Mercy-Repentance

Outline on the Words:  Mercy and Repentance

The Mercy of God

Nehemiah 9

Introduction:

There often appears to be a difference between God in the Old and New Testament. If God is the same, how can this be? It is usually explained that God deals with people differently in different times, but God is much more merciful in the Old Testament than it appears. A study of God’s mercy as recited by Nehemiah can show us some important truths for our lives.

I.    The children of Israel hold up a mirror for us.

A.  They were specially favored but specifically ungrateful.

1.   They transgressed against light and love, instruction and illumination, wooing and warning, entreaty and rebuke.

2.   With the Lord before their eyes, they refused to see Him; with wonders in front of them, they refused to believe Him.

3.   Given so much of God, we continue to sin with every sin specifically against light.

B.  They were dependent on God for everything but intensely proud of their own abilities.

1.   “If any people in the world ought to have been humble …”

2.   They were on God’s welfare yet proudly claimed things for themselves.

3.   All we have is of God, yet we take credit for it and hold it as if it were something we produced.

C.  They enjoyed a kind fatherhood but were deliberately rebellious.

1.   It was not mistakes or errors but deliberate disobedience (vv. 16–17).

2.   They would listen to everyone but their God.

3.   Most of our sin is not mistake or inadvertent error; it is deliberate rebellion against God.

D.  They were singularly blessed yet crassly unmindful of what the Lord had done for them.

1.   They were constantly plagued by the crime of unbelief.

2.   God had delivered greatly; the slightest trouble or difficulty, their faith disappeared—what God had done had no effect.

3.   Each new trial causes us to forget God’s significant past blessings and to throw down our faith.

E.   They had great spiritual privilege but committed an act of apostasy.

1.   They organized to go back to Egypt (appointed a leader).

2.   They forgot the degradation and servitude.

3.   We are guilty of the same thing every time we turn back to things we have renounced at the direction of the Holy Spirit.

F.   They had specific commands yet fell into idolatry.

1.   They set up a molten calf (v. 18).

2.   They attributed to the calf things which the Lord had done.

3.   We may be more guilty of replicating this than any of the sins of Israel—we are constantly setting up idols in our lives.

II.  The response of God shows His mercy.

A.  He shows mercy to His children (who says The Old Testament God was different?).

1.   He continued to guide them while in their sins (v. 19), and we continue to know His guidance even when sinful.

2.   He continued to teach them while they arrogantly resisted (v. 20), and we have the ministry of the Holy Spirit even when wrong.

3.   He continued to provide for them while they were asserting their own rebellious independence (v. 20), and without His provision we would have nothing.

4.   He sustained them until the end and brought them to the promised land (vv. 21, 24–25), and He will do the same for us regardless.

B.  He even shows His mercy to the unconverted.

1.   He extends love to people yet in their sins.

2.   He makes no conditions on His love.

3.   He actually provides Himself the things He demands of man (sinlessness, righteousness, etc.).

III.His mercy calls forth a response from us.

A.  Note the instructive conduct of the children of Israel.

1.   In the wilderness they simply responded by piling provocation upon provocation (mercy was answered with more offenses).

2.   In the return they framed a covenant of commitment (10:28–39 with v. 29 summarizing the heart of it).

B.  Note the response it calls forth from us.

1.   Some theologians fear teaching the mercy of God; they are afraid we will act as the Israelites did.

2.   Remember that there was another band of Israelites which acted properly, and we should follow their lead (show gratitude, display humility, exemplify submission, develop memory, cleave to the new ways of the Spirit, tear down our idols).

Conclusion:

God’s mercy is part of His character. He can’t do otherwise. Our response ought to be like that of the people in Nehemiah’s day. We should covenant to walk in the ways of the Lord and to refuse every attempt to wean us away from it.^[1]

Repentance

Luke 15:11–24

Introduction:

Two questions: Is repentance necessary to salvation? Can a person be restored to leadership after a failure? They seem unrelated, but they are related through the subject of repentance.

I.    The Meaning of Repentance

A.  It is usually thought to be sorrow for sin.

B.  The biblical meaning is different.

1.   It is simply change of mind especially as regards sin/God.

2.   It involves a recognition/regret for past sin and a desire/effort for change.

3.   It is shown in life by fruit.

II.  The Demonstration of Repentance

A.  He realized his desperate condition—“He came to himself.”

B.  He made a mental determination to change his course—“I will arise and go to my father.”

C.  He made a decisive act—breaking away and going back—“He arose and came to his father.”

D.  He came with absolute humility—“I am no more worthy to be called a son.”

E.   He openly, unreservedly, unqualifiedly confessed his sin—“I have sinned to the very heaven, and my sin is against the best of fathers.”

III.The Issue in Repentance

A.  Is repentance required for salvation?

1.   The question should be: “Is repentance part of salvation?”

2.   It is hard to conceive of salvation without some recognition of sin.

B.  Can a leader who has fallen be restored to a position of leadership?

1.   Proper question: “Has the leader shown any genuine evidence of repentance?”

2.   Restoration without repentance will issue in repeated offenses.

3.   We can’t discuss restoration until the issue of repentance settled.

Conclusion:

Without repentance—like the prodigal—there can be no restoration or reconciliation. Do you need to repent? Have you repented?^[2]

The Role of Repentance

Luke 17:3

Introduction:

God desires that there be unity and harmony among His people, but He doesn’t encourage achieving unity by glossing over differences.

I.    Repentance

A.  Its relationship to sorrow:

1.   Sorrow may accompany it but it is not the same.

a.   Sorrowful feelings equal regret.

b.   Repentance is not first a feeling.

2.   Sorrow without repentance is common.

3.   Repentance will produce sorrow, but sorrow may come later.

B.  Meaning (Luke 22:32; Isa. 55:7–8):

1.   To turn, to do an about face in thinking that leads to change of life.

2.   Mental alteration of thought that leads to change of life.

3.   Turning from one’s own sinful ways and thoughts to a position of Bible holiness.

C.  Changes of thinking:

1.   From “I can get away with it” to “God knows all about it.”

2.   From “It is good for me or can bring me happiness” to “It will surely ruin me and my happiness” (no genuine child of God can think for long that sin is a pathway to happiness).

3.   From “I can keep this up as long as I want” to “I must stop at once.”

4.   From hardened toward God and others to a rekindling of concern.

D.  Summary:

1.   Repentance is seeing one’s sin as sin.

2.   Repentance is turning from pride to humility (seeing self as unworthy).

3.   Repentance is a prerequisite to forgiveness.

4.   Repentance is the opposite of excuse-making and blame-shifting.

5.   Repentance is the frank admission of wrong thinking that led to wrong doing.

II.  Confession

A.  Definition:

1.   Con-fessare—to say along with.

2.   Outward expression of inward admission that I am (or was) wrong.

3.   A verbal admission of wrong made in the presence of the wronged party.

B.  Contractual aspect:

1.   Wrongdoer willing to sign contract admitting wrong and committing to non-repetition.

2.   No actual contract but very serious aspect of truth.

C.  Conditions:

1.   No support for Catholic confessional.

2.   No support for public confession of private sins.

3.   No confession of sin that one isn’t sure is sin.

4.   No confession of what one isn’t guilty of doing.

D.  Summary:

1.   Confession is admitting what one has been charged with.

2.   Confession is first step to reconciliation.

Conclusion:

Repentance stresses that God wants things actually dealt with rather than glossed over. Repentance and confession are necessary for any real forgiveness.^[3]