repentance

What is Godly Sorrow?

October 15, 2014 // 46 Comments

For godly sorrow worketh repentance… (2 Corinthians 7:10) What is godly sorrow? Apparently it’s when the Holy Spirit makes you sorry for your sin. “God grieves over you, you sorry excuse for a Christian. You have become an enemy of God!” There are some who insist you must weep and wail when you repent. [...]

Are Hypergrace Preachers Opposed to Repentance?

August 20, 2014 // 52 Comments

“Hypergrace preachers say there’s no need for repentance. They dismiss repentance as unbelief.” Actually, hypergrace preachers are for repentance. We say things like “repentance is essential” and “repentance is to be our lifestyle.” We are for repentance, for without it no one can receive the grace [...]

Why do people need to receive the gift of forgiveness if the whole world is already forgiven?

July 11, 2012 // 48 Comments

A friend of mine recently asked me some questions about forgiveness. If God forgave everyone at the cross, what use will sinners have for Jesus? Why will they care about the good news if there is no bad news? And aren’t we giving sinners a false sense of all-is-well by saying “all are forgiven”? His concern [...]

A New Covenant Picture of Repentance

February 20, 2012 // 21 Comments

Two classic signs of covenant confusion are: (1) you interpret repentance as turning from sin and (2) you think repenting will get God to forgive you. God does not need your permission or even your repentance to forgive you. He forgave you before you were born in accordance with the riches of his grace (Eph 1:7). [...]

3 Reasons Why I Don’t Preach on Repentance (“Turn from Sin”)

November 28, 2011 // 233 Comments

Religious people often complain that we grace preachers don’t discuss repentance sufficiently. It’s true. I hardly talk about it at all. But then neither did the Apostle John. Here’s something that will fry your mind: Repentance is one of the most important things you’ll ever do but John never mentions [...]

Why repentance is like football

November 20, 2011 // 55 Comments

What comes to mind when you hear the word “football”? Your answer to that question says a lot about where you come from. If you’re a fan of football and you travel the world you’ll often have conversations like this: “So you like footy. Who’s your favorite team?” “Collingwood.” “Never heard of [...]

What happens to Christians who commit suicide?

July 4, 2011 // 205 Comments

What do you say to the parents of a Christian teenager who has just killed himself? I faced this situation several years ago and, I have tell you, it’s not easy. Premature death is hard to handle at any time but suicide leaves loved ones bewildered at its senselessness. It seems the subject of suicide is one of [...]

Laodicea, Part 6: Behold, I stand at the door (Rev 3:20)

June 4, 2010 // 6 Comments

UPDATE: This is an old article. An updated and expanded commentary on this passage can be found in Paul’s book Letters from Jesus. Why did Jesus send a message to the Laodiceans telling them they were in danger of being spewed out? What was his motive? This is an easy question. Why does Jesus do anything for [...]

Laodicea, Part 5: Be Earnest and Repent (Rev 3:19)

May 31, 2010 // 9 Comments

UPDATE: This is an old article. An updated and expanded commentary on this passage can be found in Paul’s book Letters from Jesus. The Laodiceans were warned by Jesus that they were on the verge of being rejected. Why? Because they were neither hot nor cold. But as we have seen, this is not about being [...]

Holding Fast in Thyatira: The Seductress versus the Savior (Rev 2:18-29)

April 29, 2010 // 17 Comments

UPDATE: This is an old article. An updated and expanded commentary on this passage can be found in Paul’s book Letters from Jesus. Can you imagine what it must be like to have God visit your church and His eyes are blazing like fire? Look at how Jesus described Himself to the church at Thyatira: These are the [...]

Incomplete Deeds: The Zombie Church of Sardis (Rev 3:1-6)

April 11, 2010 // 18 Comments

UPDATE: This is an old article. An updated and expanded commentary on this passage can be found in Paul’s book Letters from Jesus. What a wonderful thing for a church to get a letter from Jesus! The seven churches of Revelations 1-3 were a real mixed bag with some getting rebukes and others encouragement, but [...]

Psalm 51 – The Badness of David versus the Goodness of God

March 23, 2010 // 15 Comments

Christians sometimes battle with guilt and condemnation even though God declares them “not guilty” and Christ has given us the gift of “no condemnation” (Rms 8:1). Some think that the way to shake off these bad feelings is to confess their sins. This is a little bit like saying “I feel condemnation [...]