SATURDAY October 5, 2019
True Repentance
Immediately Saul fell full length on the ground, and was dreadfully afraid because of the words of Samuel. And there was no strength in him, for he had eaten no food all day or all night.
1 Samuel 28:20
Notice Saul’s reaction when the Prophet Samuel gave to him God’s words of judgment––both he and his sons would die in battle. Saul refused to eat. His disobedience would cause his life to be cut short, as well as the lives of three of his sons. Saul knew the handwriting was on the wall––his days, and that of his three sons, were numbered (1 Samuel 31:2; 1 Chronicles 10:2).
Yet God is the God of second chances. All Saul had to do was to ask God for forgiveness. Although he would have suffered the consequences for his sin, if he had truly repented, God would have forgiven Saul.
I believe that, even if Judas, the one who betrayed Jesus, had truly repented, God would have forgiven him. However, God in His foreknowledge knew Judas would not repent; he would be lost for all eternity. It is recorded as a prophecy in Scripture:
…Those [believers in Christ] whom You gave Me [Jesus] I have kept; and none of them islost except the son of perdition [Judas], that the Scripture might be fulfilled (John 17:12; Psalm 41:9).
When a leader sins; they are often unaware of the writing on the wall––God’s judgment. The ministry God entrusted to them might come to an end. If unrepentant for their sin, God may cut their life short. The Apostle Paul, gave validity to God’s judgment in the Communion service. The bread and cup were not to be taken in an unworthy manner:
For he who eats and drinks in an unworthy manner eats and drinks judgment to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body. For this reason many are weak and sick among you, and many sleep [die] (1 Corinthians 11:29-30).
Yet if a person chooses to humble themselves before God in true repentance, God, in His grace, will restore them and use them again.
Man has two great needs. One is for forgiveness, the other is for goodness.
~Billy Graham~
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