Key Life Network

Guest (Male): They say, “Turn or burn.” Let’s talk about it on Key Life.

Matthew: Welcome to Key Life. I’m Matthew, executive producer of the program. Our host is Steve Brown. He’s an author and seminary professor who teaches that God’s amazing grace is the key to a life of radical freedom, infectious joy, and surprised faithfulness to Christ.

Steve Brown: Thank you, Matthew. We’re in the middle of a study of the lies that get to us, that we have almost all of us believed, or at least some of them. I have a book that’s going to be coming out on this particular subject. The title, I think we’ve decided on it, is *God’s Not Mad At You: Confronting the Lies of Guilt and Shame and Fear and Regret*. That book’s going to be out on September the 14th, and I’ll give you a heads-up when we get closer to that time.

We’re looking this week and probably next too on the lies that defraud us. Here’s a verse: Romans 2:4. “God’s kindness is meant to lead you to repentance.” And the lie is: “Turn or burn.” Let’s pray, and then we’ll get down and talk about the lie.

Father, we come into your presence drawn by your kindness, your mercy, your acceptance, the way you define us, the way you look after us, the way you’re in charge of every molecule of our lives. You are an awesome God, and we worship you. But if you, Father, had never done all of that for us out of your love, you would still be an awesome God and worthy of our worship.

Father, you know everybody who’s listening to this broadcast, and you know their names. You know the sleepless nights and the secrets and the good things, the laughter and the fun. You’re God, and you’re sovereign over it all and sufficient for it all. And now, Father, as we study, oversee it. Forgive the one who teaches his sins, for they are many. We would see Jesus and him only. And we pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.

I gave you the verse: “God’s kindness is meant to lead you to repentance.” And the lie: “Turn or burn.” A while back I wrote a book about grace and a good friend, a name you would probably recognize, actually it was Tony Campolo—I miss him a lot. Anyway, he wrote a very positive and kind endorsement. We did that for each other in a lot of different places. Later, when I thanked him, he said, “I love the book, but I would have liked it even better if you had written more about repentance.”

I winced. You know why? Because actually, most of the book was about repentance. I suppose that either I had masked repentance so much that he missed it, or he had his own view of repentance and what I had written didn't match that particular view. And so, I want to talk to you about repentance. I'm going to do something that's very, very important. I'm going to explain what repentance is biblically, and you're going to be surprised how it works and the difference it makes.

Repentance, as I said, isn't what you think it is. There's been so much teaching on the subject and its implications—sometimes legitimate, sometimes not so much—that they've become the definition. On top of that, there is all of the “turn and burn,” “repent or go to hell” cartoons, prophetic sermons, anti-sin books that have added to the implications of that developing definition of repentance. Frankly, that misdefinition is killing God's people.

We all have to deal with guilt. If the Bible is right about anthropology, that the heart is deceitful above all things—that's Jeremiah 17:9—that makes us wide open to the message: if you're sinning, stop it. That “stop it,” believe it or not, has become the definition of repentance. Have you seen that Bob Newhart comedy bit where he plays a psychiatrist? A woman comes in to him with her problem, and he says he can fix it. After a good deal of discussion, he says, “Are you ready? Here it is: stop it. Just stop it.”

In the face of what makes us guilty and afraid, causes our shame, and that over which we have regrets, some say, “Well, just stop it.” And that is the way they define repentance. It's not at all. It's not even close. Not only that, in real life, it's as weird, funny, and dangerous as that comedy bit. Let me give you a very important truth. Repentance—listen up—repentance is not change. It is rather God's methodology for change, if that's what God desires in our lives.

Sometimes that change comes quickly, but most of the time it's a process that doesn't seem to be happening at all. Change is not the issue. Biblically understood, repentance is worshipping God for who he is as the sovereign creator, ruler, and sustainer of our lives. Incidentally, the word repentance is from a Greek word, *metanoia*, and it means literally to change one's mind. There are times when that word simply means conversion. There is a sense in which conversion is exactly what repentance is.

It's going from darkness to light, from the mess of lies to the truth of God. It simply means agreeing with God when you didn't before. True repentance includes making no excuses, no rationalizations, and no explanations. A good working definition of repentance is knowing who you are, who God is, what you've said, done, or thought—that's sin—and agreeing with God. Given God's love and forgiveness and mercy, that agreement is often expressed with shock and sorrow and sometimes even tears.

When you add to your repentance a promise to stop it—“I’ll never go there again”—that's no longer repentance. It's trying to pull yourself up by your own bootstraps. Having an opinion of yourself and your ability to be obedient is way higher than reality would justify. Does repentance include sorrow? Well, yes, sometimes. A hope that we can get better? Almost always. An awareness of the darkness of sin? Of course. And a desire for godliness? Sure.

But that doesn't mean change. Change is hard. Only those who haven't tried to be better think that the task is simple and doable. I've so often heard from smokers and drinkers that they can quit smoking or drinking if they want to. If challenged to do it, reality sets in and their efforts almost always fail. That's where repentance starts. It mostly happens after failure and hardly ever before. At its deepest and most important level, repentance is an expression of helplessness.

When it is more than that, it can very quickly become arrogance. Believe me about that. I know. When I was younger, I did what I thought was repentance. I’d blow it and I would say, “God, you’ve shown me I really made a mess of it, but I’m going to fix it. I’m going to be better. I’m going to follow you closely. I’m going to be nice and kind and I’m going to be obedient.” I can’t tell you how many times when I did some of that that I became an arrogant jerk, and then I had to even repent of that. I hate that. You think about it. Amen.

Matthew: Thanks, Steve. That was Steve Brown resuming our tour through his latest book, which confronts the lies of guilt, shame, fear, and regret. Today, a little refresher on repentance. And once again, our text was Romans 2:4. More tomorrow. Do join us.

I want to let you know about a special booklet called *Through the Eyes of Grace: The Gospels*. This is taken from Steve's classic overview of the New Testament. It includes highlights of the Gospels, including introductory comments, major themes, and important teaching. We just started a new periodic series here on Key Life. It's a survey of the Gospels. Last week, Jerry Perrys led us through Matthew, and of course, Mark, Luke, and John are still to come.

I think you’re going to find having this booklet handy as we explore that. So, get your free copy right now by calling us at 1-800-KEY-LIFE. That’s 1-800-539-5433. You can also email Steve at steve@keylife.org to order that booklet or go to keylife.org/contact for our mailing addresses. Again, ask for the booklet called *Through the Eyes of Grace: The Gospels*.

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