It's Time for Christians to Repent

Yvonne Ortega doesn't back down from telling people the truth, because she knows it is the truth that sets people free and heals their brokenness. In this Spiritual Life UPGRADE, she hones in on an often-forgotten truth: God's people need to be holy, and repentance is necessary when the Holy Spirit shows us our sin.

“It’s time for Christians to repent.

"As Christians," Yvonne says, "we may talk about and pray for revival in our country, but it’s time for us to repent of partial or incomplete obedience, which is disobedience or rebellion against God.

I (Dawn) have seen so many ministries across America and around the world focusing on the need for revival.

I traveled with a revival team for a number of years and saw what happened in churches when God's people got serious with Him about their sin. Yvonne's words may seem harsh to some people, but they are really words of love for God's people and His holiness.

Yvonne continues . . .

Joshua told the Israelites,

Be very careful to love the Lord your God (Joshua 23:11 NIV).

In verse 16, Joshua warned them, If you violate the covenant of the Lord your God, which he commanded you, and go and serve other gods and bow down to them, the Lord’s anger will burn against you, and you will quickly perish from the good land he has given you.

Perhaps some of us look at Joshua 23:11 and 16 and don’t think those verses apply to us. After all, we no longer live under Old Testament Law but under the New Covenant.

Here are three ways in which those verses do apply.

1. We have often kept quiet in the face of opposition to our covenant with the Lord.

We have not fought for truth. Instead, in the name of multicultural diversity, tolerance, and peace at any price, we have allowed laws and practices contrary to our love for God to abound.

Let’s repent of not loving the Lord as the Bible commands us.

In Matthew 22:37–38, Jesus replied [to an expert in the Law]: ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment.’

2. We have served the gods of materialism and forgotten what God Almighty has done for us.

During this pandemic, in the United States alone, thousands are in hospitals in critical condition, and thousands have died. Those in the medical field, rescue workers, and caregivers risk their lives daily to keep us safe and healthy.

• Meanwhile, we complain that we can’t get our nails done or go to the tanning booth at the spa.
• We may not be starving, but we moan about the lack of our favorite foods.
• Perhaps we groan about the social distancing restrictions at the golf club.
• At the same time, we dislike the pick-up or delivery-only policies of our favorite restaurant.

Yet, others are hurting because of a lack of money to cover necessities, such as rent or a mortgage and food. They can’t afford pick-up or delivery.

Like the Israelites, we forget all that God has given us and the miracles of the past.

We only focus on our comfort and serve the gods of materialism.

3. We have not hated sin—the works of darkness or evil that God hates.

There are six things the Lord hates, seven that are detestable to him:

haughty eyes (a proud, arrogant look), a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood,

a heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that are quick to rush into evil,

a false witness who pours out lies and a person who stirs up conflict in the community (Proverbs 6:16–19 NIV).

Any one of those sins separates us from our holy heavenly Father God.

Ask the Lord to show you His holy heart.

Perhaps we are thinking we have confessed all our sins and never murdered anyone. We need to examine our hearts according to 1 John 3:15.

That verse says,

Anyone who hates a brother or sister is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life residing in him.

Jesus gives us confirmation of the Old Testament in Matthew 5:17.

He says, Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.

Look also at Romans 3:23—For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.

Yes, It's time for Christians to repent.

Can we stand before God and say we don’t need to repent, because we haven’t sinned and fallen short of the glory of God? Friend, ask the Lord to show you His holy heart.

Yvonne Ortega walks with a small footprint but leaves a giant imprint in people’s lives. She is the author of the Moving from Broken to Beautiful® Series through cancer, forgiveness, and grief. Yvonne speaks with honesty and humor as she shares her life and struggles to help women find peace, power, and purpose through God’s Word. She celebrates life at the beach where she walks, builds sand castles, blows bubbles, and dances. Read more about Yvonne at www.YvonneOrtega.com.

Graphic adapted, courtesy of Delanie at Lightstock.