Acts of repentance

The Word of God calls us to repentance. Repentance is changing how we view our behaviors from our selfish standpoint to seeing them from God’s perspective. It is not enough to acknowledge that we have broken God’s commandments – we have sinned. We must agree with God that these actions are wrong and commit not to repeat them in the future.

The Bible goes further and calls us to, “bear fruit in keeping with repentance” (Luke 3:8, Matthew 3:8) What Paul called “deeds appropriate to repentance” (Acts 26:20). We must demonstrate the change in our perspective through our actions. John the Baptist gave specific examples (Luke 3:7-14). He called the people to care for the needy, show integrity in their financial transactions, to be honest in legal matters and not to covet material possessions. These behaviors are called for throughout the scriptures. God called on His people to “divide your bread with the hungry and bring the homeless poor into the house; when you see the naked, to cover him” (Isaiah 58:7).

This is not a “social gospel” -using the Gospel to improve humanity rather than lead people to salvation. It is the way we live out the Gospel in our society. We fulfill the greatest commandment (to love God) by repentance for our sins. We the second portion of the commandment (to love others) by our deeds in keeping with repentance. Paul tells us “that God’s kindness is meant to lead you to repentance” (Romans 2:4). We have the opportunity and responsibility to be the instruments through which God expresses His kindness to people.

One of my favorite mission statements used by a church is, “We do good deeds, to build good will, to share good news.” Our acts of expressing God’s kindness helps to lead others to repentance.

Performing these deeds is not optional. Jesus taught “From everyone who has been given much, much will be required;”(Luke 12:48). Paul instructs economically blessed Christians “to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share” (1 Timothy 6:18). “But whoever has the world’s goods, and sees his brother in need and closes his heart against him, how does the love of God abide in him? Little children, let us not love with word or with tongue, but in deed and truth” (1 John 3:17-18).

God describes blessings for those that care for the less fortunate. “Your light will rise in darkness and your gloom will become like midday. And Yehovah will continually guide you, and satisfy your desire in scorched places, and give strength to your bones; and you will be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water whose waters do not fail” (Isaiah 58:10-11).

We do not perform acts of kindness in order to “earn” God’s blessings. We do them as an expression of our love for Him. We do them to point lost people to Him. We do them to help other believers that have need of assistance from God.