LESSON 2 PART 2
Why do we need to repent? His answer is because we all are by our old nature, sinners. Read Luke 5:32. Even though we have a new nature (2 Cor 5:17), nevertheless we do not get rid of our sin nature completely until we die physically. The good news is we have a choice now to sin or not to sin where before we did not have a choice. The bible says we were slaves to sin. Read Romans 6:15-23. The good news is that Jesus removed the power of sin in our lives. Read Gal 5:1. Yes, the yoke of bondage or slavery to sin has been broken; we are free from the power and penalty of sin. Now we are slaves to Jesus Christ. The scriptures say, ‘’Do you not know you are not your own, you were bought with a price’’. What was Jesus’ view of sin? Read the prodigal son (LK 15:13, 15:30) and then when he repents LK 15:21. Notice the words say that sin is an offense against God. That is the essential nature of sin. It is an assault on God. Sin in Jesus' words in the Lords prayer is that it dishonors God and puts a debt on us to restore that divine honor. Praise God, Jesus paid the debt. Read and memorize 2 Cor 5:21. Nevertheless, for us to rely on Gods grace (and we do) and not acknowledge our wrong doings after Christ paid the price is a belittling behavior towards God. We need to restore that fellowship (relationship) with Him, He makes it easy. Read 1JN 1:9. Remember we are not talking about a sin that makes us lose our salvation. You can not lose something you did not earn; God gave salvation as a gift JN 3:16 and Romans 6:23. If it is a gift He will not take it back. We are always Gods children after the new birth. I am talking about like when we disobey our parents or call our earthly father a bad name. We need to apologize. This restores our relationship. We likewise need to restore our relationship with God when we sin. I call this rebound. We need to rebound quickly and often. Repenting means a change of mind that sees Christ as truly beautiful and worthy of our praise and obedience. Read JN 8:42, Lk13:3, 5. What did He mean by perish? The sign of a true believer is the change of heart or repentance that occurs in his heart. In ending this lesson, read the account of the woman accused of adultery in JN 8:1-11. In this passage, Jesus commands this woman to repent. Does Jesus condemn her? What should be our motivation for not sinning?
