Walk in wisdom toward them that are without, redeeming the time.
— Colossians 4:5

One day as my wife and I were eating out, we discovered that the woman who served our table was a committed Christian. Since it was a slow day at the restaurant, we took a few minutes to talk to her. During our conversation, I happened to ask her what was the best and worst day of the week for a server in terms of tips. Without hesitation, she answered, “Sundays are the worst days. In fact, none of the servers in this restaurant want to work on Sundays. It’s the worst day of the week for a waiter.”

Fascinated by her answer, I asked her why no one wanted to work on Sundays. She told me, “As a Christian, I am embarrassed to say it, but the most demanding customers — those who are the hardest to please and leave the smallest tips — are usually Christians. In fact, when people come into the restaurant carrying their Bibles, the waiters and waitresses immediately start fighting about who has to serve that table because we know it’s going to take a lot of work and they won’t leave much of a tip.”

*[If you started reading this from your email, begin reading here.]

She continued, “Isn’t it sad that a Bible in a person’s hands is the warning sign that trouble lies ahead?”

Hearing about this negative influence that Christians had exerted on the employees in that place of business, I decided to delve deeper and ask how this had affected those who worked with her. She categorically told me, “The people who work in this restaurant just can’t understand how Christians can go to church on Sunday and then come into this restaurant and treat the servers so badly. Most of the servers here would rather serve unbelievers because they treat them nicer and leave bigger tips.”

It is unfortunate — but true — that often Christians unintentionally do or say things that leave unbelievers with a sour taste in their mouths. These believers forget that their life is their pulpit and the strongest message they will ever preach.

It is a fact that many believers have lost their Christian influence because of things they do or say that reflect a wrong image of Jesus Christ. If we are honest, I think we all probably regret something we did or said in front of unbelievers at some point in our lives. We all have made comments or acted in ways that we later regretted.

For example, has there ever been a time when you listened to someone tell crude jokes, and later learned that the unbelievers who were present couldn’t understand how a Christian could laugh at such jokes? Have you ever acted so selfishly that you totally turned off the unbelievers you were trying to win for Christ? Or have you lost your temper, exploded in anger, or uttered words that were not fitting for a child of God — and unbelievers saw you do it?

If you have done any of these things, I don’t mean to make you feel guilty or condemned, but as Christians, we must always be aware that a lost world is watching. We can never forget that we may be the only Jesus some people will ever see. This is why we must constantly ask ourselves, “What kind of Jesus do people see as they watch my life?”

In New Testament times, most of society was spiritually lost. As in today’s world, the Christians of that time found themselves in a world that was hostile to the Gospel. Because they were a minority in their world and the rest of society didn’t understand them or their faith, they were constantly “watched” by the unbelieving world. The apostle Paul knew that if Christians would live uprightly, it would demonstrate their faith. Therefore, their lives were really the strongest message they could preach. In light of this, Paul wrote to the Colossians, “Walk in wisdom toward them that are without, redeeming the time” (Colossians 4:5).

First, I want you to notice the phrase “to them that are without.” This phrase is based on the Greek word exo, a word that means without or outside. It depicts those who are outside, like someone who is standing outside of a circle. You are either in the circle, or you are out of the circle. In this verse, the word exo describes people who are outside of Christ. The Jews used this Greek expression when they spoke of people who were outside the Jewish faith or were non-Jews. The apostle Paul used this identical phrase to portray people who are outside of Christ or who are non-Christian.

Hence, this part of the verse could be interpreted:

“Walk in wisdom toward those who are non-Christians.…”

The word “walk” is the often-used Greek word, peripateo. It is a compound of the words peri and pateo. The first part of the word is peri, which simply means around. The second part of the word is pateo. Typically, the word pateo means to walk, but it can be translated in a variety of ways, such as to walk, to step, to stride, or to tread. When the word peri and pateo are compounded into one word to form the word peripateo, the new word means to walk around, or to walk in one general area as a habit, or it describes a person’s lifestyle. It was often used to depict a constant and consistent way of life.

Therefore, when Paul told us to “walk in wisdom toward them that are without,” he was telling us that walking in wisdom in the presence of unbelievers should be a way of life for us. The use of the word peripateo (“walk”) clearly means we must constantly walk in wisdom when we are in the presence of people who are non-Christians.

The word “wisdom” is the Greek word sophia, a very old word that denotes wisdom but which also expresses the idea of discernment. In other words, you and I must use judgment about the things we do or say in the presence of unbelievers. We must be sensitive to the fact that they are monitoring our words and actions. We must use prudence, caution, good sense, carefulness, and good ol’ common sense in the way we conduct ourselves before non-Christians. We should be distinguishably different from them and the lost world around us. Unbelievers are watching and are monitoring our actions. By living upright lives before them, we can make a godly impact on them.

In light of these Greek words, the first part of Colossians 4:5 could be interpreted:

“Habitually walk in wisdom — live according to its dictates and let it set you apart from the world around you. You have a responsibility to walk prudently and to use discernment and common sense when you are in the presence of non-Christians who are observing how you live and what you do….”

In tomorrow’s Sparkling Gem, I want to talk to you about what to do if you have done some- thing that has given a wrong impression of Jesus Christ to non-Christians who are watching you. You may have to swallow your pride, but it is vital that you make things right with those individuals. If you don’t present the right image of Christ to them, your bad example could be the very thing that causes them to reject Christ and suffer an eternity without God.

MY PRAYER FOR TODAY

Lord, I ask You to help me be more aware of the unbelievers who are watching my life. Forgive me for the times I’ve been preoccupied and forgotten that my life is my pulpit and the strongest message I will ever preach. Holy Spirit, help me to stay mindful that non-Christians watch how I live, what I do, and how I treat others. Help me to constantly be aware that my life may be the only sermon some people will ever hear. Help me live my life wisely and in such a godly manner that others will see a contrast between me and the dark world around them. Help me take advantage of every opportunity to shine the light of God’s love and His Word to those who sit in darkness.

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

 

MY CONFESSION FOR TODAY

I confess that I am a good witness for Jesus Christ! When people see me — how I live, how I talk, how I act, and how I treat others — they are left with a good impression of Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit is teaching me how to shine like a light in darkness to those without Christ who are around me. Because of my Christ-like example, many people without Jesus will come into the Kingdom of God. Since my life is the only sermon some people will ever hear, I will live my life each day in a way that accurately reflects the Person of Jesus Christ!

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

 

QUESTIONS FOR YOU TO CONSIDER

1. Have you ever known a person who claimed to be a Christian but who had unethical practices in his life that horribly conflicted with his claims of Christianity? How did this hypocrisy affect unbelievers who were watching his life?
2. Is there anything you are doing right now that would give a wrong impression of Jesus to non-Christians who are watching? Why don’t you take a few minutes to ask the Holy Spirit to speak to your heart so He can show you areas in your life where your testimony could be better?
3. Write down those areas the Holy Spirit has shown you where you could improve your Christian testimony. Once you make this list, put it in a visible place where you can be reminded to pray about it daily.

For a great and effectual door is opened unto me, and there are many adversaries.
— 1 Corinthians 16:9

Over the course of my ministry, I’ve had many great, effectual doors open for me to do the work of the Gospel. I’ll never forget when I received an opportunity to minister on television in the former Soviet Union. It was as if a great door had suddenly swung open to an entire nation — a door that had never before been opened for anyone else. I knew that I was experiencing something miraculous!

By faith, my wife Denise and I stepped through that door and began to preach the Word of God on television in this spiritually starved corner of the world. Given the former Communist regime’s violent campaigns against the Gospel in this region, this opportunity was as miraculous as was the Jordan River dividing for Joshua and the children of Israel! However, with this great open door also came a slew of adversaries, specifically dispatched by Satan to instill fear and doubt into my heart. The devil desperately wanted to prevent me from touching the lives of this spiritually oppressed people, so he positioned evil people with insidious plans to block my view from what God had in store for our ministry.

*[If you started reading this from your email, begin reading here.]

It was like the children of Israel looking at the Promised Land from the far side of the Jordan River. From that perspective, they saw only the fruitful land of blessing that lay before them. But once in the Promised Land, they had to fight giants of every kind before they could possess that land and enjoy the blessing. In the same way, if Denise and I had taken our eyes off the Lord during this tumultuous period — or if we had focused only on the problems and forgotten about the fruit we were pursuing for God’s Kingdom — I’m sure we would have backpedaled to get out of the situation.

However, we knew this opportunity was worth the fight, so we fixed our gaze squarely on the Lord. Girded with the armor of God and the power of the Spirit, we pushed through every obstacle and possessed the ground that God called us to take, and as a result, millions of souls began to hear the Gospel for the first time. We knew that only God could have opened this door!

In First Corinthians 16:9, the apostle Paul wrote about the strategic doors of opportunity that open for the Gospel and the adversaries that usually accompany them. He said, “For a great and effectual door has been opened unto me, and there are many adversaries.” Notice that Paul uses the words “great,” “effectual,” “door,” and “has been opened” to describe the opportunity that had been set before him.

The word “great” in this verse is translated from the Greek word megale, which means gigantic. The word “effectual” is the Greek word energes, and it depicts something that is powerful and ready to be set into motion. The word “door” is the Greek word thura, which typically refers to a door but in this context denotes a rare opportunity. Finally, the phrase “has been opened” is the Greek word anoigo, which describes something standing wide open. In other words, the door in question couldn’t be any more open! Thus, an alternate translation of Paul’s words in First Corinthians 16:9 could be rendered, “A gigantic, powerful opportunity is already set in motion and standing wide open….”

Furthermore, Paul continued by saying, “For a great and effectual door has been opened unto me….” You see, Paul knew that the particular door he was referring to had never been opened to anyone else, and he stood in awe of the unprecedented opportunity. Walking through these kinds of doors is impossible without divine assistance, and Paul was fully aware of God’s role in the matter. That is why he specified that this door had been opened “unto me.”

Paul’s prayer request in First Corinthians 16:9 was not for a door to open because it had already opened. His prayer request was to receive God’s wisdom to deal with the numerous adversaries who were attempting to come against him. Paul used the Greek word antikeimenoi to describe the vast number of “adversaries” that were sent to attack him. This Greek word described something set against Paul that was piled high and lying all around him. In other words, he was dealing with more than a few minor opponents; opposition was stacked high on every side!

The enemy will try his best to keep you from stepping through the gigantic doors of opportunity God desires to open for you. Satan is afraid of what will happen when “his” territory is invaded by someone fully equipped with a full arsenal of spiritual weapons! So know this: God will open doors for you — but He needs you to make a determined decision that you will walk through them, no matter the opposition, with the help of His Spirit. By opening the door, God has already done His part, which would have been impossible without His assistance. Now He beckons you to come dressed in the whole armor of God and in the power of His Word — and then proceed through that effectual door into new territory. It may look like enemies are everywhere, but it is simply a fact that the devil and his forces flee and collapse when they are subjected to a show of strong faith!

As I mentioned earlier, many great and effectual doors have been opened to me over the years to do the work of the Gospel. In each case, I knew that these doors were unique to me and had never before been opened for anyone else. And just as Paul experienced opposition, there were plenty of enemies that came against me with each opportunity. However, because I obeyed God, the devil was forced to move out of the way, and I walked right into the virgin territory that God had opened to me.

My friend, your situation may look frightful, but think about this: If God has supernaturally opened a new door for you — a door that’s never before been opened — He is not beckoning you to walk through it so you can fail. He is with you every step of the way, and He will empower you to defeat every foe and bring Him glory in that new territory that is yours to possess in Jesus’ name!

MY PRAYER FOR TODAY

Heavenly Father, You have set before me a rare opportunity for the sake of the Gospel. You have not opened this door for me to fail or to fall short. You opened this opportunity specifically for me; therefore, I know that You have equipped me precisely with all I need to succeed. Your plan for my life and for this opportunity is one of victory. Thank You for the supernatural weapons You have given me through Christ. I ask for and gratefully receive Your wisdom to know what to do and how to do it. By the wisdom and the power of the Holy Spirit, I put on Your mighty strength to exercise the courage and perseverance I need to obey You and to force hell to move out of the way!

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

 

MY CONFESSION FOR TODAY

I confess that I do not draw back, but I move forward in the power of the Spirit to walk through the open door the Lord has set before me! I acknowledge that through Christ, I have wisdom for this task. Dressed in the whole armor of God and in the power of God’s Word, I can run through a troop and leap over a wall (see Psalm 18:29)! I will not be deterred, distracted, frightened, or intimidated. Greater is He that is within me than any adversary that seeks to oppose me. The Lord has gone before me to prepare the way; therefore, I follow Him confidently through this new door so I can carve a path for the Gospel and prepare the way for others to enter and follow afterward.

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

 

QUESTIONS FOR YOU TO CONSIDER

1. What miraculous opportunities has God set before you in your life?
2. Do you remember times when God gave you new opportunities, but you paused — perhaps because you were concerned whether you had the guts and gumption to really do it — and as a result, the opportunity passed you by?
3. What did you learn from that experience? If God opens another miraculous door in front of you, what would you do different now?

In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.
— 2 Corinthians 4:4

I once watched a television interview with a very famous, wealthy businessman who is well known for his public opposition of biblical teaching. During the conversation, the interviewer asked this famously rich unbeliever for his opinion about the state of the world today. I was shocked to hear how he answered!

The man replied that the world in general had never been in better shape than it is in right now. As evidence to support his claim, he specifically mentioned the shift of morality away from traditional values, the widespread acceptance of same-sex marriage, and the emergence on the political and economic scene of a one-world system that he believed will turn the planet into an altogether better place. I was stunned at his answers. I wondered, How can anyone be so blind to the reality of what is taking place in the world today?

*[If you started reading this from your email, begin reading here.]

There does seem to be a very real form of blindness that causes a person not to see what is happening in this modern age. What really amazes me is that often the people who make these comments are actually intellectually brilliant! As I listened to this man speak, I wondered, How can people be so smart and yet so blind to the truth? But then the Holy Spirit reminded me of Paul’s words in Second Corinthians 4:4, where he wrote, “In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.” According to Paul, unbelievers really are blind to the truth!

When Paul wrote that Satan has “blinded” the minds of unbelievers, he chose the Greek word tuphloo for the word “blinded.” This is very important because the word tuphloo doesn’t just depict a person who is unable to see; rather, it vividly portrays a person who has been intentionally blinded by someone else. Someone has deliberately removed that individual’s eyes and permanently blinded him. This person hasn’t just lost his sight; he has no eyes to see.

Paul continued by saying that Satan “…blinded the minds of them which believe not….” This word “minds” is the Greek word noema, which is a form of the word nous. The word nous simply means mind. However, as the word noema, it no longer refers to the physical mind, but rather denotes the thoughts, reasoning, opinions, feelings, beliefs, or views that a person holds. Thus, Paul’s words in Second Corinthians 4:4 explicitly state that Satan has “gouged out” the spiritual eyes of skeptics and unbelievers to such a degree that it has affected their ability to see things correctly. Their thoughts, reasoning, opinions, feelings, beliefs, and views of what they experience and perceive are obstructed, hindered, and impeded. As a result, they are blinded from a correct view of the way things really are.

If you have any unsaved friends or relatives who seem “blind” to the truth, this verse may explain why they can’t seem to see the true state of things. Pray for the Holy Spirit to open their spiritual eyes so they can see the truth. The fact is that we are living in the last of the last days, and the world around us is changing very quickly. Events that were long ago prophesied in Scripture are unfolding before our very eyes. We have crossed the line and entered into the final chapter of history as we know it.

Thank God that by studying the Scriptures we can identify the time and exact age in which we live. With this knowledge before us, we can live soberly with eternity in view. Time is short, so we must wisely use the time that remains and shine the light of the Gospel into the lives of those whom Satan has blinded. The moment they believe, the Holy Spirit creates eyes for them to see. That is why it is so important that we don’t stop preaching the Gospel — even if people act like they don’t want to hear it.

As committed Christians, it is time for us to live with our eyes wide open to the times and to the events that are occurring around us. If we have friends or family who are unsaved and therefore blind to the truth, it is more urgent than ever that we fervently pray for God to give them eyes so they can see the truth that will save and deliver them.

Soon Jesus will come, and everything will change forever. Until then we have time to pray for those whom Satan has blinded. It isn’t that they are naive — they are blind. Satan has gouged out their eyes, blocked their view, and affected their minds. They have no eyes to see. Spiritual eyes are created for them to see only as the Gospel is preached and the Holy Spirit touches their minds.

Are you someone God wants to use so people’s eyes will be opened to see the truth? Maybe it’s time for you to quit praying for others to fill that role and recognize that God is asking you to be the one to share the Gospel with those who don’t know Him and bring them to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ! Keep your eyes open for opportunities to help the spiritually blind see, and the Lord will accommodate you with people who are hungry to listen and ready to see!

MY PRAYER FOR TODAY

Father, I pray for my family, friends, loved ones, and even my enemies as You told me to do. I ask in the name of Jesus that You would open up the eyes of their understanding to Your truth and to the reality of what is taking place in the world around them. Holy Spirit, I ask You to help them turn from darkness to light so that they would abandon what’s worthless and come to know and serve You, the Living God. Holy Spirit, I also ask You to help me recognize and respond to the opportunities you bring across my path for me to be a witness for Your glory. I am not ashamed of the Gospel, and I receive Your wisdom to win souls with the right words at the right time.

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

 

MY CONFESSION FOR TODAY

I confess that I am aware I’m living in the last of the last days. Prophecy is unfolding before my eyes. The world has entered into the final chapter of history as we know it. I exalt You, Father God, and I thank You that Your Holy Word equips me with the strength and wisdom I need for the time and the age I’m living in. I choose to live soberly with eternity constantly in my view. I make the most of every opportunity to let my light shine for Christ brightly and without compromise. My lifelong desire is that others who sit in darkness will be drawn to a saving knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ through the light they see in me!

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

 

QUESTIONS FOR YOU TO CONSIDER

1. Do you know an unbeliever who is simply going with the whims of the times and who believes that things are getting better in this world system?
2. Are you concerned about unbelieving friends who seem to have no ability to discern the times in which we live? Regardless of what you express to them, does it seem they just can’t see the truth?
3. What would the Holy Spirit have you do to bring the people who fit that description to a powerful encounter with God that opens their spiritual eyes to see the truth? In what way could you share Christ with them that could help them see things differently?

For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.
— Hebrews 4:15

If you’ve ever been controlled by hurt feelings and offenses, you know it’s a miserable state to be in. Everyone has opportunities to get offended, upset, or “ticked off” at someone. Take a moment to think about a time when a friend or family member did something disappointing to you. How successful were you at dealing with it? Be honest!

It can often be very difficult to rein in your emotions when you’ve been hurt, but the good news is that Jesus understands. Hebrews 4:15 says, “For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.” This verse emphatically declares that although Jesus was God in the flesh when He walked on this earth, He still faced every temptation you and I face in life. As a result, this verse says that Jesus is “…touched with the feeling of our infirmities….”

*[If you started reading this from your email, begin reading here.]

That phrase “be touched with” comes from the Greek word sumpatheo, which means to share an experience with someone or to sympathize with and have compassion for someone. What a comforting thought! Jesus empathizes with every temptation and struggle you face in this life. He identifies and sympathizes with you, and He has compassion for you regarding what you’re feeling and the situation you’re facing.

Jesus has been where you are. He has felt what you feel. He has overcome the temptations you are now trying to overcome. And because of His experiences, He understands the emotions, frustrations, and temptations you face in life. There is no need to feel too embarrassed to go to the Savior. If anyone can understand what you are going through right now, it’s Jesus! He has been tempted in all points just like you, yet He never succumbed to temptation. As a result:

• He understands your dilemma.
• He has experienced your problem.
• He is familiar with disappointment.
• He knows the temptation to get frustrated.
• He sympathizes when you get upset.

Jesus never fell into one of Satan’s traps, but He definitely faced the same frustrations we do in life. In fact, if Jesus hadn’t been tempted in every realm that we are tempted, He wouldn’t be able to understand us and serve as our great High Priest!

For instance, I can only imagine the frustration Jesus must have felt in the Garden of Gethsemane. He had invested three and a half years of His life into His disciples, and for the first time, Jesus needed them. Jesus asked three of His disciples to pray for Him during His hour of temptation (see Matthew 26:37-45). He asked them for only one hour of prayer, but instead of praying, they fell asleep. He came and pleaded with them a second time to pray with Him, but once more they fell asleep. For a third time, Jesus came and besought His disciples to pray, but again they fell asleep on the job.

What if you had been in Jesus’ position that night? What if you had given three years of your life to these disciples — but when you asked them to help you for the first time, they failed you again and again?

It would be normal for a person in this situation to be tempted to become resentful, upset, or even offended. Anyone in that position would be tempted to think, How dare you sleep on the job after all I’ve done for you! I’m sorry I ever did anything for you bunch of ingrates! However, Jesus never fell into the trap of bitterness, resentment, and unforgiveness. In fact, even as He hung on the Cross, He prayed for those who had perpetrated this evil on Him, “…Father, forgive them…” (Luke 23:34).

Jesus is on your side! Hebrews 4:16 goes on to promise that when you go to Him for help, you will obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need. So the next time you feel tempted to get upset or frustrated with someone, run to Jesus! He’s your faithful High Priest, inviting you to come boldly to Him to receive the grace you need to resist that temptation. Remember, Jesus understands precisely what you’re going through because He experienced that same temptation when He walked on this earth. But He also knows how to help you walk in love and forgiveness — just as He did in every situation, without fail!

MY PRAYER FOR TODAY

Father, I am so thankful that Jesus is my Great High Priest and that He understands everything that I face and feel in life. I can come confidently before You in His Name to obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need. The next time I feel tempted to get upset or frustrated with someone, Father, I make the decision now that I will walk in love and forgiveness just as Jesus did. I am so thankful that as my faithful High Priest, Jesus invites me to come boldly to Him to receive the grace I need to yield to His love and wisdom in me and to resist any temptation that comes against me!

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

 

MY CONFESSION FOR TODAY

I declare that Jesus understands precisely what I’m going through because He experienced that same temptation when He walked on this earth. He knows how to help me walk in love and forgiveness. Jesus has been where I am. He has felt what I feel. He has overcome the temptations arrayed against me. Therefore, I hold fast to my victory in Him. Because of Jesus’ experiences as He walked on this earth, He understands the emotions, frustrations, and temptations that I face in life. There is no need for me to feel embarrassed to go to the Savior. If anyone can understand what I am going through right now, it’s Jesus. And because of His blood and by the power of His Name, I am more than a conqueror through Him!

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

 

QUESTIONS FOR YOU TO CONSIDER

1. Have you ever thought of the fact that Jesus faced every single temptation that you’ve ever faced? Of course, He never yielded to the temptation, but what does it mean to you to know that He faced exactly what you face and was tempted to feel exactly what you feel?
2. Are you embarrassed to be totally honest with Jesus about the temptations you are facing, or do you feel you can be straight with the Lord about it? If you feel embarrassed, why do you feel this, especially since you now know Jesus faced every temptation you face?
3. Take a moment to think about a time when a friend or family member did something disappointing to you. How successful were you at dealing with it? How does Jesus respond when we disappoint Him?

And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now God commandeth all men everywhere to repent.
— Acts 17:30

“I’m an agnostic,” the man seated next to me on the plane answered proudly after I asked him about his religious affiliation. The two of us had been seated by each other for hours during that flight, talking openly about our political views, our different professions, and our educational backgrounds when suddenly the conversion shifted to the subject of religion.

This successful, wealthy man smugly told me about his impressive educational achievements, which were many. I listened carefully, and honestly, I was very impressed with his level of education. He then asked me about my own educational background and listened with great interest when he learned that I was an author and had knowledge of Classical and New Testament Greek. After hearing this, he wanted to talk in greater depth about history and the influence of Greek culture on today’s world.

*[If you started reading this from your email, begin reading here.]

It was just before the plane landed that the conversation moved to the subject of religion. That is when I asked him about his faith, and he proudly answered, “I’m an agnostic.” I sat back, looked at him, and exclaimed, “Really, an agnostic!” He asked, “Why is it so amazing to you that I’m an agnostic?”

Since he opened the door, I decided to walk through it, and I answered him, “Do you know what it means to be an agnostic?”

“It means I’m not interested in religion!” he told me.

I responded, “I’m really shocked that a man as educated as you does not really know what it means to be an agnostic. You ought to know what you’re talking about if you’re going to use a term like that.”

He answered, “All right, tell me what you think it means to be an agnostic.”

Since the man was impressed with the fact that I knew Greek, I reached into my arsenal and pulled out a word that would help me reach this man’s heart. I said, “The word ‘agnostic’ is derived from a specific Greek word, and if you really knew what that Greek word meant, I don’t think you would want to use it to describe yourself.”

He pleaded, “Please tell me what the word ‘agnostic’ means!”

So I looked him in the eyes and said, “In Greek, the word gnosis is the word for knowledge. When you put an a on the front of it, it turns it into the word agnosis, from which we derive the word agnostic. That little a on the front of the word dramatically changes the meaning. It no longer means knowledge; rather, it means stupid, unintelligent, or unknowledgeable.” He looked at me in shock as I told him, “To be honest, every time you call yourself an agnostic, you’re actually claiming to be stupid.”

His mouth fell open and he said, “You’ve got to be kidding!”

I looked at him and said, “Nope, that’s exactly what you’re saying every time you claim to be an agnostic. You might as well just say, ‘I’m stupid’ because that’s what the word means.”

He said, “Well, I’m not stupid, and if that’s what the word ‘agnostic’ means, I’m not going to claim to be an agnostic again. I’m not stupid! In fact, after this conversation, I think I’m going to start studying so I can find out what I should believe about God. I refuse to be stupid about anything!”

Before we left the plane, I recommended reading material to help him start his spiritual search. The books I recommended would lead him directly to Jesus.

In Acts 17:30, the apostle Paul found himself with a group of intellectuals who wanted to hear about his faith. As he stood before them, Paul knew that God had opened a great door for him to share the truth with these learned men. Paul fearlessly told them, “And the times of ignorance God winked at; but now God commandeth all men everywhere to repent….”

When Paul began to speak to these Greek intellectuals about ignorance, it must have been quite a shock to them because these men were venerated scholars. Paul freely communicated in Hebrew, Latin, and Greek, but because he was standing before the greatest living minds in Greece, he communicated with them in the Greek language. Just as I had delved into my verbal arsenal and extracted the word agnosis in order to reach the heart of this highly educated man sitting next me on the plane, Paul used the word agnosis to appeal to the minds of the Athenian judges and scholars who were seated before him.

Paul told them, “…The times of ignorance God winked at….” The word “ignorance” in this verse is the word agnosis, which, as we saw, is the same word from which we derive the word “agnostic.” Again, the root of this word is the Greek word gnosis, which simply means knowledge. But just as I related in the story about the man sitting next to me on the plane, the meaning of this word is reversed when an a is attached to the front of it. Therefore, agnosis doesn’t mean knowledge, but rather refers to a lack of knowledge, a lack of intelligence, ignorance, or even stupidity. Think about how bold it was for Paul to talk to these brilliant and educated scholars about ignorance and stupidity!

Paul went on to say that there was a time in the past when God “winked” at stupidity and ignorance, but now that day was over. The word “winked” is the Greek word hupereidon, which is a compound of the words huper and orao. The word huper means over, and the word orao means to see. When these two words are compounded, they form the word hupereidon, which means to overlook, to disregard, to discount, to ignore, or to take no notice of a thing. In fact, an accurate rendering of the word hupereidon could be to deliberately shut one’s eyes or turn one’s face to avoid seeing something. By using this word, Paul was plainly telling his listeners that the days of God closing His eyes and overlooking the ignorance of men is long past.

After Paul told his educated audience that God no longer ignored ignorance, he continued by courageously declaring, “…Now God commandeth all men everywhere to repent.” This word “command” would have been a difficult word for the Greek intellectuals to accept because they didn’t want anyone forcing a new religion upon them. It is the Greek word parangello, which means to instruct, to command, or to order. What was the order that God now gives to every man? As Paul unashamedly told those learned scholars, God commands all men — including them — to “repent.”

As we discussed in the last few days of Sparkling Gems, the Greek word for “repent” is metanoeo, which is a compound of the words meta and nous. The word meta means to turn, and the word nous refers to the mind. When these two words are compounded, the new word describes in its most basic sense a change of mind or a complete conversion. In the New Testament, metanoeo is used to denote a decision to completely change one’s thoughts, behavior, and actions.

Since metanoeo is a Greek word and Paul was addressing Greek intellectuals, the notion of a change of mind must have been very interesting to them. Paul was appealing to their intellect and reasoning with them to make a complete turnaround from the worship of idols to the Lordship of Jesus Christ. He boldly told them this was God’s order and made no apology for the truth.

Acts 17:30 concludes by saying that repentance is God’s requirement for “all men everywhere.” This phrase is all-inclusive, which means there are no exceptions to God’s commandment. All men are commanded to repent! The word “everywhere” in this verse makes this point even stronger because it is the Greek word pantachou. This Greek word literally means every place and excludes no person, ethnic group, skin color, or nationality. The message of the Cross and God’s command to repent is for mankind in every part of the earth!

There was a time when God winked at people’s ignorance, but that time has long past. Jesus paid the ultimate penalty for our forgiveness with His own blood on the Cross, and on that day, the time of ignorance came to a grinding halt. Today God no longer winks at or overlooks stupidity. Instead He commands men everywhere to repent — regardless of their nationality, background, social status, educational degrees, or skin color. There is no option or way out from this command! This is God’s requirement for every person on planet earth if he intends to enter the Kingdom of Heaven.

If you consider yourself a committed Christian, it is needful for you to recognize that you have a God-given responsibility to present the truth to people who are without Christ. Just as I shared the truth with the man on the plane, and Paul fearlessly presented the truth to the scholars in Athens, the Holy Spirit wants to use you to reach into your sphere of influence and bring the light of the Gospel to people who are still uninformed and sitting in darkness.

If you’ll let the Holy Spirit use you, He will speak through you to bring salvation to your family, friends, and acquaintances. It may be difficult to get started, but the Holy Spirit knows exactly how to appeal to every person’s heart. If you’ll listen to the Spirit and follow His directions, He will use you to put the key into every man’s heart to unlock it for Jesus Christ.

So ask the Lord today: Whom do You want me to reach in my sphere of influence with the good news of the Gospel?

MY PRAYER FOR TODAY

Lord, please help me remember that there are people in my sphere of influence who need to be washed in the blood of the Lamb. I ask You to help me love them enough to tell them the truth. I know that You have the key to every person’s heart, so please give me the key to unlock people’s hearts with Your words of truth so Jesus can come into their lives. I am so thankful that someone was loving and bold enough to tell me the truth so I could repent. Now it is my turn to do it for someone else. I ask You to help me get started reaching people today.

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

 

MY CONFESSION FOR TODAY

I confess that the power of the Holy Spirit is working mightily in me and that I am a bold witness for Jesus Christ. I walk in His wisdom, and I am not afraid to open my mouth to proclaim the truth because it has the power to set men free from the darkness that binds their souls. When I speak the truth in love, people open their hearts and listen to me. Because they see Jesus in me, they readily want to know how to come to God and commit their lives to the Lordship of Jesus Christ.

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

 

QUESTIONS FOR YOU TO CONSIDER

1. What person in your sphere of influence does the Holy Spirit want you to personally share the Gospel with in order to bring him or her to Jesus Christ?
2. When you pray, how often do you pray for unsaved people? Do you feel a sense of urgency for people who are unsaved, or do you forget that they are in need of salvation?
3. If you were an unsaved person, how would you want someone to approach you about Jesus Christ? Why don’t you take a few minutes to write down some ideas about effective ways to share the Gospel with someone who doesn’t know Jesus?

Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrines of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God, of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment.
— Hebrews 6:1,2

What would you think of a full-grown adult who never got serious about learning his ABCs and therefore had to keep repeating the first grade over and over again? Imagine 50 or so years passing since that person first entered grade school. As he nears his sixtieth birthday, there he still sits at a tiny little desk in a room full of first-graders.

Would you find that situation normal, or would you find it strange? It would be especially bizarre if that old man was mentally sound, yet found himself still sitting at a tiny desk in a room full of first-graders because he’d been too slothful to apply himself to learn.

*[If you started reading this from your email, begin reading here.]

Strange as that scenario may seem, it happens all the time in the Christian community. Many believers who have known the Lord for years have remained at the same level of spiritual immaturity ever since they were baby Christians. They never applied themselves or got serious about their spiritual growth, and thus, they perpetually remain spiritually immature. Although they’ve been saved for many years, they are still sitting in “beginners’ class” in Sunday school with children, figuratively speaking. They should be much further along in their spiritual growth, but because they were never diligent about their walk with God, they just keep repeating the basics over and over again.

In Hebrews 6:1, the writer of Hebrews listed what he referred to as “the principles of the doctrines of Christ.” The word “principles” is the Greek word arches, which denotes something that is original, early, or from the beginning. In Hebrews 6:1, this word arches specifically refers to the elementary principles of Christ. These elementary principles comprise the fundamental doctrine for beginners. They encompass the basic spiritual principles that every new believer should know, as well as the first steps of faith that every baby Christian should be able to take. In other words, these are the ABCs of the Christian faith.

The problem is, most Christians aren’t very familiar with these elementary principles. In fact, some don’t even know them at all! Furthermore, this failure to know the fundamental truths of the Christian faith causes them to struggle in life. Had they applied themselves at an earlier age, they would be much further along in their walk with God and therefore able to overcome the difficulties that confront them in life. But because they never took time to learn the basics, they are still sitting in a spiritual “beginners’ class”!

The first vital, elementary principle that the writer of Hebrews listed was “…the foundation of repentance from dead works….” This word “foundation” is the Greek word themelios. It is an early combination of the Greek word lithos, which means stone, and the word tithemi, which means to place. When these roots are combined, the new compound word denotes something that is set in stone; a foundation that cannot be easily moved or shaken; or something so solid that it will endure the test of time. Taken together, these different nuances of meaning are the reason the word themelios came to be translated as the word “foundation.”

By using the Greek word themelios, the writer of Hebrews was teaching us that if we are serious about our walk with God, our understanding of repentance should be set in stone. This truth should be so rock solid in our lives that we are immovable and unshakable when it comes to the subject of repentance!

However, this is sadly not the case for many believers in the modern Church. In fact, the survey results we read earlier found that a majority of regular churchgoing Christians could not provide an accurate definition of the word repentance! This is very alarming to me because it reveals that most believers are in a stunted state of spiritual maturity. Regardless of their age or how many years they’ve been saved, most of them are still in “Beginners’ Class” spiritually. If they still can’t articulate an answer to such a simple question, they are still in spiritual kindergarten!

Furthermore, Hebrews 6:1 clearly states that our knowledge concerning repentance should be so set in stone that it should never have to be repeated or taught to us again. It reads, “…not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works.…” The words “not laying again” are derived from the Greek word kataballo, which is a compound of the words kata and ballo. The word kata means down, and the word ballo means to throw. When these two words are joined together, the new word means to throw something down or to lay something down.

The use of the word kataballo in Hebrews 6:1 tells us something very important: The elementary principles of the Christian faith should be laid down in our lives like a strong foundation as soon as we come to Christ — and once this foundation is set in place, there should never be any need for it to be laid down again.

In fact, Hebrews 6:1 says that seasoned believers should be able to leave the fundamental truths behind and “go on unto perfection.” The word “leaving” in this verse is from the Greek word aphiemi, which means to leave it or to let it go. It does not refer to the abandonment of truth, but rather the realization that maturity requires pressing upward to the next level.

The beginning is not a stopping point — it is only a beginning!

This is the reason the writer of Hebrews continued by saying we must “…go on unto perfection….” The words “go on” are derived from the word phero, which means to carry or to bear. However, the tense used in this verse paints the picture of a force that carries one onward or a force that bears one further. It could literally be translated let us be carried, and it conveys the idea that as we grow spiritually, the Holy Spirit picks us up and personally carries us forward in our knowledge and understanding of God.

Where is the Holy Spirit carrying us? Hebrews 6:1 tells us that He is carrying us toward “perfection.” The word “perfection” is the Greek word teleiotes, which refers to a child graduating from one class to the next until he finally reaches maturity. This means that until we meet Jesus face to face in Heaven, there is no end to our spiritual growth. That’s why it is so very serious when an older Christian who has been saved for many years can’t even articulate the meaning of the word “repentance.” He should be much further along in his spiritual growth, but instead of reaching maturity, he has been content to remain in spiritual kindergarten.

Why is it so essential and elementary that we know and understand the doctrine of repentance? As we have already seen in the March 18 Sparkling Gem, the word “repentance” in the New Testament depicts a complete, radical, total change. It is a decision to completely change or a decision to entirely turn around in the way that one is thinking, believing, and living. It describes a person who is undergoing a complete and radical transformation that literally affects every part of his or her life.

Repentance is not a fleeting, temporary sorrow for past actions. Rather, it is a solid, intellectual decision to turn around and take a new direction in order to completely change the patterns of one’s life on every level. It is a mental choice to turn toward God with all of one’s heart in order to follow Jesus. It is the birth canal through which we are born into the Kingdom of God.

Repentance is the starting place for all believers, and that is why Hebrews 6:1 lists it as an elementary principle of the doctrines of Christ. It is the place where our turning away from sin begins, and it is the point from which we submit our lives to the Lordship of Jesus Christ.

Repentance is your starting place — so make sure that your understanding of it is laid down like a strong, immovable foundation in your life. Then once you know you are well established in your own personal act of repentance, let the Holy Spirit carry you onward and upward as you reach toward spiritual maturity.

MY PRAYER FOR TODAY

Lord, I want to thank You for helping me understand the importance of repentance and the need to establish this truth as a strong foundation in my life. Please help me meticulously examine my life to see if there are any areas in which I have never fully surrendered to your Lordship. I make the decision now to turn those areas over to You, starting today. I have made my choice that I will no longer live for myself. I purpose to live the remainder of my life to please and serve You with all of my heart. By the help of the Holy Spirit, I move onward and upward in my spiritual growth and press on toward spiritual maturity!

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

 

MY CONFESSION FOR TODAY

I confess that Christ set me free and I have turned from the past sins, habits, and bondages that once held me captive. Those chains may no longer lord themselves over my life. Since I came to Jesus, I have renounced my past ways of thinking and living. Now I live to please Jesus. To serve Him with all of my heart and strength is my highest priority. Jesus is Lord of my life! I live to satisfy Him, and I am being carried onward and upward by the Holy Spirit to new levels of spiritual growth and maturity!

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

 

QUESTIONS FOR YOU TO CONSIDER

1. Have you ever known a Christian who never seemed to grow in his or her walk with the Lord and kept repeating the same basic lessons over and over again? What qualities did you observe in that person’s life that hindered him or her from graduating from “spiritual kindergarten”? If that person is you, what steps do you plan to take to move forward and to grow spiritually?
2. Are you growing in your walk with the Lord? Can you say that you are well- established in all the elementary principles of the doctrines of Christ listed in Hebrews 6:1,2?
3. What elementary doctrines listed in Hebrews 6:1,2 are you not well-versed in right now? If there are principles in these verses in which your knowledge is deficient, what are you doing to get established in those principles in order to further your spiritual growth?

Then Judas, which had betrayed him, when he saw that he was condemned, repented himself, and brought again the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders, Saying, I have sinned in that I have betrayed the innocent blood. And they said, What is that to us? See thou to that. And he cast down the pieces of silver in the temple, and departed, and went and hanged himself.
— Matthew 27:3-5

In yesterday’s Sparkling Gem, I started talking about the subject repentance. Over the next few days, I’d like to continue to explore this all-important subject further with you, because so many don’t really understand what true repentance is or why it’s so foundational and necessary to the Christian walk.

I remember an experience as a young boy growing up in church that made a huge impact on my life and helped me understand the vast difference between two words: remorse and true repentance. Each year we had annual revival meetings in our church. It was at one of these revival meetings that I heard an evangelist preach about hell, and I became so convicted of my sin that I committed my life to Jesus. However, not long after I walked the aisle and received Christ, I began to seriously doubt whether I had really been saved. This doubt stemmed from watching what happened when others got saved, which was entirely different from my own personal experience. Adults often wept and wept when they bowed at the altar, but I didn’t shed a tear the day I got saved. Preying on my insecurity and fears, the devil began to torment me every day with thoughts, such as:

*[If you started reading this from your email, begin reading here.]

• Why didn’t you cry when you came forward to give your heart to Christ?
• Maybe you’re not really saved!
• If you were really sincere, shouldn’t you have cried like all the others did when they repented and got saved?

As time passed, I began to notice a very important trend. Frequently the people who cried buckets of tears at the altar were the same people who came forward in the altar calls each year during revival meetings. Growing up in church gives a person time to watch people and learn — and I began to recognize that many of these criers were the same people each year. I noticed that after they walked out the back door of the church, many of them didn’t show their faces in church again until the next year’s revival meeting. Then once again, they ended up back on their knees at the altar — crying buckets of tears and profusely sobbing. Finally, it dawned on me what was happening!

Many of those who cried profusely never changed. Although they nearly used a whole box of tissues sobbing at the altar, it appeared that nothing much deeper occurred than the shedding of tears. I began to realize that a show of emotion isn’t always a sign of repentance; sometimes it’s only evidence of remorse.

Repentance produces change, whereas remorse merely produces sorrow, which is often confused with repentance. But there is an enormous difference between repentance and remorse. A perfect New Testament example of remorse is found in Matthew 27:3-5, where the Bible tells us about Judas Iscariot. It says, “Then Judas, which had betrayed him, when he saw that he was condemned, repented himself, and brought again the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders, Saying, I have sinned in that I have betrayed the innocent blood. And they said, What is that to us? See thou to that. And he cast down the pieces of silver in the temple, and departed, and went and hanged himself.”

Notice the Bible says that Judas “repented” himself. Usually a person who repents doesn’t go out and hang himself afterward, so what really happened in this verse? The answer lies in the word “repented” that is used in this verse. This is not the word metanoeo, the word most often used meaning “repent” in the New Testament. Instead, this particular word for “repent” is the Greek word metamelomai, which portrays a person who is completely overwhelmed with emotions. This word is used five times in the New Testament, and in each instance, it expresses sorrow, mourning, or grief. The word metamelomai rarely gives the picture of someone moved to change, but rather depicts a person who is seized with remorse, guilt, or regret.

1. Metamelomai can depict remorse that grips a person because of an act he committed that he knows is wrong. If he were willing to repent, he could change and be forgiven. But because he has no plans to repent, stop his sinful activities, and rectify what he has done, he is therefore gripped with remorse. Consequently, this emotion produces no change in a person’s life.
2. Metamelomai can also express the guilt a person feels because he knows that he has done wrong, that he will continue to do wrong, and that he has no plans to change his course of action. He feels shameful about what he is doing but continues to do it anyway, which results in a state of ongoing guilt. This guilt produces no change in a person’s life or behavior. Yet genuine repentance would fix this feeling of guilt and remove it completely.
3. Metamelomai best denotes the regret a person feels because he was caught doing something wrong. He isn’t repentant for committing the sin; instead, he is sorrowful only because he got caught. Now he’s in trouble. Rather than being repentant, this person is regretful that he got caught and must now pay the consequences. Chances are that if he’d never been caught, he would have continued his activities. This kind of regret likewise produces no change in a person’s conduct.

Because the word metamelomai is used in Matthew 27:3, it means Judas Iscariot did not “repent” in the sense that he was sorry for what he did and wanted to make it right with God. Rather, it confirms that he was remorseful, seized with guilt, and filled with regret. Because of his actions, Judas blew his opportunity to be a high-ranking member of Jesus’ inner circle. Judas was more sorrowful for himself than he was for his participation in Jesus’ betrayal. This wasn’t a demonstration of repentance that leads to salvation, but of sorrow, guilt, and a deep-seated remorse that ultimately led to death. This is precisely what the apostle Paul meant when he wrote in Second Corinthians 7:10 about “the sorrow of the world that worketh death.”

Don’t misunderstand me — emotion and tears may accompany repentance. If we have sinned against the Holy Spirit, it is normal for us to experience godly sorrow for our actions. In Second Corinthians 7:10, Paul wrote about “godly sorrow.” Unlike the sorrow of the world that produces death, he wrote that “godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation.” But godly sorrow produces more than tears; it produces a desire to change that leads us to deliverance, freedom, and salvation. What a contrast to the sorrow of the world that produces hopelessness, defeat, and despair.

When I was a child and Satan tormented me because I didn’t cry at the altar when I got saved, I was as saved as it was possible to be saved. I had no tears to cry about my horrid sins because I was five years old when I committed my life to Christ. Even though I didn’t cry, my decision to serve Him was firm and therefore absolutely real. As a result of this experience, I learned not to confuse sobbing with repentance, for although tears and emotions may accompany this act, they’re not requirements, nor are they necessarily evidence that repentance has occurred.

Remember, the word “repent” is metanoeo — referring to a complete turn in the way one thinks, lives, or acts. For a person to repent, he must simply make up his mind to change.

So what is the difference between guilt, remorse, regret, and repentance?

• Guilt is a prison that will keep you perpetually bound and unchanged.
• Remorse enslaves you in sorrow that engulfs you emotionally and leaves you feeling sad, depressed, hopeless, and unchanged.
• Regret is self-pity that is focused more on your own personal loss than on the pain or loss you caused to others or to the heart of God, and it leaves you unchanged.
• Repentance is a quality decision to change — and when genuine repentance occurs in a person’s heart and mind, you can be sure the Holy Spirit will release His power to effect change in that person’s life and lead him to freedom!

So in light of what you have read today, are there any areas in your life in which you have felt guilty, remorseful, or regretful — but unchanged? Could it be that you’ve never really made a firm decision to change, and that’s why you’ve had no enduring victory in these areas of your life?

If you’ve confused tears with repentance, now you know that you don’t have to depend on your emotions to repent. If God is dealing with you about something that needs to change in your life, you can repent right now at this very moment, regardless of what you do or do not feel. God is waiting for you to make a decision!

MY PRAYER FOR TODAY

Heavenly Father, I thank You that You have given me the power to choose life. Today I make the decision to turn away from those actions and thought processes that are negative, detrimental, and destructive to my life. I don’t want to grieve Your heart in any way. What a joy to know I don’t have to wait for emotions to repent! I made the mistake of thinking I had to “feel” something in order to repent, but now I realize that feelings and tears are not requirements for repentance. Therefore, I am responding to the Word of God and to the voice of the Spirit who is speaking to me about making concrete changes in certain areas of my life. Right now I choose to repent of those things that I know are wrong. I make the decision to walk free of them and to stay free of them for the rest of my life. This is my point of no return.

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

 

MY CONFESSION FOR TODAY

I joyfully declare that I walk free of things that have long bound me. God is on my side! He sent His Son to die for my freedom and deliverance; He sent His Spirit to empower me; and I do not have to sit in a spiritual prison any longer. I proclaim that today is the day of deliverance for me! I permanently walk free of those things that have been a hindrance to me. Jesus died so I can be free, and I am free! Today is the day that I begin walking in my victory!

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

 

QUESTIONS FOR YOU TO CONSIDER

1. Can you think of a time when you were so engulfed in sorrow and remorse about something you had done that you were unable to really repent? How did your emotions get in the way of your repentance?
2. When you think back on your life to times when the Holy Spirit required you to repent about some attitude, action, or habit in your life, was your repentance more effective when it was dominated by emotions or when it was purely a decision of your will to obey? It’s different for everyone, so there isn’t a right or wrong answer. Which was most effective in your life?
3. What are the areas of your life right now that you need to turn from and leave behind? As you read this Sparkling Gem, did the Holy Spirit speak to you about specific areas in your present life? If yes, what were those areas, and what do you intend to do about it?

Then Peter said unto them, Repent….
— Acts 2:38

In a recent survey, people who regularly attend church were asked to articulate what the word “repentance” meant to them. The survey resulted in an intriguing and interesting assortment of answers. The majority of those who participated in the survey stated that they believed the word “repentance” meant one or more of the following:

1. To feel sorry about something one did or failed to do.
2. To feel remorseful about some act and to ask for forgiveness for it.
3. To walk forward in a church service to formally ask Jesus into one’s heart.

*[If you started reading this from your email, begin reading here.]

Although these answers are interesting, none of them is correct! What’s most shocking about this survey is that it was given to people who regularly attend church yet who could not accurately articulate what it means to “repent.”

Before we go any further, let’s include you in the survey. How would you define the meaning of the word “repent”? Try to answer that question before reading on.

The word “repent” is a very important New Testament word. The first time it is chronologically used in the New Testament is in Matthew 3:2, Mark 1:4, and Luke 3:3, where we are told that John the Baptist preached, “…Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Matthew 3:2). John’s ministry was literally launched with that one word “repent.” According to the preaching of John the Baptist, the only way to enter into the Kingdom of Heaven was through repentance.

Jesus, too, began His public ministry by beckoning His listeners to repent. In Matthew 4:17, Jesus commenced His preaching ministry when He said, “…Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” Like John the Baptist, Jesus knew that the only way to enter the Kingdom of God was through repentance.

Then in Acts 2:38, we read that Peter launched his preaching ministry on the Day of Pentecost with the same requirement of repentance. Just as John the Baptist and Jesus had called on men to repent, so Peter told his audience in Acts 2:38, “Repent.” Peter understood that repentance is the “birth canal” through which people enter the Kingdom of God. In other words, it is the only way to truly be delivered from the kingdom of darkness and to emerge spiritually reborn and filled with the God-kind of life.

Real repentance is very different from remorse. Yet feelings of remorse for a past action was one of the most frequent definitions given by people who participated in the aforementioned church survey.

The Greek word for “remorse” in the New Testament is metamelomai, which is very different from the Greek word for “repent,” the word metanoeo. Metamelomai expresses sorrow, mourning, or grief. It seldom refers to someone moved to change; rather, it gives a picture of a person consumed with remorse, guilt, or regret.

For example, the word metamelomai is used in the gospels to describe the remorse, guilt, and regret that seized the heart and mind of Judas Iscariot after he betrayed Jesus. What Judas experienced was not true repentance, which brings personal change and transformation. Because the Greek word metamelomai is used to describe the emotions that captured him, it tells us that Judas was inundated with distressed, regretful emotions. Such sorrow should not be confused with repentance, for there are many who undergo a flood of regret and sorrow for something they have done, yet they don’t truly repent.

Personal change and transformation — NOT remorse, regret, and sorrow — are the true proof of repentance.

The word “repent” that was used by John the Baptist, Jesus, and Peter, is the Greek word metanoeo. This is very different from the word metamelomai. The word metanoeo — “repent” — means a change of mind, repentance, or conversion. In Old Testament and Classical Greek language, metanoeo first and foremost meant a change of mind. Thus, the use of metanoeo is the call to turn or to change one’s attitudes and ways. As used in the New Testament, it demands a complete, radical, and total change. It is a decision to completely change or to entirely turn around in the way one is thinking, believing, or living. The word “repent” in the New Testament gives the image of a person changing from top to bottom — a total transformation wholly affecting every part of a person’s life.

The Greek word metanoeo is a compound of the words meta and nous. The word meta in this context refers to a turn or a change. The word nous is the word for the mind, intellect, will, frame of thinking, opinion, or general view of life. When the words meta and nous are compounded, as in the word “repent,” it portrays a decision to completely change the way one thinks, lives, or behaves.

Metanoeo reflects a turn, a change, a change of direction, a new course, and a completely altered view of life and behavior. This is not the same as a fleeting sorrow for past actions, but a solid, intellectual decision to take a new direction, to turn about-face, and to revise the pattern of one’s life.

I must point out the importance of the word nous contained in this definition of repentance. The word nous, as previously noted, is the Greek word for the mind. This means that the decision to repent lies in the mind, not in the emotions. Emotions may accompany repentance, but they are not required to repent. Real repentance is a mental choice to leave a life of sin, flesh, and selfishness, and to turn toward God with all of one’s heart and mind in order to follow Jesus.

A prime example of such a turning can be seen in Paul’s first letter to the Thessalonian believers when he commended them for the way in which they had “…turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God” (1 Thessalonians 1:9). The word “turned” in this verse is the Greek word epistrepho, which means to be completely turned around.

Note that Paul said the Thessalonian believers turned from idols “to serve the living and true God.” The word “serve” is important, for it tells us that the turn they made produced a life change with visible fruit that reflected the change. The word “serve” is the word douleuo, the word for a servant, implying that the Thessalonian believers had fully left behind idolatry and had completely dedicated their lives to serving Jesus.

By using this word douleuo, Paul informed us that the Thessalonians didn’t just claim to have repented; they showed it by changing the way they thought and lived and served. Their dramatically different outward behavior was guaranteed proof that real repentance had occurred.

Repentance is not the mere acceptance of a new philosophy or new idea. It is a conversion to truth so deep that it results in a total life change. The idea of an across-the-board transformation is intrinsic to the word “repent.” In fact, if there is no transformation, change of behavior, or change of desire in a person who claims to have repented, it is doubtful that true repentance ever occurred, no matter what the person claims. Real repentance begins with a decision to make an about-face and to change, but its proof can be witnessed as one’s outward conduct complies with that decision.

Repentance is God’s requirement as presented by John the Baptist, Jesus, and Peter, as well as in other places in Scripture too numerous to count. This means that a person cannot come to God and continue to live as he did before he received the Lord.

We sing the old song, “Just as I Am, Without One Plea”1 — and certainly we do come to God “just as we are” to receive God’s gracious gift of salvation. However, God does not expect us to remain the way we are. He expects change, and that is what repentance is all about. With godly repentance, there must be an abandonment of our past and a complete and absolute surrender to the Lordship of Jesus Christ, evidenced by our living according to God’s righteous standard.

1 Charlotte Elliott, “Just As I Am,” The Christian Remembrancer Pocket Book (Poetry, 1835).

As you grow in your walk with God, the Holy Spirit will continue to reveal things in your life that need to change. When He opens your eyes to those things that are displeasing to Him, you must be willing to repent — to make an intelligent, intellectual decision to adjust your thinking and behavior to conform to God’s ways. It’s a conscious choice. Will you remain belligerent in your attitude and thus defy God’s requirement to change — or humbly bow before His holiness and adjust your thinking and behavior to get in agreement with Him and His Word?

More than 2,000 years ago, Jesus began His earthly ministry by preaching, “…Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Matthew 4:17). He is the same yesterday, today, and forever (see Hebrews 13:8). Today He is still speaking to people’s hearts, telling them to turn from wrong ways that are detrimental to living a life that is holy and pleasing to God. So ask yourself if your ministry to other people reflects that same priority. But first and foremost — what is the Holy Spirit saying to you, and how should you respond today?

MY PRAYER FOR TODAY

Father, I am deeply convicted by Your Spirit about areas of my life that need to change. I admit that I’ve been tolerating things that are unacceptable for a child of God. I have been living far below what You expect of me. I see areas where I have fallen short of Your glory in my thoughts and attitudes, and it has negatively affected my life, my relationships, and my conduct. But starting today, I am choosing to repent. I make up my mind that my life is going to change. I’ve been wrong to think the way I have thought, and I’ve been wrong in the way I’ve behaved. I am no longer ignorant because You have spoken to my heart about these things. Since I am accountable for my attitudes and my actions, I am making the choice to repent and to change –– and it starts today!

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

 

MY CONFESSION FOR TODAY

I confess that I am unwilling to tolerate sin in any area of my life. I submit myself to the Holy Spirit and allow the Word of God to cause my thoughts and desires to become conformed to the mind of Christ and agreeable to His will. I align my thoughts and imaginations with the Lord so I can stay in step with His Spirit and in sync with His Word. I am obedient to the Lord, and I live a life that brings glory to His name. I do not just talk about making changes in my life — I prove my repentance is genuine by demonstrating the fruit of a transformed heart.

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

 

QUESTIONS FOR YOU TO CONSIDER

1. Can you think of areas in your own life that are not pleasing to God? If you’ve given yourself too much latitude and have allowed yourself to hold on to unacceptable attitudes, habits, grudges, and so forth, make it right with the Lord today by deciding to repent and change.
2. As you’ve ministered to people through the years, have you ever seen someone walk the aisle to give his or her heart to Jesus and yet never really change? What adjustments can you make in the way you preach about repentance to make sure people don’t take God’s requirements lightly?
3. In what ways did the Holy Spirit help you walk away from who you used to be before you received Christ so you could embrace the new person God created you to be? What habits did you turn away from, and what attitudes and actions did you replace them with in Christ? How can you become more effective in helping others through this same dramatic transformation process?

Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do? Then Peter said unto them, Repent….
— Acts 2:37,38

None of us likes pain. Yet pain is very important because it is a signal designed to alert us when something is wrong in our bodies. Our response to pain may be to determine the root of the problem or to simply numb the discomfort with painkillers. The painkillers may work for a while, but when the numbing effect wears off, the pain often reemerges because its source was never identified and corrected.

Generally speaking, the only way to permanently get rid of pain is to go to the root of the problem. Once the source is identified and the correct treatment is applied, the pain can usually be eliminated.

*[If you started reading this from your email, begin reading here.]

This principle is also true spiritually, especially for people who are unsaved or are out of fellowship with God. For example, a sermon about the coming of Jesus that simply thrills my heart and fills me with joy can create great pain in the heart of an unsaved person or a Christian who isn’t walking with God. When they hear that Jesus will soon return, it scares them and causes them inner pain and discomfort because they know they’re not right with God. That unsettled feeling in the pit of their stomachs — that pain — is a signal to let them know things are not well in their souls. Otherwise, they’d be rejoicing!

We live in an age when people want to be comforted and told everything is going to be all right. The truth is, some things are not going to be all right unless a change is made. We must love people enough to be graciously honest with them, regardless of how painful it is for them to hear the truth. Especially regarding people’s salvation, we must speak the truth and not be fearful of their response. If we are not forthright with unbelievers regarding their spiritual condition, they could spend an eternity separated from God.

It’s good to preach positive, uplifting messages. In fact, this is something we need to do in a world where there is so much hurt, depression, difficulty, and disappointment. Certainly we need to be a source of encouragement to fellow church members and other people who feel put down by life. But when unbelievers are in our midst, we are obligated to make sure they understand that sin separates them from God. As much as we may like them and enjoy their company, the unsaved are not all right with God. It may be painful for them to hear the reality of their situation, but we must not merely toss “painkillers” at them to numb them and keep them ignorant of the truth. We must open their eyes to the root of the problem in their lives –– their spiritually lost condition.

Especially when we are talking about reaching unbelievers or the subject of sin, we must address the root. All the motivational and “how-to” sermons in the world cannot cure a sinner’s heart. The sin nature cannot be changed by a pat on the back or a hug around the neck. We must come to grips with our responsibility to allow the Holy Spirit to help us be lovingly candid with unsaved people about their spiritual status. If they are lost, there is only one remedy: repentance and faith in Jesus Christ. It may be difficult at first for them to hear the truth, but it’s good for them to experience that kind of pain. It will make them inwardly aware that things are not right between them and God.

In Acts 2:37, we see how God used the apostle Peter to address unbelievers on the Day of Pentecost. With a no-nonsense, unapologetic, and direct approach, Peter preached the Gospel with power. He didn’t attack his listeners, and neither should we attack those we are trying to reach. There is never a reason to attack or to speak disparagingly to our audience. Even if people are dead in sin, they were made in the image of God, and they deserve to be spoken to with dignity and respect. Peter was respectful, yet he was forthright and honest as he went straight for the root of his listeners’ problem, preaching a message that made them so extremely uncomfortable and inwardly pained that they cried out to learn how to be saved!

Let’s look at the effect Peter’s message had on his listeners and see what we can learn from this New Testament example. Acts 2:37 tells us, “Now when they [the unsaved crowd] heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?” I want you to especially notice that this verse says, “They were pricked in their heart.” Let’s look at the word “pricked” in this verse, which is the Greek word katanusso, a compound of the words kata and nusso.

The word kata means down. However, used in the word “pricked,” it gives the idea of something that is deep or something that is deep down. The second part of the word katanusso is nusso, a Greek word that means to prick, to puncture, to stab, to sting, to stun, or to pierce.

The only other time the word katanusso is found in the New Testament is in John 19:34 where John writes about Jesus: “But one of the soldiers with a spear pierced his side, and forthwith came there out blood and water.” The word “pierced” in this verse is from this same root word nusso. It tells how the soldiers with a spear pierced, punctured, stabbed, and sliced open Jesus’ side. It was a deep puncturing of His side that pierced even His lungs.

This same root word nusso that describes such a deep puncturing is used in Acts 2:37, where it is translated as “pricked.” This alone tells us that the unsaved people in the crowd that day were deeply affected by Peter’s words. In fact, it means that his words had the spiritual effect of puncturing their hearts and that they felt sliced wide open by his message.

However, when the words kata and nusso are compounded to become katanusso, the new word is even more profound, for it describes not just a piercing but an extremely deep piercing that would produce enormous pain and discomfort.

The word katanusso in Acts 2:37 emphatically means that Peter’s listeners were deeply disturbed when they heard his message. That message gave them such an intense stab to their hearts that it penetrated their conscience, sliced open their souls, punctured their hearts, and cut them so deeply on the inside that they cried out for help. The message stung their hearts and minds as they became aware of their sin. Suddenly their souls felt an ache, and their hearts were filled with anguish.

When Peter stood before that lost crowd on the Day of Pentecost, he was standing before sinners in dire need of repentance. They needed truth that would change them, not a painkiller that would make them feel good while failing to remedy their problem. The root of the problem had to be identified so it could be dealt with and eliminated. For those unbelievers to have a supernatural change of nature, it would require repentance, so Peter presented the truth boldly, plainly, and with no apologies.

That day the Holy Spirit reached deep into those people’s hearts and convicted them of their sinful condition. The crowd wasn’t offended by Peter’s message at all. Acts 2:41 tells us that the unbelieving crowd “gladly received his word.” The words “gladly received” are from the Greek word apodechomai, which means to take quickly, to take readily, or to take with a welcoming attitude.

People are thankful when someone tells them the truth, even if it is painful to hear at first. They appreciate an honest approach. That day more than 3,000 souls came into the Kingdom of God as a result of the katanusso produced in people’s hearts by Peter’s honest preaching of the Word. Those are very impressive results!

As we present truth to people — especially to unbelievers — we don’t need to be ugly or harsh, but neither do we need to water down the truth or act apologetic for what the Bible teaches. When truth is presented clearly and powerfully, it puts a sharp, doubled-edged sword into the hands of the Holy Spirit, which He uses to penetrate the hearts of the unsaved. When the message is watered down, it dulls the edge of the blade and makes it more difficult for the Holy Spirit to slice through the demonic strongholds created in people’s minds by sinful habits, bondages, and general spiritual darkness.

Of course, we should always allow the Holy Spirit to lead us in knowing how and when to present the truth to someone who doesn’t know the Lord. Then as we speak in a spirit of compassion — and as we do it boldly, straightforwardly, and with no apologies — the root of the listener’s problem will be identified and eliminated.

We must never forget that the Gospel is the power of God that leads to salvation (Romans 1:16). There is never a reason for us to be ashamed of the Gospel or to apologize for the requirements God has set forth for all who would come to Him.

When the unsaved crowd heard Peter preach that day, their hearts were sliced so wide open by the truth Peter preached that they cried out, “Men and brethren, what shall we do?” (see Acts 2:37). The people asked Peter and the other apostles to tell them what steps were required for them to be made right with God. That’s when Peter boldly told them: “Repent.”

Think about the way you address unbelievers, and ask yourself the following:

• When I share truth with unsaved people, do I present it compellingly, compassionately, and clearly enough for them understand the real root of their problem?
• Do I comfort the lost and leave them feeling like they’re all right in their sin, or do I help them understand their need to be saved?
• If I were unsaved, would I feel the urgent need to repent and to give my life to Christ as a result of what I’ve been telling unbelievers?
• Have I been tossing “painkillers” at unbelievers instead of lovingly identifying the root of the problem in their lives and thereby leading them to Christ?

When we speak to unsaved people, we must not jeopardize their opportunity to receive salvation by watering down the message. To refuse to speak the truth because we feel embarrassed or don’t want to be rejected by others is actually selfish because we’re placing our desire to be accepted above their need to hear truth that has eternal implications for them. To restrain ourselves in fear that we’ll hurt their feelings or offend them isn’t justified either.

The truth is, people may feel stung by what we tell them, but that sting may be the very thing that brings them to Jesus Christ. Truth is truth — and we must stand on the side of truth and make it clear that God is calling unbelievers to repent. Sin and its consequences are eternal and unchangeable after death. Before lost people leave the sound of our voices, we must make sure they understand the consequences of sin and God’s requirement to repent.

Can you think of people you know who need Jesus Christ? Do you love them enough to sit down with them and lovingly tell them the truth, explaining how serious their spiritual condition is according to the Word of God? If you were unsaved, wouldn’t you hope someone would love you enough to tell you the truth? Is the Holy Spirit directing you to go to those individuals, share the truth of the Gospel with them, and lead them to Christ?

MY PRAYER FOR TODAY

Lord, I ask You to help me be bold when I speak the truth to people who desperately need Your gift of salvation. In the past, I’ve been timid and shy about telling the truth, and I ask Your forgiveness for it. At times I’ve even backed away from witnessing to lost friends and family and failed to tell them about their need to repent. I know I shouldn’t be embarrassed about my faith. You said whoever is ashamed of You and Your words, You will be ashamed of them before the Father (see Mark 8:38; Luke 9:26). The truth is still the truth. Many people are lost and headed for hell, and they need to know You in order to be saved. Father, I ask You to give me a heart of love for the lost and the boldness of the Spirit so I may unashamedly proclaim the truth to them and give them the opportunity to escape future judgment and to secure a home in Heaven. Teach me to understand that there is nothing in this world more precious than a soul, and help me reach out to souls in love with the saving message of Jesus Christ.

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

 

MY CONFESSION FOR TODAY

I confess that I make myself available for God to use me to share the truth with people who are lost and who are headed to an eternity in hell. Hell is a very unpleasant thought. However, the Bible teaches that it is a very real place of suffering and that those who die without Christ will inevitably go there. Starting right now, I make the decision to let God’s Spirit put a new love for the lost in my heart. I repent for being calloused and insensitive to the spiritual needs of the lost, and from this moment forward, I will allow the Holy Spirit to release His love for them through me. I am yielding my life to God so He can use me as a vessel to reach into the fires of judgment to pull people out before it is too late. Christ died for the unsaved, and I confess that I will be His vessel to proclaim the Good News that Jesus saves!

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

 

QUESTIONS FOR YOU TO CONSIDER

1. Can you remember the specific moment in your life when you came to a place of true repentance and asked Jesus to be the Lord of your life? Did someone reach out to you to help you come to that moment when you received Jesus? How was your life different from that day forward?
2. If you were sharing the Good News with an unbeliever, how would you explain the Gospel to him? How would you explain his spiritually lost condition? Would you tell him about the eternal ramifications of hell? How would you walk him through the process of becoming a child of God?
3. How long has it been since you’ve reached out to someone who was lost to tell him or her about Jesus? If it’s been awhile since that has happened, what’s the reason you haven’t done it?

And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin….
— John 16:8

Do you remember the first time you were convicted that you were a sinner? The first time I really knew I was a sinner is etched in my mind forever. For me, it was when a guest evangelist came to preach a week of meetings at our church. On one of those nights, he delivered a riveting message about hell. Although I was only five years old at the time, it shook me to my bones. By the time he finished preaching, the Holy Spirit had caused me to know that I was born a sinner and that if I didn’t receive Christ, I would spend an eternity in hell.

My five young years had been spent largely in the church. From the time I was eight days old, I was in church. I remember the church nursery, graduating to the next little Sunday school room, and so on. From the earliest age, my parents were teaching me that Jesus and church should be the center of my life — and for that, I am forever thankful.

*[If you started reading this from your email, begin reading here.]

Although I attended Sunday school where my teachers taught me about Jesus, it was when that guest evangelist delivered his message about hell that the Holy Spirit reached deep into my five-year-old heart and convicted me that I was born a sinner and that I would spend an eternity in hell if I didn’t repent and commit my life to Christ. I occasionally hear people say children are too young to comprehend such things. But I assure you that at the age of five, I knew I was a sinner and that if I didn’t repent and make Jesus the Lord of my life, I would be eternally lost. It wasn’t the horrible sins I had committed that condemned me; I was too young to have committed horrible sins. Nevertheless, I understood that I was born a sinner and my condition separated me from God.

I wanted to walk the aisle to repent, but my parents were concerned that I was too young to really understand what I was doing. They didn’t want me to simply fill out a card at the altar without truly coming to Christ. But from that day on, every night when it was time to go to bed, I would tremble with fear that if I died in the middle of my sleep, I would slip into an eternity without God. Each night as I fell asleep, my mother would lay at my side and speak to me about salvation to determine if I really understood sin, its consequences, and repentance. But the Holy Spirit had used that evangelist’s message to drive truth into my heart, and I was utterly convicted that I was lost. Although I was young, I understood, and therefore I became accountable to God for that knowledge.

In John 16:8, Jesus explained that one of the works of the Holy Spirit is to convict the lost of sin. Jesus said, “And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin….” According to Jesus, a significant part of the Holy Spirit’s work is to reprove the world of sin. That reproving work is what I experienced at the age of five when I heard that evangelist preach about hell. In that moment, my eyes were supernaturally opened and I knew I was lost.

If you know Jesus Christ, I am certain you can also remember a time in your life when you experienced this reproving work of the Holy Spirit and you knew that you were a sinner. The word “reprove” used in John 16:8 is from the Greek word elegcho. It means to expose or to convict, such as to convict someone of a crime or a sin. This word was used technically in a court of law to describe legal proceedings during which a person was examined and cross-examined by a prosecuting attorney. After a thorough examination, if the person was found guilty of the accusations brought against him, the court convicted him of the crime and issued a corresponding judgment. It was a conviction that led to condemnation.

Jesus used this word elegcho to describe the work of the Holy Spirit in John 16:8, when He said that the Spirit would “reprove” the world of sin. This means one of the significant works of the Holy Spirit is to cross-examine a sinner’s heart until that sinner is utterly convicted that he is lost. But unlike a prosecuting attorney and court judge in the example given above, the Holy Spirit’s goal is not to condemn a person, but to escort that person from his sin to the forgiveness, freedom, and life offered to him in Jesus Christ.

When a sinner’s eyes are opened and he really grasps the fact that he is spiritually lost and therefore deserving of judgment, it triggers that moment when from his heart, he cries out to God for salvation. This is precisely the purpose of conviction! In Romans 2:4, Paul told us that it is “the goodness of God that leads us to salvation.”

The word “leads” is the Greek word ago, which gives the picture of God graciously leading us where we could never go by ourselves. Because we are lost, we could never find the way on our own, so God lovingly steps in to escort us to a crucial point of knowledge — where we understand that we are sinners in need of salvation and that we need His help.

This is the reason the Holy Spirit brings conviction of sin! It is not to make a person feel badly, but to help each person become aware of his or her profound need. His purpose is to cause the sinner’s heart to cry out for God and to steer that sinner to the Cross of Jesus Christ, where forgiveness and release from judgment is available.

That awakening moment came for me when I heard an evangelist preach about hell. But by studying the different scriptures where the word elegcho is used in the New Testament, it is clear that the conviction of sin comes to people in a variety of ways. For example:

• In Matthew 18:15, the word elegcho is used to depict the personal witness of a friend, family member, or acquaintance, and how that personal witness can bring a person to a point of conviction about his sinful condition. We must never forget that we are anointed to take the Good News to people who are unsaved. When we speak to them, it triggers that divine moment when they really see and understand their need for Jesus. It brings conviction that leads them to repentance.
• In Luke 3:19, the word elegcho is used to illustrate how the preaching of John the Baptist brought Herod to a point of conviction about his sinful lifestyle. Herod refused to repent, but because of John’s bold and straightforward preaching, Herod could not escape knowing that he was a sinner. This is an example of how Holy Spirit-anointed preaching can bring a person to a place of conviction about his sinful condition.
• In John 3:20, the word elegcho is used to demonstrate how the Light — the truth of God’s Word — produces conviction in people who are in darkness and When the Holy Spirit shines His truth into unbelievers’ darkness through one of His many amazing avenues — such as through preaching, a believer’s personal witness, the printed page, or a television broadcast — it brings unbelievers to a place of conviction about their sin. At that moment, they have a choice: to run to the light and be changed or to run from the light and continue in darkness. Those who run to the light are gloriously saved, whereas others knowledgeably run from the light because they do not want to change. However, although they try to escape the light, it is too late, for the light of truth has already shone into their darkness and convicted them that their deeds are wrong. Truth brings conviction of sin!
• In First Corinthians 14:24, the word elegcho is used in the context of a sinner who comes into a church service where the presence of God is so strong that he is stricken with his unholiness in light of the holiness of God. The result is that he becomes convicted of sin and falls on his face in repentance. Here we find a reason why we should make every effort and do our part to build a strong presence of God in our church services. This environment unleashes His power to convict the sinner of his need to be saved, and it convicts the saint of his need for sanctification and surrender. A strong presence of God brings conviction of sin!
• In James 2:9, the word elegcho is used to denote how knowing God’s law makes a sinner conscious of the fact that he is a sinner and a lawbreaker. Romans 3:20 tells us that “by the law is the knowledge of sin.” When people have a knowledge of God’s law, such as the Ten Commandments, that knowledge makes them aware that they have fallen short of the glory of God and are therefore lawbreakers and sinners. The law of God is a major instrument by which the Holy Spirit convicts people of sin. Could this be the reason why the devil has worked so hard to remove the Ten Commandments from today’s society?

The fact is, if the Holy Spirit doesn’t direct a person’s eyes to see the truth about his sinful condition, he will never see it. It is a miracle when a man or woman sees that he is lost — and only the Holy Spirit can reveal this to a lost man (see Sparkling Gems 1, February 20, for more on this subject).

The wonderful news is that the Holy Spirit has come “to reprove the world of sin.…” He knows exactly how to bring every person to a point of conviction. He has the key to every person’s heart. He longs to lovingly escort every lost sinner to repentance and to a new life in Jesus Christ which is precisely what happened to me at the age of five when I heard that evangelist preach his fiery message about hell.  There was no escaping from the truth — the Holy Spirit made me to know that I was a sinner. The only remedy was to repent and commit my life to Jesus Christ.

So today I ask you: Are you available for the Holy Spirit to use you to shine His light into the hearts of spiritually lost people you know? The Holy Spirit knows how to reach them, but He needs someone like you through whom He can work. Are you available to Him? You may hesitate at first, but think how thankful you are that others allowed God to use them to reach you. Now it’s your time to let the Holy Spirit work through you to help lost people find their way to the truth that will turn their lives around and change their eternal destiny!

MY PRAYER FOR TODAY

Lord, I am thankful for the work of the Holy Spirit to produce conviction and change in our hearts and lives. I remember when I first became convicted of my own sin, and it eventually led me to salvation. Now I know that You want to use me to shine the Light of Your Word to others who are in darkness as I used to be in darkness. Forgive me for hesitating and being fearful to take this bold step of faith to act on the love of God in my heart for those who need You. Today I am rejecting that spirit of fear, and I am asking You to release Your power in me so I can help lead others to a place of repentance and lasting change. Help me do this for others just as others once helped me!

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

 

MY CONFESSION FOR TODAY

I confess that I am a bold witness for Jesus Christ. There are people I know — friends, relatives, acquaintances, and coworkers — who need to know Jesus Christ. I declare by faith that I am not selfishly holding back what I know to be life-giving truth. I will lovingly tell others the Good News that Jesus can save them and change their lives. I am a mighty vessel that the Holy Spirit can work through. Because I am available for His use, people in my life who need Jesus are coming to know Him and the freedom He brings!

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

 

QUESTIONS FOR YOU TO CONSIDER

1. Can you remember when you first became aware that you were a sinner and you needed to repent? What were the circumstances, and what exactly happened to you to let you know you were lost and without God?
2. Can you think of specific individuals in your life who you know are lost and you have sensed the Holy Spirit tugging on your heart to speak to them about Jesus? Have you been resisting this tug of the Spirit in your heart? If so, what is stopping you from telling them the most important news in the universe?
3. How long has it been since you’ve reached out to someone who is lost to tell that person about Jesus? A year from now when you look back, will you have a better answer to that question because of the decision you made today to be a bold witness for Him?