27.a. “Repent therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out”

 

Ephesians 1:7  In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.

 Acts 20:28    Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood.

 Matthew 20:28     even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

 Hebrews 9:14      how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God.

 1 Peter 2:24    He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed.

 Daniel 9:9     To the Lord our God belong mercy and forgiveness, for we have rebelled against him

 Acts 2:38   And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

 Acts 3:19     Repent therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out,

 Acts 10:43   To him all the prophets bear witness that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.”

 1 John 1:7-9    But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.  If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.  If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

The redemption and forgiveness given to us come according to the measure of the riches of His grace. It is not a “small” redemption or forgiveness won by Jesus on the cross. It is immense. It is huge. It is all-encompassing. We don’t deserve it. We can’t earn it. We can never be good enough to be worthy of it. We can’t buy it. Such it is a free gift, to all who would believe.  If you can’t earn it and you aren’t good enough to deserve it how does it work that we can receive it? We or a least a majority of us were brought up knowing there are consequences for our actions.  We were taught that doing bad or wrong things got punishment.  We would know right from wrong and choose to do wrong hoping we might not get caught.  If we did get caught we knew there was a price to pay.  Sometimes we might even do something not a thing was bad but it was.  

When we start to become aware of God and His Holiness, and we realize our sinfulness, we see a huge gap. Scripture says “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God”, “No one does good, no not anyone”. We see our sin in the reflection of God’s Holiness.  Try as hard as we might there is nothing we can do to make ourselves right before God.  We know the consequence of sin is death and separation from God and the consequence of this is eternal hell.  What must we do?  How can a person be saved from this? When the people in Jerusalem heard the message of the Gospel of Jesus Christ it says they were cut to the heart and asked; “What must we do to be saved?”  With mankind it is impossible but with God it is.  “For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son that who so ever would believe in him should not perish but have everlasting life.”  The debt no man can pay was paid in full by Jesus Christ for all who would believe, trust, rely on, and cling to, by faith, in Jesus Christ for their redemption.  

How many will end up in Hell because they choose to not believe?  How many will end up in Hell because they think they are good enough to be allowed eternal life in heaven?  How many voids their minds of thinking about eternity at all?  How many neglect this offer of salvation because of pride in themselves?  How many we be tormented forever and ever in Hell for eternity because they do not believe the consequences of their sin deserve Hell? 

There is but one way to Heaven.  Jesus Christ.  He paid the full price of your sin debt.  Humbly surrender, repent and turn away from what you once were, and fully trust, believe, rely on, and cling to Jesus Christ by faith.  At the moment you believe in Him you are born again and your sin before God is as if it were never there.  He has forgiven you and remembers it no more.  The new life begins and you are a new creation.  The life you will now live has a singular purpose, to honor and glorify Jesus Christ in all you say, think, and do forevermore.  Do not neglect or reject the gift of salvation.

Walked with God

And I will walk among you and will be your God, and you shall be my people.”

Genesis 5:22  Enoch walked with God after he fathered Methuselah 300 years and had other sons and daughters.

Genesis 5:24  Enoch walked with God, and he was not, for God took him

Hebrews 11:5-6     By faith Enoch was taken up so that he should not see death, and he was not found, because God had taken him. Now before he was taken he was commended as having pleased God.  And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.

Genesis 6:9     These are the generations of Noah. Noah was a righteous man, blameless in his generation. Noah walked with God.

1 John 1:7    But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.

Genesis 17:1    When Abram was ninety-nine years old the LORD appeared to Abram and said to him, “I am God Almighty; walk before me, and be blameless,

1 Thessalonians 4:1    Finally, then, brothers, we ask and urge you in the Lord Jesus, that as you received from us how you ought to walk and to please God, just as you are doing, that you do so more and more.

Genesis 48:15     And he blessed Joseph and said, “The God before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac walked, the God who has been my shepherd all my life long to this day,

1 Thessalonians 2:12     we exhorted each one of you and encouraged you and charged you to walk in a manner worthy of God, who calls you into his own kingdom and glory.

Exodus 16:4    Then the LORD said to Moses, “Behold, I am about to rain bread from heaven for you, and the people shall go out and gather a day’s portion every day, that I may test them, whether they will walk in my law or not.

Colossians 1:10     so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him: bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God;

Ephesians 5:15    Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise,

Hosea 14:9    Whoever is wise, let him understand these things; whoever is discerning, let him know them; for the ways of the LORD are right, and the upright walk in them, but transgressors stumble in them.

Deuteronomy 5:33     You shall walk in all the way that the LORD your God has commanded you, that you may live, and that it may go well with you, and that you may live long in the land that you shall possess.

1 Corinthians 7:17    Only let each person lead the life that the Lord has assigned to him, and to which God has called him. This is my rule in all the churches.

Psalms 16:8    I have set the LORD always before me; because he is at my right hand, I shall not be shaken.

Micah 6:8    He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?

Psalms 56:13    For you have delivered my soul from death, yes, my feet from falling, that I may walk before God in the light of life.

How we perceive God will direct how we walk before Him.  If we seem Him as our heavenly Father full of love, mercy, grace, power, strength, and might we will walk in a manner that is worthy of glorifying God.  If we see Him as knowing our thoughts and intents we will keep these in check and recognize those thoughts that do not bring glory and and honor to Him.  If we see Him as one who has plans and purposes for our daily lives we will seek to hear His whispers of leading.  We will wait on Him when there is uncertainty.

If we perceive Him as distant and only seek Him when there are troubles and trials our lives will come up lacking.  Our lives will lack purpose and we will jump from one thing to another seeking satisfaction for this life.  The problem is that there will be no lasting purpose found outside of humbly serving, honoring, glorifying, following and obeying God.

His word is full of wisdom, knowledge, understanding, and holiness of God.  In it we find food for our souls, purpose for our days, and understanding and hope for tomorrow.

Walk with God each day.  Stay in His presence.

This Hymn speaks of walking with Him.

I come to the garden alone,
While the dew is still on the roses,
And the voice I hear falling on my ear
The Son of God discloses.

And He walks with me, and He talks with me,
And He tells me I am His own;
And the joy we share as we tarry there,
None other has ever known.

He speaks, and the sound of His voice
Is so sweet the birds hush their singing,
And the melody that He gave to me
Within my heart is ringing.

And He walks with me, and He talks with me,
And He tells me I am His own;
And the joy we share as we tarry there,
None other has ever known.

And He walks with me, and He talks with me,
And He tells me I am His own;
And the joy we share as we tarry there,
None other has ever known.

I’d stay in the garden with Him,
Though the night around me be falling,
But He bids me go; through the voice of woe
His voice to me is calling.

And He walks with me, and He talks with me,
And He tells me I am His own;
And the joy we share as we tarry there,
None other has ever known.