A New Direction

Scripture:
Acts 26:20 — “but kept declaring both to those of Damascus first, and also at Jerusalem and then throughout all the region of Judea, and even to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, performing deeds appropriate to repentance.”

Observation:
Paul is before some Roman officials giving his defense regarding some false accusations brought against him. He is telling the officials about his dramatic conversion on the road to Damascus. From the moment of his conversion Paul had been on a radically new path, heading in the complete opposite direction from his old ways. Before his conversion, Paul was on a mission to stamp out the Christian movement, but now he is consumed with declaring that Jesus is the Son of God, crucified and raised, the very Messiah that had been promised and anticipated in the Old Testament Scriptures. Paul says that those who repent and turn to God will perform deeds that evidence their repentance is genuine.

Application:
When I was growing up, it seemed that repentance simply meant being really sorry for doing something wrong. I often wondered if I was being sorrowful enough for God to forgive me. The Christian life appeared to me to be defined as faithfully following a list of do-not-do this and do-not-do that. Even now, I find that it is more common for the Church to be defined by the things that we don’t do than to be known by the things that we do. However, the Bible’s idea of repentance embraces both turning away from the things that prevent us from having full devotion to God, and then turning to God in love and obedience. In other words, it is a radical reorientation of our life — a new life with a new Master. I have heard Chip say that we are saved by faith alone, but that genuine faith is never alone, it is always accompanied by corresponding good works. Paul says the same thing about repentance. When I come to the point of repentance, I will certainly feel remorse and turn away from sin, but the genuineness of my repentance must be evidenced by a desire to engage in new things that please God. I want to see bad fruit being replaced by good fruit.

Prayer:
Lord, I love you and want my life to be devoted to you. Please search my heart and reveal areas of my life in which I need to repent. I want my repentance to be more than refraining from sin, I want to go on to produce good fruit for your Kingdom. Help me to reorient any area of my life that is not under your Lordship.     
 
— Chuck Newton, missions mobilization pastor