Sermon: Double-down
...a hands-on perspective to repentance
by Chris Cumming
Let me read the first eight words
of our doctrine on Repentance: “Repentance is the act of acknowledging
one's sins.” I often believe that for most in the Body of Christ, this
is the primary definition that comes to mind. One sins and they
immediately repent before God. As the quote from the doctrine states,
“the act of acknowledging one’s sins. However, is this all there is to
repentance? Is there something more that God requires? If God requires
more, just how do firstfruits manifest this requirement?
Let us read the first sentence of the doctrine again, but this time with
the addition six words: “Repentance is the act of acknowledging one's
sins and resolving to fully obey God.”
So we see that something more than acknowledgement of sin is required.
We must resolve to fully obey God. Well, just how do we carry out this
resolve? How do we fully obey God?
Today we are going to answer these questions as I encourage all of us to
repent before God.
Repent before God.
Since this is the fourth sermon in our series on Holiness, we can easily
restate this encouragement and say:
“Manifest your holiness by repenting before God.” OR, “Manifest your
holiness by fully obeying God.”
So, under the subject heading of Repentance, how do we fully obey God?
Notice another two sentences from our doctrine on Repentance.
“Repentance signals the start of a changed and godly life. It involves a
fully conscious recognition of one's sinful, lawless way of life, a way
of life that is antagonistic toward God and His law, accompanied by a
firm conviction to make a total change and to begin to live in full
accord with God's way of life as described in the Bible.”
From this statement alone, we can see the outline of a repentance
procedure.
1] we acknowledge the sin or negative element.
2] we acknowledge that we did the sin or negative element.
3] we make a firm conviction to make a total change.
4] we make the total change [a process over time].
5] we immerse ourselves in the Word of God to ascertain God’s way.
Item five makes steps one through four possible.
Let us take a closer look at the two words that make up the phrase “firm
conviction” in Step 3 above: What is a, “firm conviction?”
Let us take the second word first.
Conviction:
--a fixed or firm belief.
--the act of moving a person to agreement, consent or a course of
action.
The firm belief is in knowing what the sin or negative element is and
God’s right way of life that stands in opposition to that sin or
negative element. A firstfruit ascertains God’s way in the situation
and has a continuing and firm belief in that way.
Now the word, “Firm.”
Firm [as an adjective to the word conviction]:
--not soft or yielding when pressed [or tempted].
--securely fixed in place. God’s way is securely fixed in your life and
thinking.
--steadfast or unwavering. GTA: “God will not compromise with
His Law.”
--determination [the quality of being resolute; having a fixed
purpose or intention].
--not fluctuating [to change continually; shift back and
forth; tossed to and fro].
As a verb and a description of repenting firstfruits, the word, “firm”
means:
--to make firm; tighten or strengthen (sometimes followed by
“up”).
--to steady or fix.
Can one see why the name of this sermon is, “Double-down”? To repent is
to Double-down in your efforts to overcome the sin or negative element.
Living in Las Vegas, the term, “Double-down” means to double one’s wager
in the game of Blackjack or 21. In this game, one is initially dealt
two cards. If you feel the cards are especially favorable in you
getting to 21 with the next cards you are dealt, you are allowed to
double the bet.
There is another definition for the phrase, “Double-down” that is very
appropriate to the repenting firstfruit. To Double-down is to double or
significantly increase one’s investment or commitment. As we see in the
definitions of, “firm conviction”, the conviction is our course of
action. “Firm” describes our significant increase or doubling down of
effort to the course of action God has led us to. As you are about to
see, most all the scriptures on repentance speak to this doubling down
of effort in God’s specifically stated course of action. Stating the
purpose of this sermon once again, we could set the phrase this way:
Continually Double-down in your repentance before God.
Repentance is a constant way of life. Repentance is physical and
spiritual stewardship of self. Repentance requires action. Repentance
is guided by God. All power and means of repentance comes from God.
All instructions for your specific course of action are in the handbook
to our holiness…the Bible. Let us get into some of those instructions.
Ezekiel 18:30-32
...God speaking to the House of Israel but clearly to all individuals in
the Salvation process.
30 Therefore I will judge you, O house of
Israel, every one according to his ways, saith the Lord GOD. Repent, and
turn yourselves from all your transgressions; so iniquity shall not be
your ruin.
31 Cast away from you all your transgressions, whereby ye have
transgressed; and make you a new heart and a new spirit: for why will ye
die, O house of Israel?
32 For I have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth, saith the Lord
GOD: wherefore turn yourselves, and live ye.
Double-down Phrases:
--Turn yourself from all your transgressions.
--Cast away the transgressions.
--Make a new heart and new spirit.
Definitions:
---Cast away: throw; hurl; fling.
---Cast off: discard; reject.
---Cast out: force out; expel; eject.
Psalm 34:14
Depart from evil, and do good; seek peace, and pursue it.
Double-down Phrases:
--Depart.
--Do Good.
--Seek peace.
--Pursue peace.
Definitions:
---Depart: go away, leave
---Seek: go in search or quest of. Go
to.
---Pursue: strive for; continue a
course of action; proactive. To follow in order to overtake, capture,
kill.
---Peace: mutual harmony between us
and God. Cessation of or freedom from strife. Freedom of the mind from
annoyance, distraction and anxiety.
Isaiah 1:16-17
16 Wash you, make you clean; put away the evil of your doings from
before mine eyes; cease to do evil;
17 Learn to do well; seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the
fatherless, plead for the widow.
Double-down Phrases:
--Wash yourself.
--Cleanse yourself [see sermon,
Rampageous].
--Put away evil.
--Cease doing evil.
Definitions:
---Cleanse:
to remove by or as if by cleaning.
---Put away: put distance between you
and the sin or negative element.
---Wash: remove stains. Word H7364:
To lave [wash by pouring water.].
1 Peter 1:22-23
22 Seeing ye have purified your souls in
obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the
brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently:
23 Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by
the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.
Double-down Phrases:
--Purified your souls.
--Obeying the truth.
--Love one another.
--Invoke fervency.
Definitions:
---Purify: free from foreign,
extraneous or objectionable elements, such as the sin or negative
element. Purge.
---Obey: comply to commands and instructions.
---Fervency: intensity; enthusiasm; zeal; gusto.
Romans 8:13
For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall
die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye
shall live.
Double-down Phrases:
--Mortify bad deeds and habits.
Definition:
Mortify from the dictionary is
defined as: subjugate by abstinence and discipline. Better is the
Strong's definition: G2289: to kill (literally or figuratively):
- become dead, (cause to be)
put to death, kill, mortify.
Notice that this killing of the sin or negative element is accomplished
by the Spirit of God in us. All holiness is accomplished by the power
of the Holy Spirit. A scripture on this:
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Titus 2:14 |
Ephesians 4:22-23
22 That ye put off concerning the former
conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful
lusts;
23 And be renewed in the spirit of your mind;
Double-down Phrases:
--Put off the old man.
--Be renewed.
Definition:
---Renew: recover; replenish; make
effective for longer period.
Colossians 3:5-9
5 Mortify therefore your members which
are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil
concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry:
6 For which things' sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of
disobedience:
7 In the which ye also walked some time, when ye lived in them.
8 But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy,
filthy communication out of your mouth.
9 Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with
his deeds;
Double-down Phrases:
--Mortify bad deeds
James 1:21
Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and
superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted
word, which is able to save your souls.
Double-down Phrases:
--Lay apart evil and all things
negative and bad.
--Immerse yourself in the Word of God.
Definition:
Immerse: to involve deeply; absorb, to
embed
1 Peter 2:1-2
1 Wherefore laying aside all malice, and
all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings,
2 As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may
grow thereby:
Double-down Phrases:
--Lay aside all things evil and
negative
1 Peter 4:2-4
2 That he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the
lusts of men, but to the will of God.
3 For the time past of our life may suffice us to have wrought the will
of the Gentiles, when we walked in lasciviousness, lusts, excess of
wine, revellings, banquetings, and abominable idolatries:
4 Wherein they think it strange that ye run not with them to the same
excess of riot, speaking evil of you:
Double-down Phrases:
--Live to the will of God.
--Avoid riotous living [see sermon,
Rampageous].
James 4:8
Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye
sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.
Double-down Phrases:
--Draw nigh to God
--Cleanse your hands.
--Purify your hearts.
--Do not allow yourself to be double minded.
|
For Draw night to God: |
Job 22:21-23
21 Acquaint now thyself with him, and be at peace: thereby good shall
come unto thee.
22 Receive, I pray thee, the law from his mouth, and lay up his words in
thine heart.
23 If thou return to the Almighty, thou shalt be built up, thou shalt
put away iniquity far from thy tabernacles.
Double-down Phrases:
--Acquaint yourself with God.
--Be at peace.
--Receive the Law and words of God.
--Return or repent.
Definitions:
Acquaint: furnish with knowledge. H5532: minister to, be serviceable
to, profit from. The commentary reads this as, "treasure up, or lay-up.
Lay up or procure an interest now with him, and be at peace. Get the
Divine favor, and then thou wilt be at peace with God, and have
happiness in thy own soul." ~Adam Clarke
3 John 1:11
Beloved, follow not that which is evil, but that which is good. He that
doeth good is of God: but he that doeth evil hath not seen God.
Double-down Phrases:
--Follow that which is good.
Definition:
---Follow: conform to, comply with, or act in accordance with; obey.
Imitate or copy. Move forward. To go after.
2 Corinthians 7:1
Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse
ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting
holiness in the fear of God.
Double-down Phrases:
--Cleanse yourself from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit.
--Perfect Holiness.
--Have fear of God.
Definitions:
---Filthiness: vile; vulgar; obscene. G3436: a stain, that is, (figuratively)
immorality. Notice the commentary:
From all filthiness of the flesh - The noun used here (μολυσμὸς
molusmos) occurs nowhere else in the New Testament. The verb occurs in 1
Corinthians 8:7; Revelation 3:4; Revelation 14:4, and means to stain,
defile, pollute, as a garment; and the word used here means a soiling,
hence, defilement, pollution, and refers to the defiling and corrupting
influence of fleshly desires and carnal appetites. The filthiness of the
flesh here denotes evidently the gross and corrupt appetites and
passions of the body, including all such actions of all kinds as are
inconsistent with the virtue and purity with which the body, regarded as
the temple of the Holy Spirit, should be kept holy - all such passions
and appetites as the Holy Spirit of God would not produce.
And spirit - By “filthiness of the spirit,” the apostle means, probably,
all the thoughts or mental associations that defile the man. Thus, the
Saviour Matthew 15:19 speaks of evil thoughts, etc. that proceed out of
the heart, and that pollute the man. And probably Paul here includes all
the sins and passions which pertain particularly to mind or to the soul
rather than to carnal appetites, such as the desire of revenge, pride,
avarice, ambition, etc. These are in themselves as polluting and
defiling as the gross sensual pleasures. They stand as much in the way
of sanctification, they are as offensive to God, and they prove as
certainly that the heart is depraved as the grossest sensual passions.
~Barnes Notes
Clearly our procedures are invoked to keep the filthiness of both flesh
and spirit away. We learned about this in the sermon,
Rampageous where we see our holiness
pushing away all the negative elements. The number and types of
filthiness are legion and this means that you will be led to and
inspired to specific procedures and specific convictions. Each success
in this area will help you in the next or additional element.
Romans 8:1
There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ
Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
Double-down Phrases:
--Walk after the Spirit.
Definitions:
---Walk: G4043: walk at large (especially as proof of ability);
figuratively to live, deport oneself, follow, go, be occupied with.
Galatians 5:24-26
24 And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the
affections and lusts.
25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.
26 Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying
one another.
Double-down Phrases:
--Crucify the flesh
--Live in the Spirit
--Walk in the Spirit
--Control desire and eliminate any desire for anything negative and/or
against the Word of God.
Definitions:
---Crucify: notice the commentary:
The corrupt passions of the soul have been put to death; that is,
destroyed. They are as though they were dead, and have no power over us.
~Barnes Notes
---Live in the Spirit: Again from the commentary: "The sense of this
verse probably is, "We who are Christians profess to be under the
influences of the Holy Spirit."
---Walk in the Spirit: Produce fruit by that Spirit. Take note that
Galatians 5:22-23 lists those fruits.
By your firm conviction and your calling, you live in the Spirit. By
that power, you walk in the Spirit or produce fruit and good works. The
crucifixion of the flesh is a specific procedure you initiate by that
Spirit.
Let us look at a verse earlier in Galatians
5.
Galatians 5:16
This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of
the flesh.
Double-down Phrase:
---Walk in the Spirit.
Commentary: Frequent in a metaphorical sense for habitual
conduct. ~Vincent's Word Studies
Walk by the Spirit - Follow his guidance in all things. And fulfil not -
In anything. The desire of the flesh - Of corrupt nature. ~John
Wesley Explanatory Notes
Walk by the Spirit - The Christian life is often represented as a
journey, and the word walk, in the scripture, is often equivalent to
live. ~Barnes Notes
Walk by the Spirit - “By (the rule of) the (Holy) Spirit.”
~Jamieson, Fausset, Brown
Walk by the Spirit - that is, either
after the Spirit of God; making the word inspired by God the rule of
behavior, which as it is the standard of faith, so of practice, and is
the lamp unto our feet, and the light unto our path; taking [God]
for a guide, who not only guides into all truth, but in the way of
holiness and righteousness unto the land of uprightness; and depending
upon God's grace and strength for assistance throughout the whole of our
walk and conversation [conduct]. ~John Gill
Look at this verse again. The statement is clear. If you are walking
in the Spirit, you will not fulfil the lust of the flesh. If you are in
the Spirit you are in firm conviction. If you are in the Spirit, you
are in holiness. If you are in the Spirit, you are constantly doubling
down in repentance.
In holiness, repent before your God.
Recap of sermon, Double-Down
Outline of a repentance procedure:
1] we acknowledge the sin or negative element.
2] we acknowledge that we did the sin or negative element.
3] we make a firm conviction to make a total change.
4] we make the total change [a process over time].
5] we immerse ourselves in the Word of God to ascertain God’s way.
Double-Down Phrases
--Turn yourself from all your transgressions.
Ezekiel 18:30-32
--Cast away the transgressions. Ezekiel 18:30-32
--Make a new heart and new spirit. Ezekiel 18:30-32
--Depart. Psalm 34:14
--Do Good. Psalm 34:14
--Seek peace. Psalm 34:14
--Pursue peace. Psalm 34:14
--Wash yourself. Isaiah 1:16-17
--Cleanse yourself [see sermon,
Rampageous]. Isaiah 1:16-17
--Put away evil. Isaiah 1:16-17
--Cease doing evil. Isaiah 1:16-17
--Purified your souls. 1 Peter 1:22-23
--Obeying the truth. 1 Peter 1:22-23
--Love one another. 1 Peter 1:22-23
--Invoke fervency. 1 Peter 1:22-23
--Mortify bad deeds and habits. Romans
8:13
--Put off the old man. Ephesians
4:22-23
--Be renewed. Ephesians 4:22-23
--Mortify bad deeds Colossians 3:5-9
--Lay apart evil and all things negative and
bad. James 1:21
--Immerse yourself in the Word of God. James 1:21
--Lay aside all things evil and negative
1 Peter 2:1-2
--Live to the will of God. 1 Peter
4:2-4
--Avoid riotous living [see sermon,
Rampageous]. 1 Peter 4:2-4
--Draw nigh to God. James 4:8
--Cleanse your hands. James 4:8
--Purify your hearts. James 4:8
--Do not allow yourself to be double minded. James 4:8
--Acquaint yourself with God. Job 22:21-23
--Be at peace. Job 22:21-23
--Receive the Law and words of God. Job 22:21-23
--Return or repent. Job 22:21-23
--Follow that which is good. 3 John 1:11
--Cleanse yourself from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit. 2
Corinthians 7:1
--Perfect Holiness. 2 Corinthians 7:1
--Have fear of God. 2 Corinthians 7:1
--Walk after the Spirit. Romans 8:1
--Crucify the flesh. Galatians 5:24-26
--Live in the Spirit. Galatians 5:24-26
--Walk in the Spirit. Galatians 5:24-26
--Control desire and eliminate any desire for anything negative and/or
against the Word of God. Galatians 5:24-26
---Walk in the Spirit. Galatians 5:16