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YWAM DTS Notes on Repentance and Forgiveness based on lectures by Ken Mulligan

A passage in Galatians spoke to me as I thought of loving God and loving others.

For you were called to freedom, brethren; only do not turn your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. 14 For the whole Law is fulfilled in one word, in the statement, "YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF." 15 But if you bite and devour one another, take care that you are not consumed by one another. 16 But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh. 17 For the flesh set its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, so that you may not do the things that you please. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the Law. 19 Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: immorality , impurity, sensuality, 20 idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions , 21 envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. 24 Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit. 26 Let us not become boastful, challenging one another, envying one another. Gal 5:13-26 (NASB) 

What a summary Paul makes, we have crucified the flesh and now walk by the spirit.  It challenges me to consider am I really living a life where my flesh is crucified?  Am I really walking by the Spirit, allowing the Holy Spirit to have complete reign and expression in my life?

If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

1 John 1:9 (NASB)

If I agree with God and tell on myself to Him, I can count on Him to be a fair and totally righteous Judge who will forgive me and make me pure, fit for His service.

 
A daily devotion I receive by email spoke to my heart, dealing with my attitude.  “The greatest discovery of any generation is that human beings can alter their lives by altering their attitudes.

Your success in any endeavor is usually a reflection of your attitude. Seek God's daily guidance to provide you with a constant reminder that you are in control of your destiny”. (from Think About GOD's Daily TAG line.)  This underscores the importance of my attitude but it is God and not me, who controls my destiny. 

For the Kingdom of God is not a matter of what we eat or drink, but of living a life of goodness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. If you serve Christ with this attitude, you will please God, and others will approve of you, too.

Romans 14:17-18

I was reminded this week again of just how much God hates sin.  I should hate sin like He does.

Satan wants us to justify our sin, hide our sin, condone sin, be critical of the sin of others.  God wants us be open and transparent, bring our sin out in the light, confess our sin, and seek the prayer support of others. 

I didn’t expect to hear so much about Lordship and aligning with the purposes of God under this topic.   I am again thrilled to see the practical applications being made, so that it is not just head knowledge but life changing application.

I was reminded of many familiar areas from the Institute in Basic Youth Conflicts that deals with many biblical principles in the same way.  Describing the many facets of pride, the need to make restitution,  the effects of immorality,

Now in those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the wilderness of Judea, saying, ² "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." ³ For this is the one referred to by Isaiah the prophet when he said, "THE VOICE OF ONE CRYING IN THE WILDERNESS, MAKE READY THE WAY OF THE LORD, MAKE HIS PATHS STRAIGHT!' “4 Now John himself had a garment of camel's hair and a leather belt around his waist; and his food was locusts and wild honey. ⁵ Then Jerusalem was going out to him, and all Judea and all the district around the Jordan; ⁶ and they were being baptized by him in the Jordan River, as they confessed their sins. ⁷ But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming for baptism, he said to them, "You brood of vipers, who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? ⁸ "Therefore bear fruit in keeping with repentance; ⁹ and do not suppose that you can say to yourselves, 'We have Abraham for our father'; for I say to you that from these stones God is able to raise up children to Abraham. ¹⁰ "The axe is already laid at the root of the trees; therefore every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. ¹¹ "As for me, I baptize you with water for repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, and I am not fit to remove His sandals; He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. Matt 3:1-11 (NASB)

True repentance bears fruit.  We can examine the fruits.  Repentance is the Greek word metanoia, meaning a change of mind.  We align with God.  We must ask our self is my purpose in life aligned with God’s purpose for me.  We can experience the forgiveness of sin and we don’t have to live in a world of regret. 

"But now I am going to Him who sent Me; and none of you asks Me, 'Where are You going?' ⁶ "But because I have said these things to you, sorrow has filled your heart. ⁷ "But I tell you the truth, it is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him to you. ⁸ "And He, when He comes, will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment; ⁹ concerning sin, because they do not believe in Me; ¹⁰ and concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father and you no longer see Me; ¹¹ and concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world has been judged. ¹² "I have many more things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. John 16:5-12 (NASB)

We should love the conviction of God.  He does not condemn like the enemy but He convicts not only of sin but also of righteousness.

³⁶ "Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?" ³⁷ And He said to him, " 'YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND.' ³⁸ "This is the great and foremost commandment. ³⁹ "The second is like it, 'YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.' ⁴⁰ "On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets." Matt 22:36-40 (NASB)

 Now the LORD said to Abram, "Go forth from your country,
And from your relatives and from your father's house, to the land which I will show you; ² And I will make you a great nation, and I will bless you, and make your name great; and so you shall be a blessing; ³ And I will bless those who bless you, and the one who curses you I will curse. and in you all the families of the earth will be blessed." Gen 12:1-3 (NASB)

God wants to bless us and make us a blessing to others

Then Jesus said to His disciples, "If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me. Matt 16:24 (NASB)

¹ Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. ⁶ And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him. Heb 11:1, 6 (NASB)

When the Church is not missional we die.  We have a form of religion and deny the power of God.  …holding to a form of godliness, although they have denied its power; Avoid such men as these. II Timothy 3:5 (NASB)

¹¹ Concerning Him we have much to say, and it is hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing. ¹² For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you have need again for someone to teach you the elementary principles of the oracles of God, and you have come to need milk and not solid food. ¹³ For everyone who partakes only of milk is not accustomed to the word of righteousness, for he is an infant. ¹⁴ But solid food is for the mature, which because of practice have their senses trained to discern good and evil. Heb 5:11-14 (NASB)

¹ Therefore leaving the elementary teaching about the Christ , let us press on to maturity , not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, ² of instruction about washings and laying on of hands, and the resurrection of the dead and eternal judgment. Heb 6:1-2 (NASB)

¹³ For when God made the promise to Abraham, since He could swear by no one greater, He swore by Himself, ¹⁴ saying, "I WILL SURELY BLESS YOU AND I WILL SURELY MULTIPLY YOU." Heb 6:13-14 (NASB)

For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places Eph 6:12 (NASB)

¹⁸ And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. ¹⁹ "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, ²⁰ teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always , even to the end of the age." Matt 28:18-20 (NASB)

 By this we know that we have come to know Him, if we keep His commandments. 1 John 2:3 (NASB)

Forgiveness is not condoning sin.  Sin always has consequences.

Our righteousness is as filthy rags (Isaiah 64:6).

And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect. Romans 12:2 (NASB)

Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord; 3 seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence . 4 For by these He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, so that by them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world by lust. 5 Now for this very reason also, applying all diligence, in your faith supply moral excellence , and in your moral excellence, knowledge, 6 and in your knowledge, self-control, and in your self-control, perseverance, and in your perseverance, godliness, 7 and in your godliness, brotherly kindness, and in your brotherly kindness, love. 8 For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they render you neither useless nor unfruitful in the true knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 For he who lacks these qualities is blind or short-sighted, having forgotten his purification from his former sins. 10 Therefore, brethren, be all the more diligent to make certain about His calling and choosing you; for as long as you practice these things, you will never stumble; 2 Peter 1:2-10 (NASB)

Understanding the Law explains the why.

Live out of the spirit, spirit, soul, body not body, soul, spirit.

God wants us to understand the spiritual authority we have.

God wants us to have a clear conscience.

In view of this, I also do my best to maintain always a blameless conscience both before God and before men. Acts 24:16 (NASB)

A man hid in a cave on Guam during the war and remained there for 28 years.  Some people are like that in not bringing their sin to the light of God.   Scripture references for a clear conscience as opposed to a defiled conscience include: I Peter 3:16; I John 1:5-10; I Cor. 8:7; I Tim. 3:9; I Tim 4:2; Titus 1:15; I Tim. 5:1-2 and Psalm 51 is David’s prayer for forgiveness after his sin with Uriah and Bathsheba.  The fruit of a seared conscience is difficulty hearing God.  A weak conscience is discussed in I Cor. 8:10-13.

In a relationship we must take responsibility for our wrong in it, even if we were mostly right. 

Trouble spots:  Making absolutes out of non absolutes.  Imposing our convictions on others – legalism. 

William Carey the father of modern missions is known for his work in agriculture, steam engine, banking, caring for lepers, the printing press, education, Bible translations, astronomy, libraries, women’s right (he brought to a stop the practice of widow burning), he brought moral and cultural reform. 

Areas God has brought to my attention

Recognizing that God resists the proud and give grace to the humble, I am seeking to show forth more humility.  I want a teachable spirit and not an independent, critical, or a judgmental spirit. I don’t want anger or pride on my part or the other party’s part to destroy our relationship.  Because of my age, education and ministry experience it easy to be proud.  The Lord of Lords and King of King washed His disciples’ feet, the Ruler of the Universe became a man, born in a cattle stall and dwelt among us.  The greatest One was a meek humble servant.  I am reminded of Paul’s words to the Philippians: 3 Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves; 4 do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others. 5 Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, 6 who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped , 7 but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. 8 Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. 9 For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, Phil 2:3-9 (NASB)

For we all stumble in many ways. If anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man, able to bridle the whole body as well. 3 Now if we put the bits into the horses' mouths so that they will obey us, we direct their entire body as well. 4 Look at the ships also, though they are so great and are driven by strong winds, are still directed by a very small rudder wherever the inclination of the pilot desires. 5 So also the tongue is a small part of the body, and yet it boasts of great things. See how great a forest is set aflame by such a small fire! 6 And the tongue is a fire, the very world of iniquity; the tongue is set among our members as that which defiles the entire body, and sets on fire the course of our life, and is set on fire by hell. 7 for every species of beasts and birds, of reptiles and creatures of the sea, are tamed and have been tamed by the human race. 8 But no one can tame the tongue; it is a restless evil and full of deadly poison. 9 with it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the likeness of God; 10 from the same mouth come both blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be this way. 11 Does a fountain send out from the same opening both fresh and bitter water?

James 3:2-11 (NASB) The Ten Commandments are given in two passages of the Bible, great for application when I examine my life for sin.  Exodus 20:2-17 and Deuteronomy 5:6-21