Want to be right?

 

‘Repent and believe the gospel.’

In other words, ‘Turn around; stop what you are doing: and believe the good news.’

The greatest and best feeling in the world is to know that I am right with God.

To wake up in the morning, to be in work doing my job, to sit down in the evening and to go to sleep at night, knowing that I am right with the Almighty Maker of heaven and earth, is to live in a state of perfect peace and contentment.

To understand that all is not right with me before God, is the beginning of repentance. It is acknowledging that I am wrong and not living as I should. If I have no sensitivity about my wrong thoughts, my bad words, my evil and sinful thoughts and attitudes, my wicked practises, then where am I?

A repentant heart first expresses itself by owning up to God that I am not good enough or righteous, but truly wish I was. King David was a dirty sinner, and cried, ‘Oh God! Create in me a clean heart!’  (Psalm 51)

Ah, now there is a soul who God will listen to. He will always hear those who are humble and honest enough to tell him the truth.

To repent means that I am ready to put away all the junk in my life that offends God, in faith that he alone can forgive my sin and make me right. It involves the willingness and earnest desire to cease from wrong-doing and live a righteous life. 

I may not know if I can trust myself to live right, but I call upon God to help me, and I cut off all that I know to be wrong.

Then I need to believe the good news (the ‘gospel’) that promises me that if I repent and put my faith in the fact that Jesus died for me, I shall most certainly be forgiven and be made right with God.

It is only his blood that can wash away my sin and make me clean inside.

To be a true follower of Jesus Christ is to live a life of repentance that seeks always to do and be what God wants me to be. It means that I keep short accounts with him.

What I mean by that is, when I fail and make mistakes, or end up doing wrong in his sight, I quickly turn around, confess my sin, and ask him for forgiveness and restoration.

‘If we confess our sins (to God), he is faithful and just (righteous) to forgive us our sins, and to wash us from all unrighteousness.’  (1John 1:9) You don’t need a priest: only God can forgive sin.

We cannot be righteous by trying to be righteous. Righteousness is God's gift to us, freely given to anyone who asks.

From Pilgrim Warrior