Repentance

“But if you or your descendants abandon me and disobey the commands and decrees I have given you, and if you serve and worship other gods, then I will uproot Israel from this land that I have given them. I will reject this Temple that I have made holy to honor my name. I will make Israel an object of mockery and ridicule among the nations. And though this Temple is impressive now, all who pass by will be appalled and will gasp in horror. They will ask, ‘Why did the LORD do such terrible things to this land and to this Temple?’ “And the answer will be, ‘Because his people abandoned the LORD their God, who brought their ancestors out of Egypt, and they worshiped other gods instead and bowed down to them. That is why the LORD has brought all these disasters on them.’” [1 Kings 9.6-9]

You know, God did exactly what He said He would do. He did, in fact, uproot Israel from their land, rejected the Temple, and made Israel a mockery among the nations.

Why?

I am so glad you asked! 'It was because God , in His sovereignty, decided He wanted to lovingly see if they still loved Him even if He allowed suffering in their lives. In their suffering they would learn that love is not about good things, but about staying faithful.'

NOT! NO! NEVER!

God rejected Israel because they rejected Him! Israel's troubles were the result of their own sin! Israel suffered because they turned their back on their God!

To say God allowed the suffering in Israel as some "loving" thing, would be the same as telling a battered wife to go back home and let the beatings continue! That's just STUPID!

Israel was punished because they sinned and needed to repent.

Our problem today is that no one wants to repent. No one is guilty. Everyone is a victim. All the responsibility is upon God and, therefore, to justify our assumed innocence, we have to make up un-Biblical character interpretations of His actions (doctrines are born).

Just because we don't think we did anything wrong, does that ever give us the right to misinterpret punishment? If God said disaster and destruction are punishment for sin, do I think I am God's equal or better to overrule God and say disaster and destruction are a blessing?

We need to repent! We just need to repent! We need to be in the habit of repenting. We need to be prone to repentance. We need to understand that our weaknesses and failures are indicators that we need to repent! 

Look around, is everything okay? No? Repent!

The Kingdom of God will not come to any situation unless we first repent.

Now, it is important here to discuss the difference between conviction and condemnation. 

Conviction is the work of the Holy Spirit - conviction is designed to bring us to repentance to avoid punishment. Conviction is designed to lift us "up and out."

Condemnation is understanding conviction the wrong way. Condemnation is being satisfied that conviction belongs to you. Instead of seeing conviction as a tool to bring one back to God, condemnation "owns" conviction as a way of life. Condemnation keeps us down.

It is important that we do not misinterpret conviction as condemnation. It is important that we simply repent. Don't own sin - repent of it.

Yes, God is dealing with me about repentance...

Then one night the LORD appeared to Solomon and said, “I have heard your prayer and have chosen this Temple as the place for making sacrifices. At times I might shut up the heavens so that no rain falls, or command grasshoppers to devour your crops, or send plagues among you. Then if my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and restore their land. My eyes will be open and my ears attentive to every prayer made in this place. For I have chosen this Temple and set it apart to be holy—a place where my name will be honored forever. I will always watch over it, for it is dear to my heart. [2 Chronicles 7.12-17]

Father, I am so grateful that You are protecting Your reputation and character in teaching me about MY need to repent. You are good - Your faithful love endures forever.