And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent: because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead (Acts 17:30, 31).
Repent! the message of John the Baptist. Repent! the message of Jesus. Repent! the message of the apostles. Repent! the message of every true minister of Christ. Repent! the most unpopular subject with all sinners.
Visiting St. Michan's church, built by the Danes outside the walls of Dublin about the eleventh century, I noticed a chair near the pulpit facing the congregation. I was told that it was the chair of repentance. In the old Scottish churches such a chair was called a cutty stool. It was a low stool on which open sinners who were repentant were made to sit for public rebuke. In Roget's Thesaurus the cutty stool is used as a synonym for stool of repentance. "Sackcloth and ashes" is another phrase meaning the same, or to "eat humble pie."
God actually commands all people everywhere to repent. Why the command? Because the day of judgment is already appointed. That judgment will be in righteousness, and it is "by that man whom he [that is, God] hath ordained," and that man is Jesus Christ.
Not only is it good for sinners to repent, not only must repentance precede forgiveness, but God has given us assurance of Christ as judge, "in that he hath raised him from the dead." Did you ever think of it that way before? The resurrection of Christ should bring us seriously face to face with the coming judgment and the necessity of repentance. It is true, for God "hath committed all judgment unto the Son" (John 5:22). The command of God is ringing in our ears, Repent, repent! "Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out" (Acts 3:19).
MEDITATION PRAYER: "I acknowledge my sin unto thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid" (Ps. 32:5).
Repent! the message of John the Baptist. Repent! the message of Jesus. Repent! the message of the apostles. Repent! the message of every true minister of Christ. Repent! the most unpopular subject with all sinners.
Visiting St. Michan's church, built by the Danes outside the walls of Dublin about the eleventh century, I noticed a chair near the pulpit facing the congregation. I was told that it was the chair of repentance. In the old Scottish churches such a chair was called a cutty stool. It was a low stool on which open sinners who were repentant were made to sit for public rebuke. In Roget's Thesaurus the cutty stool is used as a synonym for stool of repentance. "Sackcloth and ashes" is another phrase meaning the same, or to "eat humble pie."
God actually commands all people everywhere to repent. Why the command? Because the day of judgment is already appointed. That judgment will be in righteousness, and it is "by that man whom he [that is, God] hath ordained," and that man is Jesus Christ.
Not only is it good for sinners to repent, not only must repentance precede forgiveness, but God has given us assurance of Christ as judge, "in that he hath raised him from the dead." Did you ever think of it that way before? The resurrection of Christ should bring us seriously face to face with the coming judgment and the necessity of repentance. It is true, for God "hath committed all judgment unto the Son" (John 5:22). The command of God is ringing in our ears, Repent, repent! "Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out" (Acts 3:19).
MEDITATION PRAYER: "I acknowledge my sin unto thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid" (Ps. 32:5).
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