Category: Blogs

I want to look at one more aspect of repentance before we move on.

What I want to show here is how the devil tries to twist God’s patient love and goodness, one of the main means that He uses in trying to bring us to repentance and conversion, and use them for his purpose, which is to keep us from repenting so he can keep us bound in our sin and separated from God.

In the Book of Romans chapter 1 Paul confronts us with a list of man’s sins, this is aimed primarily at the Gentiles but is not limited to them. (When reading this list of man’s sins, if we didn’t know better, we would think Paul is alive today and writing about this generation.)
Romans 1:26 “For this reason God gave them up to vile passions. For even their women exchanged the natural use for what is against nature.
27 Likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust for one another, men with men committing what is shameful, and receiving in themselves the penalty of their error which was due.
28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting;
29 being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil-mindedness; they are whisperers,
30 backbiters, haters of God, violent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents,
31 undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving, unmerciful;
32 who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them.

We will pick the narrative up in chapter 2 verse 1 where Paul confronts the Jews and/or any other self-righteous person with being guilty of many of these same sins that he listed in chapter 1.
Romans 2:1 “Therefore you are inexcusable, O man, whoever you are who judge, for in whatever you judge another you condemn yourself; for you who judge practice the same things.
2 But we know that the judgment of God is according to truth against those who practice such things.
3 And do you think this, O man, you who judge those practicing such things, and doing the same, that you will escape the judgment of God?

What is Paul doing in these verses and the ones preceding these in chapter 1?
He is being used by the Spirit to convict people of sin, righteousness and judgment.

What is Paul saying with his question in verse 3?
You know that the sins I just listed are wrong and so you are judging and condemning those, the Gentiles primarily, who are committing them. But you’re doing some of the same sins, and yet you think you are going to escape the judgment of God.

Why do you think that these thought they would escape God’s judgment even though they were living in sin that they knew deserved the judgment of God?
For the same reason the rest of us do. We all live in sin our whole life, that is until we repent, and God doesn’t judge us and send us to the hell we deserve. Instead, He blesses us. He gives us everything we need for life. He gives us health and wealth and enjoyment, and if we are Christians, when we sin, He forgives us when we ask Him to even if we go back and commit that sin a thousand times. So, the devil and our flesh lull us into believing that God is not really that concerned about our sin, so we don’t need to worry about repenting and turning from our sin.

But what does the Bible say is the reason that God has treated us so well and has not judged us, killed us, and sent us to hell?
Paul tells us in the next verse of chapter 2.
Romans 2:4 “Or do you despise the riches of His goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance?

What does the word despise mean?
To scorn, render of no effect, disrespect, look down 0n, disdain, to think little or nothing of, to hold in contempt, to think lightly of, to neglect, not to care for. Synonyms – to regard as nothing, despise completely, to cast off, reject, to dishonor, treat shamefully, to disesteem.

What are the things that Paul says believing and unbelieving sinners despise or treat lightly?
“the riches of His (God’s) goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering,”

What do the words, goodness, forbearance and longsuffering mean?
Goodness also means kindness and gentleness.
Forbearance means delaying, self-restraint, temporary long suffering, a holding back, tolerance.
Longsuffering means self-restraint before proceeding to action, patience, slowness in avenging wrongs.
So, Paul is saying in essence, that our loving, holy God in His goodness, kindness, and gentleness is patiently, in self-restraint holding back from avenging our sins against Him by delaying judgment.

Why is God doing this; what does Paul say in Romans 2:4 above that God’s goodness, kindness and patience are meant to do?
Lead us to repentance, give us an opportunity to change our minds about serving sin and to turn and serve God with our lives.

But what does the devil and our flesh tell us that God not judging our sin means?
To unbelievers they say, there is no God, no sin, no judgment. If there really was a God, He would do something about all this wickedness in the earth. There is no need to repent, change the way you’re living because God does not exist. Or, even if there is a God who is going to judge the world, you’re better than most so you’ll be okay as long as your good deeds outweigh your bad deeds.
To believers they say, God judged your sin in Jesus, so it doesn’t matter if you repent and do or stop doing what He is dealing with you about, you’re saved. God loves you and He is so good, kind, and merciful He will never judge you. He knows no one is perfect, and besides lots of other Christians are doing what you’re doing, and some are doing a lot worse, so you’re safe.

But what does the Bible tell us in the next verse is going to happen to us if we don’t repent and turn from our sins and begin to do God’s will?
Romans 2:5 “But in accordance with your hardness and your impenitent (unrepentant) heart you are treasuring up for yourself wrath in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God,”

What does this verse say we are doing if we refuse to repent?
“you are treasuring up for yourself wrath in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God,” The term treasuring up means we are storing up, stockpiling, for ourselves, wrath, God’s wrath! We can despise, take lightly, His goodness now and not repent and turn from our sin, but on judgment day we will wish that we had not listened to the lies of our flesh and the devil and had repented of our sin instead. But then, of course, it will be too late!

Let me just add here that I understand the process of sanctification that we as Christians, redeemed sinners, are going through. It is a process, and sometimes we struggle with deeply embedded habits, sins, character flaws, etc. for months and even years. If we are genuinely contending for dominion and deliverance in these areas, even if we fail numerous times, if we will repent, confess our failure, and ask God for forgiveness, I believe we will be alright and that God is pleased with us.

The problem though is when we give up and accept our sin and stop striving against it, when we say, “well this is just the way I am, and God is going to have to accept me as I am” and “if He hasn’t changed, delivered, me yet then I guess it really doesn’t matter that much to Him.” Or if we are telling ourselves, (or maybe it’s actually the enemies voice we are hearing) “God’s still dealing with you about this sin so that means you’re saved.” Listen, God deals with everyone, believer and unbeliever, about their sin, but that doesn’t mean they are saved, it just means He loves them and is trying to get them to repent and turn away from their sin.

Or another lie we/the devil tell ourselves is, “even though you are rebelling against God and not repenting but continuing to sin in this area of your life, God is using you so that means you’re saved.” God using someone does not guarantee that they are saved as many will find out on judgment day.

Matthew 7:22 “Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’
23 And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’”

What is “that day” that Jesus is referring to?
Judgment day.

Who are the “many” that Jesus is talking about?
Believers, who He used powerfully. They prophesied in His name, cast out demons in His name, and did many wonders in His name!

What was Jesus’ message to these on judgment day?
“I never knew you; depart from Me,”

Why were they sent away instead of welcomed into heaven?
They had not repented and turned from their sin, they were still living in, practicing, lawlessness/sin.

God may use you even if you are backslidden to help bring others to Himself because He loves all people and doesn’t want anyone to perish but all to come to repentance, but again that is no assurance that you are saved and on your way to heaven.

We will look next at what Peter wrote concerning the exact same things Paul wrote to the Roman church about; God’s goodness and patience in holding back judgment, to give people an opportunity to repent. (Peter actually says in this portion of Scripture we are going to look at that Paul has written to them the same things that he is writing to them about.)

We’ll start reading in verse 3 of Second Peter chapter 3 but you need to read all of chapter 2 of this letter to understand exactly who these people are that Peter is talking about.
2 Peter 3:3 “knowing this first: that scoffers will come in the last days, walking according to their own lusts,”

Who are these scoffers that Peter is talking about?
False teachers, backslidden Christians who are in the church, but are not living a holy life, they are “walking according to their own lusts.”

Let’s see what they are saying/teaching.
2 Peter 3:4 “and saying, ‘Where is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation.’”

What is the promise of His coming that they are questioning?
Jesus’ promise to return to earth and judge the world.

What is the argument they are using to put in question Jesus’ promise?
Nothing has changed, it’s been the same since the beginning of creation.

What are they trying to do with their line of reasoning?
Undermine peoples’ faith in Jesus and His Word. And remove their fear of impending judgment.

Let’s look at how Peter refutes their argument in the next verses.
2 Peter 3:5 “For this they willfully forget: that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of water and in the water,
6 by which the world that then existed perished, being flooded with water.”

What is Peter’s response to their false teaching?
They are willfully forgetting, being deceitful, because they know that things have not remained the same from the beginning of creation but by the word of God the world was judged when God judged man’s sin in the great flood in Noah’s time.

But Peter doesn’t stop there.
2 Peter 3:7 “But the heavens and the earth which are now preserved by the same word, are reserved for fire until the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.”

What is Peter assuring his readers is true?
The heavens and earth which now exist are being preserved by the Word of God for the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men. Jesus is going to return and judge the earth just like He said.

Peter then returns to their question, “Where is the promise of His coming?” And encourages the believers with these words.
2 Peter 3:8 “But, beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.”

What does he mean by this?
Jesus is going to keep His promise to return and judge the world but He is not on the same time schedule as man.

Peter then explains why Jesus has not yet fulfilled His promise to return and judge the world.
2 Peter 3:9 “The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.”

Why hasn’t Jesus fulfilled His promise and returned and judged mankind?
Because He loves us, He is suffering long with us as we persist in our sin giving us opportunity after opportunity to repent and turn from our sin so that we will not perish when He comes for judgment.

Who is He calling to repent?
“That all should come to repentance.” All means all. Unbelievers, believers who are living in known sin, backslidden believers, false teachers, those who are living in the flesh, those living for the world, those who are living to serve themselves, a-l-l, ALL, need to repent or they will perish.

Even though Peter assures us that Jesus is His goodness is being patient and giving us opportunity to repent so that we don’t perish, he also assures us that the day of God’s judgment will eventually come like a thief in the night.
2 Peter 3:10 “But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up.”

What does this verse tell us about Jesus?
That He is a God of His Word, if He says He is going to come back to the earth and judge the world, we know for certain that He will. He is God who is love and He is also holy and therefore He must judge sin. As surely as mankind’s sin was judged in Jesus when He died on the cross, so Jesus will judge our sin in us if we have not repented of our sin and trusted Him as our Savior.

Peter tells us in verses 11 and 14 how we are to live if we are going to avoid God’s judgment and make heaven our home.
2 Peter 3:11 “Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness,”
14 “Therefore, beloved, looking forward to these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, without spot and blameless;”

How does Peter say we as Christians should live if we want to escape God’s judgment and make heaven our eternal home?
“in holy conduct and godliness, without spot and blameless;”

Peter continues.
2 Peter 2:13 “Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.”

Who are the “we” that are looking for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells?
Those who have repented of their sin and are living holy, godly and blameless in this life.

Peter concludes this letter to his fellow Christians with these words.
2 Peter 3:15 “and consider that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation—as also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given to him, has written to you,
16 as also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to understand, which untaught and unstable people twist to their own destruction, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures.
17 You therefore, beloved, since you know this beforehand, beware lest you also fall from your own steadfastness, being led away with the error of the wicked;
18 but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and forever. Amen.”

What is Peter referring to when he says, “the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation?”
God patiently holding back Jesus’ return and His sure coming judgment of the world, lovingly giving His creation opportunity to repent and turn from their sin so that they might be saved.

What does Peter say about Paul?
That he teaches these same things in all his epistles/letters to the churches.

What does Peter say that unstable and untaught people do with this teaching and the rest of the Scriptures?
They twist them.

For what purpose?
To try and get God’s children to fall from their steadfastness in living holy and serving Him. These wicked people desire to lead God’s people into error, sin, carnality, through their false teaching.

The conclusion then of what we have studied in this segment is. God in His love, mercy, goodness, patience, and kindness is holding back judging man’s sin to give him opportunity to repent and turn from his sin that he might be saved and not perish. The devil, often through false teachers/preachers in the church, and with the help of the world and our fleshly carnal natures twists this truth in an effort to keep unbelievers and believers who are living in sin and rebellion from repenting. And, to turn believing saints who are living holy, godly, and blameless away from their steadfastness and get them to go back to sinning, walking in the flesh and living for the world.

False teachers and leaders in the church are not passing out drugs at the door, or getting behind the pulpit and telling everyone, “let’s all get naked and have an orgy.” Although some are blatant in their promotion of sin even to the extreme of ordaining practicing homosexuals and lesbians as pastors and leaders! But most are much more subtle than that. They simply do not teach and preach the full gospel message.

They never allow the Holy Spirit through them to confront/convict people of sin, righteousness and judgment. They don’t call for both unbelievers and believers to repent and turn from their sin in order to be saved. They don’t tell people they need to not only believe in Jesus but obey Him and do God’s will or they will not make heaven their eternal home. They never preach on our need for holiness, but how could they when they are not living holy.

Their message instead focuses on God’s love and forgiveness, His blessings in this life and in the next, if you’ll just believe. Believing is a major part of the gospel, but it is not the whole gospel. And their message is not just with the words they speak, but with the lifestyle they live. They are carnal, fleshly and worldly, in fact there is not much difference between the way they live, and the way most unbelievers live, except they are in church.

God is good, loving, kind, merciful, patient and is holding back His judgment from all people to give us a chance to repent and turn from our sin so we will be saved. Don’t let the devil, your carnal nature or false teachers trick you into believing that it is because He doesn’t really care about sin, that is a lie. Don’t use that lie as a license to continue in sin and refuse to repent as God commands us to, because if you do, then on judgment day you will surely experience His wrath.

Romans 2:5 “But in accordance with your hardness and your impenitent (unrepentant) heart you are treasuring up for yourself wrath in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God,
6 who ‘will render to each one according to his deeds:’”

If we refuse to repent, what are we treasuring up for ourselves?
God’s wrath!

What is God going to judge each one of us according to?
Our deeds, not just what we believe, but what we do, our actions, how we live. So, if we are not living right, if we are living in sin and disobedience, we need to repent, turn from our sin and do works, deeds, that prove we have really repented, and are converted, and are living for Him! Just as Paul said he taught all those that he preached to.

Acts 26:20 “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 God, and do works befitting repentance.”

What did Paul command both Jew and Gentile to do?
“repent, turn to God, and do works befitting repentance.”

If we obey Paul’s admonition, we will have nothing to fear on Judgment Day!

If confronting people with their sin and calling them to repent and be converted was what the New Testament church did, why doesn’t the majority of today’s church do that?

John the Baptist, Jesus, Peter and Paul confronted people with their sin and called them to repent and be converted, and then told them to believe on Jesus for the forgiveness of their sin. They witnessed great revival in those who responded positively to their message; they also suffered great persecution from those who responded negatively to their message.

John the Baptist was imprisoned and then had his head chopped off. The people tried to stone Jesus a few times, among other abuses, and then in the end crucified Him. Peter was beaten and imprisoned and eventually according to tradition crucified upside down. Paul was beaten numerous times, imprisoned often, run out of many towns, stoned once and eventually executed. So, it’s not hard to understand why Christians today would rather preach a message of God’s love and forgiveness, and believing on Jesus, than confronting people with their sin, and calling them to repent.

Many will respond to the message of believing in Jesus to be saved, but without conviction leading to repentance, you end up with unconverted believers who are unfit for the kingdom. You can build a big church with this type of believer, and you will suffer no or very little persecution, but you are not building God’s kingdom, only your own.

The leader of our fellowship used to say that our job as Christian witnesses is to; “Comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable.” This means that those who have been afflicted, convicted of their sin, we need to comfort by leading them in a prayer of repentance and by sharing the good news of the forgiveness of their sins through believing on Jesus as their Savior. But those who are comfortable in their sin we need to afflict, allow the Spirit through us to convict and make them uncomfortable in their sin, with the intention of seeing them repent and be converted, and then believe on Christ as their Savior.

God’s Word is a two-edged sword, with one side it first cuts and then with the other side it heals. That is why we need to preach the full gospel message, which will first make people uncomfortable, convicted, in their sin before it comforts them with the message of God’s gift of repentance and forgiveness made available to us through Jesus Christ.The problem with most Christians today is, they are comforting those who are already comfortable in their sin and convicting/afflicting no one.

What does the word convict mean?
To convict, reprove, rebuke, expose, make manifest, correct, admonish, convince, accuse, refute, reprimand, bring to the light, find fault with, call to account, show someone his fault, prove by reasoning, convince of a crime, reprehend severely, chide, tell a fault, convince of error.

Here is Jesus’ teaching on why He was going to send the Holy Spirit.
John 16:7 “Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you.
8 And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:”

Who is Jesus talking to?
His disciples, His followers.

What did Jesus tell them He was going to do?
Go away, He was going to return to the Father, and then He was going to send the Helper, the Holy Spirit.

Where was He going to send the Holy Spirit?
“I will send Him to you.” The Holy Spirit was going to come and live inside of them.

What was the Holy Spirit coming to do?
“when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:”

How was the Holy Spirit going to convict/confront the world of sin, righteousness and judgment?
Through the ones He is living inside.

Here is Paul allowing the Holy Spirit to do through him exactly what He was sent into the world to do.
Acts 24:24 “And after some days, when Felix came with his wife Drusilla, who was Jewish, he sent for Paul and heard him concerning the faith in Christ.
25 Now as he reasoned about righteousness, self-control, and the judgment to come, Felix was afraid and answered, ‘Go away for now; when I have a convenient time I will call for you.’”

Did Paul confront Felix and Drusilla about sin, righteousness and judgment?
Yes.

Were they convicted by the Holy Spirit through what Paul said?
We know that Felix was because it says he was afraid. Unfortunately, Felix did not respond positively to the conviction of the Spirit and repent of his sin, but the Holy Spirit was able through Paul to do what He was sent to do.

Paul also exhorted other believers to do the same thing he did. He wrote this to the Ephesian church.
Ephesians 5:11 “And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them.
12 For it is shameful even to speak of those things which are done by them in secret.
13 But all things that are exposed are made manifest by the light, for whatever makes manifest is light.”

What does Paul tell these believers not to do?
Not to have fellowship with those practicing these unfruitful works of darkness/sin.

What does he tell them to do?
Expose them and their practices for what they are, sin.

Paul wrote this to Timothy.
2 Timothy 4:1 “I charge you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom:
2 Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching.”

What is Paul charging Timothy to do?
Preach the word!

What did preaching the Word include?
Convincing, confronting, convicting, people of their sin.

Let’s look at some of these Holy Spirit filled New Testament preachers in action and see how the Spirit was able through them to convict sinners of their sin and bring them to repentance and conversion, and then to faith in Jesus when they responded positively to their message. Or how these preachers experienced persecution at the hands of these sinners when they responded negatively to their message.

We’ll start with John the Baptist because he is the first Spirit filled preacher that we meet in the New Testament.
Luke 3:19 “But Herod the tetrarch, being rebuked by him concerning Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife, and for all the evils which Herod had done,
20 also added this, above all, that he shut John up in prison.”

How did Herod respond to John confronting him with his sin?
Negatively, he did not repent but instead put John in prison.

John also confronted the multitudes about their sin and called them to repent.
Matthew 3:1 “In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea,
2 and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!”
5 Then Jerusalem, all Judea, and all the region around the Jordan went out to him
6 and were baptized by him in the Jordan, confessing their sins.

How did these respond to John’s preaching?
Positively, they confessed their sins, repented, and were baptized by John in the Jordan.

Here is Jesus, the greatest Holy Spirit filled preacher of all time, confronting some religious people with their sin.
John 8:7 “So when they continued asking Him, He raised Himself up and said to them, “He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her first.”
8 And again He stooped down and wrote on the ground.
9 Then those who heard it, being convicted by their conscience, went out one by one, beginning with the oldest even to the last…”

How did these respond to Jesus confronting them with their sin?
Positively in the sense that they were convicted of their sin, but negatively in the sense that they did not repent and turn from their sin.

Next, we’ll look at the Apostles Peter and John in action.
Acts 3:13 “The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the God of our fathers, glorified His Servant Jesus, whom you delivered up and denied in the presence of Pilate, when he was determined to let Him go.
14 But you denied the Holy One and the Just, and asked for a murderer to be granted to you,
15 and killed the Prince of life, whom God raised from the dead, of which we are witnesses.
19 Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord,”

Does Peter, by the Holy Spirit confront these with their sin?
Yes, in great detail.

What does he tell them that they need to do?
Repent and be converted.

How do the people respond?
The following verses tell us.
Acts 4:1 “Now as they spoke to the people, the priests, the captain of the temple, and the Sadducees came upon them,
2 being greatly disturbed that they taught the people and preached in Jesus the resurrection from the dead.
3 And they laid hands on them, and put them in custody until the next day, for it was already evening.
4 However, many of those who heard the word believed; and the number of the men came to be about five thousand.”

What were the people’s responses to Peter’s message?
The priests, the captain of the guard, and the Sadducees responded negatively, were greatly disturbed, laid hands on them, and put them in custody. But many of those who heard their message responded positively and believed the word that Peter preached, repented, and joined the disciples; and the number of men came to be about 5000!

Here is another example of Peter and John preaching the gospel.
Acts 5:30 “The God of our fathers raised up Jesus whom you murdered by hanging on a tree.
31 Him God has exalted to His right hand to be Prince and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins.
32 And we are His witnesses to these things, and so also is the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey Him.
33 When they heard this, they were furious and plotted to kill them.”

Did Peter confront these people with their sin?
Yes, he said they murdered Jesus by hanging Him on a tree.

Did he tell them who Jesus was?
Yes, their Prince and Savior.

What did he tell them that Jesus was going to do?
Give them repentance and forgiveness of sins. (Note the order.)

What was their response?
“They were furious and plotted to kill them.”

Why do you think it is that no one is ever furious and wants to kill us after we share the gospel with them?
It’s probably because we are not allowing the Holy Spirit to convict them of sin, righteousness and judgment through our words like those in the New Testament did.

Speaking of Christians allowing the Holy Spirit to speak to people about their sin through them and people wanting to kill the person for it; let’s look at Stephen as he ministers to the Jewish leaders.
Acts 7:51 “You stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears! You always resist the Holy Spirit; as your fathers did, so do you.
52 Which of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? And they killed those who foretold the coming of the Just One, of whom you now have become the betrayers and murderers,
53 who have received the law by the direction of angels and have not kept it.
54 When they heard these things they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed at him with their teeth.
57 Then they cried out with a loud voice, stopped their ears, and ran at him with one accord;
58 and they cast him out of the city and stoned him…”

Do we see the same pattern here that we saw above?
Yes. Stephen preached in the power of the Holy Spirit and confronted these people with their sin. They were cut to the heart, convicted, afflicted, but instead of repenting they responded negatively and killed the messenger.

As we know from history all of the apostles except one were killed for their gospel witness to sinners. Multitudes of other Christians through the ages have also been persecuted and killed for their witness for Christ and that continues on still today in many parts of the world. We do not have to worry about that happening to us though if we allow those who are comfortable in their sin to remain that way. But if we begin, by the anointing of the Holy Spirit, to afflict, convict, those living in sin, we may suffer some persecution, but we will also see people genuinely repent and be converted to Christ.

More Conviction and Repentance

It is not only unbelievers who need to be confronted about their sin and brought to repentance, the same is true for those of us who believe. You see, salvation begins with repentance but those of us who are saved know that that is not the last time God by His Spirit and through His saints will convict us of sin and call us to repent. If we are going to become all that Jesus redeemed us to be we will repent many times in this life. The following are some biblical teachings on this subject.

This is Paul giving instruction to Timothy.
1 Timothy 5:19 “Do not receive an accusation against an elder except from two or three witnesses.
20 Those who are sinning rebuke in the presence of all, that the rest also may fear.
21 I charge you before God and the Lord Jesus Christ and the elect angels that you observe these things without prejudice, doing nothing with partiality.”

What does Paul tell Timothy to do if two or three witnesses come to him with an accusation against an elder?
If the accusations are true, he is to rebuke, confront, expose the person in the presence of all.

Why in the presence of all?
First, because the person is a leader in the church, and second so that the people will fear. So the people will see how seriously God takes sin in His church, His people, and either not commit sin or repent of the sin they are committing and turn from doing it.

Here is Jesus’ instruction to the church.
Luke 17:3 “Take heed to yourselves. If your brother sins against you, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him.”

What does Jesus say we need to do if a brother sins against us?
Rebuke him, confront him with what he did.

And if he repents, what are we to do?
Forgive him!

Paul gives these instructions to Titus.
Titus 1:12 “One of them, a prophet of their own, said, “Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons.”
13 This testimony is true. Therefore rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith,”

What does Paul say is true of the Cretan believers?
They “are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons.”

What does Paul tell Titus to do to the Cretan believers?
Paul told Titus to rebuke, confront, convict, these Christians sharply.

Paul practiced what he told Titus to do when he sharply confronted the Corinthian church with their sin in his first letter to them.
1 Corinthians 5:1 “It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and such sexual immorality as is not even named among the Gentiles—that a man has his father’s wife!
2 And you are puffed up, and have not rather mourned, that he who has done this deed might be taken away from among you.”

What is their sin that Paul is confronting?
A man in the church had married and/or is sleeping with his father’s wife, and those in the church have not dealt with the man. In fact, they are proud of how loving and tolerant they are to this man.

Their response to his rebuke is worth looking at as it is recorded in Paul’s second letter to this church.
2 Corinthians 7:8 “For even 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.
9 Now I rejoice, not that you were made sorry, but that your sorrow led to repentance. For you were made sorry in a godly manner, that you might suffer loss from us in nothing.
10 For godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, not to be regretted; but the sorrow of the world produces death.
11 For observe this very thing, that you sorrowed in a godly manner: What diligence it produced in you, what clearing of yourselves, what indignation, what fear, what vehement desire, what zeal, what vindication! In all things you proved yourselves to be clear in this matter.

How did Paul’s rebuke first impact the Corinthians?
They were made sorry, which is often what happens when people are confronted with their sin.

Why does Paul say that he rejoiced in their sorrow?
Because their sorrow led them to repent, have a change of mind about this sin, and to deal with the perpetrator.

What does Paul say that this godly sorrow and repentance produced in the Corinthian church?
“What diligence it produced in you, what clearing of yourselves, what indignation, what fear, what vehement desire, what zeal, what vindication! In all things you proved yourselves to be clear in this matter.”

Even though Paul exhorted Titus to rebuke the Cretans sharply and Paul rebuked the Corinthians rather sharply, that doesn’t mean all confrontation of Christian people’s sin needs to be done in that way. In fact, I think that may be the exception and not the rule as we’ll see in these following Scriptures, some of which were spoken by Paul himself.
2 Timothy 2:24 “And a servant of the Lord must not quarrel but be gentle to all, able to teach, patient,
25 in humility correcting those who are in opposition, if God perhaps will grant them repentance, so that they may know the truth,
26 and that they may come to their senses and escape the snare of the devil, having been taken captive by him to do his will.”

How does Paul say that a servant of the Lord should correct those who are in opposition?
Gently, patiently and in humility.

Next, we’ll look at Jesus rebuking and calling the Laodicean church to repentance.
Revelation 3:17 “Because you say, ‘I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing’—and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked—
18 I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich; and white garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see.
19 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent.”

What can we learn from Jesus’ example here?
Confronting, convicting, rebuking unbelievers or believers about their sin must always be done out of a love for the person. Redemptively, with the intention of seeing them come to repentance and to turn from their sin so that they can be restored to right relationship with God. It is not for the purpose of condemning people, that’s what the devil does, not Jesus’ servants.

Here is what James the Lord’s brother has to say about this subject.
James 5:19 “Brethren, if anyone among you wanders from the truth, and someone turns him back,
20 let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save a soul from death and cover a multitude of sins.”

What does James say that Christians should do if a brother or sister wanders from the truth?
Turn/convert them back, turn/convert them from the error of their way.

Why?
Because if someone continues in their sin it will lead to eternal death, but if we confront them, and they repent and turn from their sin, they will be saved.

Here is one more admonition by Paul concerning this subject.
Galatians 6:1 “Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted.”

What does Paul give here as the one qualification for the person who God would use to restore a brother or sister overtaken in any trespass/sin?
“you who are spiritual restore such a one”

What does it mean for a person to be “spiritual”?
Someone who is born again of the Spirit, being led by the Spirit, filled with the Spirit, walking in the Spirit, anointed with the Spirit, and submitted to the Spirit of God.

Why is it necessary for the person God would use to confront people with their sin to be led by and submitted to the Holy Spirit?
First, if they are walking in the Spirit and not in the flesh they will not be tempted themselves. Also, the love and gentleness required in dealing with people is fruit produced in us by the Spirit. The Spirit will also guide the person in how exactly to deal with each individual. And the Spirit moving through the Spirit filled person is the One who will convict/convince the person of their need to change the way they are thinking about their sin and turn them from it.

The New Testament begins with Jesus confronting sinners and calling them to repent.
Matthew 4:17 “From that time Jesus began to preach and to say, ‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.’”

Shortly after that He tells people what will happen if they don’t repent.
Luke 13:5 “I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish.”

And the New Testament ends with Jesus confronting His followers in the churches and calling them to repent.
Revelation 3:3 “Remember therefore how you have received and heard; hold fast and repent. Therefore if you will not watch, I will come upon you as a thief, and you will not know what hour I will come upon you.
4 You have a few names even in Sardis who have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with Me in white, for they are worthy.
5 He who overcomes shall be clothed in white garments, and I will not blot out his name from the Book of Life; but I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels.”

What is Jesus message to those in the church in Sardis?
He tells those living in sin to repent and those living righteously to hold fast and not go back into sin. He says that those who do that, repent and/or hold fast, will overcome and “shall be clothed in white garments, and I will not blot out his name from the Book of Life; but I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels.” And it is inferred that those who do not repent and/or hold fast the opposite will be true which is in line with what He said earlier “unless you repent you will all likewise perish.”

What is the conclusion then of what we have studied in this segment?
Repentance is one of Jesus’ main commandments that He preached in the New Testament, and He preached it from the beginning to end of the book. He intended for His church to continue to preach this message and for that purpose He sent the Holy Spirit into the world to convince/convict the world of sin, righteousness and judgment.

He puts His Spirit in those who choose to receive Him, the Spirit, and uses them to confront both unbelievers and believers with their sin and to call them to repent, have a change of mind about sin and God, and convert, turn, from serving sin to serve the living and true God.

People’s response can be positive or negative depending on the condition of their heart. Some will be saved, and some may persecute us. We are not to be concerned about how they respond, but we are to preach repentance and faith in Jesus for the forgiveness of sins as He commanded us to preach.

Luke 24:46 “Then He said to them, “Thus it is written, and thus it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day,
47 and that repentance and forgiveness of sins should be preached in His name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.

If we will do this we will see sinners converted and the kingdom of God advanced in the Earth. By the power of the Holy Spirit in us we can do that in love and humility with patience and grace; to Him be the glory.