Does Doctrine Matter - Part 9 — Derek Melton

Foundational Scriptures on Doctrine and Righteousness

Quest and study on doctrine great doctrines of the faith. We're continuing this morning. We're gonna read these two foundational scriptures and then we're going to launch into that which God would have for us this morning.

Verse 16 in Romans 6 says no you not that to whom he yield yourselves servants to obey His servants ye are to whom you obey Whether of sin unto death or of obedience unto righteousness, but God bethanked that you were The servants of sin, but you have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you.

Being then made free from sin you became the servants of righteousness. First Timothy chapter 4 verse 16. Take heed unto thyself and unto thy doctrine. For and continue in them for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself and them that hear thee.

Let's pray together father. Just make the scriptures alive does this morning? Lord that we would not fall underneath the delusion of the adversary Lord to be dull. Concerning the truth that you died on the cross to give to us Lord our hearts Lord God yearn for truth biblical truth.

And father I pray Lord that the fiery darts of the wicked one would be quenched this morning with the shield of faith. Lord quicken us this morning by the Holy Ghost unto your word. Father help us Lord not only to be hearers of the Word of God But doers of the Word as well.

And father that the preaching upon these great themes of the doctrines of the faith Lord God would not be only in our minds but Lord in our lifestyles by practice. Lord help us Lord God by your grace to be strong and to be strengthened by Lord these truths of your word Lord give us the ability to hear Understand and to apply these doctrinal truths to our lives in Jesus name.

Amen. We've been up on this now. This starts out week 9 talking about doctrine. And I know that the question must be poised in your mind. When will we ever finish? And the answer is when we're done. And the thing that you must realize albeit you may become tired of hearing this God's not tired of giving it to you and I've made mention Many times over the last nine weeks the threat that we are facing today in American Christianity is the threat of Doctrinal error the threat of doctrinal apostasy we see in the Word of God.

That that that the warnings that the Apostles were giving the Apostle Peter John. We see Jesus warning in the last days. They're going to be those that depart from the faith and it's not talking about leaving what is called quasi the institution Of the church where people gather together.

It's not that but it's the forsaking and the abandon of doctrinal principles Doctrinal truths and you and I are living in a generation that has all together especially in our country. Forsaken what the church preached most powerfully less than even 100 years ago we see new doctrines that have swept in across the land that have Made a mockery of the doctrines of the Word of God and have established false doctrines doctrines of demons in the lives and hearts of the people to whereby mankind has become a God and our God has become as mankind.

Beloved that should not be and it is not so in true Christianity today, we're going to start a I'll call it a treatise upon the doctrine of repentance. The last two weeks we've talked about the doctrine of regeneration and my friend there is no regeneration apart from repentance.

This is a teaching subject that is seemingly falling asleep and the generation to which you and I are living but it is a Necessary grace a necessary teaching upon repentance. It's not popular because of the way that we view things today.

We view that repentance is negative only because it has in its connotation an indictment against us. That we are sinful and as I will speak more in as this message comes along this morning. We're living in a culture to where that not only is unpalatable.

It is intolerable. For you to suggest that someone is living wrong is an indictment against you. The culture that you and I live in will unleash its fury upon you if you even in the least bit Make inference to that someone is living wrongly.

Because we're living in a generation where everybody's doing what's right in his own eyes. We'll talk about that more. As we go along I'm gonna read a couple of statements from some godly men about repentance.

Biblical Repentance as a Necessary Grace

I See here in Dean said for salvation. Repentance unto life is just as necessary as his faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. No sinner was ever pardoned while he remained in penitent while he remained in rebellion against God and in his authority.

Without submitting himself wholeheartedly to his lordship. This involves the realization in his heart wrought therein by the Holy Spirit of the sinfulness of sin according to Romans 7 13 of the awfulness of ignoring the claims of God and of defying his authority.

Repentance is a holy horror and hatred of sin a deep sorrow for it a Contrite acknowledgement of it before God and a complete here forsaking of it a complete forsaking of sin now. The second statement that I'm going to read is a an unknown author and he said there is a radical distinction between natural regret and God-given repentance.

The flesh can feel remorse. The flesh can acknowledge its evil deeds and also it can be ashamed of itself. However, this sort of disgust with past actions Can be shut quickly shrugged off and the individual can soon go back to his old wicked ways.

None of the marks of true repentance that is described in 2nd Corinthians 7 11 are found in this man's behavior. Out of a list of ten men in the Bible who said I have sinned we believe only five actually repented.

They were David in 2nd Samuel 12 13 Nehemiah in Nehemiah 1 6 Job and Job 42 verses 5 and 6 Micah in Micah 7 9 and the prodigal son found in Luke 15 verse 18. I'm reading a book written by Richard Owen Roberts.

If you've never heard of him, I suggest you find his books and read them or his preaching tapes and listen to them. Brother Roberts now is growing old in his 80s I'm guessing living in the Chicago suburbs and owning the greatest collection of Christian literature in regard to Reformation and revival but as a great preacher upon repentance and he has a book that he is as written a thick book upon Repentance that I must say is quite beneficial to the church.

But in his book, he stated this that there are a number of reasons why the doctrine of repentance is so largely Neglected and is having relatively little impact upon the church and upon society. First of all of first of all He says there is a general disregard for biblical doctrine in the church.

We've been saying that now for how many weeks it's common to hear religious religious leaders say you must not preach doctrine because it's divisive and they will say this that the greatest hindrance to the growth of Christianity today is the lack of unity among Christians that We should stress Against doctrine because because it adds to this disunity.

Mr. Roberts says how valid is this statement? It's certainly true that doctrinal preaching is divisive. Preaching the great doctrines of the Bible divides the sheep from the goats and he says without careful searching doctrinal preaching the church becomes an assorted lot of flesh and spirit that is nearly impossible to effectively pastor.

A Mixture of sheep and goats are a shepherd's nightmare. Furthermore the world cannot believe in Christ because it cannot believe in the mixed multitude of that which calls itself Christian. It has no means whatsoever of distinguishing between the sheep of Christ's flock and the goats of the world that set side-by-side in the very same sanctuaries and mouths the very same religious jargon.

Secondly, he says portions of the church that still believe in doctrinal preaching have allowed themselves to become grievously negligent about the doctrine of repentance. Many who sincerely believe repentance is necessary have failed to give the doctrine its rightful place.

They've sought to make converts who neither understand nor practice Biblical repentance. Thus the strength of these churches is diluted by unrepentant and unconverted persons in the membership who nonetheless tragically suppose themselves Christians and massive confusion and Ineffectiveness are the result.

Repentance in a Culture Resistant to Biblical Indictment

Wow. This morning. We're going to launch an introductory into the doctrine of repentance. I Am greatly challenged by this. And I put in my notes this morning. I got up very early just to pray and to seek God about this then I'll put in my notes that I fearfully and Reverently trod upon the seldom true traversed paths of doctrinal truths, especially the doctrine of repentance.

It's a colossal and a monumental thing to talk about repentance. My friend I am. I'm here to tell you that it is. It's a very seldom but yet most Necessitated subject matter. It's very rarely taught upon The beloved can there be? regeneration apart from repentance.

That we're afraid because we're influenced by culture we don't want to peak to speak upon subjects such as repentance because of the indictment that it insinuates and We know that there's going to be a violent backlash against those that are speaking the truth and the truth itself holds the indictment.

Beloved let me tell you if you ever Become a preacher of repentance the fury of culture will be released upon you. You will not be a popular preacher. You will never make it to the 700 Club now that Tim's an unpopular preacher.

They just don't know him very good because he preaches repentance. How does it not dawned on you when you watch Christian TV that none of the preachers they are preaching upon repentance. Is that an amazing?

We're preaching about the benefits. Preaching about those things that you can receive things that can make your life here on earth a little bit better. But you're not going to hear anything taught about repentance.

It's not popular and I put also in this in these notes and I'm I painfully acknowledge That I seem to be nearly alone in this dark hour of the church. Seeing the necessity of this doctrinal truth that we're talking about today.

Except for a few other lonely pioneer type men that don't fear man. That don't coward a culture. I Mean like brother Pete up in st. Louis area. Men like Sam Ketcher and other pastors here at this local church and God does have them out there.

Established but beloved they are few and far between. Friendless and repentance unto life is a saving grace whereby a sinner out of the true sense of his sin and Appreciation of the mercy and God in Christ with grief and hatred of sin turn from sin and turn to God.

With the full purpose of an endeavor after absolute new obedience. Amen now. Give me just a moment here the printer. I think spit that out backwards. I'm missing a page. That's okay, I Don't have to have these pages.

But they do help me keep things straight. Oh well John MacArthur a great preacher the Bible said this that the Greek word For repentance and met a neo probably didn't say that, right? That repentance is more than just regret or sorrow.

It means to turn around. It means to change direction. It means to change the mind. It means to change the the change the will it it does not Denote just any change, but it's always a change from the wrong to the right away from sin and toward righteousness repentance does include sorrow for sin.

But a sorrow that leads to a change of thinking a change of desire and also a change in the conduct of our life. That's repentance. That's repentance and so.

Friend I.

Think the the part of my notes that I was wanting to get to that I think I've lost and I don't know where it says probably underneath my desk at the house where they spit all this out on the on the floor, but We're living in a culture that's saturated with The whole concept and thought that we ourselves are God.

One of the most important things that we're going to talk about this morning that that repentance is that we need to understand that we have A need for repentance if there can be a no revelation of the need for repentance that we can't even go anything past that.

The need has to run before the means. Now there are means to whereby we repent but the means never outruns the need and then the Word of God Gives us a revelation that we have a need for repentance. Well, we are sinful.

We are wicked and we are in need of Repentance to turn us away by God's grace from sin and death unto God by the Holy Ghost and to Jesus Christ. And repentance is a life-giving grace That God gives us.

That God breathes into us to where we turn away from sin by the sovereign work of God in us and turn To him and away from sin and to a new life that God has prepared for us. You know just the very insinuation again, I want to reiterate.

That we need to repent. Means there's something on the inside of us that culture doesn't want to admit. And that's why we're not hearing it. That's why we're not hearing repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.

We're hearing about come to church join the association. You know, let's follow after Jesus and let's get some benefits going to make our life better. To make things go smoother in our life. It never addresses the awfulness the the indignation of God set against sin.

And that we are sinners that we have sinned against God. In fact, if any of us say that we have no sin, the truth is not on the inside of us. But yet we're living in a culture that's violently opposed to any indictment that there's anything on the inside of us.

That's not right. And then the scripture I had in the page that got lost the notes said that Talks about how all men are right in their own eyes. And that's what we're up against in culture. Beloved culture.

Stands violently opposed to christianity. Any form of doctrine my friend. That tries to acclimate itself under culture has made culture it's god and not the god of the bible. And that's what we're up against.

Repentance as the First and Continuing Word of the Gospel

Beloved the first word of the gospel is repent. The first sermon out of jesus christ's mouth repent the last words of warning is repent and everything in between is Repent. Beloved repentance is not something that we do one time and never to do again.

Beloved repentance is the lifestyle of the christian believer. It's the lifestyle and it's not negative for us that are that are followers and lovers of jesus christ. Because it's the grace of god unto life.

It's not something that we view as a negative topic. It's something that god has blessed us with as a good and perfect gift that he gives us. Whereby we could turn away from wickedness and turn to him and be changed by his holy spirit and to live a lifestyle.

That's pleasing and honorable in his sight. And beloved the reason that we're not hearing repent from the kingdom of heaven is at hand is because it is not culturally palatable. It is not politically correct, but beloved it is biblical.

It's not an option. It's a biblical mandate. The word of god says unless ye repent that ye shall all likewise perish. Jesus said that in luke 13 3 I tell you except ye repent ye shall all Likewise perish.

Beloved repentance is not a divine suggestion suggestion. It's a mandate. That we are to repent of our sin. And we're going to talk about this more In the weeks to come. Repentance is a grace. A grace is something that god gives and it's not something that you work up yourself.

We're going to talk about that in weeks to come. There's a lot to preaching on repentance and I am well aware of that. I'm not making an attempt to do an exhaustive Instruction period and time upon repentance.

That I believe that we should do it. Justice that we in this place and those that are listening abroad on the internet should have. An understanding a hearty understanding of what biblical repentance is.

We need to have a biblical understanding of the need that we have for it. And also we need to have a biblical understanding of the means that god has provided for the church. Whereby we attain it and live it and walk in it.

Amen, it's a grace of god. All through the new testament you find that god granted a people repentance unto life that god Worked in them repentance. And I know that in my own personal life and I pray in yours that whenever you find yourself in sin that you cry out Lord, give me a repentant heart work in me a repentance not to be repented of lord.

Work this in me by your grace to whereby there can be the powerful work of your divine repentance in my heart. Whereby I can turn away from this sin and to turn to you. That I can look to you and live that I can have this grace wrought in me this gift functioning within me.

To whereby I am grieved with a god-given grief over over sin a sorrow for sin. Not of the worldly type but of the godly type to whereby I turn away from this wicked man that I am. And turn to the righteous man that jesus christ is the righteous one.

Friends, there's no hope of salvation without a repentant heart and a repentant life and for us to embrace the thought that repentance is Unnecessary is to grossly underestimate our own wickedness before god.

It's also to grossly underestimate god's perfect holiness and also the incompatibility between the two. Beloved the need for repentance is contrasted by god's perfection and holiness. And the revelation of our own wickedness and the sinfulness of our own heart in our own lives.

We're living in a generation That is subscribing to the thought that god's perfect holiness Can be bridged together with our lifestyles without repentance. And it's caused by a very faulty perception.

Or a faulty revelation of the sinfulness of sin the exceeding sinfulness of sin. It also We see that they are subscribing to a participation And a fellowship with sin. And an unwillingness to be separated from it.

There's also a faulty understanding Of god's judgment that's upon sin. There's also a faulty perception also out there the of the of the perfection and the beauty and the holiness of god. And god's abhorrence and intolerance to sin.

Friend the importance of repentance Is an illuminated best? By the place our lord gave to it in his ministry upon upon this earth. And it's best illuminated by him saying repent for the kingdom of heaven as it and the very first words Out of the mouth of our lord.

Jesus' Call to Repentance and the Need for It

Jesus christ after he had entered and come out of the the temptation season in the wilderness Where he had had for 40 days and nights fasted And prayed and been tempted and overcome by the power of the spirit of god.

And he goes into public ministry and there's a subsequent to his baptism and uh by the by the prophet john. And is filling with the spirit of god. And he launches we see he launches in the public ministry and the very first words out of the out of the son of god's mouth.

In public ministry is repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. Repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand and I believe this illuminates the place that god gives repentance. That when he sends his son into the into this world of wickedness and evil.

And the first thing that he says when he begins to speak in the minister is repent. Amen. And we're going to cover more about the means of repentance as we go along in this message. But today Friend, I want to bear down for the remaining amount of time that we have upon our need for repentance the need that we have.

Friend, listen to me. I want to reiterate the means can never outrun the need. Meaning the revelation concerning our need for repentance. Without that revelation there can be no further revelation concerning the means whereby repentance is attained.

And so being so we need to establish firstly The need that we have from repentance and then we will move on to the means whereby It is attained. Brother roberts also said in his book. He said the great natural gulf that exists between the creator and the created itself proudly.

Or loudly proclaims the need that we have for repentance. Let me say that again the great natural gulf that exists. Do you understand that we have been born separated from god? That there is an enmity between humanity between mankind and god that there is a breach.

Separating to whereby there can be no correspondence. No interaction. We are dead in our sins in our natural state. And that very gulf that exists is a very loud voice that proclaims the need that we have for repentance.

Amen. The changeable nature of mankind he says over and against the immutability of god. Demonstrates the propriety of repentance. Our our self-aggredizing or our proud nature. It demands repentance.

Our tendency to play about on the surface of eternal issues makes true repentance all repentance all the more urgent. Isn't it amazing how lightly we take eternal things? Thank you, dear. Think about this for a moment.

Let's do a little self-examination. Yesterday. When you were about your business. How much time Did you devote? to meditating upon eternal things. And listen, we're the people of god. We're talking about eternal matters with eternal consequences or eternal blessings.

How much time did we devote ourself to in our thoughts towards yesterday as god's people eternal things? And beloved how much more less than that the people of the world. And so Brother robert says our tendency to play about on the surface of eternal issues Makes true repentance all the more urgent.

The all-seeing eye of god guarantees the impossibility of anything hiding from him, especially sin. Even our most noble efforts of religion can be nothing better than the works of death. Every failure listen every says every failure in repentance robs heaven.

Of one of the joys that rightfully belongs there. Well, that's some. Some deep stuff but we're thinking about this is that every failure in our repentance robs heaven because the bible says that heaven Rejoices at one center that what? that repents.

And so every failure in repentance robs heaven of one of the joys that rightfully belongs there. We think about that. It's a lofty thoughts. But one of the pitfalls regarding our need for repentance friend is the blindness that we have concerning The the magnitude of the offenses that we have committed against god's holiness and against god's perfect law.

Mingled together with the consequences the consequences that are ascribed to them and we think about this. What what what does it take for us to see our need for repentance. Listen what it takes is a revelation Of the enormity of the offenses that are heaped upon us by not only by our action but by our nature.

And I think that's one of the lacks that we have today in modern evangelical preaching we talk about the effect of sin. And not the root of sin. You think lustful thoughts because you have a fallen corrupt nature.

And we talk uh, you shouldn't do this and you shouldn't do that. But beloved how many evangelical preachers are going to the root to lay the acts of the root that your whole nature is defiled and corrupt.

And that that redemption and regeneration is a reversal of everything that's underneath the judgment and the curse of sin. That sin's power is broken. It's broken through jesus christ. And repentance.

Yes, it presupposes that we are sinful and that there's a mountain of Sins that are heaped up against us and the the need has everything to do With what we have in us not only by merit not only by action but by nature the need of repentance.

Listen friend for us to cultivate an understanding Of the need that we have for repentance. We must be biblically minded and not culturally driven. Earlier, um, I talked just for a moment about the character of the culture that we live in we all do what is right in our own eyes.

That's why the true gospel is not popular in culture the true gospel exposes the truth. What is the truth that we are evil and corrupt? What do we have in culture as a mindset that everybody's okay? I'm, okay.

You're okay. Oh, you're a homosexual. That's okay. That's not that's not that big of a deal. We'll accept you. We'll love you. We'll accept you as you are. We're not going to say anything against it. That's the lifestyle that you have chosen.

It's right for you. Probably that's just the way you was made. It's okay. Your wiring's a little different than mine. But we're all just compatible and we'll just love one another on our way to heaven.

No on our way to hell. Listen friend, we're living in even a political climate. We're living in a political culture That is becoming violent against the gospel of jesus christ not against religion not against cultural religion but against the truth.

Church sent me an email this week. That was very disturbing. Just this last week in san diego, california. A pastor-led home bible study was shut down by the government. Shut down because they did not have a permit to to conduct a bible study and the permit is $19 ,000.

So this pastor was denied he has not only god-given but his constitutionally afforded right. To freedom of religion in our nation to hold a home bible study and was shut down or be arrested. Not in poland.

Not in czechoslovakia. Not in vietnam nor burma. But in the united states of america. Beloved we are living in a political system in a political era. That's becoming more and more violent against the bible and the precepts and principles of the bible because it reveals truth.

And beloved listen god will not wink at sin. God does not accept any lifestyle. As as normal god says I have created man to mirror my image and my image is holy. My image is pure. My image is holy my friend.

He says holy. And beloved we're the people of god and we're we're called by his name. We've been called to live by his ordinances. We've been called to live upright and godly and holy according to the word of god.

And we're living in a culture that says. You can live any way you want to. But god has specific demands upon his people. And the culture that we're living in is violently set opposed to the truth of the word of god.

Because we are all right in our own eyes for us to preach repentance. For us to preach the gospel. Listen to me. What kind of a gospel is this? It's the gospel of repentance. What gospel did jesus preach?

Listen get on your knees and read through the red he preached repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. Presupposing the wickedness and the idolatry of the hearts of natural born man. Living and we're living in friends.

We're living in a culture that says that we are not thus. That we are all right. We are normal. This is the way listen and they're putting the indictment against god. This is the way god created me. Blaming god and blaming his holiness.

For mankind's woes and misery and sinfulness. The beloved afforded to be a true gospel church we must preach repentance. For us to be true born again believers in jesus christ, we must live repentance we must practice repentance.

What was it that matthew henry said Uh. He's going to die one to die in the pulpit preaching repentance or something along that line. That I must say beloved that we're living in a culture and a generation.

That not only has shied away from but has plainly forgotten. The first word of the kingdom which is to repent. To be reconciled to god. I was going to read a scripture out of malachi. Did I forget to do that?

Maybe that's on the page that I forgot. I don't know how I did that. And i'll teach me not to go over my notes after it comes out of the printer, huh? All right, let's turn over to malachi chapter three.

There's not many notes, but it was it was there at one time.

I apologize for that. For the the loss there. This is in malachi 3 7 and this is what what I was going to be our introductory verse.

It says even from the days of your fathers you are gone away From mine ordinances and you've not kept them. Return unto me. And I will return unto you saith the lord of hosts. That ye said wherein shall we return?

God says return to me. And I will return to you. Return to me. What is repentance. Repentance is a turning to god. It's a it's a turning to god. Beloved I made mention earlier that one of the pitfalls that we have in modern christianity Regarding our need for repentance is the blindness that we have concerning the magnitude of our offenses.

That have piled up against us. And against god's holiness and against god's perfect law. Paris readhead. I don't know if y 'all have ever heard of paris. Preach a very famous sermon um. Many many years ago, in fact, probably before some of you here were born.

It was called ten shekels in a shirt. And i'm going to read a short excerpt from his sermon. Dealing with repentance and the need that we have concerning it and for it. Brother paris said what about you?

He said why did you repent. And this is word for word in the message that he preached some years ago. I would like to see some people repent on biblical terms again. George whitfield knew it. He stood on boston common speaking to 20 000 people and he said listen sinners.

You are monsters monsters of iniquity. You deserve hell. And and the worst of your crimes is in that criminals though. You have been you haven't had the good grace to see it. He said if you will not weep for your sins and your crimes against a holy god george whitfield will weep for you.

That man would put his head back and he would sob like a baby. Why? Because they were in the danger of hell. No. But because they were monsters of iniquity who didn't even see their sin or care about their crimes.

What about the day and time we were living in? He said do you see the difference. He reiterates. Do you see the difference? The difference is here's somebody trembling. Because he's going to be hurt in hell.

He has no sense of the enormity of his guilt. No sense of the enormity of his crime. No sense of his insult against deity. He's only trembling because his skin is about to be singed. He's afraid and I submit to you that whereas fear is Good office work in preparing us for grace.

It's no place to stop and the holy ghost doesn't stop there. That's the reason why people can't receive christ until they've repented. And persons can repent. And that person has been convicted. And the conviction is the work of the holy ghost that helps a sinner to see.

That he is a criminal before god and that he deserves all of god's wrath. And if god were to send him to the lowest corners of a devil's hell forever and ten eternities that he deserved all of it. And a hundred fold more he said because he's seen his crimes.

Understanding the Need for Repentance

Beloved before we can experience repentance before we can Can delve into the means where repentance is attained. We must feel our need for repentance. Beloved for me. It's just enough that jesus said we need it.

Jesus said we must repent turn away from our sins turn away. And to turn into christ. I had in the um The page that was lost. I'll try to bring that page with me next week. Okay some definitions. Concerning repentance biblically based definitions about repentance.

I'll give mine here momentarily. But I thought that the definition given in the ancient document of the west minister shorter catechism was was brilliant. But in every biblically based revelation Or definition on repentance it all deals with grieving over sin sorrow for sin.

Forsaking of sin and living unto christ living unto christ. Listen, and it's a god wrought. Graced as a gift of god that works in our life. It's not something that's listen to me. It's not something that we work up in ourselves.

It's something that god works in us by the holy spirit that we began to walk in and cooperate with. But it's god that works in us to whereby we turn away from sin to whereby we grieve and sorrow. Not over the sins that we've committed.

But over the sinner that we are and the offense that it is against the justice of a holy god. Seeing our sins are as high as a mountain and that we are indeed and in fact sinners deserving of hell for eternity.

That we must repent. And to turn to christ and for the true bonafide born again believer beloved. It's a grace into the life and it's a cause of celebration and it's not a dreary drudgery. Beloved if repentance to you is a jury drudgery.

I am concerned about the effect of culture upon your life and where you and to where it's become something of preeminence. Instead of something that is to be shunned. The culture has convinced you That you are a god.

And that you are okay. In your present estate. And it's not true. It's not true. It is not true. But look at me without repentance. Every one of us in this room will perish for eternity without repentance.

The work of god's grace wrought in our life whereby we turn away from sin forsake sin hate sin. Abandon sin. Does that mean that we can never fail? Does that mean that sins that are are post repentance are not possible?

No, the lifestyle of sin is abandoned. The lifestyle of sin the temptation of sin. Will it leave us. No. No from time to time the falling short of the mark of the calling of christ and falling into into sin.

Does that make does true repentance make that an impossibility? No. But beloved we repent. We repent by god's grace when we miss the mark repentance is a grace into life. I know that i'm not doing this mess justice, but we will in weeks to come.

The first step in repentance friend is the revelation of our need for it. The sense of need my friend is worked in us and wrought in us by a biblical revelation of our own sinfulness in light of god's holiness and god's requirements and Forced to ask you do you see?