The Healing of Repentance

Have you had a time when you suffered a cut or gash? The wound caused pain, but often the pain of the treatment or antiseptic was even worse! Cleaning, however, is essential to recovery. 

Repentance of our sin can work the same way. The pain of seeing in ourselves, and our failings, in the mirror of the law can be painful. However, the act of repentance, and acceptance of God’s grace through Jesus’ redemption, brings healing that restores our relationship with Him. . . not our work, but God’s work in us.

The text of this message gathers words from the Old Testament book of Hosea, through the Epistle in Romans chapter 4, and touching on the Gospel in Matthew 9. . . all reminding that God works sorrow in our hearts through the law and our awareness of sin, then heals us through Jesus’ redemption and brings us joy in repentance. 

“Come, let us return to the LORD; for he has torn us, that he may heal us; he has struck us down, and he will bind us up. After two days he will revive us; on the third day he will raise us up, that we may live before him. Let us know; let us press on to know the LORD; his going out is sure as the dawn; he will come to us as the showers, as the spring rains that water the earth.” (Hosea 6:1-3)