“Those whom I love I rebuke and chasten;
therefore, be zealous and repent.” Rev 3:19

It is not fashionable to repent anymore. It’s too messy, undignified. It’s old school. It’s ashes, and sackcloth. Books about repentance don’t make the best-seller lists. They don’t even get past the first reading at the publisher! Let’s face it, leaders consider that messages about repentance are not going to bring people out to church. They reason that the sheep need something practical, something to make them feel good about themselves, something to assuage all the wounds they get in this cruel world throughout the week. Not bad reasoning…for a psychologist! While it may be popular to talk about WWJD, it certainly is worth considering that the very first words out of His mouth when He began to preach were “Repent!” (Matt 3:2)

Hebrews 6:1 speaks of repentance as an elemental teaching, a part of the foundation of the church’s teachings. And yet, many would remove the foundation altogether! There is a whole stream within the church (call it “hypergrace”) which has abandoned teachings about repentance altogether. According to this popular “grace” message, Jesus already paid it all. Our sins have been completely forgiven. There is nothing left for us to do but to receive. Trust me, there is a part of me that loves the idea of being able to keep right on sinning and not ever have to worry about it! Unfortunately, it is a lie, and if perpetuated, it will lead to death and eternal consequences.

What compels me to write about this subject? First, I want you to be alert, vigilant, and not hoodwinked by this false teaching. It is a growing cancer in the Body of Christ. Second, I want you to take this message and apply it personally. I am asking this question of myself too: have I truly repented of any and every thing which is an offense to my Lord? Was it heartfelt, and thorough, or did I just say a casual “I’m sorry” prayer and move on. Sorry scratches the surface. We say sorry to gain some relief, in hopes that our actions will not be held against us. Through repentance the axe of God is laid to the root, resulting in not a simple covering over but a legal and experiential break from the power of sin. Sorry is volitional, but repentance is transactional. Jesus did not command us to be sorry; he commanded us to repent.

When Jesus confronts the church in Laodicea about their apathy, he says “be zealous and repent”. Zealous (Gr) implies heat, passion, and zest. That is the spirit and mindset which brings about true repentance. If I have zeal, I have the right “stuff” from which repentance is birthed. Without zeal, I only bring words to the altar. Though forgiveness is offered to me on the basis of “my confession”, I have discovered that it is only a matter of time before I have to rebuild this altar, and rework these words, since the power which causes me to sin never moved out and gotten a new address. It just went into the basement to wait for the opportune time to come out and wreak havoc all over again.

Among the marvelous Sermon on the Mount topics is a seldom talked about or understood verse, “Blessed are those who mourn” (MT 5:4). Mourning is one of the deepest and complex emotions we as humans experience. Without going into too much detail, may I suggest that we probably have not really found the key to true, lasting repentance without it. I must feel more than bad; I must feel grief. Like the one who mourns, he may be doing other things for days and weeks following the death of a loved one. But his thoughts will have been invaded by another, deeper reality where memories of the loved one cannot be discarded. For that season, we wear mourning like a cloak. Even when we are laughing, some part of us is still wiping away tears.

Jesus precludes his “harsh words” about repentance to the Laodiceans with the phrase “those whom I love.” The one who will repent with sincerity and conviction first hears these words of welcome and warmth. Since repentance is painful, it is critical to know that it is not the unreasonable demand of a cold taskmaster. It is longed for out of love, out of the anticipation and joy of reconciliation.

Make no mistake about it, for those who find the grace to repent, the benefits are dramatic and immediate. Jesus says of the truly penitent, “I will come and eat with him, and he with me.” I may close the door and cry out in agony and brokenness; but my weeping only lasts for a night. Joy comes in the morning. I rise from the way of divine exchange which a “sinner’s” hall of fame has trod, only to find a door has been opened for me, and a table set, filled with every item my hungry soul has ever longed for. As though this was not enough, I get to have Jesus…richly, personally, and intimately.

I named this article “Change” because few would have read it if I wrote “Repent”. But beloved, let’s be clear. You and I are never really going to change, until we learn to repent. It’s time to proclaim that there are no shortcuts—no painless, feel-good formulas.

So if you will please excuse me, it is time for me to stop writing about it. It’s time to pray.