Thursday, March 20, 2008
The Role Of Repentance
Reformation Theology quotes Thomas Watson who says:
I love the idea that repentance validates Christ's sacrifice. Seems to me that even if you don't believe in the more traditional theories of the atonement, you would be driven to your knees in humble repentance anyway by the sheer magnitude of what Christ did.
Forget the theological theories for a moment and consider the simple act of repentance. It is an act, in fact it is the only act, I know of that can provide a basis for the proper perspective on things, that perspective being God on His throne and we as His humble and insufficient servants. For that sake, if no other, the idea and the practice must be preserved.
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I am not saying, repent that you are moral—but that you are no more than moral. Satan entered into the house that had just been swept and garnished (Luke 11:26). This is the emblem of a moral man, who is swept by civility and garnished with common gifts—but is not washed by true repentance. The unclean spirit enters into such a one. If morality were sufficient to salvation, Christ need not have died. The moral man has a fair lamp—but it lacks the oil of grace.It's funny, but I think we have a corollary problem today. at the heart lies the need for repentance, but the symptoms are quite different. We no longer cloth ourselves in morality and call it salvation. Instead, we cloth ourselves in praise choruses, "Christian gee-gaws," and prayers for salvation without confession. But the bottom line remains unchanged - without repentance all is "mere" - all is naught.
I love the idea that repentance validates Christ's sacrifice. Seems to me that even if you don't believe in the more traditional theories of the atonement, you would be driven to your knees in humble repentance anyway by the sheer magnitude of what Christ did.
Forget the theological theories for a moment and consider the simple act of repentance. It is an act, in fact it is the only act, I know of that can provide a basis for the proper perspective on things, that perspective being God on His throne and we as His humble and insufficient servants. For that sake, if no other, the idea and the practice must be preserved.
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