Marketplace Evangelism Today

His Banner is Over Me

His Banner is Over Me was written by Kay Lee Vincent

Good morning! This photo I took of Crape Myrtle trees is a great photo op for my thought this morning. When I saw the tree hanging over the drive, the first thing I thought of was “His Banner over me is love”. I remember that song from taking my kids to Bible School. “He calls me into his banqueting table, His banner over me is love”. Then I thought of what His love gives to us and I noticed all the pink and purple on the driveway.

Flowers that have fallen from the tree. His love covers me and falls down on me. He is above me and below me. There is no place that I can go where I will not have His love with me. He promises never to leave me or forsake me. His Fragrance is all around me!!

Wow!! I think I am going to shout!! Do you feel the praise we should be feeling for His abounding never ending love? If not, stop and think about how He shows His love to you everyday. When you start thinking of your blessings, I pray you will become overwhelmed with the knowledge of His love for you. Even when times are hard and bad, His love is still there.

Paul said in Romans 8:38-39 “For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord”.

That ought to put some skip in your step!! Let Him shower you today with that everlasting powerful saving love!! And then, let us love one another.”

Photo Credit: Kay Lee Vincent

The Light of Christ

The Light of Christ by Kay Vincent

Good morning!! Got a photo op this morning of Mutt looking in the front door when I got up. He does this every morning while waiting for me to open the door so he and Jeff can eat.

Looking at the darkness of the house early in the morning and the light coming in from outside reminds me of how, after I receive the Light of Christ in my life, I may still long for sin. Sin, which is darkness, still looks attractive. We are humans with weaknesses. Stop thinking you are a Super Christian and that you won’t be tempted to sin. Sin equals anything that goes against a Holy God.

The world is full of sinful temptations and they don’t have to be those really bad sins we think about. We pat ourselves on the back that we have never killed someone but have we done it with our tongue? What about robbing a bank? No, but have we ever brought something home from work that we needed that we didn’t pay for? Sin is a dark tunnel that we look into every day and have to make a decision whether or not to open the door to it.

We are in the Light but that darkness looks attractive. I fight it every day and so do you. The longer we live with Christ and He with us, the less vulnerable we are if we seek His strength but the lure of sin is always there. Sin was the reason that Christ went to the cross. The great news is that we can be forgiven of those sinful choices we make by simply confessing and repenting (turn the other way—turn away from that sin and turn to Christ). He promises to forgive us and to forget that we ever did anything that offended Him. I’ll take that promise!!

This same example can be used for what we are facing now with the Coronavirus and the state of our country. We must not look down that corridor and think all is woe and defeat. Christ is the Victor no matter what happens. And we are victorious if we are in Him. Don’t let circumstances overwhelm you. Keep looking up and be strong in Him.

So my challenge to all of us is that, when we look into the dark places that are calling us, to just turn around and look into the Light that surrounds us. The Light of the World!! Love you!

Willful Sin

In Hebrews 10:26-31, it reads; “²⁶For if we go on sinning deliberately after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, ²⁷but a fearful expectation of judgment, and a fury of fire that will consume the adversaries. ²⁸Anyone who has set aside the law of Moses dies without mercy on the evidence of two or three witnesses. ²⁹How much worse punishment, do you think, will be deserved by the one who has trampled underfoot the Son of God, and has profaned the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has outraged the Spirit of grace? ³⁰For we know him who said, “Vengeance is mine; I will repay.” And again, “The Lord will judge his people.” ³¹It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.”

Can you image a born-again Christian turning back into their sin after receiving Christ Jesus? R.C. Sproul wrote, “The willful sin is abandoning one’s confession altogether, trampling on the Son underfoot, treating His sacrificed blood as unclean, and insulting God’s gracious gift. The seriousness is measured by its willfulness and the measurement of knowledge and enlightenment it refuses. The passage is not teaching that true Christians can lose their salvation, but is a warning for Believers to persevere and for those who profess faith without possessing it to trust in Christ alone.”[1]

Persistence in sin is a guaranteed road for disaster. To think that after receiving such a gift of salvation, that we can turn back into sin! But this happens more frequently that we think.

I once knew a man and woman who were not married, but were living together as a husband and wife would live together. They later came to Christ and were convicted of their sin of fornication. They decided that they should get married and the man moved out of the home until they would get married. This is the right thing to do according to God’s way. This couple although they were in sin, are living holy lives and ultimately got married.

Then, there are couples who receive the Good News of Jesus Christ, accept Him as their Savior, but continue to live in sin by sleeping together and fornicating. This is a willful sin and they have trampled on God’s gracious gift. God will forgive them if they repent and turn from their sin.

JC Ryle wrote, “The extent to which we may harden ourselves by resisting light and knowledge is one of the most fearful facts of our nature. We may become past feeling, like those whose limbs are mortified before they die. We may lose entirely all sense of fear, or shame, or remorse and have a heart as hard as the nether millstone, blind to every warning and deaf to every appeal. It is a sore disease, but one which unhappily is not uncommon among professing Christians. None seem so liable to it as those who, having great light and privilege, deliberately turn their backs on Christ and return to the world. Nothing seems likely to touch such people, but the voice of the archangel and the trump of God.”[2]

Deliberately turn their backs on Christ and return to the world. That is exactly what willful sin is. When we do not love our neighbor, we turn our backs on Christ. When we willfully sin against our neighbor with hatred, we turn our backs on Jesus. We hammer those nails into His hands and feet one more time as we continue to sin and not follow His ways.

My concern when writing this piece is the racism that prevails across our nation. Brother is turning against brother and sister is turning against sister. We live in a world made up of many races and nationalities. Jesus gave us a commandment to LOVE OUR NEIGHBOR AS OURSELVES, yet we continue to hate, and drive those nails deeper into our Lord and Savior. If you have truly accepted Jesus, then live your life in a manner that is pleasing to Him. Forgive those who have wronged you. Move forward in love for one another.

Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life, no one comes to the Father accept through me.” (John 14:6) JC Ryle paraphrased Psalm 119:17 by saying, “The strongest Christian is the one who feels his weakness most and cries most frequently, ‘Hold me up, and I shall be safe.”[3]

Please consider following in the ways of Jesus Christ and living your life in a manner pleasing to Him. One way to ensure that you stay on the right path is to pray to Him and read the Bible. The Bible is God’s message to you. It is like a handbook on how to live your life, in a manner pleasing to the Lord.

If you have strayed back into the world, please consider turning back to Christ. Ask forgiveness, and follow Jesus all the days of your life. He will forgive you if you ask Him.

I pray that you will stay steady in Christ.

Photo Credit: Pexels

[1] RC Sproul, ed., The Reformation Study Bible (Orlando, FL: Reformation Trust, 2015) 2214.

[2] JC Ryle, Compiled by Robert Sheehan, Daily Readings of the Four Gospels (Grand Rapids, MI: EP Books, 2015) Evening July 11.

[3] Ryle, Daily Readings, July 11, Evening.

Bear One Another’s Burdens: Loving your neighbor!

Most recently, a good friend lost her job right in the middle of this COVID-19 pandemic. With all the businesses, schools, and churches closed because of state mandated stay at home orders by the Governor of Virginia, I can only imagine what this person is experiencing? This person is highly educated, has a doctorate in her field, and is one of the most talented people I know. She would be very marketable, but the state has these shelter in place orders and will be reopening the state totally by possibly August.

Finding a new job may be difficult, especially right in the middle of this pandemic. From what I understand, this was a planned termination, which the employee was told about it in January 2020. But that was before the COVID-19 pandemic and the mandatory sheltering in place orders. I have great concern for my friend during this time of uncertainty.

In Galatians 6:1-10, the Apostle Paul wrote about Christian brothers and sisters in Christ bearing one another’s burdens. Let us look at what he said in that short passage.

Brothers if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted. ²Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. ³For if anyone thinks he is something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself. ⁴But let each one test his own work, and then his reason to boast will be in himself alone and not in his neighbor. ⁵For each will have to bear his own load.

⁶Let the one who is taught the word share all good things with the one who teaches. ⁷Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. ⁸For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life. ⁹And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. ¹⁰So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith.

Although the first verse speaks of a brother or sister in Christ caught in a transgression or sin, the same should apply even if the person needs help and support. The focus is to bear one another’s burdens, even if the burden is not being caught up in a sin. Although an ensnarement in a sin is not the other Christian’s private problem, it is the problem or burden of the Church to help him or her by intervening in order that he or she might be able to escape that sin. We are to help that brother or sister in Christ to overcome that circumstance in hope that they might be restored to the Body of Christ. This fulfills the Law of Christ. Fulfilling the Law of Christ loving not only one’s neighbor (Matthew 22:39) but also one’s enemy as well (Matthew 5:43-44).

Loving my neighbor means that I would want to share in his or her burdens which could also include financial help, buying groceries for them, helping them in their time of need when the future is uncertain. By helping them until they can obtain other work is part of being a good neighbor.

The last verse of the passage reads, “So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith.” Let us do good to everyone, especially those who are of the household of faith, meaning the Church. We are to take care of another Believer in Jesus Christ. Although we are being charged to help other’s outside the fellowship, we have a special responsibility to help those brothers and sisters in Christ who are in need. See 1 Thessalonians 3:12, “and may the Lord make you increase and abound in love for one another and for all, as we do for you.”

If you know of someone who has been laid off, lost their job, or has some other financial hardship, won’t you consider sending them a card and a check for whatever you feel led to send? Do not expect it back. It is not a loan, but a gift from your heart because of your love for Christ Jesus. Let others see Christ in you by giving of yourself through a financial gift to someone in need. The key then is not to boast about it. It is your gift to them from God who has blessed you! What greater way to love your neighbor as yourself!

Photo Credit: Edward Jenner, Pexels.

Who do you say I am?

This past week, my wife and I watched God’s Not Dead 2 on PureFlix. Grace Wesley, played by Melissa Joan Hart, had a secret. God had spoken to her when she was walking home from class. She read on a church marque the words, “Who do you say I am?” Then she heard Jesus say to her, “Who do you say that I am?” She said that you are the Christ, the Son of God. This film inspired me to write about it.

As I even think of these very words, an overflow of emotion is swelling in my heart and even tears are coming to my eyes when I think that the Christ is even speaking to my heart right now. Jesus, you are the Son of God, my Savior, Healer, Emmanuel, Lord, Master, Son of God, Son of man, Lamb of God, Light of the world, King of the Jews, Rabbi, Second Adam, Almighty One, Alpha and Omega, Advocate, Bridegroom, Advocate, Deliverer, Messiah, Our Hope, The Truth, The Way, The Life, Redeemer, Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, and Prince of Peace, just to name a few.

Jesus, you are my only hope! You are my only salvation! You have forgiven me when I deserved death! You are my Lord and Savior! You took my sin on your back. You took the blows and strikes for all my filthy sins, you were nailed to a rugged cross, and you died an agonizing death so that God would forgive me for all the sin in my life. And you just did not do this for me, but for every living person in the world. The only requirement for this forgiveness is that we believe that you are the Son of God, that you came into the world to save it and not to condemn it.

Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life, no one comes to the Father God, except through me.” John 14:6.

Peter Confesses Jesus as the Christ – Matthew 16:13-20

¹³Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” ¹⁴And they said, “Some say John the Baptist, others say Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” ¹⁵He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” ¹⁶Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” ¹⁷And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven. ¹⁸And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. ¹⁹I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.” ²⁰Then he strictly charged the disciples to tell no one that he was the Christ.

According to Peter, Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the Living God. But who is Jesus to you? Is He your all in all? Do you only call on his name when you are sick or need help? Do you have a personal relationship with Him? Do you talk with Him daily? Do you read His Word? Is He just someone you call on once or twice a year, possibly at Christmas and Easter? Jesus is the Christ who came into our wretched world to offer hope and salvation. He is standing at your hearts door and knocking. Why don’t you allow Him to come into your heart and into your life? Develop a relationship with Him so that you will have a full life with the One who loves you so much, that He laid down his life, so that you might live and be forgiven.

My question to you is, who is Jesus to you? To me, He IS everything! He is my Rock and my Salvation. Without Him, I am nothing! My identity is in Christ Jesus, no matter what! What about you?

Photo Credit: Passion of the Christ Movie

COVID-19: Working from home

COVID-19 has changed many lives and working environments. With shelter at home orders, employers have accommodated employees to work from home. By doing so, it seems that employees cannot get away from work. It is always with you even if you try to leave it.

Many employees now have their company emails dropping into their smart phones. In my opinion, this could be a bad idea. An employee must separate work from home life. I used to love being in my home and relaxing in a comfortable setting without having problems and headaches from my job constantly bothering me. Now, with stay at home orders from the governors of many states, the job is constantly facing you.

I am a business owner and I learned a long time ago how to separate my business from my personal life. The first thing that I did was to remove my company email off my iPhone. By doing this, I was not constantly at work even when I was trying to enjoy time with family. There is nothing that is so important to take you away from your children or wife when you are off and being part of a family.

The second most important requirement to separate your work from family time is to have a designated place to work. In my case, I have a dedicated room over my garage which I have converted into an office. I have everything I need, a computer, a printer, and my phone. I will spend about eight hours in my home office and then I am off.

On occasion, a client will call me on my cell to discuss their policies. I do not have a problem with them having my cell phone, but when I am with family, it is important to set guidelines. Many times, I will ask if I can return their calls the next business day. Many times, that would be acceptable, but sometimes, if a client has an urgent need or emergency, then I will take the call and help them resolve their problem.

By separating your business from family time, it will relieve stress and you will enjoy working from home. By having a separate place to work in your home and setting office hours, and adhering to them, this will relieve any stress and will make an excellent work and family environment.

Photo Credit: Pexels

Breaking News: Jesus of Nazareth Has Risen from the Dead! The Tomb Is Empty!

Marketplace Evangelism Today

April 12, 30 AD: At about 4:30 this morning, Mary Magdalene reports that she went to the Jesus’ tomb and found it open. She peered inside and saw that Jesus was nowhere in sight. His body was gone and his burial cloth was neatly folded up. According to John, “So she ran and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, and said to them, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him.” So, Peter went out with the other disciple, and they were going toward the tomb. Both were running together, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. And stooping to look in, he saw the linen cloths lying there, but he did not go in. Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the…

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Be Kind: But Are We?

Most recently, my neighborhood Facebook Page had some controversy pertaining to children who were seen in a pavilion area. Accusations were made by older adults that the children were vandalizing the ceiling fan in the pavilion by throwing rocks at the motor and hanging off the fan blades! Older adults took pictures and it is alleged that they posted those pictures on the Facebook Community Page without the parent’s permission. It is also alleged that public shaming ensued from the older adults. I never saw the post as it was removed by the Administrator of the page.

Wow! That is a lot of drama for our little community! At the same time, the “Be Kind” movement is all around our town with families and businesses hanging “Be Kind” signs on their front porches as well as in their businesses. I personally have one of those signs on my front porch as well as in my office. I love them and it is a constant reminder to me of The Great Commandment as written in Matthew 22:34-40:

^“34But when the Pharisees heard that he had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered together. ³⁵And one of them, a lawyer, asked him a question to test him. ³⁶“Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” ³⁷And 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. ³⁸This is the great and first commandment. ³⁹And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. ⁴⁰On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.” Notice, Jesus commanded us to love God first, and then love our neighbors. This means to “Be Kind” to our neighbors.

It also reminds me of this verse, “So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets” (Matthew 7:12). This of course is known as The Golden Rule, “Do unto others as you would have them to do unto you” (Luke 6:31). In other words, “Be Kind.”

Getting back to the neighborhood drama. I tried to add some advice about being kind and I wrote the following: “Why not try love? Why not try to love your neighbor’s as you love yourself? Just my opinion. But I would highly recommend that you try to show love to fellow neighbors.” Then, I followed up with one last thought. “Anyone can have a “Be Kind” sign on the front porch. I have one. But that sign doesn’t change the heart condition of people. The only thing that can change the heart is God Almighty! Only through Him can one truly love another person.”

Shortly after that, one resident accused me of proselytizing! As a Christian Minister of the Gospel, I will always speak the truth and will not compromise my stand to cower to the politically correct. The “Be Kind Movement” is grounded in Biblical roots.

Hearts cannot be changed just because one places a sign on the home or in their business. We were all born into sin, have a sinful nature, and we all deserve death because of our carnal nature. But the one person, the one power that can transform hearts into being a loving person is God Almighty, our Heavenly Father, the Prince of Peace, Redeemer, Savior, Deliverer, King of Kings, Lord of Lords, Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Good Shepherd, Great Physician, our Creator, the Maker of Heaven and Earth; Jehovah, God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. Only through Christ Jesus can one be saved, and his or her heart transformed, so that one can love their fellow human beings who share this Earth.

Be Kind means that we love our neighbor as ourselves. Be Kind means that we want the best for others and will do what we can to help them. If one truly can “Be Kind” to their neighbor, then most likely they love God with all their soul, with all their heart, and with all their mind. This is what “Be Kind” really means. We as men and women do not have the power in our own selves to overcome the carnal nature and hatred, but only through Christ Jesus.

Unfortunately, I do not think there will be any forgiveness or resolution unless people are willing to allow God to change their hearts. As I mentioned before, the condition of the heart causes men and women to hate and not be kind. We should all be praying that God will change hearts and transform them into loving men and women. I also pray that people will come to Christ Jesus and repent from their sins.

I will end with this last verse. 1 John 1:9 reads, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

When you pray to God, do you call Him Abba Father?

My wife Diane and I are doing a new Bible study on prayer. We are using a book called 28 Days to Powerful Prayer by Dave Earley. This book is geared to teach a new Believer or a seasoned Christian how to pray and pray with power.

My wife and I just finished reading Day 4, “Connecting with Your Heavenly Father.” One of the things that Earley teaches is when praying, call out to the Father as if you are calling out to your Dad or Daddy. God is a loving Father who wants to hear from us, not only daily, but throughout the day.

Earley wrote, “Prayer to your heavenly Father isn’t that complicated or difficult. In fact, it is easy when you realize that He:

Really loves you: ‘See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God!’ (1 John 3:1).
Deeply cares for you: “As a father has compassion on His children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear Him.’ (Psalm 103:13).
Is very near when you are hurting: ‘The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.’”[1]

One of the points from this chapter that stood out to me the most was the intimacy that a Believer can have with God, calling Him Abba Father. According to Earley, “the word Abba is an Aramaic term. First-century Jews spoke Hebrew at the temple and in school. They spoke Greek in the marketplace, but they spoke Aramaic at home and with the family. Abba is the most intimate term available in Hebrew, Greek, or Aramaic to express a child’s tender relationship with his father, and as such only children used the word. It could be translated as ‘Father’ or ‘Daddy’ or ‘Papa.”[2]

Earley also wrote, “The term Abba describes the unique relationship Jesus shared with His Heavenly Father.”[3]

If you recall, the night that Jesus was arrested, He was in the Garden of Gethsemane and was in earnest prayer with His Heavenly Father. Jesus prayed, “Abba Father, all things are possible for you. Remove this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will” (Mark 14:36).

As Followers of Jesus Christ, we can have that intimate relationship with Abba Father. He is our Father, who is in heaven. When we pray, we can pour out our hearts to Him, just as if we were talking to our earthly Daddy’s or Papa’s.

If you do not have an intimate relationship with God, you can have one through asking Jesus into your heart. Just pray to Him that you are a sinner, that you want Him to come into your life and into your heart. Confess your sins to Him, ask Him to forgive you, and go and sin no more. Jesus said that He will forgive you if you ask.

Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” John 14:6.

Look what it says in John 3:16-17, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.”

Romans 10:9-13, “if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. For the Scripture says, “Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame.” For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him. For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

I pray that you will have a true and fulfilling relationship with our Abba Father. I highly recommend that you obtain a copy of 28 Days to Powerful Prayer by Dave Earley. It will help to change your life as well as the way you pray to our Heavenly Father.

You can purchase this study through Amazon.com.

References:

Photo Credit: Dave Earley and Barbour Books

[1] Dave Earley, 28 Days to Powerful Prayer, (Barbour Books, 2020), 27-28. (Used by permission)

[2] Ibid., Earley, 28.

[3] Ibid., Earley, 28.

Are you bold in your sins?

I am reading a Daily Reading of Scripture and commentary from Rev. J.C. Ryle from the 18th Century. Even in Ryle’s day, people faced the same type of sinful nature we face today. For February 1st, he dealt with people who proclaimed to be Followers of Christ and yet willfully sinned. After reading his commentary, I thought about what I constantly see on the internet in social media. I see posts from professing Christians who are in an affair with another person. They are not married but are posting and what they post is an “in your face” type of posting!

An example is posting about their accommodations and the fact they are sharing a bed together. They are bragging about the affair! It’s like they have no shame in it! They are unrepentant! They are not even sorry for it! If they are going to be flaunting their affair, they should just get married and make it right with God!

Don’t continue the sin and post about it! I have even heard people say, “Yes, I slept with him and Jesus still loves me!” That statement may be true, but willful sin cheapens the gospel for what Christ did for them at Calvary. Willfully sinning causes the Holy Spirit to grieve! Then posting about it comes across as bragging about your sin! It’s troubling to know that these people are doing this! We are to be repentant of our sin, meaning that we will not only be sorry for what we have done, but we must turn from it and stop doing it!

Rev. J.C. Ryle discussed Luke 13:1-5. Let’s read it and then discuss it.

“There were some present at that very time who told him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. ²And he answered them, “Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans, because they suffered in this way? ³No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish. ⁴Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them: do you think that they were worse offenders than all the others who lived in Jerusalem? ⁵No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.”

In verse one, although Pilate was a cruel man, this passage is the only passage that records that he killed people in the act of worship. In verse two, Jesus denies that one may deduce from this horrible event that these Galileans were more sinful than others. In verses three to five, all are sinners. Jesus calls on all to repent, otherwise they will perish.

Rev. Ryle wrote, “There is a close connection between true repentance and forgiveness (v.3). The plain meaning of this expression in verse three is that John preached the necessity of being baptized in token of repentance, and that he told his hearers that unless they repented of their sin they would not be forgiven.”[1]

Ryle also wrote, “Do we ourselves repent? This, after all, is the question that most concerns us. Have we been convinced of sin by the Holy Spirit? Have we fled to Jesus for deliverance from the wrath to come? Do we know anything of a broken and contrite heart and a thorough hatred of sin? Can we say, “I repent,” as well as “I believe?” If not, let us not delude ourselves with the idea that our sins are yet forgiven. It is written that “Unless we repent, we shall all likewise perish” (Luke 13:3).

As we strive to live a life of Christ, if we are participating in willful sin, then we need to turn from this evil way and ask Jesus to forgive us from this wickedness. Unrepentance can separate us from God in that our relationship will suffer and we will grieve the Holy Spirit.

If you are involved in willful and unrepentant sin, you can change your life by admitting it to the Father, ask forgiveness for it, and pray that He will deliver you from any addictions that you may be involved with. If you are a Christian and you are in a relationship of adultery, then break in off immediately, and run to Christ. He is your only salvation.

Consider this as a reflection and meditation: “We can feel sorry for our sins without turning from them. This is remorse, but it is not repentance. Repentance forsakes sin.”[2]

References:

[1] JC Ryle, Robert Sheehan, ed., Daily Readings from all four Gospels: For Morning and Evening, (Welwyn Garden City, UK: EP Books, 2020), February 1st, Morning.

[2] Ibid., Ryle.