The Importance of Repentance Part 2

Last week we began talking about Luke 13:1-5, where Jesus answered a question of those who were killed, one in an atrocity, the other in a natural disaster. We then see Him calling to attention so we have no question as to where we will land up eternally. His solution is that of repentance toward God since we are all sinners, (Rom.3:23) and if we do not have a supernatural change of mind, we will perish, rendering us useless to what we were designed to do, that according to the Westminster Confession of faith, mainly our chief end being to glorify God and enjoy Him forever.

These supposed in Jesus's omniscient mind that these who died were greater sinners or worse culprits than they were. English Puritan Thomas Boston states," Do not tell anyone that they were taken away by judgement for sin, no one knows, and no one is meant to know." One of the secret things that belongs to the Lord. (Deu.29:29) The Lord is slow to anger and abounding in loving kindness. (Psa.103:8) Seeing judgement on the spot as in Ananias and Sapphira is the exception rather than the rule. All human suffering is meant to summon us all to repentance toward God, by reminding us that we all deserve to experience the same suffering or worse.

Three things we can learn from our lesson in Luke 13 that Jesus shows us,

1) The state of our own souls should always be our first concern. Do you hear of a sudden death? You will say to yourself," Will I have been found ready if this had happened to me?"
2) If you hear of an awful crime or deed of wickedness, you will say to yourself, "Are my sins forgiven, and have I really repented of my own transgressions?"
3) If you hear of worldly men running into every excess of sin, you will say to yourself," Who has made me to differ from another? What has kept me from walking the same path?" But by the grace of God. (1Cor.15:10)
Let us all believe that God's infinite power is directed by His infinite wisdom, His infinite wisdom is directed by His infinite knowledge, and His infinite knowledge is directed by His infinite truth, that we may not only trust His promises, but also obey His commands. We will certainly then reach the end of our lives and be all that we were designed to be: to enjoy Him forever in a place that sorrow cannot live and joy cannot die.

Elder Randy Slak
5/16/2023