The Blessing Of Repentance (2)

Sometimes believers think that God will get frustrated and impatient with them if they don’t shape up to a model Christian life. They don’t like to excuse their behaviour, but because God hasn’t smacked them down, they secretly wonder if He has a tolerance level. A ‘this far and no more’ and if you go beyond it, you’re in trouble. Is there, they think, a safety limit for impurity? Is the standard for purity high like that of a piece of fine jewellery, or is it more like that for a child’s toy, with lots of room for imperfection and junk metal?

The danger isn’t that God won’t respond to our honest repentance. The danger is that we might become so trapped in the dangerous thoughts of apathy that sin inevitably produces, we become hardened, complacent, lazy, and simply unable to repent! It’s because of this that sin must be taken seriously. Missionary Frank Laubach preached the gospel to a tribe that had a lengthy history of bloodshed. The chief was so moved, he repented and accepted Christ on the spot. Then he turned to Laubach in appreciation and said, ‘This is wonderful! Who do you want me to kill for you?’

That was his beginning point. Only God knows what everyone’s beginning point is. What’s yours?