ALPHA MAAMA (A.M.)

Monday March 20, 2017

“Repentance is inward”

1 Come, and let us return to the Lord; For He has torn, but He will heal us;

He has stricken, but He will bind us up. 2 After two days He will revive us;

On the third day He will raise us up, That we may live in His sight. - Hosea 6:1-2

True Repentance

The Nature of repentance – cont.

"So it was, when Ahab heard those words, that he tore his clothes and put sackcloth on his body, and fasted and lay in sackcloth, and went about mourning."

(I Kings 21:27)

Now on the twenty-fourth day of this month the children of Israel were assembled with fasting, in sackcloth, and with dust on their heads (Neh 9:1)

But let man and beast be covered with sackcloth, and cry mightily to God; yes, let every one turn from his evil way and from the violence that is in his hands. (Jonah 3:8)

The above verses give the idea of repentance in the Old Testament, which often times demonstrate external evidence of the true nature of repentance. Unfortunately, many of the forms and expressions of repentance were taken by some as the “thing” itself. However the Old Testament was very clear that all these signs and symbols were just external ways of displaying the inward manner of turning to God.

In the book of Hosea, there is a beautiful illustration of repentance in these verses:

A paraphrase –

come, let us return to the Lord; for he has torn us, that he may heal us; he has struck is down, and he will bind us up.

After two days he will revive us; on the third day he will raise us up, that we may live before him (Hosea 6:1 – 2).

The response –

what shall I do with you, or Ephraim? What shall I do with you, on Judah? Your love is like a morning cloud, like to do that goes early away. (Hosea 6:4).

The prophet recognizes that repentance is always a much more costly thing and Israel new. So, he points the people to the true repentance for which God looks, which is ethical and its fruit and leads to new life. “Rend your heart and not your garments” is Joe’s cry (Joe 2:13). True repentance is inward, not merely external or superficial.

Challenge:

Repentance, as we understand, is the inward turning to God. Our challenge as Christians, is to live out the life of repentance by constantly turning and renewing the lifestyle of turning to Christ as a matter of practice and habit. Is repentance a regular part of your walk? If not make it so. Repentance is not only at the point of salvation but a continuation of our redemption in the hand of our Savior.

Memory Verse:

Pea hae homou loto, ‘o ‘ikai ko homou kofu, pea mou foki kia Sihova ko homou ‘Otua; he ko e Angalelei ia mo e ‘Alo‘ofa, Tuai-ki-he-houhau, pea Fonu-‘i-he-kelesi, pea ‘oku ne momou ‘i he kovi. – Sioeli 2:13

So rend your heart, and not your garments;

Return to the Lord your God,

For He is gracious and merciful,

Slow to anger, and of great kindness;

And He relents from doing harm. – Joel 2:13

Bible Reading Plan: (52 weeks; 5 days a week)

Week 12 – Deuteronomy 10-14; Psalm 5; Luke 8