Call To Repentance

“Therefore say to the house of Israel, Thus says the Lord God: Repent and turn away from your idols, and turn away your faces from all your abominations.” Ezekiel 14:6 ESV 

A call to repentance is a warning. To repent is to turn away from what is wrong to what is right. It is a change that turns your life around, from a wrong direction to the right direction. It’s a change of your heart, your thoughts, your words and your actions. It is a change of direction from a path of destruction to the path of life. Repentance is a gift, “...And they glorified God, saying, “Then to the Gentiles also God has granted repentance that leads to life.” Acts 11:18 ESV

To repent includes turning your face away from idols and abominations. An idol is an object of false worship, or the worship of a false god. An idol is anything you exalt in your life above God. It’s when you indulge a desire and choose that desire over God. The root of idolatry is unrighteous desire. An abomination on the other hand is something that causes disgust; it is an abhorrence and disgrace from which we are to turn away.

The call to repentance is a predominant theme of the Bible, more so in New Testament than the Old. There are 22 mentions of repentance in the Old Testament and 53 in the New. It is in fact a New Testament command. “The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent.” Acts 17:30 ESV. 

The good news is that God does not want anyone to perish but for all to come to a place of repentance in their life because that is where change and transformation begins. “The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.” 2 Peter 3:9 ESV.

 TODAY’S PRAYER

 Lord Jesus, thank you for your call to repentance to all of humanity. We turn our hearts to you to be changed and transformed. Make our life what you want it to be.  

God Bless,

Pastor Matt