Intro to: Repentance from Dead Works

Heb 6 January 1, 1993

Just as our journey to Brideship with Christ begins with being born anew by the Spirit into the kingdom of God, among our first baby steps will be a definite kind of repentance, of doing a complete about face. The young Christian is called upon to turn. The sooner the better. We are urged by Word and Spirit – Spirit and Word – to turn from our own ways, which we may think are tried and true, but actually are far from it. The young Christian ought to turn wholeheartedly to God. Novice Christians can never hope to get their feet under them in order to commence their adventurous walk unless they, with their full heart and spirit, are willing to submit to the flowing will of God which is being broadcast mercifully now in their newly created supple and airy heart.

Do not be alarmed, however. We may not readily or easily submit everything in our spirit and life. Deliverance from ourselves and our past lives often takes extraordinary measures by God. This requires experience and faith and a maturity. Regardless, we must be willing to submit to God in everything we do. Well, actually, in all things. There is no substitute for a speedy and honest devotion to repentance before God. Repentance flings opens the gates of freedom from self and lets us walk away from our old life, into the new. We are urged in the Scriptures to flee corruption and sin and follow after the abundant good things of God, like righteousness, faith and love. If we are willing to throw open the prison gate of selfishness and worldly desire and repent from our cherished ways, we shall be able and successful in learning how to walk through that gate and into the ‘marvelous light of God’s dear Son’. If not we will be confined to our crib, many disturbing dark nights of the soul and the chilling cold of this present evil world. Repentance is the key, but not just to escape, also to come into those good things of God. God has given us a way out, the means of full escape. If we do not repent of our own works, from thinking they are purely and fundamentally good at any time, then we shall be unable to embark on the journey that God has planned for our life by faith. The Bible terms this crucial spirit of repentance: REPENTANCE FROM DEAD WORKS. The following segment of articles about Dying to self are designed to help Christians understand this ever important set of heart and action of our Will.

Another way of perceiving this activation of our new beginning is that it is akin to coming out of the woods, or out of the dark, because unlike a newborn babe in the flesh, we have a former life with former knowledge with which we must contend and be freed from its errors, misconceptions and general perverse ways. The born-again Christian must come out of this darkness, walk into the light, the light into which he and she has been called. Their own dark misunderstanding and ignorance must be forsaken for the vain things which they are. We usually come into this new world of God’s kingdom with a lifetime of baggage and a full repertoire of worldly mischief and tedious misconceptions about who God is, imposing on Him the idea of who we think He is supposed to be, or ought to be. It is vital that we repent of these things also.

Essentially, we must turn from ourselves. To repent of our own works means to drop our own ways without reservation or equivocation; as if they were a glowing red hot iron branding our bare hands. We may recognize that we have even long meddled in the affairs of God without understanding or true knowledge, even becoming a hindrance to Him. We may have been like a little child wanting to help their parent but without discernment, skill or ability. We only have gotten in the way. Now God calls. He says to His newborn to turn with vigor and trust, turn to Him with full assurance of faith that He will give light and warmth and they can grow strong. They can begin to walk in the new path set before them by THE WORD and THE HOLY SPIRIT under the instruction of God Himself.