With
the global pandemic of the corona virus (COVID-19), the universal advice
besides the one encouraging everyone to quarantine themselves is to “REPENT”:
But what does it means to repent? Is it merely feeling sorry for what is happening!
Or, does it signifies something much profound than that?
First
and foremost, repentance is synonymous to conversion, it is a complete turnaround
for example; if one is heading to the south, he/she must immediately turn
around and now head to the north, it is like converting 1/7, where one was over
seven and must now be the opposite which is seven over one. It is not merely
feeling sorrow for one`s self or the impending situation, but a complete turnaround
with no regrets being confident of the choice that has been made.
For
example the apostle Paul defines Godly repentance by saying: “Now I rejoice,
not that you were made sorry, but that your sorrow led to repentance. For you
were made sorry in a godly manner, that you might suffer loss from us in
nothing. For godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, not to be
regretted; but the sorrow of the world produces death. For observe this very thing
that you sorrowed in a godly manner: What diligence it produced in you, what
clearing of yourselves, what indignation, what fear, what vehement desire, what
zeal, what vindication! In all things you proved yourselves to be clear in this
matter” (2
Corinthians 9-11).
Repentance
or conversion is not just a matter of lamenting or feeling sorry for the
present situation as in the case of Italy, where the Prime Minister Giuseppe
Conte said, “We have lost control, can`t understand what more we can do, all
solutions are exhausted on ground. Our only hope remains up in the sky, God
rescue your people.” But it is the godly sorrow of transgressing the laws of
God.
It
is one thing to be wise enough to recognize a problem and seek to find the
solution, but it is incomplete without understanding how to resolve the problem
as alluded to by Solomon who wrote, “Get wisdom! Get understanding! Do not
forget, nor turn away from the words of my mouth. Do not forsake her, and she
will preserve you; Love her, and she will keep you. Wisdom is the principal
thing; therefore get wisdom. And in all your getting, get understanding. Exalt
her, and she will promote you; She will bring you honor, when you embrace her” (Proverbs 4: 5-8).
There
is no doubt that what is happening around the world at this present moment is
certainly a call to repentance, but the question is, repenting from what to
what? Is it simply a belief in Jesus
Christ to those who did not believe Him! Or is it more profound than that?
Remember, Jesus Christ Himself said, "But why do you call Me 'Lord, Lord,'
and not do the things which I say? Whoever comes to Me, and hears My sayings
and does them, I will show you whom he is like: He is like a man building a
house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock. And when the flood
arose, the stream beat vehemently against that house, and could not shake it, for
it was founded on the rock. But he who heard and did nothing is like a man who
built a house on the earth without a foundation, against which the stream beat
vehemently; and immediately it fell. And the ruin of that house was great"
(Luke
6: 46-49).
Repentance
therefore, constitutes more than just believing and accepting Jesus Christ as
our Savior, but includes also the principles He has ordained by which man
should live.
To
be continued
With
brotherly love
Lucius
Joseph
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