is warning us that we must not allow anything "invade" our lives that will be harmful to our moral alertness.

Just like getting drunk will inhibit a person’s ability to focus and make wise decisions.

So Sin will affect one’s ability to make moral and Spiritual decisions.
A person does not become drunk with just one drink.

Slowly the drinker becomes drunk.

A point is reached when all of the senses become blurred.

You become a danger to yourself as well as to others.

In the same way, if we do not control sin in our lives, we could soon be overcome by its effects.

As a drunk is often passed out and oblivious to the world; so is the drunk Spiritually passed out and oblivious to the workings of the flesh and of the evil one.

We must live daily in the light in obedience to God’s word.

1 Thessalonians 5:8

King James Version (KJV)

8But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation.

We must be prepared. We must be prepared at all times. Either for the Second Coming of Jesus or a prepared to meet Jesus in death.
One thing for Sure, ready or not he is coming!!