There is no Amazing Grace without Repentance
07/15/17 (04/20) Video Broadcast
We are ready to begin our
study portion for today's
broadcast.
And we are gonna get into
some very foundational
questions and, you know
I'll just say...the other
day I was watching a
video of a man. A popular
Christian teacher who was
refuting another man who
was a popular Christian
teacher, because the other
man was telling people
that they needed to repent
in order to be saved.
Again, there was actually
the Creationist, very
popular Creationist who
was refuting another
Creationist, and, you know,
his reputation, he was
saying "no we don't need
to repent, to repent is to
suggest that we can do
anything to be saved as if
repentance on our part
somehow meant that we were
trying to earn our
salvation and earn
Yahweh's favor by our
repentance and by our own
works".
And, so we wanna address
this question today.
Many believe that all you
need to do is make the
confession that Yahushua
is the Messiah and that he
died for your sins and
that you receive it and
that is all that is
necessary in-order for us
to be saved and repentance
isn't even necessary.
Well, a lot of us speak
of grace and I'm a big
proponent of grace I
believe in Yahweh's
amazing, amazing grace
which frees us from the
burden that our sin
has place upon us.
But I also know this
there is no amazing grace
without repentance.
What does it
mean to repent?
We are going to examine
that question today.
First I wanna point out.
That there are a lot of
people, Yahushua said
there will be many people
who thought that they
would be saved without
repenting.
And he addresses these
specific people who
believed that they can be
saved and that they will
be saved without
repenting.
He addresses these people
in the book of Matthew
chapter 7 and he says the
following not everyone who
says to me Master, Master
shall enter the kingdom of
heaven.
So, even if you believe he
is as they popularly say
"Jesus is Lord."
Even if you say he is
Master, Master not
everyone shall enter the
kingdom who says Master,
Master.
But he who does the will
of my Father in heaven.
You must do the will of
his Father in heaven in
order for you to enter
the kingdom of heaven.
Many will say to me in
that day, Master, Master,
have we not prophesied
in your name?
Cast out demons in your name?
And done many
wonders on your name?
They thought that our
Saviour was all together
with them because they
saw these things in their
life, they were doing
miracles and yet he says I
will declare to them, I
never knew you: depart
from me, you who
practice lawlessness.
What does it mean to
practice lawlessness?
What is lawlessness? That word translates lawlessness according to the Greek Lexicon, the strongest Greek Lexicon is from this word anomia, it means illegality, i.e. violation of law. So, if we go back to its original meaning here I never knew you: depart from me, you who practice a violation of Yahweh's law. So what does it mean to practice something? To practice something means that you are doing it again and again willfully, you are doing it again and again. And if are practicing you are probably getting better at it and better at it. You are willing to practice it, you are willing to accept this kind of sin in your life and you've made peace with this sin in your life, that's what it means to practice it. You're okay living in it and your content to continue practicing the violation of Yahweh's standards, his law. The meaning of grace is favor and we need to understand in order for us to gain his favor we must be willing to turn away from violating Yahweh's standards, his law. So, unlike what you might have heard, the Messiah did not come to just hand us a get out of hell free card and you take the card and you go on about your business, and living like you were living before.
And to give you this license to sin, well the license to sin is going to be the knife it's not going to work this way. We do have to repent, Romans chapter 2 verse 4 says or do you despise the riches of His goodness, forbearance, long-suffering, not knowing that the goodness of Elohim leads you to repentance? But in accordance with your hardness and your impenitent heart you were treasuring up for yourself wrath in the day of wrath in revelation of the righteous judgment of Elohim; Who will render to each one according to his deeds? And so repentance is necessary, this is a new testament teaching that we must repent.
Now, what does it mean to repent? If you go back to the Hebrew "Shuwb" meaning return or turn back. Basically, the word means to turn, okay so if I'm walking the wrong direction that means turn around and begin walking the right direction. If I have been in the practice and habit of violating Yahweh's standards I can turn around and begin the process of listening to and seeking to apply his word to my life. To repent means to turn away from what you understand as wrong and begin to walk in what you believe to the best of your understanding Yahweh's standards are for you to abide by. Now in this Romans 2, there are even bibles that have incorrect headings in it, to, well, I believe it does, mislead people. For example in this Romans 2, I have a New King James Bible, it's called the New Open Bible. It's no longer in print but you see this, right here. That's Romans 2 verse 4 that his goodness leads you to repentance. But look at the heading here it says "Jews are judged according to truth" and then "Jews are judged by their works." As if the requirement to repent is only for the Jews. Now wouldn't that be wrong and you might even say it would be racist for Yahweh to require repentance of the Jews but then not require repentance of the Gentiles. That's racism if on the day of judgment he says to the Jews you didn't repent, in the lake of fire you go and says to the Gentiles, you didn't repent enter, into the joy of your master, that's racism. He's being partial, based on, you know, one's heritage. And, a person could go through their life and think that they're Gentile, but low and behold on the day of judgment finds out that their great, great, great, great, great, however many greats, grandfather was from the tribe of Ephraim or Manasseh or wasn't from Judah, but was nonetheless an Israelite tribe, then what would happen? Well, if he was gonna judge according to one's race that whole time the person thought they were Gentile really if they were a Jew or an Israelite and therefore into the lake of fire they go. You see, that does make any sense that you have different standards based on who your daddy is. And amazingly even this bible here he says the
heading here is Jews are judged by their works, it says who are rendered to each one according to his deeds. You turn a life to those who by patient continuous in doing seek for glory and honor and mortality. But to those who are self-seeking, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation, and wrath. tribulation and anguish, on every soul of man who does evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Greek. But glory, honor, and peace, to everyone who works with his good, to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. So the very text contradicts the headings here and it goes on to say verse 11 Jews are judged with, like they just gloss right over, the fact it says the Jew and the Greek.
And you know they resolved that in their mind, whoever wrote these headings I don't know who wrote these headings, that all we are supposed to repent or that can't be us we are Gentiles. And so they resolved it by saying well that's just for the Jews then and not even realizing the actual text violates the heading of that bible. So it's really contradictory, very contradictory. And so now please don't get me wrong I believe Jews are supposed to repent, I believe Gentiles are supposed to repent but I also know we are saved by grace. Ezekiel 14:6 says Therefore say to the house of Israel, Thus says the Master Yahweh; Repent, and turn away from your idols. If you have an idol that you have put ahead of Yahweh, I don't care if it's anything.
It doesn't have to be something that you bow down and worship as if it was a God, it can be anything that you have setup in your heart; you need to turn away from it. Turn away from your idols and turn your faces away from all your abominations. So the word this is the word Shuwb, the Shuwban in Hebrew meaning to turn. Turn away, turn your faces away from all your
abominations turn away from it. That's the simple meaning of the word repent. So listen I know grace is free but it's a free gift
to those who repent. Here's the Greek word Metanoia a change of mind,
as it appears to one who repents, a purpose he's formed or something he has done. So we are changing our mind now. We were going the wrong way and now we are going to start going the right way, we changed our mind. We no longer, we are turning away from unrighteousness turning towards righteousness. And it is awesome if we understand that concept. And the truth is Acts 20 verse 20-21 Paul says I kept nothing back that was helpful but proclaim it to you, and taught you publicly, and from house to house. Testifying to Jews, and also to Greeks, repentance toward Elohim, and faith toward our Master Yahushua Messiah. So there is both, there is repentance toward both Jews and towards Greeks, that's what he proclaimed from house to house and publicly repentance toward Elohim, faith towards our Master Yahushua the Messiah. So grace is a free gift, very true, but it's given to those who repent. Psalms 78 verse 34 says when he slew them, then they sought him: and they returned and sought earnestly for Elohim. Then they remembered that Elohim was their rock, and the most high Elohim their redeemer. Because they were in trouble and they were
less, they flattered him with their mouth and lied to him with their tongue for their heart was not steadfast with him nor were they faithful in his covenant. If we are only changing because of negative consequences in our life maybe we are only sorry because we've met the end of ourselves, you are not really sorry because we love Yahweh and we want to serve him and we want to be his son. If we're only trying to change for what we get out of the deal, which is using Yahweh like a spare tire.
You know spare tire is always back in the trunk, underneath the back of your pick up or somewhere and it's there but you don't really use it until you got a flat right? So we don't want to use Yahweh like a spare tire you know he's really not in your mind that much until you are in trouble and then you turn to him, you know that's called jail house religion when you are trouble and you want his help you know you want him to bail you out. You know you turn to him but then you know other than that you don't really love him down deep. You just using him, you are using him you are flattering him with your lips with your mouth and you are not being sincere. And I can't read your heart I don't judge any man that way, I'll let them decide whether that applies to them or not. But we wanna be careful; we are not just repenting because we got caught or repenting so that we can get something we want out of it. We wanna turn away from unrighteousness because it's wrong, we want to turn toward righteousness because it's right and we want to live right. We wanna turn to Yahweh because he loves us and we want to love him in return.
We love him because he first loved us and whatever we are lacking, whatever love we are lacking in our life he is willing to love us and fulfill us with his love. And so in return, we are called to love him and to love him that means that we are willing to turn away from violating his standards and turn toward walking according to his standards. So there is a lot of confusion today over this topic and we need to make sure that we understand
what it really means to repent, what it really means to turn away again so we gonna look at some scriptures and reiterate here Luke chapter 3 verse 7 says John talking to the multitudes that came out to be baptized him, saying brood of vipers, who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Therefore bear fruits worthy of repentance, and
do not begin to say to yourselves, we have Abraham as our father: for I say to you, That Elohim is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones. And now the axe is laid to the root of the trees: therefore every tree which does not bear good fruit is cut down, and thrown into the fire. He's talking about the Scribes and Pharisees here they were taking confidence that they had Abraham as their physical Father and they thought that since they are children of Abraham you know they're gonna be alright, they're gonna be okay. They are putting confidence in the flesh rather than in Yahweh's grace. And we have an equal danger today we have those
who think Yahushua's blood is cheap and you can tremble all over it intentionally, willfully live in and practice sin and get away with it. So these are thought theology out there that exist in the hearts of some and I know there is a lot of Christians who do not believe this but there are some who do think that you know you can just rest in the power of the blood and no matter how much you practice sin willfully or not, no matter what your attitude is towards sin, grace covers it all.
And so they got their little license to sin in their pocket, they get a hell free card in their pocket and they could continue walking in unrighteousness. And there are some cases where the leadership themselves don't really believe that but because of weak teaching against sin in the congregation, those who are sitting in the pews and such they think that's what they are allowed to do. They think it's okay to live in sin. Peter told the multitudes that came and said: "Repent and let every one of you is baptized in the name of Yahushua Messiah for the admission of sins and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit". The first step repents, the second step believes in Yahushua and be baptized in Yahushua's name. If you've never been baptized in Yahushua's name I encourage you to be baptized, but first, you have to repent turn away from unrighteousness. So yes grace is available to us upon the condition
we repent Yahweh is not handing salvation you know like candy. He's not passing out salvation like you know the deck of cards, we have to do something in response to his love we have to receive Yahushua and we also need to repent very importantly. In fact, Matthew 18 verse 15 It is written Moreover if your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone: if he hears you, you have gained your brother. But if he will not hear, take with you one or two more, that by the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established. And if he refuses to hear them, then tell it to the
congregation or the church: if he refuses even to hear either the congregation or church, then let him be to you like a heathen and a tax collector. So the point he's saying is one says they are a believer but does not want to hear you does not want to repent of their sin, you should take these steps and even bring the congregation against him if necessary. And if they won't even listen to the congregation and repent of their transgression then as far as you are concerned he's not a believer. Yahushua spoke this parable Luke 13 verse 6-7
A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came seeking fruit on it and found none. Then he said to the keeper of his vineyard, 'Look, for three years I have come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and find none. Cut it down. Why is it use up the ground?' "But he answered and said to him, 'Sir, let it alone this year also until I dig around it and fertilize it. If it bears fruit, well: and if not, then after that you can cut it down. So those who are not bearing fruit are given a little measure of grace from Yahweh to see if he can get us to bear fruit and if we can't and we are not willing to bear fruit then he cuts us down. So we should ask ourselves what kind of fig tree we are, what kind of fig tree do we wanna be or we just taking up the ground are we willing to bear fruit? Now I want to put a little caviar or asterisks by
what I'm saying because there are a lot of people who have repented they do want to do the will of Elohim and they are striving to do the will of Elohim but they get weak and they fail. And then they repent, they confess their sin and they acknowledge that they have done wrong but then they don't believe they are forgiven. Well, they don't believe they are worthy of being forgiven yet they are crying out for his mercy and his grace. They are crying out for Yahweh to forgive them and Yahweh has already forgiven them but they don't feel forgiven. That means the person needs to forgive themselves, Yahweh has already forgiven and the question becomes are we willing to forgive ourselves and we should forgive ourselves. But how do we know the difference, how can we be assured that our repentance is the kind of repentance that Yahweh accepts?
That's an important question, there are two men in the bible I'm gonna point out here who seem to have repented but did not.
Besides the one I showed you in the Psalms, Hebrews 12 verse 14 -16 Pursuit peace with all and holiness without which no one will see Yahweh: looking carefully lest anyone fall short of the grace of Elohim; lest any root of bitterness bring up cause trouble and by this many become defiled. Lest there be any fornicator, or profane person, like Esau, who for one morsel of food sold his birthright, Esau. Now Esau did not value Yahweh, he valued the cardinal things. He valued the morsel of food over the blessing of Yahweh. Now, Abraham had received tremendous promises and
Esau did not value the promises of Yahweh, he valued the canal things and for a morsel of food sold his birth right.
Esau even said if I die what good will the birthright be to me? He didn't think about his children, he didn't care about his children. He did not think about having that heritage that Yahweh would honor.
His mentality was flawed Hebrews 12:17 for you know that afterward when he wanted to inherit the blessing, he was rejected: for he found no place for repentance, though he sought it diligently with tears. Why was he unable to find a place for repentance even though he saw it? What was Esau's problem? He looked for it, he sought it he couldn't find it.
So why was Esau rejected so badly?
Genesis 27:30 Now it happened, as soon as Isaac had finished blessing Jacob, and Jacob is scarce had gone out from the presence of Isaac his father, that Esau his brother came in from his hunting. He also had made savory meat, and brought it to his father, and said to his father, Let my father arise, and eat of his son's game, that thy soul may bless me. And his father Isaac said to him, who are you? Esau said I am your son, your firstborn Esau.
Then Isaac trembled exceedingly, and said, who? Where is the one who hunted game, and brought it me, I ate all of it before you came and I have blessed him? And indeed he shall be blessed. When Esau heard the words of his father, he cried with an exceedingly great and bitter cry, and said to his father, Bless me, me also, my father. But he said, your brother came with deceit, and has taken away your blessing.
And Esau said, is he not rightly named Jacob? For he has supplanted me these two times: he took away my birthright; and, now look he has taken away my blessing. And he said, have you not reserved a blessing for me? Isaac answered and said to Esau, Indeed, I have made him your Master, and all his brethren I have given to him his servants; with grain and wine I have sustained him: what shall I do now for you, my son?
Esau said, Have you only one blessing, my father? Bless me, me also, O my father. And Esau lifted up his voice and wept.
Now we know in Romans chapter 9 verse 13 it says as it is written, Jacob I have loved, but Esau I have hated. What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with Elohim? For certainly not he said to Moshe, I will have mercy upon whom ever I have mercy, out of compassion on whom ever I will have compassion. So it's not of him who wills, nor of him who runs, but Elohim who shows mercy. Now, these would seem to be scary verses I mean how you have assurance of salvation when its Elohim who chooses to have mercy upon him is gonna have mercy. He chose to have hatred for Esau but Jacob the deceitful one he blessed.
Can we look and can we understand why he has such a dislike for Esau?
Now if you examine the book of Genesis you going to find Esau did not value the blessing of Yahweh: ) He said what good will the blessing be to me if I die? And Number 2, he didn't value his children. Number 3 He was taking these foreign women who were not really believers to be his wife, they were the daughters of hath that grieved his parents. They were heathen women, and so his children were not going to be believers. e seemed to be kind of freshly minded because if you read earlier later about Esau after he got blessed with the riches and everything he was satisfied. he seemed to accept it and Jacob I believe saw that and that's why when he approached Esau, he gave him gifts here take this, take this, take everything you can have it all. Until Esau was ashamed and says wow I have got enough, I got enough. And Jacob bringing him gifts is was appeased him because he was gonna go after Jacob before 100 men. So Jacob understood there was something about the heart of Esau that was not spiritually bonded, he was not heavenly focused, he was this world minded, fleshly minded and so the choices he was making were a reflection of that. nd some of the comments that Esau made were a reflection of that and Esau did not value the value and heritage of Yahweh only to the extent that it might bring him riches was he even concerned about it so it seems to me. So now, you know, some scriptures it seems to be a pattern the first born does not end up getting the blessing because we see that there was Jacob and Esau, we see that with Joseph who got the blessing. He wasn't the first born. And then David's children Solomon was the one who was chosen and the recurring pattern I think is the fulfilment really of Adam being the first born of Yahweh, the one who is the original son of Elohim did not get the blessing it was the second, Adam so to speak, Yahushua who got that blessing. Now, 1 Samuel 15, I wanna show you an example of a man who repented and his repentance was not accepted. And Saul said to Samuel, I have sinned: for I have transgressed the commandment of Yahweh and, and your words: because I fear the people, and obeyed their voice. Now, therefore, please, pardon my sin, and return with me, that I may worship Yahweh. But Samuel said to Saul, I will not return with you: for you have rejected the word of Yahweh, and Yahweh has rejected you from being king over Israel. And Samuel turned around to go away, Saul seized the edge of his robe and it tore. So Samuel said to him, Yahweh has torn the kingdom of Israel from you today, and has given it to a neighbor of yours, who is better than you. And also the Strength of Israel will not lie nor repent: for he is not a man that he should repent. Then he said I have sinned: yet honor me now,
please, before the elders of my people, and before Israel, and return with me, that I may worship the Yahweh your Elohim. So Samuel turned back after Saul, and Saul worshiped the Yahweh. Now what I want you to know is here is that Saul acted like he repented, he said "I have sinned" he accepted his sin but notice he says "honor me now please, before the elders of my people, and before Israel". His motive for repentance was based on a fear of men and what men would say about Saul if Samuel was not willing to return with him and worship Yahweh and him get this honor he was seeking. Now Amalek was the one that Samuel directed Saul
to go after and earlier in this chapter it says thus says Yahweh of hosts, I will punish Amalek for what it did to Israel, how he ambushed him on the way when he came up out of Egypt. Now go and attack Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, and do not spare them; kill both man and woman, infant, nursing child, ox, sheep, camel, and donkey. So Saul gathered the people together and numbered them in Telaim, two hundred thousand foot soldiers, and ten thousand men of Judah.
And Saul attacked the Amalekites from Havilah all the way to Shur, which is east of Egypt. He also took Agag king of the Amalekites alive and utterly destroyed all the people with the edge of the sword. But Saul and the people spared Agag, and the best of the sheep, the oxen, the fatlings, of lambs, and all that was good, and were unwilling to utterly destroy them: but everything despise and worthless, that they utterly destroyed. And now the word of Yahweh came to Samuel, saying. I greatly regret that I have set up Saul as king: for he is turned back from following me, and has not performed my commandments. And it grieved Samuel, and he cried unto Yahweh all night. So when Samuel rose early in the morning to meet Saul, it was told Samuel, saying, Saul went to Carmel, and, indeed, he set up a monument, for himself, and he has gone on around passed by, gone down to Gilgal. Now he set up this monument for himself he's getting the glory for something that Yahweh had done. Wasn't it Yahweh who enabled him to defeat the Amalekites?
You know brothers it may seem like a minor in a fraction to us. Okay, he didn't destroy all the animals he saved the best, offered them to Yahweh. And he kept the king alive, and he was going to sacrifice those animals to Yahweh but you see there's a way that seems right to a man but its end is the way of death. There were things going on here, Saul setting up a monument for himself, seeking the honor that comes from man rather than seeking the praise that comes from Elohim.
On one hand, it may seem like Saul's infraction wasn't really as bad as David who killed a man. He killed a man, murdered a man took his wife, committed adultery. And there are some people that are going to say well
why was Yahweh so concerned about that? He wasn't concerned, wasn't so much the commandment that was broken. It's just that the repentance that was exhibited was not genuine, was not real.
It was rooted in a motivation of praise of
man in this case. Praise of man or in the former case a motivation of gaining riches, our repentance needs to be motivated by a love for Yahweh and a recognition
that our ways are not the right ways and that Yahweh's ways are the right ways. And I know there are people out there who like
Saul will not keep the commandments as written for instance the Sabbath command, it says that we are supposed to rest on the seventh day of the week and they know the ten commandments teach this but they will not do it.
They know they probably should but they will not do it and they will walk around like they perform the commandment of Yahweh like Saul.
But no he messed up and put in detail and Yahweh is concerned about the details but even more so he is concerned about the condition of our heart and out of a fear of man they will not observe the Sabbath day on the day that Yahweh appointed even though they know that's what he appointed. And they will pretend Oh I'm keeping the commandments here ten commandments there you have it, there you have it. The ten commandments say to rest on the seventh day of the week, you are resting on the first day of the week there is only one day that was sanctified a creation and it ain't the first day of the week is the seventh day of the week and yes the weeks as we know them have been preserved at least going back to Yahushua's day because even historical record shows that Romans were saying yes we attacked the Jews in Jerusalem on their
Sabbath which they called the day of Saturn, the Pagans call it the day of Saturn. Today it's called Saturday but we do know that the
Sabbath is on a specific day of a specific seven day week. And some people think Yahweh is not the stick like that, he's about grace now. But wait a minute isn't, is partial obedience really obedience? I think partial obedience according to what I have read here in verse 7:15 is disobedience and what Saul
did was partial obedience motivated by the fear of
man and the desire to be in good standing before man. He wouldn't stand up for whats right as a leader of Israel, he feared the people and he obeyed their voice. And if you think you can get away with partial obedience because you fear what man may say if you were to be fully obedient it's not gonna work for you. It can be a smallest sin in your own eyes and if you are manifesting our heart of rebellion and not a heart of repentance there is no grace for you. I'm not making it up, scriptures said so. Scripture demonstrates this to be true.
So Samuel went to Saul and Saul said to him, blessed are you of Yahweh. I performed the commandment of Yahweh. Samuel is like no you haven't, Samuel said what then is this bleating of sheep in my ears and the lowing of the oxen what I hear? And Saul said, they have brought them from the Amalekites: for the people spared the best of the sheep and the oxen, to sacrifice to Yahweh your Elohim; and the rest we have utterly destroyed.
Already he's no, in his heart he can just kind of read it. He knew he wasn't really doing what he should but he was like being over dramatic about things and saying I have kept the commandment of Yahweh and Samuel said no you haven't. Well you see the people you know they brought them back from and spare the best of the sheep, you see. And Samuel said to Saul, be quiet, and I will tell you what Yahweh said to me last night. And he said to him, Speak on. So Samuel said, when you were little in your own eyes, were not the head of tribes of Israel, and did
not Yahweh anoint you king over Israel? When you were you are not in your own eyes anymore said Saul it's gone to your head.
Now Yahweh sent you on a mission and said: "go and utterly destroy the sinners, the Amalekites, and fight against them until they be consumed".
Why then did you not obey the voice of the Yahweh, why did you sweep down the spoil and do evil in the sight of Yahweh? Evil, wow strong words, evil. When Saul said to Samuel, but, I have obeyed the voice of Yahweh and gone on the mission which Yahweh sent me, and brought Agag king of Amalek, I have utterly destroyed the Amalekites. But the people took of the plunder, sheep, and oxen, the best of the things which should have been utterly destroyed, to sacrifice to Yahweh your Elohim in Gilgal. All the people did you know, people did this to people did that. He knew he was not doing right but he was fighting against Samuel. Samuel said, Has Yahweh as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of Yahweh? Behold, to obey is better than to sacrifice, and to hearken the fat of rams.
For rebellion is as a sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of Yahweh, he also has rejected you from being king.
Your repentance is not real and you are pretending, Saul. You see Yahushua is our sacrifice but it's better to obey and not need that sacrifice isn't it? So Saul is calling a rebel and a practice of witchcraft and idolatry and his stubbornness and rebellion. So this is an act of rebellion to just partially obey the voice of Yahweh and then when confronted by it blaming, finger pointing.
Now there are ministers of the word out there today putting back to our Sabbath example who will acknowledge the Sabbath as on the seventh day of the week, they'll acknowledge it. But they fear they people and they obey their voice they want their Sunday church so they obey their voice and only Yahweh knows the heart of the Pastors and whether the heart is really turned to the father's will or not. But if it isn't they are in great danger. Now I'm not saying everybody who goes to church on Sunday is going to be going to lake of fire or anything like that. But when approached with the understanding that the Sabbath is to be observed and it's on the seventh day of the week and the person knows down deep in their heart it's the right thing to do. But then in their heart, they fear the people and obey their voice and in their heart, they fear the loss of their business or their job because they have to work on Sabbath and they will lose income because if you no longer work on a Sabbath anymore.
Then what you have is a combination of Esau and King Saul, fearing people and obeying their voice and wanting riches more than wanting the blessing of Yahweh, understand? And so we need to ask Yahweh to reveal to us the condition of our own hearts whether we are really turned to him or not. Now on the flip side, we have examples of the kind
of repentance that Yahweh delights in. David, one might say profound of far away sin killing a man, committing adultery, taking advantage of his position and yet David was forgiven why?
Look at what David's prayer after having been confronted by Nathan the prophet concerning his sin with Bathsheba.
This is what he wrote have mercy upon me, O Elohim according to your loving kindness; according to the multitude of your tender mercies blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is always before me. Against you, you only, have I sinned and done this evil in your sight: that you may be found just when you speak, and blameless when you judge. And later in verse 10 Create in me a clean heart, O Elohim; renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me away from your presence, and do not take your holy spirit from me.
David was by forming a consent with the loss of his relationship with Yahweh than anything else.
And so if you are just coming to Yahweh with the sacrifices and not coming to him with a truth which is the Messiah Yahushua his sacrifice but not coming to him with a genuine repentance from the heart you're missing it.
Verse 16 you do not desire sacrifice; or else I would give it: you did not delight in burnt offerings. The sacrifices of Elohim are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, these O Elohim, you will not despise. Saul and Esau did not have a genuinely contrite heart before Yahweh. And that's why their repentance was rejected. Another example of repentance was found in Yahushua gave here Luke 15 he said, Then he said, A certain man had two sons. And the younger of them said to his father,
Father, give me the portions of goods that falls to me. Look at this give me stuff, riches. So he divided to him to them his livelihood. And not many days after the younger son gathered all together, journey to a far country, and there wasted his possessions with prodigal living. But when he had spent all, there arose a severe famine in that land; he began to be in want. Then he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country, and he sent him into his fields to feed swine. And he would gladly have filled his stomach with the pods that the swine ate: but no one gave him anything. But when he came to himself, he said, How many of my father's hired servants have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger! I will arise and go to my father, and will say to him, Father; I have sinned against heaven, and before you. And I am no longer worthy to be called your son: make me like one of your hired servants. Now, he has a sense of give me as to make me, mold me, use me I want to be in your house. Very different attitude, and with that kind of attitude. He rose and came to his father. When his father was still a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him. And the son said to him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in your sight, I am no longer worthy to be called your son.
But the father said to his servants, Bring out the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and sandals on his feet. And bring the fatted calf here, and kill it, and let us eat, and be merry. For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost and is found. And they began to be merry. And so this is genuine repentance I'm not worthy, I'm no longer worthy to be called your son, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight, humility. Acknowledging his sin, he takes anything he could get sometimes we run into circumstances and difficulties and challenges as believers but you know if the only thing that Yahweh ever did was grant us salvation and deliver us from Gehenna. And put that river righteousness in give us joy and salvation, wouldn't that be enough?
I think it is, it ought be and yet sometimes if we don't get more than that we get discontent. We look now to the book of Genesis an example in
Genesis 37:26 Judah said to his brothers, What
profit is there if we kill our brother, and conceal his blood? Come, and let us sell him to the Ishmaelites, and let not our hand be upon him; for he is our brother and our flesh. And his brothers listened. Then many of night traders passed by; so the brothers pulled Joseph up and lifted him up the pit, and sold him to the Ishmaelites for twenty circles of silver: and they took Joseph to Egypt.
Now as a result of what happened little later in chapter 38 you will see Judah bearing the gill of what he suggested, it was starting to affect him. And it came to pass at that time, Judah departed from his brothers, and visited a certain Adullamite, whose name was Hirah. And Judah saw there a daughter of a certain Canaanite, whose name was Shuah; and he married her, and went in into her. So she conceived, and bare a son, and he called his name Er. She conceived again, and bare a son, and she called his name Onan. And she conceived again, and bare a son; and called his name Shelah: he was in Chezib when she bares him. Then Judah took a wife for Er his firstborn, and her name was Tamar. But Er, Judah's firstborn, was wicked in the sight of Yahweh; and Yahweh killed him. Then Judah said to Onan, Go into your brother's wife, and marry her, and raise up an heir to your brother. But Onan knew that the heir would not be his, and it came to pass, when he went into his brother's wife, he spilled on the ground, lest you should give her to his brother. And the thing which he did displease the Yahweh: wherefore he killed him also.
Then Judah came near to him, and said, O my lord, my master, please, let your servant speak a word in my master's hearing, do not let your anger burn against your servant. I'm sorry, this is later on, I wanna preface this by saying that both of Judah's sons were killed by Yahweh, Well, that sounds like judgment to me. Probably judgment as a result of, you know, Judah going out and marrying some foreign women and also judgment because of what he had done to Joseph alright? But then later on after facing the heavy hand of judgment in his life, he did not get married again we all know what happened with Tamar. But anyway when Joseph went over to the land of Egypt and became the Governor or the ruler over the land of Egypt and his twelve brothers came, they did not know who he was, I hope you know the story, I presume you know the story. They didn't know who he was and they thought he was just some ruler in Egypt and so Joseph tested them and took away one of the sons of Israel. And they came back together and he was ready to take Benjamin from them permanently. But I want you to notice something that Judah did. Judah, the one who had suggested they sell Joseph into the hand of the Ishmaelites, it says that Judah came near to him to Joseph and Oh my master, please, let your servant speak a word in my master's hearing, and do not let your anger burn against your servant for you are even like Pharaoh. My master asked his servants, saying, Have you a father, or a brother? And we said to my master, We have a father, an old man, and a child of his old age, who is young; his brother is dead, and he alone is left of his mother's, and his father loved him. We're talking about Jacob here. Then you said to your servants, Bring him down to me, that I may set my eyes on him. Then we said to my master, The lad cannot leave his father: for if he should leave his father, his father would die. But you said to your servants, unless your younger brother comes down with you, you shall see my face no more. So it was when we went up to your servant my father, that we told him the words of my master. And our father said, Go back, and buy us a little food. But we said We cannot go down: for if our youngest brother is with us, then we will go down: for we may not see the man's face unless our youngest brother is with us. Then your servant my father said to us, You know that my wife bares me, two sons. And the one went out from me, and I said, Surely he is torn to pieces, and I have not seen him since. But if you take this one from me, also from me, and calamity befalls him, you shall bring down my gray hair with sorrow to the grave. Now therefore when I come to your servant my father, and the lad is not with us; since his life is bound up in a lad's life.
It will happen when he sees that the lad is not with us, that he will die: so your servants will bring down the gray hair of your servant our father with sorrow to the grave. For your servant became surety for the lad to my father, saying, if I do not bring him to you, then I shall bear the blame before my father for ever. Now, therefore, please, let your servant remain. Talking about Judah here. Of the lad remain as a slave to my master, and let the lad not go up with his brothers. So now in a demonstration of repentance Judah the one who had suggested turning away, suggested sending Joseph away into Egypt as a slave.
He was willing and his repentance to be the slave in Egypt, that's true repentance.
For how shall I go up to my father, if the lad is not with me? Lest perhaps I see the evil that will come upon my father. And so he wrote, Judah realized what a sin this was especially to his own father and he was willing in a demonstration of repentance to take Benjamin's place. And with this Genesis 45:1 Joseph could not restrain him before all those who stood by him; he cried out, Make every one go out from me. So no one stood with him, while Joseph made himself known to his brothers. Beautiful, so the repentance was evident by
the man's actions and when Judah, it was actually
when Judah was when the Jewish people began to realize what they have done and start to have compassion on the heavenly Father for the rejection of his favourite son Yahushua Ha Mashiach whom they only valued at 30 pieces of silver. Yahweh will receive them as they mourn for the one that they pierced. And that will be national repentance I long to see and we know it's predicted they will look upon him whom they pierced and they will mourn. Also there is this little picture going on here of Judah after having rejected the favoured son and sent him away into slavery we know Judas Iscariot the second Judah also sold Messiah for 30 pieces of silver and delivered him over to Gentiles just as the son of Jacob named Judah handed the favourite son over to the Gentiles. And then Joseph became that second in command, became highly exalted likewise Yahushua became second in command and became highly exalted. And so even Messiah today is highly exalted just as Joseph was and so with all these patterns, similarities that are taking place here but repentance, repentance. Then there is Josiah 2 Kings 22 verse 16 thus says Yahweh, Behold, I will bring calamity on this place, and on its inhabitants, all the words of the book which the king of Judah has read. Because they have forsaken me and burned incense to other gods, that they might provoke me to anger with all the works of their hands; therefore my wrath shall be aroused against this place, and shall not be quenched.
But as for the king of Judah who sent you to inquire of Yahweh, in this manner you shall speak to him, Thus says Yahweh Elohim of Israel, concerning the words which you have heard. Because your heart was tender, and you humbled yourself before Yahweh, when you heard what I spoke against this place, against its inhabitants, if they will become a desolation and a curse, and you tore your clothes, and wept before me; I also have heard you, says Yahweh. So he basically told Josiah I would not happen in his days and so there was repentance, humility, a tender heart a broken spirit true humility, not flattery, not self-seeking true humility before the Father. Just as Judah was repenting, just a David was repenting not like Esau was repenting, not like king Saul was repenting, a true tender heart in humility before Elohim. nd Josiah believed those words that Yahweh spoke and he feared Yahweh. There was not a counterfeit repentance. They made reforms they had a feast. And so Yahweh said I will surely gather you to your father should be gathered to your gave in piece and your eyes should not see all the calamity which I will bring on this place. And so grace was provided another example we look at other people if they never believed Elohim proclaimed to fast and to put on sack cloth from the greatest of them to the least of them. Then the word came to the king of Nineveh, he arose from his throne, and he laid his robe, covered him with sackcloth, and sat in ashes.
And he caused to be proclaimed and published throughout Nineveh by the decree of the king and his nobles, Let neither man nor beast, herd nor flock, taste any thing: do not let them not eat, or drink water. But let man and beast be covered with sackcloth, and cry mightily to Elohim: yes, let every one turn from his evil way, and from the violence that's in his hands.
That's what David like repentance, so beautiful examples here of genuine repentance just even a hidden nation that barely even knows who Yahweh is, just barely knows him and they changed direction and because they changed direction Yahweh relented. Who can tell if Elohim will turn and relent, and turn away from his fierce anger, so we may not perish? And Elohim saw their works that they turned from their evil way; and Elohim relented from the disaster, which he said he would bring upon him; and did not do it. So there were works attached to their repentance. The repentance was real, it was true, it was genuine, it wasn't fake, it was the real deal and so he changed what he was going to do to them it's not that Yahweh really even changed. Really it isn't like Yahweh changed it's because they changed, it's because they changed. It's like you know before they were heading if you
are heading down a river and you are rolling with the river and you are saying yeah, yeah, yeah but then at the end there is a waterfall and you realize that distraction is ahead you start to turn the boat around and you are willing to start rolling up stream to avoid the distraction then there
is going to be evidence besides just turning the boat around. You can start using the oars right? And so Yahweh knows the hearts as to whether or not our repentance is really genuine or not and that's evidenced by whether or not there is truly a change in behaviour.
Luke chapter 18 two men went up to the temple to pray; one a Pharisee, the other a tax collector. Then the Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, Elohim, I thank you, I am not like other men, extortions, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector. Thank you, I'm not like these other people. I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all I possess. Praying thus with himself.
That man is not justified bragging on him. And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, Elohim be merciful to me a sinner. He hated what he had done and cried out for mercy, I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for everyone who exalts himself would be humbled; and he who humbles himself shall be exalted.
Humility is a key element to a true repentant prayer, something that King Saul did not have was humility and so who was justified the word
justified means to be declared righteous, the tax collector who seemed to be the greatest sinner was actually justified and the one who refused to humble himself before our Father in heaven was not justified.
And so it's not necessarily how bad the sin is that you've done, even a small sin practice
wilfully can be enough for you to demonstrate to Yahweh that you do not really have repentance. If you allow it in your life on-going and you contend to live with it and you've made peace with it the same time even a terrible awful horrific
great sin that you may have done, even habitually. If you come before Yahweh and humble yourself with a contrite heart and a broken spirit abhor yourself and you beat your breast crying out to him,
I'm a sinner have mercy upon me.
That's the kind of hard attitude and repentance that Yahweh accepts even Job a man, he had a lot he could brag about as far as his righteousness but Yahweh did find fault with him. Job 42 verse 5 I have heard of you by the hearing of the ear: but now my eyes sees you. Therefore I abhor myself and repent in dust and ashes. It's those who cry out for mercy and understand how great it's needed, it's those who truly care that they have sinned in the eyes of Yahweh, confessing their wrongs and turning away. It is those who despise the deeds of what they have done, this is Job upon himself for what he had done and the publican who beat himself in the chest before Yahweh, these are the ones whom Yahweh will declare righteous because Yahushua's blood is able to cleanse them of their sins on a condition
of true and genuine repentance.
The book of Hebrews even says Of how much worst punishment, they supposed, will be thought worthy, who trembled the Son of Elohim under foot, count the blood of the covenant, by which he was sanctified, a common thing, and insulted the Spirit of grace? You can't insult the spirit of grace repentance has to be genuine, not counterfeit. 2 Corinthians 7 verse 8 For even though if I made you sorry with my letter, I do not regret it, though I did regret it: for I perceive that the same epistle made you sorry, though only for a while. Now I rejoice, not that you were made sorry, but that your sorrow led to repentance: for you were made sorry in a righteous manner, in that you might suffer loss from us in nothing. So their sorrow was you need more than just to be sorry for yourselves. The sorrow needs to lead you to a heart that says I don't wanna do this anymore. Yahweh I don't wanna do this anymore, I don't want to be the fig tree that doesn't bear fruit anymore. I humble myself before you, I desire your mercy, O Yahweh, I desire to have this change in my life. I'm committing myself to change. Again brothers and sisters please understand me I know there are many who are out there who are struggling with self-rejection, self-hatred you don't think you are ever gonna make it. You are discouraged. Listen just because you repent does not mean you never ever make another mistake the rest of your life and if you fail one time, bam you immediately not bearing enough fruits of repentance. The issue is not the kind of sin that you have done, it's not the severity of the sin that you have committed. The issue is what do you do after you have sinned, out of weakness and you want Yahweh to forgive you. Scripture says righteous sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation not to be regretted, but the sorrow of the world produces death. So in the world, there is no repentance there, there has to be repentance. Now here is the truth we have to understand if we
say that we have no sin we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Now this being the case, if you confess, that means you agree with Yahweh that you have sinned. We acknowledge it, unlike Saul who just didn't want to acknowledge it. He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Now if you are cleansed from all unrighteousness then your every bit is righteous as Yahushua himself, understand that?
No matter how far away you have strayed from Yahweh
you are never too lost to be found again. If you repent and put your trust in Yahweh through
Yahushua the Messiah our master.
But you must be willing don't assume you are too lost to be saved, there is a reason why they call it amazing grace, it really is amazing ask David. David knew how amazing it was, how it was like to be
cleansed of all unrighteousness and you can put your trust in it. But we must humble ourselves before him.
And we must realize that our walk with Messiah is a walk that involves continual spiritual growth becoming more and more like our savior as we live our life.
And so Yahweh calls out to us, let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to Yahweh, he will have mercy upon him, into our Elohim, for he will abundantly pardon. That's the word repent, return, come back, turn back toward him. It's a promise he will have mercy on him. He will abundantly pardon, this is Old Testament verse here, he will abundantly pardon its' a promise. Forsake your way, forsake your thoughts return to Yahweh, repent you will be granted mercy. I promise you this too, he wants to help you overcome. He wants to strengthen those legs that hang down, he wants you to be strong in him so you can call upon him and receive help to be an overcomer. There are very few things that can demonstrate more of a hearty repentance and say Yahweh help me to do your will, show me your will, show me your way, strengthen me to do it, I want to do it, help me do it.
Some of you may feel like you are on a treadmill you can't seem to get ahead you know. But as long as those legs are moving, those are legs of repentance.
The thing here is you don't want to do is jump off a treadmill and lay there like a pig after being washed goes right back into the mud again lies there. And content to live in the mud and so there are awesome promises to those who are willing to put Yahweh first to those who are willing to walk out repentance. When I say walk out repentance we gonna to learn as we grow and we gonna grow, what we gonna do and learn and do. And as we seek the word of Elohim we are not going to reject that we gonna continue to accept it. Where's Yahweh's dwelling place? Isaiah 66 says Thus says Yahweh, heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool: where is the house that you will build me? Where is the place of my rest? For all those things my hand is made, and all those things exist, says Yahweh: but on this one, I will look. Oh, pay attention. On him who is poor and of a contrite spirit, and who trembles at my word.
Oh my, Yahweh loves people who are contrite and humble before him and that is the place of his rest.
That is his dwelling place that is the temple of his
spirit those who have a contrite heart trembling
at the word of Elohim. So if that's you, HalleluYah. he accepts you. He meets you right where you are at and he will continue to use you. But we live in a culture, we live in a climate where there are some who teach repentance is unnecessary and so we have churches filled with unconverted people. People who have not yet repented, Jesus is their friend who cleanses them from all sin and they are fine with that. You see, they are emphasizing what Yahushua has done for man. While forgetting what Yahushua wants to do in man, and Paul taught not just repentance to the Gentiles. He taught that they need to do works that lined up with that repentance. In Acts 26:19 therefore, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient of the heavenly vision. But declared first to those in Damascus, and in Jerusalem, and throughout all the region of Judea, and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent turn to Elohim, and do works befitting
repentance. Line up with that repentant attitude what then shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace, certainly not. Do you not know, that to whom you present yourselves, slaves, to obey, you are that one slave to whom you obey; whether sin leading to death or of obedience leading to righteousness?
You got to pay attention, 1 John 5:17, All unrighteousness is sin: and there is a sin not leading to death. 1 John 3:4 Whoever commits sin transgresses also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law. What does it mean to repent, what are you repenting of? You are repenting from violating the law of Yahweh. That's what sin is, is a violation of the law of Yahweh. And so we need to understand what we are supposed to be even repenting of and I submit to you. The law of Yahweh teaches us we should observe the festivals, we should refrain from eating unclean meats, we should refrain from violating the Sabbath day.
And so we have to repent, we want to repent we need to understand what we are repenting at. What people don't realize what the father's word is saying in this area I don't judge them. I'm just saying that we need to repent of every form of sin. But, there are some, you give them the grace they don't change. Isaiah 26:10 let grace be shown to the wicked, yet he will not learn righteousness: in the land of uprightness will he deal unjustly, and will not behold the majesty of Yahweh. We don't want to be like that, we don't want to be like that. Now again I'm not saying that if you don't do everything I believe in that you are lost and you not repentant. Scribes of Pharisees they had certain words Yahushua said about being blind they asked are blind also? Yahushua said to them if you were blind you would have no sin. So if someone is blind of something they don't realize they are doing wrong okay. Yahushua said you would have no sin but now you say we are the sinning ones come to us, therefore, your sin remains because they claim to be it okay, that's what you claim to be then. That's what you will be held to so please
understand that we might blind of something, I might be blind to something but it's not because out of the will for rebellion I might do something wrong on that case and so it's not counted as sin without the law there is no transgression. If we don't realize that this something Yahweh requires of us then there is grace available. Matthew 5:6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness: for they shall be filled. Blessed are merciful: they shall obtain mercy. And so I'm going to choose a side of mercy here and say there are people doing things they shouldn't but I don't know their hearts and I'm gonna choose to be merciful toward them and hopefully in my own blindness is where they might be I will obtain mercy as well, understand that? You gotta be humble and realize that we might be blind also and with what judge we judge others we might be judged. But if you are struggling with something don't let whatever name happens to be on that sin, make you think that sin is too bad and therefore Yahweh won't forgive something like that. The truth is Hebrews 4:15-16 we did not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses; but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. In all points, he was tempted just like we are but without sin. Therefore let's come boldly to the throne of grace that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.
In time of need and we are in, often a time of need for Yahweh's mercy and compassion.
So I hope we understand what true repentance is all about and with a humble heart and a contrite spirit that yearning for righteousness. That's yearning for a relationship with the Father that is desirous of his mercy as we cry out to
him. And a true repentant prayer, Join with me. O, father Yahweh you know, you know our hearts, you know hearts and the reason why we think things that we do. Reveal to us anything in our heart that might not be true repentance. Show us your will father. And let not any hint of unrepentant in our heart keep us from accepting any new truths that you desire to reveal to us. Expose father the parts of our heart, reveal them to us that are not truly repentant to you. And forgive us, have mercy upon us lead us, guide us,
establish your kingdom in us for you are our Father who art in heaven. Kadosh Kadosh Kadosh be [? ] your awesome name we want to be a people called by your name.
O, father, I pray for everyone who is listening to this prayer today if they haven't truly repented that you will bring them to repentance with sincerity and that they father Yahweh would
truly repent before you and begin pursuing righteousness. And for any who are being tempted by the enemy and the enemy is saying they have not repented but in reality, they have. Deliver them from the hand of the enemy and let not falsehood speak to them. Speak to them father Yahweh by your spirit, comfort them in your words, comfort them in
your grace. For truly yours is the kingdom and power and glory and majesty and praise, honor, and worship belongs to you. Yahweh Elohim, Yahweh our Mighty One, for ever and ever in Yahushua's name, Amein.
What is lawlessness? That word translates lawlessness according to the Greek Lexicon, the strongest Greek Lexicon is from this word anomia, it means illegality, i.e. violation of law. So, if we go back to its original meaning here I never knew you: depart from me, you who practice a violation of Yahweh's law. So what does it mean to practice something? To practice something means that you are doing it again and again willfully, you are doing it again and again. And if are practicing you are probably getting better at it and better at it. You are willing to practice it, you are willing to accept this kind of sin in your life and you've made peace with this sin in your life, that's what it means to practice it. You're okay living in it and your content to continue practicing the violation of Yahweh's standards, his law. The meaning of grace is favor and we need to understand in order for us to gain his favor we must be willing to turn away from violating Yahweh's standards, his law. So, unlike what you might have heard, the Messiah did not come to just hand us a get out of hell free card and you take the card and you go on about your business, and living like you were living before.
And to give you this license to sin, well the license to sin is going to be the knife it's not going to work this way. We do have to repent, Romans chapter 2 verse 4 says or do you despise the riches of His goodness, forbearance, long-suffering, not knowing that the goodness of Elohim leads you to repentance? But in accordance with your hardness and your impenitent heart you were treasuring up for yourself wrath in the day of wrath in revelation of the righteous judgment of Elohim; Who will render to each one according to his deeds? And so repentance is necessary, this is a new testament teaching that we must repent.
Now, what does it mean to repent? If you go back to the Hebrew "Shuwb" meaning return or turn back. Basically, the word means to turn, okay so if I'm walking the wrong direction that means turn around and begin walking the right direction. If I have been in the practice and habit of violating Yahweh's standards I can turn around and begin the process of listening to and seeking to apply his word to my life. To repent means to turn away from what you understand as wrong and begin to walk in what you believe to the best of your understanding Yahweh's standards are for you to abide by. Now in this Romans 2, there are even bibles that have incorrect headings in it, to, well, I believe it does, mislead people. For example in this Romans 2, I have a New King James Bible, it's called the New Open Bible. It's no longer in print but you see this, right here. That's Romans 2 verse 4 that his goodness leads you to repentance. But look at the heading here it says "Jews are judged according to truth" and then "Jews are judged by their works." As if the requirement to repent is only for the Jews. Now wouldn't that be wrong and you might even say it would be racist for Yahweh to require repentance of the Jews but then not require repentance of the Gentiles. That's racism if on the day of judgment he says to the Jews you didn't repent, in the lake of fire you go and says to the Gentiles, you didn't repent enter, into the joy of your master, that's racism. He's being partial, based on, you know, one's heritage. And, a person could go through their life and think that they're Gentile, but low and behold on the day of judgment finds out that their great, great, great, great, great, however many greats, grandfather was from the tribe of Ephraim or Manasseh or wasn't from Judah, but was nonetheless an Israelite tribe, then what would happen? Well, if he was gonna judge according to one's race that whole time the person thought they were Gentile really if they were a Jew or an Israelite and therefore into the lake of fire they go. You see, that does make any sense that you have different standards based on who your daddy is. And amazingly even this bible here he says the
heading here is Jews are judged by their works, it says who are rendered to each one according to his deeds. You turn a life to those who by patient continuous in doing seek for glory and honor and mortality. But to those who are self-seeking, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation, and wrath. tribulation and anguish, on every soul of man who does evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Greek. But glory, honor, and peace, to everyone who works with his good, to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. So the very text contradicts the headings here and it goes on to say verse 11 Jews are judged with, like they just gloss right over, the fact it says the Jew and the Greek.
And you know they resolved that in their mind, whoever wrote these headings I don't know who wrote these headings, that all we are supposed to repent or that can't be us we are Gentiles. And so they resolved it by saying well that's just for the Jews then and not even realizing the actual text violates the heading of that bible. So it's really contradictory, very contradictory. And so now please don't get me wrong I believe Jews are supposed to repent, I believe Gentiles are supposed to repent but I also know we are saved by grace. Ezekiel 14:6 says Therefore say to the house of Israel, Thus says the Master Yahweh; Repent, and turn away from your idols. If you have an idol that you have put ahead of Yahweh, I don't care if it's anything.
It doesn't have to be something that you bow down and worship as if it was a God, it can be anything that you have setup in your heart; you need to turn away from it. Turn away from your idols and turn your faces away from all your abominations. So the word this is the word Shuwb, the Shuwban in Hebrew meaning to turn. Turn away, turn your faces away from all your
abominations turn away from it. That's the simple meaning of the word repent. So listen I know grace is free but it's a free gift
to those who repent. Here's the Greek word Metanoia a change of mind,
as it appears to one who repents, a purpose he's formed or something he has done. So we are changing our mind now. We were going the wrong way and now we are going to start going the right way, we changed our mind. We no longer, we are turning away from unrighteousness turning towards righteousness. And it is awesome if we understand that concept. And the truth is Acts 20 verse 20-21 Paul says I kept nothing back that was helpful but proclaim it to you, and taught you publicly, and from house to house. Testifying to Jews, and also to Greeks, repentance toward Elohim, and faith toward our Master Yahushua Messiah. So there is both, there is repentance toward both Jews and towards Greeks, that's what he proclaimed from house to house and publicly repentance toward Elohim, faith towards our Master Yahushua the Messiah. So grace is a free gift, very true, but it's given to those who repent. Psalms 78 verse 34 says when he slew them, then they sought him: and they returned and sought earnestly for Elohim. Then they remembered that Elohim was their rock, and the most high Elohim their redeemer. Because they were in trouble and they were
less, they flattered him with their mouth and lied to him with their tongue for their heart was not steadfast with him nor were they faithful in his covenant. If we are only changing because of negative consequences in our life maybe we are only sorry because we've met the end of ourselves, you are not really sorry because we love Yahweh and we want to serve him and we want to be his son. If we're only trying to change for what we get out of the deal, which is using Yahweh like a spare tire.
You know spare tire is always back in the trunk, underneath the back of your pick up or somewhere and it's there but you don't really use it until you got a flat right? So we don't want to use Yahweh like a spare tire you know he's really not in your mind that much until you are in trouble and then you turn to him, you know that's called jail house religion when you are trouble and you want his help you know you want him to bail you out. You know you turn to him but then you know other than that you don't really love him down deep. You just using him, you are using him you are flattering him with your lips with your mouth and you are not being sincere. And I can't read your heart I don't judge any man that way, I'll let them decide whether that applies to them or not. But we wanna be careful; we are not just repenting because we got caught or repenting so that we can get something we want out of it. We wanna turn away from unrighteousness because it's wrong, we want to turn toward righteousness because it's right and we want to live right. We wanna turn to Yahweh because he loves us and we want to love him in return.
We love him because he first loved us and whatever we are lacking, whatever love we are lacking in our life he is willing to love us and fulfill us with his love. And so in return, we are called to love him and to love him that means that we are willing to turn away from violating his standards and turn toward walking according to his standards. So there is a lot of confusion today over this topic and we need to make sure that we understand
what it really means to repent, what it really means to turn away again so we gonna look at some scriptures and reiterate here Luke chapter 3 verse 7 says John talking to the multitudes that came out to be baptized him, saying brood of vipers, who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Therefore bear fruits worthy of repentance, and
do not begin to say to yourselves, we have Abraham as our father: for I say to you, That Elohim is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones. And now the axe is laid to the root of the trees: therefore every tree which does not bear good fruit is cut down, and thrown into the fire. He's talking about the Scribes and Pharisees here they were taking confidence that they had Abraham as their physical Father and they thought that since they are children of Abraham you know they're gonna be alright, they're gonna be okay. They are putting confidence in the flesh rather than in Yahweh's grace. And we have an equal danger today we have those
who think Yahushua's blood is cheap and you can tremble all over it intentionally, willfully live in and practice sin and get away with it. So these are thought theology out there that exist in the hearts of some and I know there is a lot of Christians who do not believe this but there are some who do think that you know you can just rest in the power of the blood and no matter how much you practice sin willfully or not, no matter what your attitude is towards sin, grace covers it all.
And so they got their little license to sin in their pocket, they get a hell free card in their pocket and they could continue walking in unrighteousness. And there are some cases where the leadership themselves don't really believe that but because of weak teaching against sin in the congregation, those who are sitting in the pews and such they think that's what they are allowed to do. They think it's okay to live in sin. Peter told the multitudes that came and said: "Repent and let every one of you is baptized in the name of Yahushua Messiah for the admission of sins and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit". The first step repents, the second step believes in Yahushua and be baptized in Yahushua's name. If you've never been baptized in Yahushua's name I encourage you to be baptized, but first, you have to repent turn away from unrighteousness. So yes grace is available to us upon the condition
we repent Yahweh is not handing salvation you know like candy. He's not passing out salvation like you know the deck of cards, we have to do something in response to his love we have to receive Yahushua and we also need to repent very importantly. In fact, Matthew 18 verse 15 It is written Moreover if your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone: if he hears you, you have gained your brother. But if he will not hear, take with you one or two more, that by the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established. And if he refuses to hear them, then tell it to the
congregation or the church: if he refuses even to hear either the congregation or church, then let him be to you like a heathen and a tax collector. So the point he's saying is one says they are a believer but does not want to hear you does not want to repent of their sin, you should take these steps and even bring the congregation against him if necessary. And if they won't even listen to the congregation and repent of their transgression then as far as you are concerned he's not a believer. Yahushua spoke this parable Luke 13 verse 6-7
A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came seeking fruit on it and found none. Then he said to the keeper of his vineyard, 'Look, for three years I have come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and find none. Cut it down. Why is it use up the ground?' "But he answered and said to him, 'Sir, let it alone this year also until I dig around it and fertilize it. If it bears fruit, well: and if not, then after that you can cut it down. So those who are not bearing fruit are given a little measure of grace from Yahweh to see if he can get us to bear fruit and if we can't and we are not willing to bear fruit then he cuts us down. So we should ask ourselves what kind of fig tree we are, what kind of fig tree do we wanna be or we just taking up the ground are we willing to bear fruit? Now I want to put a little caviar or asterisks by
what I'm saying because there are a lot of people who have repented they do want to do the will of Elohim and they are striving to do the will of Elohim but they get weak and they fail. And then they repent, they confess their sin and they acknowledge that they have done wrong but then they don't believe they are forgiven. Well, they don't believe they are worthy of being forgiven yet they are crying out for his mercy and his grace. They are crying out for Yahweh to forgive them and Yahweh has already forgiven them but they don't feel forgiven. That means the person needs to forgive themselves, Yahweh has already forgiven and the question becomes are we willing to forgive ourselves and we should forgive ourselves. But how do we know the difference, how can we be assured that our repentance is the kind of repentance that Yahweh accepts?
That's an important question, there are two men in the bible I'm gonna point out here who seem to have repented but did not.
Besides the one I showed you in the Psalms, Hebrews 12 verse 14 -16 Pursuit peace with all and holiness without which no one will see Yahweh: looking carefully lest anyone fall short of the grace of Elohim; lest any root of bitterness bring up cause trouble and by this many become defiled. Lest there be any fornicator, or profane person, like Esau, who for one morsel of food sold his birthright, Esau. Now Esau did not value Yahweh, he valued the cardinal things. He valued the morsel of food over the blessing of Yahweh. Now, Abraham had received tremendous promises and
Esau did not value the promises of Yahweh, he valued the canal things and for a morsel of food sold his birth right.
Esau even said if I die what good will the birthright be to me? He didn't think about his children, he didn't care about his children. He did not think about having that heritage that Yahweh would honor.
His mentality was flawed Hebrews 12:17 for you know that afterward when he wanted to inherit the blessing, he was rejected: for he found no place for repentance, though he sought it diligently with tears. Why was he unable to find a place for repentance even though he saw it? What was Esau's problem? He looked for it, he sought it he couldn't find it.
So why was Esau rejected so badly?
Genesis 27:30 Now it happened, as soon as Isaac had finished blessing Jacob, and Jacob is scarce had gone out from the presence of Isaac his father, that Esau his brother came in from his hunting. He also had made savory meat, and brought it to his father, and said to his father, Let my father arise, and eat of his son's game, that thy soul may bless me. And his father Isaac said to him, who are you? Esau said I am your son, your firstborn Esau.
Then Isaac trembled exceedingly, and said, who? Where is the one who hunted game, and brought it me, I ate all of it before you came and I have blessed him? And indeed he shall be blessed. When Esau heard the words of his father, he cried with an exceedingly great and bitter cry, and said to his father, Bless me, me also, my father. But he said, your brother came with deceit, and has taken away your blessing.
And Esau said, is he not rightly named Jacob? For he has supplanted me these two times: he took away my birthright; and, now look he has taken away my blessing. And he said, have you not reserved a blessing for me? Isaac answered and said to Esau, Indeed, I have made him your Master, and all his brethren I have given to him his servants; with grain and wine I have sustained him: what shall I do now for you, my son?
Esau said, Have you only one blessing, my father? Bless me, me also, O my father. And Esau lifted up his voice and wept.
Now we know in Romans chapter 9 verse 13 it says as it is written, Jacob I have loved, but Esau I have hated. What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with Elohim? For certainly not he said to Moshe, I will have mercy upon whom ever I have mercy, out of compassion on whom ever I will have compassion. So it's not of him who wills, nor of him who runs, but Elohim who shows mercy. Now, these would seem to be scary verses I mean how you have assurance of salvation when its Elohim who chooses to have mercy upon him is gonna have mercy. He chose to have hatred for Esau but Jacob the deceitful one he blessed.
Can we look and can we understand why he has such a dislike for Esau?
Now if you examine the book of Genesis you going to find Esau did not value the blessing of Yahweh: ) He said what good will the blessing be to me if I die? And Number 2, he didn't value his children. Number 3 He was taking these foreign women who were not really believers to be his wife, they were the daughters of hath that grieved his parents. They were heathen women, and so his children were not going to be believers. e seemed to be kind of freshly minded because if you read earlier later about Esau after he got blessed with the riches and everything he was satisfied. he seemed to accept it and Jacob I believe saw that and that's why when he approached Esau, he gave him gifts here take this, take this, take everything you can have it all. Until Esau was ashamed and says wow I have got enough, I got enough. And Jacob bringing him gifts is was appeased him because he was gonna go after Jacob before 100 men. So Jacob understood there was something about the heart of Esau that was not spiritually bonded, he was not heavenly focused, he was this world minded, fleshly minded and so the choices he was making were a reflection of that. nd some of the comments that Esau made were a reflection of that and Esau did not value the value and heritage of Yahweh only to the extent that it might bring him riches was he even concerned about it so it seems to me. So now, you know, some scriptures it seems to be a pattern the first born does not end up getting the blessing because we see that there was Jacob and Esau, we see that with Joseph who got the blessing. He wasn't the first born. And then David's children Solomon was the one who was chosen and the recurring pattern I think is the fulfilment really of Adam being the first born of Yahweh, the one who is the original son of Elohim did not get the blessing it was the second, Adam so to speak, Yahushua who got that blessing. Now, 1 Samuel 15, I wanna show you an example of a man who repented and his repentance was not accepted. And Saul said to Samuel, I have sinned: for I have transgressed the commandment of Yahweh and, and your words: because I fear the people, and obeyed their voice. Now, therefore, please, pardon my sin, and return with me, that I may worship Yahweh. But Samuel said to Saul, I will not return with you: for you have rejected the word of Yahweh, and Yahweh has rejected you from being king over Israel. And Samuel turned around to go away, Saul seized the edge of his robe and it tore. So Samuel said to him, Yahweh has torn the kingdom of Israel from you today, and has given it to a neighbor of yours, who is better than you. And also the Strength of Israel will not lie nor repent: for he is not a man that he should repent. Then he said I have sinned: yet honor me now,
please, before the elders of my people, and before Israel, and return with me, that I may worship the Yahweh your Elohim. So Samuel turned back after Saul, and Saul worshiped the Yahweh. Now what I want you to know is here is that Saul acted like he repented, he said "I have sinned" he accepted his sin but notice he says "honor me now please, before the elders of my people, and before Israel". His motive for repentance was based on a fear of men and what men would say about Saul if Samuel was not willing to return with him and worship Yahweh and him get this honor he was seeking. Now Amalek was the one that Samuel directed Saul
to go after and earlier in this chapter it says thus says Yahweh of hosts, I will punish Amalek for what it did to Israel, how he ambushed him on the way when he came up out of Egypt. Now go and attack Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, and do not spare them; kill both man and woman, infant, nursing child, ox, sheep, camel, and donkey. So Saul gathered the people together and numbered them in Telaim, two hundred thousand foot soldiers, and ten thousand men of Judah.
And Saul attacked the Amalekites from Havilah all the way to Shur, which is east of Egypt. He also took Agag king of the Amalekites alive and utterly destroyed all the people with the edge of the sword. But Saul and the people spared Agag, and the best of the sheep, the oxen, the fatlings, of lambs, and all that was good, and were unwilling to utterly destroy them: but everything despise and worthless, that they utterly destroyed. And now the word of Yahweh came to Samuel, saying. I greatly regret that I have set up Saul as king: for he is turned back from following me, and has not performed my commandments. And it grieved Samuel, and he cried unto Yahweh all night. So when Samuel rose early in the morning to meet Saul, it was told Samuel, saying, Saul went to Carmel, and, indeed, he set up a monument, for himself, and he has gone on around passed by, gone down to Gilgal. Now he set up this monument for himself he's getting the glory for something that Yahweh had done. Wasn't it Yahweh who enabled him to defeat the Amalekites?
You know brothers it may seem like a minor in a fraction to us. Okay, he didn't destroy all the animals he saved the best, offered them to Yahweh. And he kept the king alive, and he was going to sacrifice those animals to Yahweh but you see there's a way that seems right to a man but its end is the way of death. There were things going on here, Saul setting up a monument for himself, seeking the honor that comes from man rather than seeking the praise that comes from Elohim.
On one hand, it may seem like Saul's infraction wasn't really as bad as David who killed a man. He killed a man, murdered a man took his wife, committed adultery. And there are some people that are going to say well
why was Yahweh so concerned about that? He wasn't concerned, wasn't so much the commandment that was broken. It's just that the repentance that was exhibited was not genuine, was not real.
It was rooted in a motivation of praise of
man in this case. Praise of man or in the former case a motivation of gaining riches, our repentance needs to be motivated by a love for Yahweh and a recognition
that our ways are not the right ways and that Yahweh's ways are the right ways. And I know there are people out there who like
Saul will not keep the commandments as written for instance the Sabbath command, it says that we are supposed to rest on the seventh day of the week and they know the ten commandments teach this but they will not do it.
They know they probably should but they will not do it and they will walk around like they perform the commandment of Yahweh like Saul.
But no he messed up and put in detail and Yahweh is concerned about the details but even more so he is concerned about the condition of our heart and out of a fear of man they will not observe the Sabbath day on the day that Yahweh appointed even though they know that's what he appointed. And they will pretend Oh I'm keeping the commandments here ten commandments there you have it, there you have it. The ten commandments say to rest on the seventh day of the week, you are resting on the first day of the week there is only one day that was sanctified a creation and it ain't the first day of the week is the seventh day of the week and yes the weeks as we know them have been preserved at least going back to Yahushua's day because even historical record shows that Romans were saying yes we attacked the Jews in Jerusalem on their
Sabbath which they called the day of Saturn, the Pagans call it the day of Saturn. Today it's called Saturday but we do know that the
Sabbath is on a specific day of a specific seven day week. And some people think Yahweh is not the stick like that, he's about grace now. But wait a minute isn't, is partial obedience really obedience? I think partial obedience according to what I have read here in verse 7:15 is disobedience and what Saul
did was partial obedience motivated by the fear of
man and the desire to be in good standing before man. He wouldn't stand up for whats right as a leader of Israel, he feared the people and he obeyed their voice. And if you think you can get away with partial obedience because you fear what man may say if you were to be fully obedient it's not gonna work for you. It can be a smallest sin in your own eyes and if you are manifesting our heart of rebellion and not a heart of repentance there is no grace for you. I'm not making it up, scriptures said so. Scripture demonstrates this to be true.
So Samuel went to Saul and Saul said to him, blessed are you of Yahweh. I performed the commandment of Yahweh. Samuel is like no you haven't, Samuel said what then is this bleating of sheep in my ears and the lowing of the oxen what I hear? And Saul said, they have brought them from the Amalekites: for the people spared the best of the sheep and the oxen, to sacrifice to Yahweh your Elohim; and the rest we have utterly destroyed.
Already he's no, in his heart he can just kind of read it. He knew he wasn't really doing what he should but he was like being over dramatic about things and saying I have kept the commandment of Yahweh and Samuel said no you haven't. Well you see the people you know they brought them back from and spare the best of the sheep, you see. And Samuel said to Saul, be quiet, and I will tell you what Yahweh said to me last night. And he said to him, Speak on. So Samuel said, when you were little in your own eyes, were not the head of tribes of Israel, and did
not Yahweh anoint you king over Israel? When you were you are not in your own eyes anymore said Saul it's gone to your head.
Now Yahweh sent you on a mission and said: "go and utterly destroy the sinners, the Amalekites, and fight against them until they be consumed".
Why then did you not obey the voice of the Yahweh, why did you sweep down the spoil and do evil in the sight of Yahweh? Evil, wow strong words, evil. When Saul said to Samuel, but, I have obeyed the voice of Yahweh and gone on the mission which Yahweh sent me, and brought Agag king of Amalek, I have utterly destroyed the Amalekites. But the people took of the plunder, sheep, and oxen, the best of the things which should have been utterly destroyed, to sacrifice to Yahweh your Elohim in Gilgal. All the people did you know, people did this to people did that. He knew he was not doing right but he was fighting against Samuel. Samuel said, Has Yahweh as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of Yahweh? Behold, to obey is better than to sacrifice, and to hearken the fat of rams.
For rebellion is as a sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of Yahweh, he also has rejected you from being king.
Your repentance is not real and you are pretending, Saul. You see Yahushua is our sacrifice but it's better to obey and not need that sacrifice isn't it? So Saul is calling a rebel and a practice of witchcraft and idolatry and his stubbornness and rebellion. So this is an act of rebellion to just partially obey the voice of Yahweh and then when confronted by it blaming, finger pointing.
Now there are ministers of the word out there today putting back to our Sabbath example who will acknowledge the Sabbath as on the seventh day of the week, they'll acknowledge it. But they fear they people and they obey their voice they want their Sunday church so they obey their voice and only Yahweh knows the heart of the Pastors and whether the heart is really turned to the father's will or not. But if it isn't they are in great danger. Now I'm not saying everybody who goes to church on Sunday is going to be going to lake of fire or anything like that. But when approached with the understanding that the Sabbath is to be observed and it's on the seventh day of the week and the person knows down deep in their heart it's the right thing to do. But then in their heart, they fear the people and obey their voice and in their heart, they fear the loss of their business or their job because they have to work on Sabbath and they will lose income because if you no longer work on a Sabbath anymore.
Then what you have is a combination of Esau and King Saul, fearing people and obeying their voice and wanting riches more than wanting the blessing of Yahweh, understand? And so we need to ask Yahweh to reveal to us the condition of our own hearts whether we are really turned to him or not. Now on the flip side, we have examples of the kind
of repentance that Yahweh delights in. David, one might say profound of far away sin killing a man, committing adultery, taking advantage of his position and yet David was forgiven why?
Look at what David's prayer after having been confronted by Nathan the prophet concerning his sin with Bathsheba.
This is what he wrote have mercy upon me, O Elohim according to your loving kindness; according to the multitude of your tender mercies blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is always before me. Against you, you only, have I sinned and done this evil in your sight: that you may be found just when you speak, and blameless when you judge. And later in verse 10 Create in me a clean heart, O Elohim; renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me away from your presence, and do not take your holy spirit from me.
David was by forming a consent with the loss of his relationship with Yahweh than anything else.
And so if you are just coming to Yahweh with the sacrifices and not coming to him with a truth which is the Messiah Yahushua his sacrifice but not coming to him with a genuine repentance from the heart you're missing it.
Verse 16 you do not desire sacrifice; or else I would give it: you did not delight in burnt offerings. The sacrifices of Elohim are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, these O Elohim, you will not despise. Saul and Esau did not have a genuinely contrite heart before Yahweh. And that's why their repentance was rejected. Another example of repentance was found in Yahushua gave here Luke 15 he said, Then he said, A certain man had two sons. And the younger of them said to his father,
Father, give me the portions of goods that falls to me. Look at this give me stuff, riches. So he divided to him to them his livelihood. And not many days after the younger son gathered all together, journey to a far country, and there wasted his possessions with prodigal living. But when he had spent all, there arose a severe famine in that land; he began to be in want. Then he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country, and he sent him into his fields to feed swine. And he would gladly have filled his stomach with the pods that the swine ate: but no one gave him anything. But when he came to himself, he said, How many of my father's hired servants have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger! I will arise and go to my father, and will say to him, Father; I have sinned against heaven, and before you. And I am no longer worthy to be called your son: make me like one of your hired servants. Now, he has a sense of give me as to make me, mold me, use me I want to be in your house. Very different attitude, and with that kind of attitude. He rose and came to his father. When his father was still a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him. And the son said to him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in your sight, I am no longer worthy to be called your son.
But the father said to his servants, Bring out the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and sandals on his feet. And bring the fatted calf here, and kill it, and let us eat, and be merry. For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost and is found. And they began to be merry. And so this is genuine repentance I'm not worthy, I'm no longer worthy to be called your son, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight, humility. Acknowledging his sin, he takes anything he could get sometimes we run into circumstances and difficulties and challenges as believers but you know if the only thing that Yahweh ever did was grant us salvation and deliver us from Gehenna. And put that river righteousness in give us joy and salvation, wouldn't that be enough?
I think it is, it ought be and yet sometimes if we don't get more than that we get discontent. We look now to the book of Genesis an example in
Genesis 37:26 Judah said to his brothers, What
profit is there if we kill our brother, and conceal his blood? Come, and let us sell him to the Ishmaelites, and let not our hand be upon him; for he is our brother and our flesh. And his brothers listened. Then many of night traders passed by; so the brothers pulled Joseph up and lifted him up the pit, and sold him to the Ishmaelites for twenty circles of silver: and they took Joseph to Egypt.
Now as a result of what happened little later in chapter 38 you will see Judah bearing the gill of what he suggested, it was starting to affect him. And it came to pass at that time, Judah departed from his brothers, and visited a certain Adullamite, whose name was Hirah. And Judah saw there a daughter of a certain Canaanite, whose name was Shuah; and he married her, and went in into her. So she conceived, and bare a son, and he called his name Er. She conceived again, and bare a son, and she called his name Onan. And she conceived again, and bare a son; and called his name Shelah: he was in Chezib when she bares him. Then Judah took a wife for Er his firstborn, and her name was Tamar. But Er, Judah's firstborn, was wicked in the sight of Yahweh; and Yahweh killed him. Then Judah said to Onan, Go into your brother's wife, and marry her, and raise up an heir to your brother. But Onan knew that the heir would not be his, and it came to pass, when he went into his brother's wife, he spilled on the ground, lest you should give her to his brother. And the thing which he did displease the Yahweh: wherefore he killed him also.
Then Judah came near to him, and said, O my lord, my master, please, let your servant speak a word in my master's hearing, do not let your anger burn against your servant. I'm sorry, this is later on, I wanna preface this by saying that both of Judah's sons were killed by Yahweh, Well, that sounds like judgment to me. Probably judgment as a result of, you know, Judah going out and marrying some foreign women and also judgment because of what he had done to Joseph alright? But then later on after facing the heavy hand of judgment in his life, he did not get married again we all know what happened with Tamar. But anyway when Joseph went over to the land of Egypt and became the Governor or the ruler over the land of Egypt and his twelve brothers came, they did not know who he was, I hope you know the story, I presume you know the story. They didn't know who he was and they thought he was just some ruler in Egypt and so Joseph tested them and took away one of the sons of Israel. And they came back together and he was ready to take Benjamin from them permanently. But I want you to notice something that Judah did. Judah, the one who had suggested they sell Joseph into the hand of the Ishmaelites, it says that Judah came near to him to Joseph and Oh my master, please, let your servant speak a word in my master's hearing, and do not let your anger burn against your servant for you are even like Pharaoh. My master asked his servants, saying, Have you a father, or a brother? And we said to my master, We have a father, an old man, and a child of his old age, who is young; his brother is dead, and he alone is left of his mother's, and his father loved him. We're talking about Jacob here. Then you said to your servants, Bring him down to me, that I may set my eyes on him. Then we said to my master, The lad cannot leave his father: for if he should leave his father, his father would die. But you said to your servants, unless your younger brother comes down with you, you shall see my face no more. So it was when we went up to your servant my father, that we told him the words of my master. And our father said, Go back, and buy us a little food. But we said We cannot go down: for if our youngest brother is with us, then we will go down: for we may not see the man's face unless our youngest brother is with us. Then your servant my father said to us, You know that my wife bares me, two sons. And the one went out from me, and I said, Surely he is torn to pieces, and I have not seen him since. But if you take this one from me, also from me, and calamity befalls him, you shall bring down my gray hair with sorrow to the grave. Now therefore when I come to your servant my father, and the lad is not with us; since his life is bound up in a lad's life.
It will happen when he sees that the lad is not with us, that he will die: so your servants will bring down the gray hair of your servant our father with sorrow to the grave. For your servant became surety for the lad to my father, saying, if I do not bring him to you, then I shall bear the blame before my father for ever. Now, therefore, please, let your servant remain. Talking about Judah here. Of the lad remain as a slave to my master, and let the lad not go up with his brothers. So now in a demonstration of repentance Judah the one who had suggested turning away, suggested sending Joseph away into Egypt as a slave.
He was willing and his repentance to be the slave in Egypt, that's true repentance.
For how shall I go up to my father, if the lad is not with me? Lest perhaps I see the evil that will come upon my father. And so he wrote, Judah realized what a sin this was especially to his own father and he was willing in a demonstration of repentance to take Benjamin's place. And with this Genesis 45:1 Joseph could not restrain him before all those who stood by him; he cried out, Make every one go out from me. So no one stood with him, while Joseph made himself known to his brothers. Beautiful, so the repentance was evident by
the man's actions and when Judah, it was actually
when Judah was when the Jewish people began to realize what they have done and start to have compassion on the heavenly Father for the rejection of his favourite son Yahushua Ha Mashiach whom they only valued at 30 pieces of silver. Yahweh will receive them as they mourn for the one that they pierced. And that will be national repentance I long to see and we know it's predicted they will look upon him whom they pierced and they will mourn. Also there is this little picture going on here of Judah after having rejected the favoured son and sent him away into slavery we know Judas Iscariot the second Judah also sold Messiah for 30 pieces of silver and delivered him over to Gentiles just as the son of Jacob named Judah handed the favourite son over to the Gentiles. And then Joseph became that second in command, became highly exalted likewise Yahushua became second in command and became highly exalted. And so even Messiah today is highly exalted just as Joseph was and so with all these patterns, similarities that are taking place here but repentance, repentance. Then there is Josiah 2 Kings 22 verse 16 thus says Yahweh, Behold, I will bring calamity on this place, and on its inhabitants, all the words of the book which the king of Judah has read. Because they have forsaken me and burned incense to other gods, that they might provoke me to anger with all the works of their hands; therefore my wrath shall be aroused against this place, and shall not be quenched.
But as for the king of Judah who sent you to inquire of Yahweh, in this manner you shall speak to him, Thus says Yahweh Elohim of Israel, concerning the words which you have heard. Because your heart was tender, and you humbled yourself before Yahweh, when you heard what I spoke against this place, against its inhabitants, if they will become a desolation and a curse, and you tore your clothes, and wept before me; I also have heard you, says Yahweh. So he basically told Josiah I would not happen in his days and so there was repentance, humility, a tender heart a broken spirit true humility, not flattery, not self-seeking true humility before the Father. Just as Judah was repenting, just a David was repenting not like Esau was repenting, not like king Saul was repenting, a true tender heart in humility before Elohim. nd Josiah believed those words that Yahweh spoke and he feared Yahweh. There was not a counterfeit repentance. They made reforms they had a feast. And so Yahweh said I will surely gather you to your father should be gathered to your gave in piece and your eyes should not see all the calamity which I will bring on this place. And so grace was provided another example we look at other people if they never believed Elohim proclaimed to fast and to put on sack cloth from the greatest of them to the least of them. Then the word came to the king of Nineveh, he arose from his throne, and he laid his robe, covered him with sackcloth, and sat in ashes.
And he caused to be proclaimed and published throughout Nineveh by the decree of the king and his nobles, Let neither man nor beast, herd nor flock, taste any thing: do not let them not eat, or drink water. But let man and beast be covered with sackcloth, and cry mightily to Elohim: yes, let every one turn from his evil way, and from the violence that's in his hands.
That's what David like repentance, so beautiful examples here of genuine repentance just even a hidden nation that barely even knows who Yahweh is, just barely knows him and they changed direction and because they changed direction Yahweh relented. Who can tell if Elohim will turn and relent, and turn away from his fierce anger, so we may not perish? And Elohim saw their works that they turned from their evil way; and Elohim relented from the disaster, which he said he would bring upon him; and did not do it. So there were works attached to their repentance. The repentance was real, it was true, it was genuine, it wasn't fake, it was the real deal and so he changed what he was going to do to them it's not that Yahweh really even changed. Really it isn't like Yahweh changed it's because they changed, it's because they changed. It's like you know before they were heading if you
are heading down a river and you are rolling with the river and you are saying yeah, yeah, yeah but then at the end there is a waterfall and you realize that distraction is ahead you start to turn the boat around and you are willing to start rolling up stream to avoid the distraction then there
is going to be evidence besides just turning the boat around. You can start using the oars right? And so Yahweh knows the hearts as to whether or not our repentance is really genuine or not and that's evidenced by whether or not there is truly a change in behaviour.
Luke chapter 18 two men went up to the temple to pray; one a Pharisee, the other a tax collector. Then the Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, Elohim, I thank you, I am not like other men, extortions, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector. Thank you, I'm not like these other people. I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all I possess. Praying thus with himself.
That man is not justified bragging on him. And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, Elohim be merciful to me a sinner. He hated what he had done and cried out for mercy, I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for everyone who exalts himself would be humbled; and he who humbles himself shall be exalted.
Humility is a key element to a true repentant prayer, something that King Saul did not have was humility and so who was justified the word
justified means to be declared righteous, the tax collector who seemed to be the greatest sinner was actually justified and the one who refused to humble himself before our Father in heaven was not justified.
And so it's not necessarily how bad the sin is that you've done, even a small sin practice
wilfully can be enough for you to demonstrate to Yahweh that you do not really have repentance. If you allow it in your life on-going and you contend to live with it and you've made peace with it the same time even a terrible awful horrific
great sin that you may have done, even habitually. If you come before Yahweh and humble yourself with a contrite heart and a broken spirit abhor yourself and you beat your breast crying out to him,
I'm a sinner have mercy upon me.
That's the kind of hard attitude and repentance that Yahweh accepts even Job a man, he had a lot he could brag about as far as his righteousness but Yahweh did find fault with him. Job 42 verse 5 I have heard of you by the hearing of the ear: but now my eyes sees you. Therefore I abhor myself and repent in dust and ashes. It's those who cry out for mercy and understand how great it's needed, it's those who truly care that they have sinned in the eyes of Yahweh, confessing their wrongs and turning away. It is those who despise the deeds of what they have done, this is Job upon himself for what he had done and the publican who beat himself in the chest before Yahweh, these are the ones whom Yahweh will declare righteous because Yahushua's blood is able to cleanse them of their sins on a condition
of true and genuine repentance.
The book of Hebrews even says Of how much worst punishment, they supposed, will be thought worthy, who trembled the Son of Elohim under foot, count the blood of the covenant, by which he was sanctified, a common thing, and insulted the Spirit of grace? You can't insult the spirit of grace repentance has to be genuine, not counterfeit. 2 Corinthians 7 verse 8 For even though if I made you sorry with my letter, I do not regret it, though I did regret it: for I perceive that the same epistle made you sorry, though only for a while. Now I rejoice, not that you were made sorry, but that your sorrow led to repentance: for you were made sorry in a righteous manner, in that you might suffer loss from us in nothing. So their sorrow was you need more than just to be sorry for yourselves. The sorrow needs to lead you to a heart that says I don't wanna do this anymore. Yahweh I don't wanna do this anymore, I don't want to be the fig tree that doesn't bear fruit anymore. I humble myself before you, I desire your mercy, O Yahweh, I desire to have this change in my life. I'm committing myself to change. Again brothers and sisters please understand me I know there are many who are out there who are struggling with self-rejection, self-hatred you don't think you are ever gonna make it. You are discouraged. Listen just because you repent does not mean you never ever make another mistake the rest of your life and if you fail one time, bam you immediately not bearing enough fruits of repentance. The issue is not the kind of sin that you have done, it's not the severity of the sin that you have committed. The issue is what do you do after you have sinned, out of weakness and you want Yahweh to forgive you. Scripture says righteous sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation not to be regretted, but the sorrow of the world produces death. So in the world, there is no repentance there, there has to be repentance. Now here is the truth we have to understand if we
say that we have no sin we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Now this being the case, if you confess, that means you agree with Yahweh that you have sinned. We acknowledge it, unlike Saul who just didn't want to acknowledge it. He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Now if you are cleansed from all unrighteousness then your every bit is righteous as Yahushua himself, understand that?
No matter how far away you have strayed from Yahweh
you are never too lost to be found again. If you repent and put your trust in Yahweh through
Yahushua the Messiah our master.
But you must be willing don't assume you are too lost to be saved, there is a reason why they call it amazing grace, it really is amazing ask David. David knew how amazing it was, how it was like to be
cleansed of all unrighteousness and you can put your trust in it. But we must humble ourselves before him.
And we must realize that our walk with Messiah is a walk that involves continual spiritual growth becoming more and more like our savior as we live our life.
And so Yahweh calls out to us, let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to Yahweh, he will have mercy upon him, into our Elohim, for he will abundantly pardon. That's the word repent, return, come back, turn back toward him. It's a promise he will have mercy on him. He will abundantly pardon, this is Old Testament verse here, he will abundantly pardon its' a promise. Forsake your way, forsake your thoughts return to Yahweh, repent you will be granted mercy. I promise you this too, he wants to help you overcome. He wants to strengthen those legs that hang down, he wants you to be strong in him so you can call upon him and receive help to be an overcomer. There are very few things that can demonstrate more of a hearty repentance and say Yahweh help me to do your will, show me your will, show me your way, strengthen me to do it, I want to do it, help me do it.
Some of you may feel like you are on a treadmill you can't seem to get ahead you know. But as long as those legs are moving, those are legs of repentance.
The thing here is you don't want to do is jump off a treadmill and lay there like a pig after being washed goes right back into the mud again lies there. And content to live in the mud and so there are awesome promises to those who are willing to put Yahweh first to those who are willing to walk out repentance. When I say walk out repentance we gonna to learn as we grow and we gonna grow, what we gonna do and learn and do. And as we seek the word of Elohim we are not going to reject that we gonna continue to accept it. Where's Yahweh's dwelling place? Isaiah 66 says Thus says Yahweh, heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool: where is the house that you will build me? Where is the place of my rest? For all those things my hand is made, and all those things exist, says Yahweh: but on this one, I will look. Oh, pay attention. On him who is poor and of a contrite spirit, and who trembles at my word.
Oh my, Yahweh loves people who are contrite and humble before him and that is the place of his rest.
That is his dwelling place that is the temple of his
spirit those who have a contrite heart trembling
at the word of Elohim. So if that's you, HalleluYah. he accepts you. He meets you right where you are at and he will continue to use you. But we live in a culture, we live in a climate where there are some who teach repentance is unnecessary and so we have churches filled with unconverted people. People who have not yet repented, Jesus is their friend who cleanses them from all sin and they are fine with that. You see, they are emphasizing what Yahushua has done for man. While forgetting what Yahushua wants to do in man, and Paul taught not just repentance to the Gentiles. He taught that they need to do works that lined up with that repentance. In Acts 26:19 therefore, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient of the heavenly vision. But declared first to those in Damascus, and in Jerusalem, and throughout all the region of Judea, and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent turn to Elohim, and do works befitting
repentance. Line up with that repentant attitude what then shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace, certainly not. Do you not know, that to whom you present yourselves, slaves, to obey, you are that one slave to whom you obey; whether sin leading to death or of obedience leading to righteousness?
You got to pay attention, 1 John 5:17, All unrighteousness is sin: and there is a sin not leading to death. 1 John 3:4 Whoever commits sin transgresses also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law. What does it mean to repent, what are you repenting of? You are repenting from violating the law of Yahweh. That's what sin is, is a violation of the law of Yahweh. And so we need to understand what we are supposed to be even repenting of and I submit to you. The law of Yahweh teaches us we should observe the festivals, we should refrain from eating unclean meats, we should refrain from violating the Sabbath day.
And so we have to repent, we want to repent we need to understand what we are repenting at. What people don't realize what the father's word is saying in this area I don't judge them. I'm just saying that we need to repent of every form of sin. But, there are some, you give them the grace they don't change. Isaiah 26:10 let grace be shown to the wicked, yet he will not learn righteousness: in the land of uprightness will he deal unjustly, and will not behold the majesty of Yahweh. We don't want to be like that, we don't want to be like that. Now again I'm not saying that if you don't do everything I believe in that you are lost and you not repentant. Scribes of Pharisees they had certain words Yahushua said about being blind they asked are blind also? Yahushua said to them if you were blind you would have no sin. So if someone is blind of something they don't realize they are doing wrong okay. Yahushua said you would have no sin but now you say we are the sinning ones come to us, therefore, your sin remains because they claim to be it okay, that's what you claim to be then. That's what you will be held to so please
understand that we might blind of something, I might be blind to something but it's not because out of the will for rebellion I might do something wrong on that case and so it's not counted as sin without the law there is no transgression. If we don't realize that this something Yahweh requires of us then there is grace available. Matthew 5:6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness: for they shall be filled. Blessed are merciful: they shall obtain mercy. And so I'm going to choose a side of mercy here and say there are people doing things they shouldn't but I don't know their hearts and I'm gonna choose to be merciful toward them and hopefully in my own blindness is where they might be I will obtain mercy as well, understand that? You gotta be humble and realize that we might be blind also and with what judge we judge others we might be judged. But if you are struggling with something don't let whatever name happens to be on that sin, make you think that sin is too bad and therefore Yahweh won't forgive something like that. The truth is Hebrews 4:15-16 we did not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses; but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. In all points, he was tempted just like we are but without sin. Therefore let's come boldly to the throne of grace that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.
In time of need and we are in, often a time of need for Yahweh's mercy and compassion.
So I hope we understand what true repentance is all about and with a humble heart and a contrite spirit that yearning for righteousness. That's yearning for a relationship with the Father that is desirous of his mercy as we cry out to
him. And a true repentant prayer, Join with me. O, father Yahweh you know, you know our hearts, you know hearts and the reason why we think things that we do. Reveal to us anything in our heart that might not be true repentance. Show us your will father. And let not any hint of unrepentant in our heart keep us from accepting any new truths that you desire to reveal to us. Expose father the parts of our heart, reveal them to us that are not truly repentant to you. And forgive us, have mercy upon us lead us, guide us,
establish your kingdom in us for you are our Father who art in heaven. Kadosh Kadosh Kadosh be [? ] your awesome name we want to be a people called by your name.
O, father, I pray for everyone who is listening to this prayer today if they haven't truly repented that you will bring them to repentance with sincerity and that they father Yahweh would
truly repent before you and begin pursuing righteousness. And for any who are being tempted by the enemy and the enemy is saying they have not repented but in reality, they have. Deliver them from the hand of the enemy and let not falsehood speak to them. Speak to them father Yahweh by your spirit, comfort them in your words, comfort them in
your grace. For truly yours is the kingdom and power and glory and majesty and praise, honor, and worship belongs to you. Yahweh Elohim, Yahweh our Mighty One, for ever and ever in Yahushua's name, Amein.