ALPHA MAAMA (A.M.)

Thursday March 23, 2017

“Hate sin, Love God”

"For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness. What fruit did you have then in the things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death." - Romans 6:20-21

True Repentance

The Nature of repentance

Elements in repentance

The Westminster Shorter Catechism asks the question: what is repentance unto life? And answers:

Repentance unto life is a saving grace, whereby a sinner, out of true sense of his sin, and apprehension of the mercy of God in Christ, doth, with grief and hatred of his sin, turn from it unto God, with full purpose of, and endeavor after, new obedience.

What is involved in repentance? The experience and depth of emotion in repentance will differ from person to person and will depend on a very large variety of circumstances in their lives. But certain characteristics are commonly present in all repentance.

1.  a sense of shame. We come to see that our sin has degraded us, and more importantly, rob God of the image of his glory in us. The beginnings of repentance are often accompanied by a sense of this personal disgrace of God and ourselves. So Paul speaks to the Romans of the things which now may am ashamed (Romans 6:21).

2.  this leads to humbling. In a strange way a man begins to feel shame at some past misdeed may discover a spirit of pride welling up within himself. He may begin to defend and justify himself and thus hardened his heart. When God works true repentance, our mouths shut, we confess our guilt before God and are humbled before his throne (Romans 3:19).

Challenge:

Do we Really “HATE” our SIN? Until we confront our sinfulness and abhor it, we can’t fully appreciate TURNING to GOD! Unfortunately, most of us still hold onto sin or at least “that” one pet sin we hide from everyone in our delusion. Seek God to expose us to our own folly and break us in order to fall at His feet, on our faces before Him and truly REPENT!

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 23-26; Luke