Change Our Mind
Bro. Eddie Villanueva
November 8, 2008
There are some people who doubt that God exists. Yet there are many who believe He exists though they do not know Him at all. And there are many who crave to experience His love and blessings though they do not know where to find Him. God requires one thing from us to have them. That is repentance.
To repent is to change our mind about ourselves, about sin and about God. It means to change how we think. For all that we believe in or disbelieve in comes from our thoughts.
Change our mind about ourselves. If we think we are not that sinful, let us think twice. We can be good in our own eyes no matter how grave are the sins we do. But God has already judged. “There is none righteous, no, not one…for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:10, 23). And because we are sinners, we would need someone to save us.
Change our mind about sin. Sin never had pleased God. He hates it. But He loves the sinners. And He wants to change them.
What are the sins people do? These are the works of the flesh: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like. The Bible declares that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. (Galatians 5:19-21)
“Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God.” (1 Corinthians 6:9-10)
If we think we can get off scot-free from the consequences of past sins, we are mistaken. We have to deal with them. We need to confess them before God and ask for His forgiveness. Then let us seek His grace for us to be able to forsake them. For “He who covers his sins will not prosper. But whoever confesses and forsakes them will have mercy.” (Proverbs 28:13)
Change our mind about God. God is not a mere punisher of wicked people. He shows mercy. (Psalm 103). He forgives and forgets sins. He cleanses men from their sins. (1 John 1:9). He gives them strength and courage to live their new life in Him. (Philippians 2:12-13). He offers them hope and a good end. (Jeremiah 29:11). No good thing will He withhold from them who will walk uprightly with Him. (Psalm 84:11)
Isn’t it time to make that change?