Repentance is a requirement for the Kingdom. It means metanoia- goes beyond changing your ways. It means think new thoughts
Now that we know the what, let’s explore the why?
Why repent?
Is it because God says so? Which is a complete reason in itself.
But i’m asking for those who don’t know Him or ‘care too much’
Why should i?
Good question.
I was thinking about this earlier and i concluded through observation that the human existence as it is, when tainted with the element of sin, is operating at a sub-optimal level. Hear me.
I think being image-bearers of God, we thrive best in the soil of the qualities of God. The attributes of the fruit of the Spirit are the culmination of the total and true human experience.
It is a state of glory, of light. We blossom in love, we require affirmation in community, we survive in peaceful coexistence, we are the best humans when we exhibit the fruit of the Spirit. We are all yearning for the true essence of peace, goodness, humility, love, kindness, patience etc. There is a certain connection with your spirit when you come into contact with a true fruit.
The fruit plus the gift makes the man.
But sin often taints or depletes or corrupts our Fruit-bearing abilities. It is a false offering of the promise of what we inherently need or seek.
It is always a false offering.
So when we (inherently) reach out for sin by literally just being human🤣🤣🤣, we get pleasure but it is always tainted with some consequence, regret, pain etc.
Like, the sin is momentarily relieving us of the tension of life’s mysteries, or offering some pleasure, stroking our ego, or giving false comfort but it isn’t fully satisfactory or fulfilling.
It always leaves us with the internal conflict of me kraa, why am i like this?.
Unless you are a witch🤣🤣🤣, i think the basal law of conscience makes you aware of the standard of ‘goodness’. You may be failing miserably at meeting the standard, but you know there is a standard.
Romans 1:18-19 says it better
Like you know. Whether you choose to believe it or not is different. The truth is there is inherent knowledge of a standard of living as a human, and a painful recognition that you no fit🤣🤣🤣🤣.
This is not in reference to societal constructs o. I’m referring to the internal spiritual/soulish ‘conflict’. I wish i had better english to explain what i mean😩.
What’s my point?
The repentance isn’t so much about avoiding sin but about ‘returning’ or ‘becoming’ reinstated to the original intent.
And God’s choice offering for this is through Jesus.
Jesus is the way to the Father.
Not the Father who is a judge somewhere waiting to punish us o. (Even though it’s highkey true)
But as a Just Father who has seen how sin has ‘downgraded’ us, and who (out of love and mercy), wants any willing child to Return To His original design, through the perfect prototype. The second Adam.
Idk if this makes sense 🤣🤣🤣🤣
Like it is clear in my head o, but idk if i’m articulating it well.
The point is, the reason for repentance is not to ‘obey’ a strict set of rules. Or not to deny yourself of ‘pleasure’ as you know it.
Like life in Christ isn’t boring, unpleasureable, ghetto and whatever else the sin and some christians are making you think it is.
It is the opposite. You are repenting to become ‘the higher way’, the most excellent way.
It’s the pathway to an upgrade of your human existence. So let us embrace Repentance
to be continued