G.R.O.W.
Repentance
You know why I never grew as a baseball or football player? Because I never listened to my coaches. They would show me how to hold my bat, but it wasn’t comfortable so I’d do it the way I liked. I wasn’t a good hitter. They would tell me where to run the ball, but I didn’t like that spot so I’d run somewhere else. I didn’t run the ball much. They couldn’t change my mind – I knew best. And for that reason I never grew as a player.
There is a temptation in our Christian lives to believe that we are truly growing when we no longer have reason to repent. I am convinced that this is due, in large part, to a misunderstanding of the word “repentance.” Repentance seems to be primarily understood as a change of behavior. And, if that were the case it would be easier to fall under the temptation I just mentioned. However, repentance does not firstly mean a change of behavior, but a change of mind that often leads to a change in behavior. And this, proper repentance, is a critical part of our growing as disciples of Jesus.
As one of my Seminary professors once said, “When you stop learning you stop growing.” I believe that more every day. Let me clarify, this doesn’t necessarily mean learn through the reading of books and academic study, though those are good things. It really speaks into teachability more than anything else. You cannot grow if you cannot be taught: through study, conversation, life, or any other means. I think this account in Matthew’s Gospel illustrates the importance of teachability well:
“While Jesus was having dinner at Matthew's house, many tax collectors and sinners came and ate with him and his disciples. When the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, "Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?" On hearing this, Jesus said, "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. But go and learn what this means: 'I desire mercy, not sacrifice.' For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners."”[1]
We are not to assume Jesus was sending the Pharisees back to school to learn what those Scriptures[2] meant. They could recite the words themselves, and they could likely expound on what they meant academically. However, their hearts were not impacted at all by what those Scriptures meant. They were not observing Jesus and seeking wisdom from how He was living. They were performing surveillance and looking to prove Him wrong. What Jesus was telling them was to go and, with teachable hearts, allow their minds to be changed by observing His life, and coupling their observations with what those Scriptures truly meant. We cannot grow if we cannot learn. We cannot learn if we are not teachable. We cannot be teachable unless we are willing to have a change of mind.
There is another, more common area where repentance impacts our growth. That area is the area of holy living. This includes our thoughts, speech, and actions. If we are not living out these areas in holiness we will not be able to grow.
Paul wrote to the Romans:
“Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God--this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is--his good, pleasing and perfect will.”[3]
We grow and are even transformed as we allow our minds to be changed about how we are living. If we see ourselves as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God, we will have a different view of our lives than if we see ourselves as living aristocrats.[4] Notice too that Paul says we will not be able to test and approve what God’s will is – in other words, grow – unless we allow ourselves to be transformed by the renewing of our mind. The renewing of our mind cannot happen without a change of mind.
To the mature church in Ephesus, Jesus wrote:
“I know your deeds, your hard work and your perseverance. I know that you cannot tolerate wicked people, that you have tested those who claim to be apostles but are not, and have found them false. You have persevered and have endured hardships for my name, and have not grown weary. Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken the love you had at first. Consider how far you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first…”[5]
Here, the church thought they had “arrived.” They were strong and serious believers. They were defenders of the faith. But they were no longer in love with Jesus. As a result, they thought they had grown past their earlier days as disciples. The things they once did in their weakness, they no longer needed to do because they were strong. How wrong they were. Jesus called them to change their minds and go back to square one – falling in love with Him all over again. Then, they would do the things they did at first, as lovers of Christ, not as experts.
Repentance is critical to our growth. If we can no longer learn from others, or from Scripture, we are not growing. If there is nothing God has revealed to us about our own nature that needs to be changed, we are not growing. If there is no love for Christ in our hearts, we are not growing. And if we are not growing we are dying…
- Shaun McDonald
[1] Matthew 9:10-13 NIV (italics mine)
[2] Hosea 6:6; Micah 6:6-8
[3] Romans 12:1-2 NIV (italics mine)
[4] What I mean by that is seeing ourselves as children of the King of Kings with all rights and privileges to live as we please.
[5] Revelation 2:2-5 NIV
You know why I never grew as a baseball or football player? Because I never listened to my coaches. They would show me how to hold my bat, but it wasn’t comfortable so I’d do it the way I liked. I wasn’t a good hitter. They would tell me where to run the ball, but I didn’t like that spot so I’d run somewhere else. I didn’t run the ball much. They couldn’t change my mind – I knew best. And for that reason I never grew as a player.
There is a temptation in our Christian lives to believe that we are truly growing when we no longer have reason to repent. I am convinced that this is due, in large part, to a misunderstanding of the word “repentance.” Repentance seems to be primarily understood as a change of behavior. And, if that were the case it would be easier to fall under the temptation I just mentioned. However, repentance does not firstly mean a change of behavior, but a change of mind that often leads to a change in behavior. And this, proper repentance, is a critical part of our growing as disciples of Jesus.
As one of my Seminary professors once said, “When you stop learning you stop growing.” I believe that more every day. Let me clarify, this doesn’t necessarily mean learn through the reading of books and academic study, though those are good things. It really speaks into teachability more than anything else. You cannot grow if you cannot be taught: through study, conversation, life, or any other means. I think this account in Matthew’s Gospel illustrates the importance of teachability well:
“While Jesus was having dinner at Matthew's house, many tax collectors and sinners came and ate with him and his disciples. When the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, "Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?" On hearing this, Jesus said, "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. But go and learn what this means: 'I desire mercy, not sacrifice.' For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners."”[1]
We are not to assume Jesus was sending the Pharisees back to school to learn what those Scriptures[2] meant. They could recite the words themselves, and they could likely expound on what they meant academically. However, their hearts were not impacted at all by what those Scriptures meant. They were not observing Jesus and seeking wisdom from how He was living. They were performing surveillance and looking to prove Him wrong. What Jesus was telling them was to go and, with teachable hearts, allow their minds to be changed by observing His life, and coupling their observations with what those Scriptures truly meant. We cannot grow if we cannot learn. We cannot learn if we are not teachable. We cannot be teachable unless we are willing to have a change of mind.
There is another, more common area where repentance impacts our growth. That area is the area of holy living. This includes our thoughts, speech, and actions. If we are not living out these areas in holiness we will not be able to grow.
Paul wrote to the Romans:
“Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God--this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is--his good, pleasing and perfect will.”[3]
We grow and are even transformed as we allow our minds to be changed about how we are living. If we see ourselves as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God, we will have a different view of our lives than if we see ourselves as living aristocrats.[4] Notice too that Paul says we will not be able to test and approve what God’s will is – in other words, grow – unless we allow ourselves to be transformed by the renewing of our mind. The renewing of our mind cannot happen without a change of mind.
To the mature church in Ephesus, Jesus wrote:
“I know your deeds, your hard work and your perseverance. I know that you cannot tolerate wicked people, that you have tested those who claim to be apostles but are not, and have found them false. You have persevered and have endured hardships for my name, and have not grown weary. Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken the love you had at first. Consider how far you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first…”[5]
Here, the church thought they had “arrived.” They were strong and serious believers. They were defenders of the faith. But they were no longer in love with Jesus. As a result, they thought they had grown past their earlier days as disciples. The things they once did in their weakness, they no longer needed to do because they were strong. How wrong they were. Jesus called them to change their minds and go back to square one – falling in love with Him all over again. Then, they would do the things they did at first, as lovers of Christ, not as experts.
Repentance is critical to our growth. If we can no longer learn from others, or from Scripture, we are not growing. If there is nothing God has revealed to us about our own nature that needs to be changed, we are not growing. If there is no love for Christ in our hearts, we are not growing. And if we are not growing we are dying…
- Shaun McDonald
[1] Matthew 9:10-13 NIV (italics mine)
[2] Hosea 6:6; Micah 6:6-8
[3] Romans 12:1-2 NIV (italics mine)
[4] What I mean by that is seeing ourselves as children of the King of Kings with all rights and privileges to live as we please.
[5] Revelation 2:2-5 NIV