Grace Blog
The Kingdom, the Community, and You, Part 3
This week, I have been writing about a kingdom hermeneutic–a way to interpret and shape life according to Christ who is our King and the kingdom’s advance in and through our lives. In Part 1, I focused on the preeminence of the King and how His kingdom should prioritize our thinking, inflame passionate affections, and pattern our living. In Part 2, I turned our attention to how pursuing the kingdom causes us to embrace a kingdom-ethic where we are considering others more highly than ourselves. Christ-like community takes shape when kingdom-focused disciples are embracing their identity and purpose together to pray and live out, “Your kingdom come.”
In this third and final part, I want to think about us, and in particular some points of application as it pertains to parts 1 and 2. This is crucial because we can have many “amen” moments in affirming theological principles without ever experiencing any “oh me” moments–times when we are confronted with realities requiring repentance. We are always susceptible to reverting back to our own little kingdom’s where we are king and the world revolves around us–our wants, our needs, our perspectives, our priorities, etc. When Jesus said, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand,” we should not forget that this is a present command; in other words, repentance is required regularly not only for the advance of the kingdom but its presence as well.
There are questions we ought continually to ask ourselves, especially when it comes to the direction of our lives or our church. Are we thinking of the kingdom of God first or ourselves? Are we trying to advance our agenda or God’s agenda? When it comes to others, are we looking to take advantage of what they can do for us or taking the advantage of the opportunity to do much in blessing them?
Kingdom confrontations are going to happen. In each of us are preferences, traditions, felt needs, and a sense of entitlement, all of which serve as filters to our worldview and influence the decisions we make. They are not all bad, but we must recognize that there will be times when, if we are humbly submitted to the rule and reign of Jesus in our lives, areas will be exposed where we are rivaling or even rebelling inwardly against the very thing we are praying for!
I am convinced that God has great things in store for Grace Baptist Church, but in order for us to fully embrace all of what He will do through His church, we must cultivate a passion for the kingdom, a priority to serve others, and a daily practice of repentance as we together seek to glorify Him through radically-devoted, gospel-saturated, kingdom-advancing lives. When we have God’s perspective for our church, we think little of ourselves, more of others, and always for the glory of Jesus through the building of His church!
Labels: Community, Kingdom of God, Repentance | posted by TimBrister at 7:51 pm | Categories: Community, Jesus |
1689 LBC and 1833 NHC on Repentance and Faith
1689 London Baptist Confession
On Faith
The grace of faith by which the elect are enabled to believe to the saving of their souls is the work of the Spirit in their hearts. Normally it is brought into being through the preaching of the Word. By the Word and its ministry, by the administration of baptism and the Lord’s supper, by prayer, and also by other means appointed by God, faith is increased and strengthened. (Luke 17:5; Acts 20:32; Rom. 10:14, 17; 2 Cor. 4:13; Eph. 2:8; 1 Pet. 2:2)
On Repentance
The repentance that leads on to salvation is a gospel grace by means of which a person who is caused by the Holy Spirit to feel the manifold evils of sin is also caused by faith in Christ to humble himself on account of sin. This humiliation is characterized by godly sorrow, a detestation of the sin, and self-loathing. It is accompanied by prayer for pardon and strength of grace, and also by a purpose and endeavor, in the power supplied by the Spirit, to conduct himself in the sight of God with the consistency of life that pleases Him. (Ps. 119:6, 128; Ezek. 36:31; Zech. 12:10; Acts 11:18; 2 Cor. 7:11)
1833 New Hampshire Confession
On Grace in Regeneration
We believe that in order to be saved, sinners must be regenerated or born again; that regeneration consists in giving a holy disposition to the mind; that it is effected, in a manner above our comprehension, by the power of the Holy Spirit in connection with divine truth, so as to secure our voluntary obedience to the gospel; and that its proper evidence appears in holy fruits of repentance and faith and newness of life.
On Repentance and Faith
We believe that Repentance and Faith are sacred duties, and also inseparable graces, wrought in our souls by the regenerating Spirit of God; whereby, being deeply convinced of our guilt, danger and helplessness, and of the way of salvation by Christ, we turn to God with unfeigned contrition, confession, and supplication for mercy; at the same time heartily receiving the Lord Jesus Christ as our Prophet, Priest, and King, and relying on him alone as the only and all-sufficient Saviour.
Labels: Conversion, Faith, Repentance, What Is a Healthy Church Member? | posted by TimBrister at 9:05 am | Categories: Conversion, Sunday School Stuff |
Repentance Commanded, Repentance Granted
A brief study on repentance in the book of Acts reveals that repentance is possible only because it has been granted by God (as a gift), and repentance is also a command for which sinners are responsible for obeying. The very thing God requires in our response as willing agents (repentance and faith), God provides in the covenant of grace. Consider the following verses . . .
Peter and Paul commanding sinners to repent:
“Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
Acts 2:38
Repent therefore, and turn again, that your sins may be blotted out,
Acts 3:19
The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent,
Acts 17:30
Repentance granted to both Israel and Gentiles:
27 And when they had brought them, they set them before the council. And the high priest questioned them, 28 saying, “We strictly charged you not to teach in this name, yet here you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching, and you intend to bring this man’s blood upon us.” 29 But Peter and the apostles answered, “We must obey God rather than men. 30 The God of our fathers raised Jesus, whom you killed by hanging him on a tree. 31 God exalted him at his right hand as Leader and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins. 32 And we are witnesses to these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him.”
Acts 5:27-32
18 When they heard these things they fell silent. And they glorified God, saying, “Then to the Gentiles also God has granted repentance that leads to life.”
Acts 11:18
In addition, we find Paul utilizing a phrase synonymous with conversion in the Pastoral Epistles (”knowledge of the truth”) where repentance is spoken as granted by God. In 1 Tim. 2:3-4, we read that “this is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.” The other place where Paul mentions this phrase is in the character description of “the Lord’s servant” whose conducts himself with the hope that “God may perhaps grant [their enemies] repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth” (2 Tim. 2:24-26). Contrariwise, it is the godless who are “always learning but never able to arrive at a knowledge of the truth” (2 Tim. 3:7).
What we can conclude from Scripture is that the means by which sinners are converted is repentance towards God and faith in Jesus Christ (Acts 20:21) both of which are grace gifts supplied through the regenerating and effectual calling of the Holy Spirit by which sinners are enabled to willingly and biblically respond to the message of the gospel.
Labels: Conversion, Repentance, What Is a Healthy Church Member? | posted by TimBrister at 9:36 am | Categories: Conversion, Sunday School Stuff |
