The theme for the term was 'design'. Sometimes I try to relate the message in my blog post to some current event or the season we are in...this time, I got nothing. I'm just being lazy and posting things I've already written. Any rate, here it is.
Design
Understanding the specific purposes for which God created each person, object, and relationship in my life and living in harmony with them. Thanking God for my design brings Self-Acceptance.
Repentance Meditation Commentary
“From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” —Matthew 4:17
“And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behooved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day: And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.” Luke 24:46-47
Design is an interesting concept in the Bible, particularly
in relation to repentance. On the one
hand, there is the implication that since God created us, we should be content
with how we are. However, the way God
designed us was to live according to His laws and commandments. Our bodies function best when we follow His
rules. God set up certain guidelines and
boundaries, whether it is in regard to food, clothing, lifestyle, sex, etc.,
and within those boundaries, we thrive.
Sin is the very opposite of that.
Sin is stepping outside those boundaries, and working against the way we
were designed. That is why repentance is
the first crucial step in understanding design, and why it is the first thing
that Jesus preached, and told His apostles to preach. Following God's Word is in our best
interests, because when we begin doing things His way, we are working in
accordance with the way we were designed to work in the first place. Repentance is the act of changing our thinking
about the way we are supposed to live, and bringing us in accordance with God's
thinking, which is what will give us long life, and bring us into step with His
Design. It is the same concept as
restoring a building that has been run down and full of rats, pigeons, gangs,
etc., to the thing it was originally designed to be. Perhaps the original
design of the building was as a church in which to glorify God, or as a
hotel. But because the building ceased
to be used for its intended purpose, it began to be used for other
purposes. Maybe gangs used it as a place
to exchange drugs, or to hide illegal contraband. Perhaps the wall was used for target
practice, or pieces of wood were ripped out of the floor to be used
elsewhere. Spiders could have used it to
build their webs, and small animals could have used it for shelter. But that is not what the building was
designed for, and unless it is returned to its original purpose, it will be
condemned. The idea that everybody
should be able to stay exactly how they are, and accept themselves for who they
are once they have been saved, is ludicrous in light of God's Word. What did He come to save us from, if not sin?
To be clear, it is very Biblical to accept things about the way God made you
that you cannot change. However, there
should be no self-acceptance of sin. Acceptance
and self-esteem are good things, but only if the acceptance is of an attribute
of God’s design. The concepts of
repentance and design go hand in hand, and repentance is necessarily the first
step in accepting God's design.
I love this post! I never connected the design of God with the concept of repentance. This reminds me of Romans 12:1--in essence, you're saying that repentance is two-fold; a humble confession that we have rejected the design of God and a restoration and renewal of our acceptance of God's design as we conform to the image of Christ! Thanks for sharing!!!
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