 Okay, thanks for joining the class on Holiness BC 209 once again. I hope you all are doing well. Thank you for joining Let's pray before we get started Father, we thank you for this time this opportunity that we have this new day We thank you that your grace and your mercies are new every morning We thank you for your faithfulness that is abounding and that sustains us Lord but even as we continue to learn on the topic of Holiness Lord, I pray that you would continue to pour out your wisdom your knowledge and your understanding in a way that we would understand In Jesus name I pray. Amen Man Okay, right. So so far in in this course on Holiness We've covered section one which is considered of Consisted of six different chapters We started off looking at the holiness of God Who is thrice holy in chapter 2 that he is holy, holy, holy and In chapter 3 we begin to see his desire for us as humans also to be a holy as he is Right, so his holiness in me and moving into studying about perfecting Holiness Right where we learned about being empowered by the Holy Spirit And being sanctified by the word he's Jehovah Makodesh. The Lord are sanctifier We are set apart as priests Who are holy unto the Lord as his people we are called to holiness so we've seen that we've learned that in section one and quite extensively and And in chapter 5 we looked at why personal holiness is important right the difference that it makes in our lives and and Various various different aspects that contributes to our life of holiness is what we looked at and in conclusion of section 1 The last chapter chapter 6 Titled in the beauty of holiness we learned just again a little bit more on The beauty of the Lord and how the beauty of the Lord is an expression of his holiness is a manifestation of his holiness okay, so that is all in section 1 and In this session today The two sessions that we have we will learn on another topic called repentance recovery and restoration For which the PDFs have been shared with you. So I would request you to keep Open those PDFs And use them as reference as we go through today's class Okay. All right So we will see this is a small Section that is sandwiched between you know the first section one and section three is about we will where we will look at practical steps to overcoming Sin and and living a holy life but in in in this session in two sessions or maybe three depending depending on the time we will Look at the importance of repentance what the Bible has to say about it the meaning of repentance and the process of Repentance and the restoration Okay right, so Why is repentance important? You know we we know that we understand we need to understand the process of repentance The importance of it and what God's word teaches about repentance in in our lives as believers as well right We are called to be holy and we've seen that But sometimes we commit acts of sin right do you agree with me on that? We are called to live a holy life But there are times where we fall where we fail you know those are called Committing acts of sin. There will be a time where you are jealous or where we a Lie or gossip Etc. Etc. Right? So what do we do? You know when we sin what should be our response as a believer What is the Bible have to say about that? What should be our response? But we know Significantly the Bible tells us or teaches us to repent So it should become part of our understanding and practice To repent when we do something wrong before God right, I will this is very clear about that and I want to emphasize That it should become part of our understanding and not just understanding it, you know We have enough head knowledge We understand that But it is not enough that we have understanding of repentance, but it also very important that You know practicing repentance becomes part of our lives When we do something wrong before God, right? And so repentance is our path so to say to recovery and restoration and eventually redemption Okay repentance is our road to recovery recovering from Acts of sin if we have fallen down. What do we do? Do we remain? Down do we continue to live in sin or do we recover and get restored and be redeemed? right and so repentance is a powerful biblical truth that That has perhaps been lost in contemporary churches You know, it's it's almost like a bad word Or it's a very scary word. I cannot say bad word Which it's very scary. How often do you hear sermons on repentance? Right, but and I and I think it's very important that we we speak about this topic of repentance we emphasize this to a church congregation As well, right? So we must remember that while we are recipients of God's amazing grace and live by grace We must also understand the place repentance has in our Christian journey You know when we stop Reaching or teaching about repentance. We are allowing a lifestyle. We are compromising with the lifestyle of sin That's basically what it is when we will stop preaching about repentance We are slowly compromising With the lifestyle of sin. We are saying, okay, it's okay grace covers everything You know, we are living under grace all is fine all is well. It's okay. You can do whatever you want to do, etc, etc But again, we know that Bible teaches and speaks quite a bit about repent And we will that's what this section is all about is and we will look at it quite extensively What the Bible has to say about repentance just starting with You know Jesus preached repentance Right Jesus preached repentance he he preached saying repent and believe in the gospel Mark chapter 1 verse 15 saying the time is fulfilled. That means it's come and The kingdom of God is at hand. It's near. That's you know Kingdom of God is near kingdom of God is at hand kingdom of God is here. They're all used interchangeably as synonyms So he's saying the kingdom of God is at hand. It's it's there. It's arrived repent and believe in the gospel Repent and believe in the gospel and so so here we see that Our lack of repentance can keep us from believing Right, so it's like say repentance is a prerequisite to believing the gospel of Jesus Christ Can I say that again repentance is a prerequisite to believing the gospel or the good news of Jesus Christ So in order to receive We need to believe right and we need to sorry in order to receive or we need to repent Right our lack of repentance can keep us from believing it's very interesting that the progression of those words when Jesus teaches that and You know and again in the book of Acts through the book of Acts We see that as the apostles and disciples were proclaiming the gospel. It is always followed by a call To repent and believe Okay, so there was not just the proclamation of the gospel the proclamation of the gospel was followed by a call to repent and believe You know, that's basically why you know in The altercalls was very popular in You know in the 70s 80s 90s, right? It was an opportunity for given to people to express the repentance say okay now I have heard the good news and And I want to repent and that is an expression of them saying I believe and Similarly in Jesus also preached he also said repent for the kingdom of heaven is near Kingdom of heaven is near and Matthew 4 17 he says for now from that time Jesus began to preach and to say repent For the kingdom of heaven is at hand. It has arrived. It is there right and so again repentance Enables us to receive what what is made available In the kingdom of God Repentance Enables us to receive what is made available in the kingdom of God Right he says repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. And so unless we repent You know from from our ways There is no receiving and so here in just these two points We see that repentance allows and helps us enables us to believe Because without repentance, there is no believing and without repentance We are unable to receive what is made what has been made available to us right and so to receive encounter and experience the kingdom of God to receive to encounter and to experience the kingdom of God That is God's rule and reign in our lives. We must first repent Repentance the positions us to receive And that's a thing. That's a very wonderful posture You know for us to have in our lives as we live as Christians so most of the times we think that repentance is Is only associated with an altar call or a salvation prayer For an unbeliever who is choosing to become a believer But again as we go through today's session in either The first hour or the second hour, we will see that repentance is not just for the unbelievers It's for It's for everybody who's willing and it's also for the believers We are encouraged and called to live in constant repentance. And so we will learn that as we go ahead okay So so far we've covered that without repentance. You know, there is a lack of repentance keeps us from believing and a lack of repentance keeps us from receiving Okay, it's a very two very simple points and in that we see in the book of Acts as they were proclaiming the gospel They were also a call to repent Ambili and so repentance is quite huge and if Jesus was preaching, you know About repentance. It was Very important, but I think we can rest the case there right and so and Is repentance for sinners only or is it also for Christians? Right. That's another popular question that can be asked Repentance, is it only for sinners or is it also for the church as a body of Christ or also for Christians as individuals? and so it is true that we often think of repentance and And and the need for repent for those who are still Unsaved or unbelievers because they want to be forgiven And which is absolutely true, right? The Bible says that he came to call the sinners to repentance And Mark chapter 2 was 17. He says I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance Okay, are you with me? I hope you're following She said that I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance Now what is very important and very interesting in this whole thing is that we see the New Testament begins by the with a message of repentance To the unbelievers who want who are you know who want to give their lives and and express by saying that yes I believe in this gospel it's a New Testament begins that way but Jesus preaching about repentance and New Testament Also closes with Jesus preaching repent to the church Right. That's how yeah, that's how the New Testament closes Sorry, excuse me having a little bit of a cold Pardon me Okay, we see that in the book of Revelation Five of the seven churches Five out of the seven churches are called to repent In in Revelation chapter 2 was five. We see that the church of Ephesus is being addressed The church in Ephesus, sorry, it's saying repent for from departing from their first love And then we see a church in Paragamam Also received a call for repentance repentant repent from tolerating false doctrine in the church that led people into sin and Then we see a church in Thyatira saying repent from toilet tolerating false teachers prophets in the church who led people into sin and Revelation chapter 3 verse 3 Repent from the works that were not perfect before God is written to a church in Sardis And finally we know the church in Laudatia Great repent from a false sense of spiritual well-being when they were wretched miserable poor blind and naked They were pretending Right so We can in this session in on this section at least in this first chapter We can see and conclude that repentance is important It keeps us lack of repentance keeps us from believing it keeps us from receiving because repentance is a prerequisite for believing and receiving and We also saw that the repentance is not only for sinners Although the New Testament begins with that message for for the unbelievers New Testament Concludes with the message of repentance being given to the churches As well and that should remind us or that should Say something to us about the importance of the message of repentance Right, so are you all with me? Very good Okay, but thank you so What exactly is is what what does what does repentance mean? What does it really mean? We've spoken so much about it in We know so much about it as Christians. You heard the word repent You know and you some of us have even prayed in our prayers saying Lord, I repent of my sins I'm sure we've done that at some point in time in our lives and And so what does that mean? Right. So what does it mean? Biblically, right? So the Greek word Because you know Greek is cool We have to learn about Greek The Greek word for repent is metanoia Actually if you're in Bangalore, my friend has a cafe called metanoia So it's again if you're in Bangalore, it's near Kottanur You should visit that Sunday Metanoia it simply means that the literal meaning of that is to think differently to think differently that is In other words to reconsider Reconsider your action. These are all just the dictionary explanation to it, right? But the core of it is to think differently Or to change one's mind for better To change one's mind for better. I know we are all thinking of Romans chapter 12 right now And we get to that in just a minute Right, so to think differently to reconsider To change one's mind for better Right and it also excites that repent or to repent is a verb Repent is a verb an action word Right which requires one to think differently which leads into acting differently Right. Are you with me? So it's it's not just You know Enables you to it's not just that you are thinking differently, but your thought life Leads to a different way of life and in a different way So and we saw that a little bit in when we were learning a little bit about sanctification and the previous sections We see that once, you know, we choose to become a believer once we give our lives to God What happens in the process and what you are actually saying is what I repent of my sins. I Used to be so-and-so. I used to think a certain way live a certain way Now after we give our lives to Jesus We cannot continue to live and think like your old self Right, and that's why we are a new creation in Christ So as a new creation, I cannot have the desires of the old man I cannot have the thoughts of the old man. I cannot live a Certain way like my old man lived My words cannot be the same as the old man used. So I whoever is in Christ is a new creation That means everything is different in this action of repentance you what you're saying, okay, I'm going to think differently and Because I'm thinking differently my actions are going to be different But as an old person as an old man, I hated everybody I Didn't like anybody but now as a new creation. I am commanded to walk in love If I am a follower of Jesus I'm saying that I love Jesus That also means that I love people and so I cannot live differently It lives the same way as I was as an old man, right? And so repent is a verb. It's an action work Right, it is a call to action Or I could say it's a word in action, right? John 1 says the word became flesh Right word just did not remain as a word. It became flesh. There was an action to it, right? So repentance in the Bible simply means changing our thinking and our action right it again to Elaborate just a little bit more. It's it simply means Biblically to align our thoughts To God's thoughts to align our ways to his ways Right probes 3m. I'm reminded of that says Lean not on your own understanding Right in print all your ways Acknowledge the right acknowledge the world in all your ways so I Cannot continue to think a certain way like I used to Based on my own understanding, but it is time that I align my thoughts my understanding to his thoughts and In all in acknowledge him in all your ways, right? we We looked at that word ways simply means the way you do your life, right? If As as a Russian That I am I am a son. I've shared this before it. I am a son. I'm a brother. I am a father I am a friend. I'm a teacher. I'm a pastor and Is there anything more to my life? I'm sure there is a musician Etc. Whatever it so There are so many different ways that's involved you know in the way that I do life and I as an old in as my as an old person I could have Being very evil and aggressive and violent as a son as a brother as a father As a friend as a teacher Pastor would have been wicked in all my ways, but now that I have repented in all my ways in as As as everything that I just mentioned is now aligned to the ways of God and so Your repentance is now expressed in your actions. It is seen in your actions And you can say, okay, this person is living a repented life He is not the same. He or she is not the same right Okay, so if Isaiah 55 was six to nine You know puts cap puts this in in a beautiful perspective as a chapter 55 was six to nine says Seek the Lord while he may be found call upon him while he is near and Pay attention to verse seven. It's so beautiful. It says let the wicked forsake his way and The unrighteous man his thoughts Let him return to the Lord If you can highlight to forsake his way his thoughts and Return, please do so Right, let the wicked forsake his way That means you walk up the way you do your life your actions your old actions your wicked lifestyle give it up and The unrighteous man his thoughts give up the way you think your thoughts give it up The thoughts and actions the ways that don't align with the Lord's Give it up Instead let him return to the Lord or repent start begin to think differently When you do that He will have mercy on him God will have mercy on him and To our God for he will abundantly pardon It's so beautiful right the God the word of God is so powerful and because it expresses The heart of God for us, right? It is very difficult for words to express God and the beauty of who he is to define him because No scribe and no word or language can capture the wonder of our Lord or do justice for for the for the wonderful God that he is but You know, it's so beautiful when the Holy Spirit brings these words to life when the Holy Spirit breathes his breath over his word And you know when we read birds like this, it's okay If if we forsake our ways our wicked ways if we forsake our unrighteous thoughts and if we return to the Lord If we draw near to him He will draw near to us Right he gives grace to the humble an action of repentance is such a it's a beautiful action of humility Saying Lord, I humble myself before you and you can't repent if you're not humble Isn't it? It's why should I why should I repent? I have not done anything wrong is an is a mark of pride We'll talk about that in just a bit but We as wanting to repent is saying is you Saying that you're the posture of your heart is humble and say Lord, I repent And when we do that he gives grace to humble, right? He will have mercy on us and he will abundantly pardon us not just pardon us Why why should they add the word abundantly, right? It's an overflow of pardon forgiveness And then we know and verse 8 with this famous verse Which can be taken out of context so many times. This is for my thoughts are not your thoughts No, my ways your ways my ways It was originally in the context of repentance, right? Saying you You let go of your old ways Because your ways those are not my ways your thoughts are not my thoughts my thoughts are holy my ways are holy and Then goes on to say for us heavens are higher than the earth So are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts And so repentance is simply as turning towards God both in our pot and in our actions That is simply repentance In a very simple way, that's what repentance is all about. So you know a believer Changing their thinking about anything and aligning their thoughts and actions to God's thoughts and God's ways is also repentance an unbeliever turning from his wicked ways and wicked thoughts is also repentance and As a believer changing, you know our thinking and our actions our thoughts Is also repentance. So that's what repentance is right, so pause you for a minute and See if there's anything that you would like to add From what we've discovered so far or are there any questions that you'd like to ask all right then Thank you. Let's let's continue The chapter 3 in the session So we concluded chapter 2 with understanding what repentance is and how it should affect our thought life and our action life Right and then, you know, just like we say that every action Has an equal and opposite reaction in the in the science world When we begin to live differently in in in God's kingdom, we begin to bear fruits And we begin to bear fruits So the world will use the word consequences would be good or bad but in the kingdom in Kingdom principle when we begin to live Like how Jesus taught us to live when we live according to the word of God our lives begin to bear fruit Right, so it is as we've emphasized so many times Today repentance is not just a state of mind. It is expressed through a changed life Right, so John the Baptist in Matthew chapter 3 was 8 He says bear fruit in keeping with repentance He says bear fruit in keeping with repentance That's simply saying that while we live a certain way we begin to bear fruit and And the passion translation says you must prove your repentance by a changed life You must prove your repentance by a changed life Apostle Paul he writes in Acts chapter 26 verse 20. He was He's actually writing this when he's recounting his early days of ministry to King Agrippa He says must repent and turn to God and Demonstrate it with a changed life Right now we're just continuing to talk about The way we live life and our actions it should Just show that you are different that you're a different person right 15 years ago if you had met me and my friends some of my friends at least still wonder how I am a pastor now Yeah, I can't take any credit for but I I Believe that the Holy Spirit has helped me become a better person In the in my journey as a Christian in my journey as a believer of Jesus Because 15 18 years ago, I was known for being short tempered and And you're not so very nice things I was a Christian still but But as mentioned You know Holy Spirit's work has been gracious in how he's shaped me and Yeah, and helped me become a better person to bear fruits of kingdom to To think differently and to act differently on based on my thinking according to the kingdom of God Okay, so a Bear fruit in keeping with repentance as says Matthew chapter 3 verse 8 This is session a section in Matthew chapter 5 was 29 and 30 we Will know that this is if your right eye causes you to sin pluck it out and cast it out from you But it is more profitable for you Then one of your members perish then your whole body to be cast into hell and if your right hand causes you to sin Cut it off and cast it from you right Now again, we know that this is metaphorical and not literal if it was literal then We would be in big trouble Right and so It is not enough to say that my right hand or right hand is causing me to sin or to feel sorry that we sinned repentance means Leads us to what Jesus taught to get rid of what is causing us to sin To get rid there is no negotiating with sin Right, we do not negotiate with sin We do not compromise with sin if we allow a certain sin To stay in our lives as the day goes by It's the very thing that you allowed and permitted Will oppress you one day Right and again We read that in the Old Testament that the people of Israel they were commanded to not compromise with the ways with the actions of The other nations of the land in the land of cannon Right in the way that they worshiped in the way that they offered sacrifices. They were said Do not compromise Do not negotiate Cut it off cast it off Right and in many cases it might not be an easy process or it might be a painful process for some people Right. I'm I'm not sure if you've heard of this channel on YouTube called the skit guys Right, they perform this wonderful short skits on the biblical message and One of the message one of the skit their skits was that a one person pretends to be a God and he has a chisel and a hammer in his hands and And there's this prayer a person who makes the prayer saying Lord make me more like you and say and God takes the hammer And the chisel this is okay. I'll begin to make more like you and he starts carving out. Okay, all right I see jealousy. That's not of me and then you know, it's you're using a chisel and a hammer It's going to hurt. It's like, oh it hurts, you know, can you not do that? Can we avoid that? Well, no, if you want to look like me, but that's not going to be on your body. I Have to take it off. All right, and I see gossip. I see anger or bitterness That's not of me and and so you see To pluck it to cut it off Will not necessarily be a pleasant process And often a painful process as mentioned There are times that this happens in an instant by the supernatural work of the Holy Spirit when he be Decides to demonstrate the wonder working power of Jesus and there are times we journey through this process over time We don't have explanation for both Right. Sometimes he may choose to give us an explanation, but he never owes us an explanation Right. So God works both ways and helps us through this. And so what we can learn from this is that We do not negotiate with sin If something's causing you to or something of your old lifestyle is causing you to sin don't negotiate it Cast it off and this is done with and we see that in the scripture that If we are just willing To be different, God is willing to help us In say we read that in Philippians chapter 2 verse 12 and 13 Philippians chapter 2 verse 12 and 13 Actually in verse 11 if I'm not mistaken. It says work out your salvation with fear and trembling work out your salvation with With fear and trembling does not say work for your salvation Okay Doesn't say work for your salvation. It's not what it says. It says work out that in exercise work it out, you know Action act on it work out your salvation with fear and trembling And then verse 12 therefore my beloved as you have always obeyed Not as in my presence only but now much more in my absence work out your salvation and with fear and trembling First word and verse 13 it says for it is God who works in you For it is God who works in you Both to will and to do of him for his good pleasure All right. He's willing to help you on this journey Right, but the challenge arises where sometimes we are willing but unable to overcome Right. I have been there. It's we are willing. I want to overcome a certain sinful Lifestyle, but I'm unable to in my own flesh and Then there are times where we are not even willing and that's when we pray, right? We pray asking God to help us Holy Spirit You know, I am willing I Am willing to look like you. I am willing to be like you to walk like you to talk like you and And and and do what is pleasing before you so will be you come and work in me And the scripture says that it is God who works in us only if you're willing, right? He comes and helps us in our journey and And I want to conclude this section with a few scriptures from the Bible that says When we return to the Lord and you know, you have these bunch of scriptures You can go through it when you can but time and time again It says in Deuteronomy for example in 30 verse 1 2 3 says return to the Lord and He will have compassion on you, right? Return to the Lord. He will deliver you in first time your chapter 7 If you return to the Lord, he will deliver you if you return to the Lord remnant of you And second chronicles chapter 30 verse 9. He says if you return to the Lord You will be treated with compassion for the Lord your God is gracious and merciful Right if you return to the Lord in Isaiah 19, he will heal us Return to the Lord. He will have mercy on us in Isaiah 55 verse 7 If you return to the Lord, he will heal us But then if you don't in Hosea 710 he says and the pride of Israel testifies to his face But they do not return to the Lord their God nor seek him for all of this Pride stopped them from repenting Non-repentance When you don't repent the posture of your heart is pride and So yeah, I hope that there was something that you could we could take away from from this session At least on this first three chapters about repentance So what we can do is we'll pause here and we will come back after our break and Continue on the study of repentance All right. Thank you