First off, can I just say how much I love Mark Driscoll? For those of you who don't know who he is, he is a pastor at Mars Hill Church in Seattle, Washington. His podcasts are completely free on iTunes, which I thoroughly enjoy! Anyway, his sermons have really touched me and reminded me what this life is for.
In Driscoll's second podcast highlighting the Beautitudes, he talked about the inevitable change that we will experience through knowing God. He made a great analogy of true change in God, that clicked with me. An apple tree that bares bad fruit is still a bad apple tree, even if you duct tape oranges to it.(: The only way for it to transform into a fruitful tree is for it to be uprooted, replanted, and cultivated diligently. Our life in Christ is much the same. Our earthly desires and sinful nature cause us to turn from God, but if we allow Him to uproot us, we can be renewed. By God replanting us, our worldly wishes and unconscious sin are "uprooted", and we begin to hurt for what hurts God and rejoice in His rewards. Also, we become keenly aware of our sin, and through God, we repent for our sins and purify our hearts. Like an new apple tree has to be watered and fertilized daily, we too need to indulge ourselves in the Word of God and in open communication with Him.
But what does it mean to truly repent? Mark Driscoll, as always, has the answer. All thanks to the scripture, and God working through him, of course. According to Driscoll, repentance has three major steps that are lifetime goals.
1) Confession
2) Contrition
3) Change
I don't want to make this a rule book or instruction manual. Instead, I hope that it helps you to understand the true meaning of these powerful words, that are often overlooked.
Confession is plainly recognizing your sin. It's proclaiming to God that you can't live without His presence and that you can't endure this world without His hand to guide you. Confession is hard, because so many of us want to play by our own rules and receive praise for all we have done, when in truth, God created this whole world, including you, and everything you do should be to honor Him. Confession is a part of submitting your life to Christ, but it shouldn't stop there. When you sin, know that Jesus paid the ultimate price and forgave you of ALL of your transgressions, and do not be ashamed to admit your faults and lean on God for support.
Contrition is the act and feeling of repentance. Repentance is so much more than a one time deal. Mark Driscoll tells the story of a man in his Jesus and Repentance podcast, that was unfaithful to his wife, yet coldly and quickly dismissed it after apologizing. He went on to explain the same scenario, only flipped. This time the women, who had committed adultery, instead hyperventilated and made herself sick, when professing her infidelity to her husband. Yes, women are more emotional than men, but this women went as far as to make herself sick with guilt for what she had done. Mark said that even a deaf man would have known that she was truly sorry. This is not to say that adultery is good if you show true repentance, but to set an example of how we should mirror the women's genuine reaction to sin. We can apply this to our daily lives, by not just confessing, but transforming our ways.
And last, but certainly not least, change. Change is a frequently used word in the english language, but in terms of repentance it is so much more powerful. Change comes about through your will and works. Will and works go hand and hand. Through God's grace, your will and desires are changed. You want to know Him more. You want to share His word. You want to go to church. You want Jesus to change you. In this world, you can't just sit on the couch all day and become the next Bill Gates. You have to work at it. It's the same with Christianity and a relationship with Christ. You have to work to read your Bible and pray everyday. You have to work to show God's love through your actions. You have to work in time for church and God's message. You have to work to be changed. And you will want to!
Hope Mark Driscoll's perspective had as much impact on you as it did me. If you would like to see the full sermons, check the iTunes podcasts for the The Beautitudes Parts 1 & 2 and Jesus and Repentance. Comment below or on my facebook wall, if you find any other good podcasts! Courtney and I are always on the lookout for new ones!
...And my song of the day...(:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n5-Q1zAhqpA
VOICE OF AN ANGEL
<3 Abby
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