Why did Jesus say we should repent (Luke 13:5)? He said that if we don’t repent, we would be destroyed. (Delfina version: If you don’t repent, you gonna die!) Was He trying to control us? Was He trying to take away our fun? Or is there more to it than meets the eye?
Firstly, what does the word ‘repent’ mean? It doesn’t mean to confess or admit to your sins. It also doesn’t mean to stop having fun! In fact, the truth about sin is that it seems like fun for a little while, but it will cause you a lot of trouble afterwards, possibly a lifetime of trouble! The word ‘repent’ literally means to turn around and go in another direction or to change your mind. That puts a whole new light on Jesus’ words. Maybe He was trying to warn us. Maybe what He was actually saying is, (Delfina version) “Listen to me, Guys. I know how this whole system works. I was there when it was created. If you don’t change the way you think and you don’t change the direction your life is going in, then you have got some serious trouble up ahead. The devil is waiting for you and he’s got death and destruction on his agenda.”
What would you do if someone came to you with that kind of warning? Wouldn’t you thank them? I would! I wouldn’t see them as my enemy. I’d see them as my friend. Wait a minute … In John 15:15 Jesus called us His friends! Oooooooohhhh! So, He is our friend!
OK. So, Jesus said we should repent. But what makes repentance a tool? Let’s use an analogy … If I take the back of a spoon and try to hit a nail into a wooden plank I will struggle. I might also injure myself. Maybe I won’t get it right at all. But if I take a hammer, that nail will be hammered in within a few seconds. So, what’s the moral of the story? Use your tools! And use them right! When you use the right tool for the job, you save yourself energy, time and trouble … and you get a better end result. The purpose of repentance is to reconcile us to God. He wants us close to Him so He can protect us from the devil, and so we can hear what He says to us when He shows us how to navigate through life successfully. Every time we veer off further from Him, He wants us to turn around (or repent) and get back on track, closer to Him. The Apostle Peter explained it in layman’s terms. He said, (Delfina version) “Repent and come back to God, that your sins may be obliterated!” God is trying to get rid of your sins! Let Him! Just repent and you will be free from that nonsense! There are other ways to have fun without getting into trouble!
