Holiness, Godliness, Usefulness
07/16/2014, by John Kincaid
Lesson 299: Turning From All Our Works
When we get down to the core, repentance means depending on God alone for mercy.
To repent means to turn. But repentance is not just about turning from bad toward good.
Repentance is not about trying to improve our behavior. It is not a change from sinful works to godly works.
Repentance is a turning away from all human works; turning toward God only.
Obedience will follow repentance, but don’t expect God to forgive based on how we obey. Remorse leads to repentance, which leads to a change in our behavior.
Our gratitude for God’s mercy will motivate us toward obedience and service. But the Holy Spirit convicts us with awareness that all our actions fall terribly short.
That is the source of our gratitude, and it prevents us from trusting in our obedience.
Acts 14:15 we bring you good news, that you should turn from these vain things to a living God, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and all that is in them.
Acts 26:20 they should repent and turn to God, performing deeds in keeping with their repentance.
About This Series
The goal of this series is to become more useful in serving the Lord Jesus Christ, as an instrument in the Redeemer's hand. The theme verses for the series are Ephesians 4:22-24, Philemon 11, 2 Timothy 2:21
- to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds,
- and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.
- Formerly he was useless to you, but now he is indeed useful to you and to me.
- Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself from what is dishonorable, he will be a vessel for honorable use, set apart as holy, useful to the master of the house, ready for every good work.
