I am reading in Jeremiah 3:1-25. It is a long passage and it is difficult to share only a small portion of it and to get the right message from it, so I will have to summarize at least parts of it and try to hit on the key points. For this is a critical message that we, as the church, need to hear today.
And I believe this can apply to those who did once walk with the Lord in holiness and in righteousness and in obedience to the Lord, but then who later turned back to walking in the ways of the flesh, and who are still there. And/or it can also be applied to those who have made false professions of faith in Jesus Christ, who claim Jesus as their Lord and Savior, but who continue living in sinful practices without genuine repentance.
So, here is the gist of what this is teaching. God’s people committed adultery against their Lord and they played the harlot with many lovers. Now this could have included literal sexual immorality, and it probably did, but this is speaking of spiritual adultery against the Lord. They deserted the Lord and their walks of faith in him to go after “other lovers” of the flesh of man. And they worshiped the idols of man in place of true worship of God.
And then he said that they refused to be ashamed. And what does it mean to be ashamed, in truth? It means to be humbled and regretful and sorry for what we did that was wrong. But how is that expressed? In words only? No! Remember Esau? He was sexually immoral and unholy and he sold his birthright for a single meal. Afterward, when he desired to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no chance to repent, though he sought it with tears. So even tears are not a sign of true repentance. Genuine change of behavior that lasts is a true sign of true repentance.
“Have you not just now called to me,
‘My father, you are the friend of my youth—
will he be angry forever,
will he be indignant to the end?’
Behold, you have spoken,
but you have done all the evil that you could.” Jeremiah 3:4-5 ESV
So, here we have a picture of repentance that is surface level only, not genuine. The people appealed to God’s mercy and forgiveness, yet they went right back to their wickedness and their idolatry and adultery. So, they were being hypocritical and deceitful in claiming God as their Father and friend, and by appealing to his mercy, while they went right back to doing all the evil that they could. And this is the case today with many who profess faith in Jesus Christ but who then go right back to living in deliberate sin.
And I am not saying here that we will never sin if we are true followers of Christ, or that we will be absolutely perfect in every way. But the New Testament Scriptures teach that genuine faith leads to genuine repentance and changed hearts and lives and behaviors. So, if we continue in deliberate and habitual sin, and not in walks of obedience to our Lord, then according to the Scriptures we will not inherit eternal life with God.
“Return, faithless Israel,
declares the Lord.
I will not look on you in anger,
for I am merciful,
declares the Lord;
I will not be angry forever.
Only acknowledge your guilt,
that you rebelled against the Lord your God
and scattered your favors among foreigners under every green tree,
and that you have not obeyed my voice,
declares the Lord.” Jeremiah 3:12-13 ESV
Old Testament or New Testament, the call is still the same. But this goes beyond just acknowledging guilt. We have to turn from our sins and we have to now walk in obedience to our Lord, in practice, and in holy living, and no longer walk in sin. Sin must no longer be our practice, for if sin is what we practice it will end in death and not in life eternal. If sin is our habit, and we are not walking in obedience to the Lord, we will not inherit eternal life with God. So, we need to take this seriously, for it is what the Scriptures teach.
[Matt 7:21-23; Matt 24:9-14; Lu 9:23-26; Rom 1:18-32; Rom 2:6-8; Rom 6:1-23; Rom 8:1-14,24; Rom 12:1-2; Rom 13:11; 1 Co 6:9-10,19-20; 2 Co 5:10,15,21; 1 Co 1:18; 1 Co 15:1-2; 2 Tim 1:8-9; Heb 9:28; 1 Pet 1:5; Gal 5:16-21; Gal 6:7-8; Eph 2:8-10; Eph 4:17-32; Eph 5:3-6; Col 1:21-23; Col 3:5-17; 1 Pet 2:24; Tit 2:11-14; 1 Jn 1:5-9; 1 Jn 2:3-6,24-25; 1 Jn 3:4-10; Heb 3:6,14-15; Heb 10:23-31; Heb 12:1-2; Rev 21:8,27; Rev 22:14-15]
Oh, to Be Like Thee, Blessed Redeemer
Lyrics by Thomas O. Chisholm, 1897
Music by W. J. Kirkpatrick, 1897
Oh, to be like Thee! blessèd Redeemer,
This is my constant longing and prayer;
Gladly I’ll forfeit all of earth’s treasures,
Jesus, Thy perfect likeness to wear.
Oh, to be like Thee! full of compassion,
Loving, forgiving, tender and kind,
Helping the helpless, cheering the fainting,
Seeking the wandering sinner to find.
O to be like Thee! lowly in spirit,
Holy and harmless, patient and brave;
Meekly enduring cruel reproaches,
Willing to suffer others to save.
O to be like Thee! while I am pleading,
Pour out Thy Spirit, fill with Thy love;
Make me a temple meet for Thy dwelling,
Fit me for life and Heaven above.
Oh, to be like Thee! Oh, to be like Thee,
Blessèd Redeemer, pure as Thou art;
Come in Thy sweetness, come in Thy fullness;
Stamp Thine own image deep on my heart.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KrYhiK2nQBg
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