Sin, Repentance, And Redemption

The thought of my suffering and homelessness is bitter beyond words. I will never forget this awful time, as I grieve over my loss. Yet I still dare to hope when I remember this: The faithful love of the LORD never ends! His mercies never cease. Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each morning. I say to myself, “The LORD is my inheritance; therefore, I will hope in him!” The LORD is good to those who depend on him, to those who search for him. So it is good to wait quietly for salvation from the LORD. And it is good for people to submit at an early age to the yoke of his discipline: Let them sit alone in silence beneath the LORD’s demands. Let them lie face down in the dust, for there may be hope at last. Let them turn the other cheek to those who strike them and accept the insults of their enemies. For no one is abandoned by the Lord forever. Though he brings grief, he also shows compassion because of the greatness of his unfailing love. For he does not enjoy hurting people or causing them sorrow. [Lamentations 3.19-33] 

The overriding message of this passage is that discipline is the result of sin.

The only remedy for sin is repentant faith.

God wants His people to repent and believe so that He might heal and restore them.

Jesus showed us what repentant faith in God alone looks like on the Cross.

The problem with Christianity today is that "Christians" want the benefits of the Cross without submitting to their own crosses as instructed. 

If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me. [Matthew 16.24, Mark 8.34, Luke 9.23]

Instead of focusing on this instruction of Jesus, so-called Christians preach false doctrines about unaccountable grace and random suffering that reflect nothing of what the Bible teaches and Jesus actually demonstrated. They want all the benefits of grace (Jesus' Cross) without the responsibility (their own cross) that comes with it. And, they must necessarily ignore the Biblical implications of suffering to support that fallacy.

There are groups that claim suffering is just the way of life for a believer and other groups who claim suffering is just a hurdle to be overcome "by faith." Both groups have made a critical error in denying the implications of suffering - that repentance is necessary. Ironically, both groups alike are quick to run to the idols of debt, insurance, medicine and technology for reprieve with no inclination whatsoever to repent. All the while, these two groups war with each other to prove the other is wrong.

Your prophets have said so many foolish things, false to the core. They did not save you from exile by pointing out your sins. Instead, they painted false pictures, filling you with false hope. [Lamentations 2.14]

Just as Satan was defeated when Jesus died unjustly on His Cross, Satan's defeat is confirmed when true believers in Jesus justly "take up their cross." In other words, "taking up my cross" means that I own up to my sin as implicated by suffering, repent and believe in Jesus, and then await the promised compassion of God's deliverance from the grief He caused - the miraculous "crucifixion with Christ" that yields the abundant resurrection life of Jesus. The idols of debt, insurance, medicine and technology all completely quell this process.

And for the record, repentance and resurrection are a daily process for the true believer:

Then he said to the crowd, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross daily, and follow me. [Luke 9.23]

Jeremiah rightly assessed the suffering of Israel in Lamentations. Jeremiah rightly assessed the goodness and mercy of God in Lamentations. Jeremiah rightly assessed the discipline of God in Lamentations. Jeremiah rightly assessed the need to wait quietly for God's salvation and deliverance in Lamentations. Lamentations provides an in-your-face look at sin, repentance, and redemption.

We, on the other hand, immediately take a loan, file a claim, swallow a pill, or open an app without a quiet moment of reflection, conviction, or repentance.

For the hearts of these people are hardened, and their ears cannot hear, and they have closed their eyes— so their eyes cannot see, and their ears cannot hear, and their hearts cannot understand, and they cannot turn to me and let me heal them.’ [Matthew 13.15]

Father, Your Word is clear. It is our eyes and ears that are blind and deaf. Our idolatry is so widespread that we cannot even see the contrast of it compared to singular faith in You. Only as we nourish ourselves with Your Word will we have the strength to rid ourselves of the blinding and deafening idols that prevail today. May we be convicted by Your Spirit. May we be found repentant. May we be found patient - quietly waiting only for Your compassion and redemption. May we be found rejoicing in Your salvation alone! So be it.