Sixth Device: He will persuade you that the work of repentance is easy, and therefore you need not fret over sin. Satan will seek to convince you that you may sin and then merely cry, "God have mercy on me!" By this device Satan has made millions of souls slaves of sin.
First Remedy: To consider that repentance is a difficult work; one that is outside our natural ability. Repentance is a flower that does not grow in nature's garden. Men forget that repentance is a gift from God. Men are not born with repentance in their hearts in the way that they are born with tongues in their mouths. Consider how Peter speaks of Christ granting repentance to Israel (Acts 5:31). Also consider Paul's words in 2 Timothy 2:25. It is not in the power of any man to repent at his own pleasure.
Some poor, ignorant souls have deluded themselves that the mere words, "Lord have mercy on me," are enough to send them to heaven. But just as many have been deceived by counterfeit jewels, so many have been deceived by their supposed repentance.
Second Remedy: Consider the true nature of repentance. Repentance consists of three things.
First, the formal act of repentance involves a changing and converting. It is often spoken of in Scripture as a turning (Jeremiah 31:18-19). It is a turning from darkness to light.
Second, the subject changed and converted is the whole man. It is both the sinners heart and life. First his person, then his life and conversation.
Third, the terms of this change is from sin to God (Isaiah 55:7). The heart must be changed from the state and power of sin and the life from acts of sin, but unless this turning is from sin to God it is an incomplete change.
Also consider, that this means turning from even the most precious sins and then ask yourself again if repentance is such an easy thing. Repentance means a turning from all sin to all good. It is not enough that the tree stops bearing bad fruit, but that it must bring forth good fruit or else be cut down and cast into the fire (Luke 13:7).
We may conclude this second device with the saying of a wise and holy man, "Repentance strips us naked of all the garments of the old Adam and leaves us not a shirt." As the flood drowned Noah's own friends and servants, so must the flood of repenting tears drown our sweetest and most profitable sins.
Third Remedy: To consider that repentance is a continuous act. Repentance is a grace and must operate daily in the same way as other graces. True repentance is a spring where the waters of godly sorrow are always flowing (Psalm 51:3). A true penitent always has something to turn from and can never get near enough to God.
Fourth Remedy: If repentance was as easy as Satan makes it out to be, there would not be multitudes in hell for not repenting. If repentance is so easy why do wicked men's hearts rise up against the very thought of it. Surely, if repentance were so easy, men would not become so enraged when the doctrine was put before them!
Fifth Remedy: Remember that to repent of sin is as great a work of grace as avoiding sin. The work of grace that tends to preserve a man from sin is the same that causes him to rise to repentance when he has fallen into sin. It was confidence in God's mercy and love; that He would bind them and heal their wounds and revive their dejected spirits that caused Israel to return to the Lord in Hosea's day (Hos. 6:1-2).
Sixth Remedy: Remember that Satan, who now tempts you to believe that repentance is easy will be the one who works to bring you to despair and after you sin and will then try to convince you that repentance is the hardest work in the world! He will accuse you and tempt you to see nothing but the wrath of God against sin and the mouth of hell open and ready to receive the impenitent soul. He will work to convince you that you have no power over sin and to remind you of the number of times that you ave resolved to leave sin behind and failed. "Why, for such a wretch as you, repentance is impossible," he will say!
Learn this device well. He that now tempts you to sin by suggesting the ease of repentance will at last work you to despair by suggesting that repentance is the hardest work in the world and completely outside your ability. Be wise, and break off your sins through a lifestyle of repentance!
No comments:
Post a Comment