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Some folks have concerns: are they listening to a mixed-grace Gospel and don’t know it? Well, it’s really not that hard to detect, my friend.
- where is the focus? Is it upon you and your works – or Jesus and His matchless grace?
- is there anxiety and uncertainty in your relationship with God? Are there suggestions that if you don’t toe the line, get it right, that you’ll be on the outs with Jesus? And that bad things might happen to you as you get “disciplined” by God?
- or how about, “Jesus died for you; so what will you do for him?” Feeling a sense of obligation? As if you should pay God back? The issue is not what you will do for God, but what you will let him do for you? The only work required of you is that you believe in the One whom He has sent. John 6:29.
On the other hand, if what you hear sounds like boasting about Jesus, causes you to fix your eyes on Jesus, causes you to shout for joy and give thanksgiving and praise to God for what He has done; then it is likely that you are listening to the real gospel.
What about repentance? For ‘works’ oriented people it means you turn from your sin. The focus is always your sin. Then you must feel bad for your badness, feel remorse and such. And there’s the fixing what you broke, if possible. Atoning for your sin in some way.
A friend of ours went through a 12 step program at least a dozen times: our friend loved writing down all their sins and feeling really really bad. Declaring themselves a bad person made them feel good. Go figure. They could not get past the past!
But faith based repentance is in response to what God has done. It is the change of heart and change of mind that happens when we encounter His grace. Repentance means a change of mind. Turning from something and toward SOMEONE. Emphasis upon the SOMEONE!
Preaching on it will not work! But experiencing the kindness of God does work! Preaching Jesus and His goodness is a good thing to do. Why? Romans 2:4 says, “Or do you think lightly of the riches of His kindness and tolerance and patience, not knowing that the kindness of God leads you to repentance?”
Dear friend, help someone experience the lovingkindness of God – it will lead to repentance as needed, and they will COME ALIVE!
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