The Kingdom of God
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| In loving memory of my father Robert Louis (Bob) Padgett July 28, 1931-May 22, 2023 |
(Part 3: Requirements to Enter - Repentance)
There are two basic requirements that must be met for a person to enter the kingdom of God ... "repentance" and what I will call "character refinement." Both of those conditions are the result of choices that we must make, frequently on a daily basis. The obvious first requirement or heart condition in order to enter the kingdom of God is to repent.
Perhaps every believer can give a definition of the word, "repent." The "textbook" definition of repentance could be "a firm inward decision, not an emotion ... a change of mind." The connection between repentance and living in the Kingdom is the central theme of Jesus' first message to His disciples, sometimes called the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5 - 7).
In this message we will share some thoughts about repentance. In our next message we will share about character refinement. Repentance is a key to enjoying what the Kingdom offers, a life of heavenly freedom and victory. Let us listen to some of the many exhortations in the Bible concerning repentance.
All men everywhere? Surely that can't mean you and me, or can it?
Note the two-phase requirement ... repent and turn to God. We can turn away from some of our sins but still not turn to God.
The 5 exhortations to repent in Revelation 2 and 3 were addressed to Christians.
Those verses clearly state that unless the Father draws us by His Spirit, we cannot be saved (or born from above). But nothing is automatic. Because man has free will, we can still reject the call of God. Therefore we must accept the call of God. That requires a decision on our part, not an emotion. That acceptance constitutes the first-level of repentance; i.e., from the status of being a non-Christian to becoming a born-again believer. But everything begins with God.
Jesus said, in John 6:44,
A "second level" of repentance, and the one which is perhaps most obvious to us believers, is when we are convicted by the Holy Spirit that we have said something "wrong" or done something "wrong." Then, like David, we must be quick to repent.
Nevertheless, we believe that there is another level of repentance ... and one which Jesus primarily meant when He came preaching, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." We must remember that Jesus spoke those words to the chosen people of God.
A few years ago I read on a web site a short excerpt, titled, "Removing the Candlestick!" The excerpt was written by a believer of great, national reputation (his name is not important) and a man who was highly respected (he went to be with the Lord not too long ago). His excerpt, which was an exhortation for believers to repent, was/is truth. However, there was no reference as to WHY we, as charismatic/Spirit-filled believers, need to repent. Unless we, as charismatic/Spirit-filled believers, see a need for the repentance that John the Baptist, Jesus, and the early apostles preached, then things will just rock along as usual. We can still have our nice meetings every Sunday, feel "good" that we have put an "X" in the right box, and never know what we missed. That is the same central message in the story of Gideon's army, as related in Judges 7. Although the article, "Removing the Candlestick," did not reference a specific Scripture, the author probably had in mind Verse 5 in the following, because his article was about the dire need for repentance on the part of the Church today.
The Church at Ephesus in Paul's time was considered the "highest" in spiritual awareness of all churches. No wonder, because they were taught by Paul day and night for three years. Clearly the Church at Ephesus in that day corresponds to the charismatic/Spirit-filled churches of today. We should never forget that all of Scripture is profitable for us today (2 Timothy 3:16). Verse 5 is an exhortation to us, you and me, today.
Everyone knows that the first and most important exhortation from the Lord to the Church at Ephesus was Verse 4, "You have left your first love." What is our "first love?" the Person of the Lord Jesus Christ Himself. The Church at Ephesus had become all engrossed and absorbed with hearing and learning new revelation from Scripture, with listening to all sorts of preachers instead of listening to what the Spirit was saying, with traditions of men, with focusing on "what's in it for me," etc.
In Verse 5, what are the "first works?" the works of the Spirit ... the works which were foreordained for us to walk in from before the foundation of the world. Perhaps the most important word for believers is, "Whatsoever He says unto you, do it" (John 2:5). We cannot do the first works unless we have returned to our first love.
The problem is that we charismatic/Spirit-filled Christians have become so hard-hearted and ego-centered that very few understand what "repent" means. Experience and observation indicates that very few who even preach that word understand what "repent" means to a believer.
The meaning of this third level of "repentance" is found in Isaiah 6 and Job 42. This level of repentance is, we firmly believe, that which Jesus referred to when He said, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." Isaiah and Job were both pretty good men. Isaiah prophesied in the first five chapters of the Book which bears his name. The Lord, Himself, had something to say about Job.
But Isaiah and Job both received a revelation, without which we will all continue to go around the same mountain day after day. They were allowed to see the holiness of God and the filthiness of us humans. What Isaiah and Job were allowed to see (revelation) came not through the teaching of men or the doctrines of men.
Concerning Verse 5, we charismatics/Spirit-filled believers have heard, with our natural ears, all about the Lord. (Well, maybe not ALL, but quite a bit.) We have read many books, listened to many of the TV preachers, listened to many of the DVDs, gone to many of the conferences, and perhaps have heard a number of new thoughts that have tickled our ears. Unfortunately, that is the problem. We are so full of information that we have left off the most important part ... hearing from the Lord Himself. We are so busy with all of our church meetings and busy work that we have left our first love.
Now we turn to Isaiah.
Isaiah, after he received a revelation of the holiness of God as compared with the corrupt nature of man repented when he said, "Woe is me, for I am a man of unclean lips and I dwell among a people of unclean lips." In other words, Isaiah repented because he was a man, not because he had done anything "wrong" or because he had said anything "wrong."
Many years ago, as I was reading those verses in Isaiah, I found myself reading it this way: "In the year that king self died I saw also the Lord ..." "Uzziah" does not mean "self." But the substitution of "self" in that verse is still true. If we desire to see the Lord, we must die to self.
Paul said, "I die daily." "He must increase but I must decrease." Whenever anyone is allowed to see the King, the Lord of Hosts, he must repent. We must repent simply because of who we are ... our human nature.
Almost every true believer will agree that no man, except Jesus Christ, could ever live up to the law. Jesus told us in Matthew 5:48 that we must, "Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father in heaven is perfect." That is a commandment! Why did Jesus say that? To help us to understand that just as no man, except Jesus, can ever live up to the law as given through Moses, in the same truth, no man can ever live the Christian life, except Christ Himself. The very FIRST principle of the doctrine of Christ (Hebrews 6:1) is repentance from dead works. That is the FIRST step toward perfection. That is required to return to our first love so that we can do the first works. If we do not fulfill that first step, we need not to try to get to step two.
Is it time to repent from our dead works and let Christ build His Church? Who perceives the difference between "dead works" and the works of the Spirit? Does anyone care?
In the final days of this age, the only hope an unsaved soul has to escape the impending judgment is to repent of sins, come to the foot of the Cross for forgiveness and experience regeneration.
But the modern church also needs to hear this same message of repentance. That is why Jesus had the apostle John record letters to "seven churches" in the book of Revelation. The relevance of these messages to a first century church calling them to repent cannot be denied. But the book of Revelation is ultimately for all generations. The "seven letters" make no real sense unless Jesus' words are also warnings to the church in the "end-time". These seven letters were penned for "seven churches" that represent what the end-time church (seven the number of totality) will be like. They are letters to specifically warn us of the dangers ahead that must be turned away from. Each church signifies a different group of believers and the problems peculiar to them to overcome. With believers already falling into some of these pitfalls Jesus warned about, to some extent these threats are already here. Unless there is widespread, deep repentance numerous other believers will also be casualties to these dangers in the final "days of evil" (Ephesians 6.13).
These "seven letters" also state that unless an end-time church does repent they will not inherit certain promises. These promises of Christ are pledges of deliverance in the "day of trouble" (Lephaniah 1.15). But they are promised only to a company of believers who "overcome". These "overcomers" are promised supernatural protection from the apocalyptic events that occur in the time known as the "great tribulation" (Revelation 2.22). Unless the backsliding of disobedient and wayward believers is "healed" they cannot inherit these promises, and this in turn depends upon them repenting.
Repentance is not a "one and done." It is clear that repentance is to be preached to the sinner who desires to become a disciple of Christ. What is not so clear to many of us is the necessity to continue to walk "in repentance" every day. This imperative for one already "born again" should be seen as no less important. Every believer needs to have a heart always open to turn away from what the Holy Spirit convicts as wrong and to turn to the ways of the Lord. But this resolve is none other than repentance. It is not hard to see the modern church has much to turn away from before "the great and terrible day of the Lord". That is to say, multitudes of believers will need to repent if they are to escape the judgment of the "great tribulation". This understanding about the final days of this age may not be what you subscribe to, yet it is plainly taught in Scripture.
To live a life that is distinctly different from the ungodly will not be easy or convenient and will depend upon how genuine is our walk in repentance. Repentance may not be a favorite topic with many, but it is an important one with God and vital to the advancement of the "Kingdom".
Perhaps every believer can give a definition of the word, "repent." The "textbook" definition of repentance could be "a firm inward decision, not an emotion ... a change of mind." The connection between repentance and living in the Kingdom is the central theme of Jesus' first message to His disciples, sometimes called the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5 - 7).
In this message we will share some thoughts about repentance. In our next message we will share about character refinement. Repentance is a key to enjoying what the Kingdom offers, a life of heavenly freedom and victory. Let us listen to some of the many exhortations in the Bible concerning repentance.
Acts 3:19, "Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord;"
Acts 17:30, "And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent:"
All men everywhere? Surely that can't mean you and me, or can it?
Acts 26:20, "But shewed first unto them of Damascus, and at Jerusalem, and throughout all the coasts of Judaea, and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, and do works meet for repentance."
Note the two-phase requirement ... repent and turn to God. We can turn away from some of our sins but still not turn to God.
Romans 2:4, "Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?"
The 5 exhortations to repent in Revelation 2 and 3 were addressed to Christians.
Revelation 3:19, "As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent."
In the parable of the "prodigal son," as recorded in Luke, Chapter 15, the younger son said, "Give me," then went out and wasted his substance on self. After a series of difficult circumstances he repented and went back to his father. Who caused the famine in the land? Who caused that no man gave unto the son when he was away? That illustrates the sovereignty of God. If we are called of God, He will arrange all of our circumstances to help us to return to Him if we have strayed. But He will never override our will.
That example clearly shows that true repentance is something that begins with God, and not with man. It originates not in the will of man, but in the free and sovereign grace of God. Apart from the working of God's grace and the moving of His Spirit, man of his accord is not capable of repentance. Psalm 80 declares this fact three different times. When anything is repeated three times in Scripture, we best pay attention.
That example clearly shows that true repentance is something that begins with God, and not with man. It originates not in the will of man, but in the free and sovereign grace of God. Apart from the working of God's grace and the moving of His Spirit, man of his accord is not capable of repentance. Psalm 80 declares this fact three different times. When anything is repeated three times in Scripture, we best pay attention.
3 Turn us again, O God, and cause Thy face to shine; and we shall be saved.7 Turn us again, O God of hosts, and cause Thy face to shine; and we shall be saved.19 Turn us again, O LORD God of hosts, cause Thy face to shine; and we shall be saved. Psalm 80:3, 7, 19
Those verses clearly state that unless the Father draws us by His Spirit, we cannot be saved (or born from above). But nothing is automatic. Because man has free will, we can still reject the call of God. Therefore we must accept the call of God. That requires a decision on our part, not an emotion. That acceptance constitutes the first-level of repentance; i.e., from the status of being a non-Christian to becoming a born-again believer. But everything begins with God.
Jesus said, in John 6:44,
"No man can come to Me, except the Father which hath sent Me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day."
For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure.Philippians 2:13
18 Therefore hath He mercy on whom He will have mercy, and whom He will He hardeneth.19 Thou wilt say then unto me, Why doth He yet find fault? For who hath resisted His will?20 Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus?21 Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour? Romans 9:18-21
A "second level" of repentance, and the one which is perhaps most obvious to us believers, is when we are convicted by the Holy Spirit that we have said something "wrong" or done something "wrong." Then, like David, we must be quick to repent.
8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.1 John 1:8-10
Nevertheless, we believe that there is another level of repentance ... and one which Jesus primarily meant when He came preaching, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." We must remember that Jesus spoke those words to the chosen people of God.
A few years ago I read on a web site a short excerpt, titled, "Removing the Candlestick!" The excerpt was written by a believer of great, national reputation (his name is not important) and a man who was highly respected (he went to be with the Lord not too long ago). His excerpt, which was an exhortation for believers to repent, was/is truth. However, there was no reference as to WHY we, as charismatic/Spirit-filled believers, need to repent. Unless we, as charismatic/Spirit-filled believers, see a need for the repentance that John the Baptist, Jesus, and the early apostles preached, then things will just rock along as usual. We can still have our nice meetings every Sunday, feel "good" that we have put an "X" in the right box, and never know what we missed. That is the same central message in the story of Gideon's army, as related in Judges 7. Although the article, "Removing the Candlestick," did not reference a specific Scripture, the author probably had in mind Verse 5 in the following, because his article was about the dire need for repentance on the part of the Church today.
1 Unto the angel of the church of Ephesus write; These things saith He that holdeth the seven stars in His right hand, Who walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks;2 I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil: and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars:3 And hast borne, and hast patience, and for My name's sake hast laboured, and hast not fainted.4 Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love.5 Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent. Revelation 2:1-5
The Church at Ephesus in Paul's time was considered the "highest" in spiritual awareness of all churches. No wonder, because they were taught by Paul day and night for three years. Clearly the Church at Ephesus in that day corresponds to the charismatic/Spirit-filled churches of today. We should never forget that all of Scripture is profitable for us today (2 Timothy 3:16). Verse 5 is an exhortation to us, you and me, today.
Everyone knows that the first and most important exhortation from the Lord to the Church at Ephesus was Verse 4, "You have left your first love." What is our "first love?" the Person of the Lord Jesus Christ Himself. The Church at Ephesus had become all engrossed and absorbed with hearing and learning new revelation from Scripture, with listening to all sorts of preachers instead of listening to what the Spirit was saying, with traditions of men, with focusing on "what's in it for me," etc.
In Verse 5, what are the "first works?" the works of the Spirit ... the works which were foreordained for us to walk in from before the foundation of the world. Perhaps the most important word for believers is, "Whatsoever He says unto you, do it" (John 2:5). We cannot do the first works unless we have returned to our first love.
The problem is that we charismatic/Spirit-filled Christians have become so hard-hearted and ego-centered that very few understand what "repent" means. Experience and observation indicates that very few who even preach that word understand what "repent" means to a believer.
The meaning of this third level of "repentance" is found in Isaiah 6 and Job 42. This level of repentance is, we firmly believe, that which Jesus referred to when He said, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." Isaiah and Job were both pretty good men. Isaiah prophesied in the first five chapters of the Book which bears his name. The Lord, Himself, had something to say about Job.
And the LORD said unto Satan, Hast thou considered My servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil? Job 1:8
But Isaiah and Job both received a revelation, without which we will all continue to go around the same mountain day after day. They were allowed to see the holiness of God and the filthiness of us humans. What Isaiah and Job were allowed to see (revelation) came not through the teaching of men or the doctrines of men.
5 I have heard of Thee by the hearing of the ear: but now mine eye seeth Thee.6 Wherefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes. Job 42:5-6
Concerning Verse 5, we charismatics/Spirit-filled believers have heard, with our natural ears, all about the Lord. (Well, maybe not ALL, but quite a bit.) We have read many books, listened to many of the TV preachers, listened to many of the DVDs, gone to many of the conferences, and perhaps have heard a number of new thoughts that have tickled our ears. Unfortunately, that is the problem. We are so full of information that we have left off the most important part ... hearing from the Lord Himself. We are so busy with all of our church meetings and busy work that we have left our first love.
But the anointing which ye have received of Him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in Him.
1 John 2:27
Now we turn to Isaiah.
1 In the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and His train filled the temple.2 Above it stood the seraphims: each one had six wings; with twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly.3 And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the LORD of hosts: the whole earth is full of His glory.4 And the posts of the door moved at the voice of him that cried, and the house was filled with smoke.5 Then said I, Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts. Isaiah 6:1-5
Isaiah, after he received a revelation of the holiness of God as compared with the corrupt nature of man repented when he said, "Woe is me, for I am a man of unclean lips and I dwell among a people of unclean lips." In other words, Isaiah repented because he was a man, not because he had done anything "wrong" or because he had said anything "wrong."
Many years ago, as I was reading those verses in Isaiah, I found myself reading it this way: "In the year that king self died I saw also the Lord ..." "Uzziah" does not mean "self." But the substitution of "self" in that verse is still true. If we desire to see the Lord, we must die to self.
Paul said, "I die daily." "He must increase but I must decrease." Whenever anyone is allowed to see the King, the Lord of Hosts, he must repent. We must repent simply because of who we are ... our human nature.
"Let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit"
(2 Corinthians 7:1).
No man can cleanse himself! So how do we fulfill that commandment? repentance. Then we allow the Spirit of God to do His work within us.
The most important thing that we can do is to repent. This does NOT necessarily mean that there is known sin in our life; it does not necessarily mean that we have committed some dastardly deeds. Rather, there should be an overwhelming sense of an inability to muster up righteousness or holiness within ourselves. We cannot depend on our knowledge of the word, nor the fact that we have ministered the word for many years, nor the glory that we experienced in years past.
There is no record that Isaiah had done anything "wrong" when he saw his total unworthiness in Isaiah, Chapter 6. There is no record that Daniel had done anything "wrong" when he identified with his people by saying, "we have sinned" (Daniel 9:5). There is no record that Nehemiah had done anything "wrong" when he identified with the children of Israel and confessed that "both I and my father's house have sinned" (Nehemiah 1:6). There is no record that Ezra had done anything "wrong" when he wept, prayed, and confessed his sins and those of the people (Ezra 9:10-10:1).
We must come to acknowledge our "nothingness" apart from Christ. It brings a sense of completeness that even correct doctrine can never achieve. My righteousness and holiness are totally inadequate to bring any sense of wholeness.
Repentance is the essence of mourning over the inability of my flesh and my will to produce the kind of righteousness and holiness that is acceptable to God. The righteousness and holiness which He looks for is that which only His Spirit can produce in our lives. It is not anything of our own making.
The most important thing that we can do is to repent. This does NOT necessarily mean that there is known sin in our life; it does not necessarily mean that we have committed some dastardly deeds. Rather, there should be an overwhelming sense of an inability to muster up righteousness or holiness within ourselves. We cannot depend on our knowledge of the word, nor the fact that we have ministered the word for many years, nor the glory that we experienced in years past.
There is no record that Isaiah had done anything "wrong" when he saw his total unworthiness in Isaiah, Chapter 6. There is no record that Daniel had done anything "wrong" when he identified with his people by saying, "we have sinned" (Daniel 9:5). There is no record that Nehemiah had done anything "wrong" when he identified with the children of Israel and confessed that "both I and my father's house have sinned" (Nehemiah 1:6). There is no record that Ezra had done anything "wrong" when he wept, prayed, and confessed his sins and those of the people (Ezra 9:10-10:1).
We must come to acknowledge our "nothingness" apart from Christ. It brings a sense of completeness that even correct doctrine can never achieve. My righteousness and holiness are totally inadequate to bring any sense of wholeness.
Repentance is the essence of mourning over the inability of my flesh and my will to produce the kind of righteousness and holiness that is acceptable to God. The righteousness and holiness which He looks for is that which only His Spirit can produce in our lives. It is not anything of our own making.
For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them. Ephesians 2:10
Almost every true believer will agree that no man, except Jesus Christ, could ever live up to the law. Jesus told us in Matthew 5:48 that we must, "Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father in heaven is perfect." That is a commandment! Why did Jesus say that? To help us to understand that just as no man, except Jesus, can ever live up to the law as given through Moses, in the same truth, no man can ever live the Christian life, except Christ Himself. The very FIRST principle of the doctrine of Christ (Hebrews 6:1) is repentance from dead works. That is the FIRST step toward perfection. That is required to return to our first love so that we can do the first works. If we do not fulfill that first step, we need not to try to get to step two.
Is it time to repent from our dead works and let Christ build His Church? Who perceives the difference between "dead works" and the works of the Spirit? Does anyone care?
Joel 2:1l speaks of the "great and terrible day" of the Lord. This fateful day dawned two thousand years ago, but it is yet to "shine forth" in its full brightness. Before that day fully arrives, both a sick, sinful world and a backslidden church must hear the message of repentance. In mercy, God will give both the godly and the ungodly a final opportunity to turn from their "wicked ways, humble themselves and seek" His face. Without this repentance it is impossible for their "sins to be forgiven and the land healed" (2 Chronicles 7.14).
In the final days of this age, the only hope an unsaved soul has to escape the impending judgment is to repent of sins, come to the foot of the Cross for forgiveness and experience regeneration.
But the modern church also needs to hear this same message of repentance. That is why Jesus had the apostle John record letters to "seven churches" in the book of Revelation. The relevance of these messages to a first century church calling them to repent cannot be denied. But the book of Revelation is ultimately for all generations. The "seven letters" make no real sense unless Jesus' words are also warnings to the church in the "end-time". These seven letters were penned for "seven churches" that represent what the end-time church (seven the number of totality) will be like. They are letters to specifically warn us of the dangers ahead that must be turned away from. Each church signifies a different group of believers and the problems peculiar to them to overcome. With believers already falling into some of these pitfalls Jesus warned about, to some extent these threats are already here. Unless there is widespread, deep repentance numerous other believers will also be casualties to these dangers in the final "days of evil" (Ephesians 6.13).
These "seven letters" also state that unless an end-time church does repent they will not inherit certain promises. These promises of Christ are pledges of deliverance in the "day of trouble" (Lephaniah 1.15). But they are promised only to a company of believers who "overcome". These "overcomers" are promised supernatural protection from the apocalyptic events that occur in the time known as the "great tribulation" (Revelation 2.22). Unless the backsliding of disobedient and wayward believers is "healed" they cannot inherit these promises, and this in turn depends upon them repenting.
Repentance is not a "one and done." It is clear that repentance is to be preached to the sinner who desires to become a disciple of Christ. What is not so clear to many of us is the necessity to continue to walk "in repentance" every day. This imperative for one already "born again" should be seen as no less important. Every believer needs to have a heart always open to turn away from what the Holy Spirit convicts as wrong and to turn to the ways of the Lord. But this resolve is none other than repentance. It is not hard to see the modern church has much to turn away from before "the great and terrible day of the Lord". That is to say, multitudes of believers will need to repent if they are to escape the judgment of the "great tribulation". This understanding about the final days of this age may not be what you subscribe to, yet it is plainly taught in Scripture.
To live a life that is distinctly different from the ungodly will not be easy or convenient and will depend upon how genuine is our walk in repentance. Repentance may not be a favorite topic with many, but it is an important one with God and vital to the advancement of the "Kingdom".
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