A Neglected Repentance
Jesus said, “He who believes in the Son has eternal life; but he who does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him (Jn 3:36).” Ezekiel inquired, “Why will you die (Ezek 18:31)?” Jesus reasoned, “For what will a man be profited, if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul (Mt 16:26)?” My litany of Scripture references could continue, but my point is that the Bible is filled with arguments for men to avoid committing suicide with their souls.
Do people not recognize their condition? Have we not seen the anger and power of the Lord in natural disasters, plagues, and pandemics (Ps 90:11)? Schools, theatres, and military bases offer venues where individuals are cut down in their youth. Even medical clinics serve as slaughterhouses, for those who never had a chance to live. If we make it through the birth canal, alive, Paul assures us that we were born children of wrath (Eph 2:3). Death and destruction are all around us, but we are a very distracted people. We are all cursed because we continue to disobey all that is written in God’s Law (Gal 3:10). Job might accuse us of being unteachable asses (Job 11:12).
The Bible encourages young people to flee from youthful sins, which often pertain to lust (Eccl 11:9–10). Even those who prolong their lives suffer the result of a lifetime of sin (Job 20:11; Eccl 12). Death visits all people, but regardless of the length of years, men are confronted with God’s call to repentance (Acts 17:30). The right response is to seek the Lord, while He may be found (Is 55:6).
Esau was busy on the appointed day for Isaac to give his blessing. Achan underestimated the consequences for seeking blessing in something other than obedience to God. Somebody was getting married on the day Noah closed the door to the ark. Sodom was attempting to throw a homosexual house party on the day of God’s visitation. The warning for us comes from Jesus Himself, “Therefore be on the alert, for you do not know which day your Lord is coming (Mt 24:42).” Spiritual suicide is prevalent, and the wrath to come is significant (2 Pet 3:10–12).
Sin separates man from God. Man avoids God because he believes God to be nothing but full of judgment and punishment. When the world complained to the church about the harsh, “God of the Old Testament,” the church responded by delivering a God whose singular attribute was love. With the eradication of all “negative” attributes of God, the church has deceived the world, and ironically, the world is not buying our stay-soft-marshmallow-god, either.
We must be honest with people regarding God and the issue of repentance. It is not always that people refuse to repent. It is that they delay repentance for another day. This is an error. “Therefore, just as the Holy Spirit says, ‘Today if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts as when they provoked Me, as in the day of trial in the wilderness (Heb 3:7–8; Ps 95:7).’” God’s time for your repentance is “today.” Paul encouraged the Ephesians to redeem the time for the days are evil (Eph 5:16).
The rich fool in Jesus’ parable got his timing wrong, when he decided in his own heart to build bigger barns, to hold the prosperity he achieved by his own savvy. God judged him to be a fool, for he was not prepared for the day, in which his soul was required of him (Lk 12). Jesus told of the wedding feast of the great king. Messengers were sent out to the people. to herald an invitation from the king, for his subjects to come to the feast. Too many were busy and missed out, but many unlikely characters heeded the invitation (Mt 22), before destruction came to the wicked and unwilling (22:7).
Some repent, but most never get around to it. They love the thief on the cross for his last-minute conversion. They plan to live like hell and repent at the last minute, to avoid eternal hell. Thief-on-the-cross theology is speculative because God graciously leaves us with the hope of last minute conversions, but these are hardly the norm. Old fools abound, and their plight of unrepentance is far more grievous than stupid youth. Procrastination kills.
Not only do people get timing wrong, they miscue when God divulgates the Gospel. Their error is thinking repentance is easy. In contradistinction, the Bible gives us the picture of a woman in labor (Jn 16:21). It also gives us images of a strait gate and a narrow way (Mt 7:14). A person repenting of sin and turning to Christ in faith is equated with God raising Jesus from the dead (Eph 1:19–20). Have you considered the ease of salvation with this image before? Truly, salvation is a miracle of God, for our benefit. Peter captures a sense of this when he wrote, “And if it is with difficulty that the righteous is saved, what will become of the godless man and the sinner (1 Pet 4:18)?” All men should be crying out, “What must I do to be saved (Acts 16:30)?”
Sin is often equated in our day to cancer. Malignant cells form and multiply. Sin is the same way. It finds its place in the sinner’s soul, and then, it grows stronger. The devil made a personal visit to Jesus, but he had also made many visits and brought many friends to the Gerasene demoniac (Mk 5). If extreme action is not taken immediately, cancer kills quickly.
Not dealing with sin in one’s life will result in spiritual self-murder. Action must be taken, and the Bible calls that action, “repentance.” It is a hard work, and it must be immediately engaged. Lethargy argues for a little sleep, a little slumber, a folding of the hands (Prov 6:10–11). Sin must be killed, today. The flesh may be the battlefield, but our fight is against principalities and powers excusing our sin, and then accusing us when caught in sin. We need an advocate with God when we sin. Our advocate is Jesus Christ (1 Jn 2:1).
Men jump from bridges, swallow pistol barrels and sleeping pills, and park their running cars in closed garages, in order to self-murder themselves. Before they get to that desperate place, they commit spiritual suicide, by sinning against God without repentance.
First, people think they will change their mind about a life in sin, tomorrow. Second, people think the task is rather simple and can be accomplished by their own will, at any moment they decide. Third, Satan blinds people with regard to time and simplicity. Fourth, people simply get too busy on the farm and at their place of business. Fifth, sin is notorious for giving momentary pleasure, but sin comes with addictions that require more sin. Sixth, men lack in good theology, to the extremes of love and judgment. Seventh, sin grows stronger day by day. Eighth, death is an inescapable reality.
In conclusion, we must recognize all men live one breath away from death and the judgment of God, whether they recognize this fact or remain deluded to it. Delaying the necessary, in light of the inevitable, is playing spiritual Russian roulette. Felix lived in the limbo, as he listened to Paul (Acts 24:25), but those who hate instruction and spurn reproof, in not listening to their teachers (Prov 5:11–13), will have no mercy in eternity.
Today, if you value your own soul, repent of your sins and believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. You have heard of His perfect life and His sacrificial death for helpless sinners. At the cross, there were two thieves next to Jesus, one repented and the other hardened his own heart, in despising God’s salvation. Which one do you resemble, today? Which one will you resemble on the day your soul is required to return to God? May today be the day of your salvation, as you forsake resolutions to repent and actually come to Jesus, at the foot of the cross, in humble confession of your sins. The angels of heaven are waiting to rejoice, what are you waiting for?
David E. Norczyk
Spokane Valley, Washington
December 14, 2020
