July
8, 2019 Monday Message
“Return,
then Repent!”
As
we talk about evangelizing, the words ‘Repent and Return’ roll off our lips.
“Repent of your sins, and return to Jesus!” But that’s backwards. Kinda…
God
repeatedly shows everlasting lovingkindness for everything he created (khesed),
and he’s full of grace and forgiveness. God’s desire is that even the worst
scoundrel among us would return. God didn’t make any junk, but some of us got
off track. Once back in the flock, the misfit will see the sinful nature of his
errant ways – he will want to change, to eliminate the sin from his life out of
gratitude for what God and Jesus have done for him.
Our
piscatorial Christian friends say, “You catch ‘em; we’ll clean ‘em!” Jesus
himself told Simon-Peter and Andrew that they would become “fishers of men,”
and isn’t that what Jesus commanded us ALL to do?
So
“Repent and Return” or “Return and Repent.” Either way works for me. We
shouldn’t delay assurance of salvation while awaiting repentance. The most
important thing is that everybody hears the Good News about forgiveness and
eternal life in the presence of the Father - available because of Jesus!
Norton
Lawellin
Let’s
worship together! Jesus in the City Fellowship meets Sunday July 14, 2019, 10:30AM,
3249 30th Ave. S., Minneapolis, MN 55406. This week, Paul counsels
the Corinthians to not tolerate overt evil within their congregation. (1 Cor.
5) I’ll see you at church!
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