I would like to suggest a new “movement.” I would like to suggest that every Christian in America start talking more about, “repentance.” It seems this has almost become a forgotten word in America, but it is the only thing that can save our country.
Repentance is changing your heart, your mind, and your life away from sin and turning toward God. Sin is destroying our nation. Read the lists of sins in the New Testament like Romans 1:28-32 and 1 Corinthians 6:9-10. Doesn’t it sound like God is describing today’s reality television?!
Drinking, fornicating, lying, homosexuality, disobeying parents, and on and on it goes. What will it take for America to realize sin is destroying us? When John the baptizer showed up on the scene, he cried to the people of Israel, “Repent” (Matthew 3:1-2)! When Jesus preached, he cried out, “Repent” (Matthew 4:17)! When the apostles preached, they cried out, “Repent” (Acts 2:38)! And long before any of them walked this earth, the prophets of old preached repentance!
Proverbs 14:34 says, “Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people.” Sin is a reproach to the United States of America! I love this country and I want to see her survive and thrive. It is time we repent and turn to God!
As Christians, we are often afraid to say, “Repent.” Why? Because we are afraid of being accused of being “judgmental.” There are two kinds of judging Jesus condemned:
1. Judging Hypocritically (Matthew 7:1-5)
The first person you need to tell, “Repent,” is yourself! You have to get the log out of your own eye before you start digging around in someone else’s eye.
2. Judging by the Wrong Standard (John 7:24)
We must be careful that we are not telling people to repent and be like us. We are not the standard; God’s word is the standard. That’s what I love so much about the word, “repent,” it is all about turning people back to God’s standard–not our own!
#RepentAmerica
If you use Twitter, maybe we could get #RepentAmerica trending. Maybe we could get people talking on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, in the your office, in your schools, in your congregation about “REPENTANCE.” It is time we start encouraging America, beginning with ourselves, to repent!
Let’s stop falling victim to the lie that sin is, “No big deal!” Let’s start telling people the truth, “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23).
Here is the challenge: every time you see sin in your own life, or someone else’s life, lovingly and urgently encourage repentance.
I love you and God loves you,
