Re-penance or Repentance
Re-penance or Repentance
It was the spring of 2010. I found myself in the most challenging season I have ever faced. My resume at that point of my life consisted of hundreds of thousands of dollars of debt, threatening calls and emails from debt collectors, a failed marriage, resignation from ministry, living in a 5th wheel trailer, and now selling construction services door to door in Oklahoma City.
Most people have their ducks basically in a row; I didn’t even know where all my ducks were, let alone if they were in any kind of order.
I wanted to justify my quandary by listing all the external factors that contributed; my heavenly father was not as interested in those factors. At that point, he was most interested in me owning my stuff – my self-absorption, my greed, my pride.
Would I run toward his abundance of grace or refortify my pit of brokenness?
The decision seems obvious, doesn’t it?
I ran toward his grace. He met me fully and graciously, with arms wide open.
I surrendered; he ministered. I was nothing; He was everything.
Once the infected condition of my soul was well on its way to cleansing, he was calling me further along in the metamorphosis. I resisted. I liked not having expectations because I was nothing, after all. My efforts had resulted in failure and brokenness. I reasoned that dependence upon his atonement must also include deconstruction of my aspirations.
However, there was more to this process – much more.
Scripture
Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death. 2 Corinthians 7:10
Points to Ponder
Repentance is about so much more than behavior modification. That is the result of a changed mind which is what the Greek word literally means. We are to cooperate with the Holy Spirit and operate with the mind of Christ. The behaviors change because of this mindset change.
We often feel that we need to pay for our screw-ups. This is what I am calling re-penance. Penance is defined as voluntary self-punishment inflicted as an outward expression of repentance for having done wrong. Jesus was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities, the chastisement of our peace was upon him, and with his stripes we are healed. Self-punishment for our sins is an insult to the good news of Jesus Christ.
God is the source of repentance. We are the source of re-penance. Please tell me which you believe to be most efficacious. God’s sorrow brings repentance which leads to sozo – forgiveness of sin, deliverance from our enemies, and healing! Our feeble attempts at re-penance result in shame, bondage, and brokenness.
Kingdom Strategy
Kingdom leaders walk in the life that repentance brings and consistently invite others into that same life.