3.
Now repentance is no fun at all. It is something much harder than merely eating
humble pie. It means unlearning all the self-conceit and self-will that we have
been training ourselves into for thousands of years." pg 56-57.
Man, oh
man!"No fun" is a huge, giganormousgantic (pronounced
gee-GAH-nor-mass-GAN-tic) understatement! My previous post talked about a
recognition of sin being needed in order for repentance and salvation to become
a possibility for someone. And what does that come with? A guilty conscience!! To know better is to do better but when you don't, do
better that is, that nagging kicks in. You know what I'm talking about,
right?
******************
I found
myself focusing on that first sentence of the quote and wrote out so much about
it and then it hit me; the weight of the quote lies in the last sentence. I can't take all the credit for this a-ha moment as it took prayer to open my eyes to this. Thanks be unto You oh God
Scroll back up and read it again. Meditate on it real quick before you read on.
Please.
*******************
Unlearn, as per Google, is defined as to "discard (something learned, especially a
bad habit or false or outdated information) from one's memory." This definition is so on point as
it embodies the work involved in this journey towards holiness and righteousness;
a conscious turning away from one thing in order to attain another
(discard). Salvation is immediate but this thing we call deliverance is a
daily, progressive journey.
Let's go back to the quote again. That part that states
"training... for thousands of years" is so loaded. Romans 5:12-14 states:
"Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned— (For until the law sin was in the world, but sin is not imputed when there is no law. Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those who had not sinned according to the likeness of the transgression of Adam, who is a type of Him who was to come."
So from Adam's time, the fleshly nature, rooted in pride and
self-will has enforced and reinforced sinful habits as our normal desire.
Therefore, when the Gospel is introduced it often feels almost foreign and
difficult to integrate it into our lifestyle. But with time and consistency, we take on a new normal, anchored in love for and obedience towards God.
I get it now and not just from a practical standpoint
but spiritually too where the opposite is just as true; "God's law was given so that all people could see how
sinful they were. But as people sinned more and more, God's wonderful grace
became more abundant (Romans 5:20)."
So
for thousands of years a new way - THE WAY, was being enforced and reinforced,
shared and spreading like wildfire across the earth. "For ever since the world was created, people have seen
the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his
invisible qualities--his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no
excuse for not knowing God. (Romans 1:20)"
No more excuses, can you vow that?
Reinforcing sin or righteousness comes with it's struggles, one towards death and the other towards life (Romans 6:23).
1
Peter 5:6 - "Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so
that at the proper time he may exalt you..."
Grace and peace. Amen.