Repentance and Confession of Sin: A Sermon Study of Matthew 3:2

1.  We ought to never use the Christian life as a game.  It is not a game.  Rather it is a hyper-serious matter that our eternal future depend.  If we err on imputation, we fall into the very pit of hell.  If we reject repentance, we also provoke God with His Almighty sword to smite us.  We ought to take God's character very seriously and imitate God's character.  Satan did not want to imitate God's holy character!  Rather he wanted to rise above God and take "authority" over His divine transcendence, holy power, cosmic and sacred authority.  There is no one like our God.  That is, He is holy and set apart.  We ought also to seek to be holy and set apart.  We ought to respect and revere God for His holy character.  If we fail to do this, we fall into great idolatry.  We ought to pursue a holy life of constant repentance.  Hebrews 10:31 says it is a terrifying matter to fall into the hands of a holy and living God.  

2.  We ought always to worship and serve God in holy repentance.  Are you devoted to repentance through Christ crucified or repentance through no divine sacrifice of eternal value?   Muslims who repent reject a divine and substitutionary and divine atonement for sins of God's people.  Repentance is not a Buddhist teaching of self-reliance.  Rather it is a a gift of God from divine regeneration and intervention of God.  No human beings could repent except if it was not for the Spirit and the Word.  How do you take God's name?  Do you hear it only when it is used in vain?  Or, do you say it at the end of your prayers in reverence and respect to God through His divine Son?  Muslims reject the deity of Jesus Christ but true repentance will not work unless we acknowledge Jesus' divine nature in His hypostatic union.  

3.  If God is holy and we are not, what should that tell you?  It should tell you that you ought to repent of your sins because you are not holy!  You may ask, what does it mean to be holy?   It means to die to sin and live to Jesus.  It means to perish the thought of sin and live to righteousness.  It is only possible through the Cross of Jesus Christ.  Without the Cross of Jesus it is impossible to be holy.  The Old Testament saints looked forward in time to the Cross while we look back at the Cross.  The Bible calls us to repent of every wrong we have done.  It also means to repent of false doctrine or dogmas or strange traditions.   Is your tradition in the Bible?   Does the Bible condemn your tradition?  Why do you still embrace a man-made foolishness?  The Bible clearly condemns "graven images."  Yet we see it more in Orthodoxy and Romanism than ever before.   It is amazing what man will do to avoid the clear testimony of the divine Word.  We ought to see them convicted of their sin and discard their images to the dust.  Is anyone confessing their sin?  No, instead they reverence "graven images" and even kiss them!  It is a iconic abomination.  May God grant them the fear of God so they may turn from adding to the Word of God!  God is the only one to put saving faith in their hearts.  If it is done by man it will surely fail.  If it is done by God it will flourish unto glory.  Faith and repentance is evidence of true salvation.  However, faith in a false God is contrary to the Bible.  I remember one day in particular.  I understood that Mary was interceding for me to Jesus, because Jesus was angry.  I later discovered the real Jesus and He needed no appeasement from His mother.  Religions of men like to corrupt the gospel and add things to Jesus.  But we should understand that Jesus is all-sufficient.  If you acknowledge Jesus as all-sufficient, why do you add to Him when there is no clear biblical teaching on Roman or Orthodox Marian traditions except in false writings?  

4.  Have you confessed your sins in true repentance?  If a person sins and steals something, you ought to confess that particular sin particularly!  If you worship images or statues instead of viewing them as works of art, have you repented particularly of your iniquity?  You ought to read the Bible because it will search your heart.  You ought to ask God to search your heart through His written Word to reveal sin.   The sin that God reveals is something you ought to repent of.  There is much unknown sin in everyone's life.  For example, what have you done with your total depravity?  Have you confessed it for all the days of your life?  The flesh can be so deceiving that you could admit you have when you haven't.  However, all of us have offended God and offended His holy character.  Are you into man-made religion or no religion at all?  Are you not sure of what you should believe?  Go to the Bible!  It teaches exclusive belief in the name of Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.  Without belief in His name a person will go to hell.  You must be born again!  Read the Gospel of Luke and John.  Get into the written Word so it will penetrate your heart by His Spirit.  Remember that the process does not save you but only God's Son.  Jesus called all people to repentance, but some rejected Him.  By nature people hate God and His commandments.  The Ten Commandments teach us about how we have offended God.  It shows us a need for a divine Savior.  Repentance will not work through Allah.  Rather repentance only works to the Father through the all-sufficient sacrifice of God's dear Son.

God, be merciful to me,
On thy grace I rest my plea;
Plenteous in compassion thou,
Blot out my transgressions now;
Wash me, make me pure within,
Cleanse, O cleanse me from my sin.
My transgressions I confess,
Grief and guilt my soul oppress;
I have sinned against thy grace
And provoked thee to thy face;
I confess thy judgment just,
Speechless, I thy mercy trust.
I am evil, born in sin;
Thou desirest truth within.
Thou alone my Saviour art,
Teach thy wisdom to my heart;
Make me pure, thy grace bestow,
Wash me whiter than the snow.
Broken, humbled to the dust
By thy wrath and judgment just,
Let my contrite heart rejoice
And in gladness hear thy voice;
From my sins O hide thy face,
Blot them out in boundless grace.
Gracious God, my heart renew,
Make my spirit right and true;
Cast me not away from thee,
Let thy Spirit dwell in me;
Thy salvation's joy impart,
Steadfast make my willing heart.
Sinners then shall learn from me
And return, O God, to thee;
Saviour, all my guilt remove,
And my tongue shall sing thy love;
Touch my silent lips, O Lord,
And my mouth shall praise accord.