A Call for Repentance

August 16, 2015 Background Scripture: Ezekiel 18; Proverbs 21:2 – 15 Lesson Passage: Ezekiel 18:1 – 13, 30 – 32 Repentance is one of the most necessary and recurring acts in the life of a Christian. The need constantly arises out of the Christian’s dual nature of flesh and spirit. We have a heavenly desire because of the regenerated spirit in us but that desire is often intertwined with an earthly or worldly inclination brought on by our flesh. Sometimes we yield to the worldly and we suffer dearly and experience the loss of spiritual fellowship with God. The faith of some may even become shipwrecked because they cannot discern the difference between fellowship with God and spiritual position in Christ. For those who know the difference, we cry out even as David did: Restore unto me the joy of my salvation. Still others become hard-hearted and continue to pursue their worldly inclinations without sensing the impending danger brought on by ignoring the conviction wrought in us by the presence of the Holy Ghost. Whatever the situation or state we find ourselves in, at any given time, many of us are in need of repentance. Much more than a mere desire, there is a deeply imbedded need to “come clean” with God and ask for restoration that only He can provide. True repentance recognizes the wrongness of our thoughts and/or actions towards God, a desire to be right with God, a desire to have fellowship with God, and the need to be restored by God. We cannot embrace the world and earnestly seek God’s face at the same time. We will be true to one and hate the other. Again, repentance is one of the most necessary acts in the life of a Christian. The need for repentance causes an emotional and mental conflict within a person. This emotional and mental conflict did not begin with Christians. Each person who enters into covenant with God struggles with repentance. Israel was often reminded by God’s prophets about her need to repent. When Israel would stray from following after God and suffer the consequences of it, God would send prophets to call her to repentance. In today’s lesson, God sent a message by Ezekiel to call the people to personal repentance. This act of repentance was not going to be a national event but a nationwide event. God demanded that each person take responsibility for their own sin. The children would not bear the responsibility of the parents’ sin but neither would the parents bear the responsibility for the sin of the children. Every soul belongs to God and each must repent of their own sin. There would be no generational curse but rather individual accountability to God. Spiritual revival was going to take place on an individual basis. No one was exempt because all had sin. God was not pleased at the suffering of people because of their transgressions. Judgment would be upon each individual according to their righteousness or wickedness. Repentance is the only hope for renewed fellowship with the Lord. When we are under conviction by the Holy Ghost, let us heed the call for repentance. Robert C. Hudson July 30, 2015

A Choice to be Just

August 9, 2015 Background Scripture: Ezra 7:1, 6, 21 – 28; Jeremiah 7:1 – 15 Lesson Passage: Jeremiah 7:1 – 15 Life is filled with choices. As we mature, many of us tend to narrow our choices down to a few select ones that we believe reflect our personality. On the other hand, there are many choices to be made whereby we may choose to be flexible so that we can react to the situation or live within the moment. These can be dangerous choices because we can become partial to some people to the disadvantage of others and eventually become comfortable with the notion of situational ethics. In other words, we will decide what is right and wrong based on the situation rather than absolute moral standards. That’s where the danger arises. God has established the criteria for holiness and He has demanded that His people be holy because He is holy. Children of God must make choices that reflect God’s standards rather than the situation at hand or our perceived personality type. Israel was often reprimanded for becoming comfortable and forgetting God’s requirement of righteousness. In today’s lesson, Jeremiah is sent by God to warn the inhabitants of Judah that God was watching them and He was not pleased with what was going on. God was still demanding that justice and mercy be practiced among His people. It should be noted that Jeremiah was not sent to the backsliders and heathen that stayed away from Israel’s placed of worship. Instead, the prophet was sent to the temple’s gate where the people of the nation came to worship God. In other words, this message was delivered to the most religious of Judah. The message of the prophet derided them for trusting in the temple more than the one to whom the temple was dedicated. A building dedicated to God does not make unrighteous people holy. It simply will become a building filled with unrighteous people. It was hypocrisy that Jeremiah spoke against. The inhabitants of Judah were reminded of their forefathers who attempted the same thing at Shiloh. God destroyed the worship place that was in Shiloh because of the unrighteousness of His people. They were displaying an outward appearance of piety but their deeds did not reflect God’s righteous desires. The people were admonished to heed their forefathers’ example at Shiloh as a warning. Some evil choices had been made in the past and God had judged them. Jeremiah’s message was more than condemnation because it also contained exhortation that the people would be blessed for right behavior. Jeremiah’s message encouraged the people of Israel to live righteously by making good choices. Right behavior consisted of executing justice and mercy towards people and faithful worship of God alone. Jeremiah clearly declared God’s intent of blessing Israel according to the promises God made to their forefathers. These blessings, however, were predicated on them obeying God’s commandments. Many of their forefathers had failed and now they were faced with similar choices about how to live as God’s people. Jeremiah admonished them to choose to be just. Robert C. Hudson July 28, 2015