This study was first taught on March 31, 2019

Topic: The Assessment of the Churches (14.2): The Church in Thyatira (The Call to Repentance (2))

(use the audio to study)

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Background
In the first part of our discussion on “The Call to Repentance” last week, we defined “the call to repentance” as God’s plea to man to turn away from living in sin and turn to Him in faith for his/her salvation; repentance itself being that heart-felt Holy Spirit-initiated conviction for sin, which results in a change in our lifestyle and conduct in relation to God.

We noted that God’s plea to men to repent from sinful living is because:
(1) He has no pleasure in the death of a sinner;
(2) Of the terror and horror of eternal judgment and death in hell;
(3) It is His nature to give everyone on the earth an opportunity (usually, more than once) to repent before the final judgment upon all sinners; and,
(4) Repentance is an integral part of the gospel and must therefore, necessarily be preached to everyone everywhere.

We also saw that God calls all men to repent; not just the overtly wicked and evil, like Jezebel, but also, those who don’t think they have sinned at all (for “all have sinned and fall short” of the standard of God)! In calling men to repentance, God has already made the provision for their forgiveness through the Lord Jesus’ death on account of sin on the cross at Calvary. Thus, all who embrace the call shall be saved! And this is the gospel message to all men—to the overtly sinful, and indeed, to all men all over the world, regardless of gender, nationality, skin colour, religious beliefs, political affiliation, socio-economic status, etc.—so, “let him that thinketh he stand take heed lest he fall”, particularly, those in the church!

Scripture Text(s)
Revelation 2:20-23
These verses speak of God’s offer of salvation to Jezebel and her accomplices through repentance, even though Jezebel was known to be unrepentant! We see therefore, God’s nature in giving everyone an opportunity (usually, more than once in a life-time) to repent from sin and come to Him; trusting Him for their eternal salvation.
We saw last week, what the call to repentance is; why God pleads with men to repent; and to whom He makes the plea to repent. Now, we shall turn our attention to how the call to repentance is made; and the possible responses and outcomes to the call to repentance.
Revelation 2:21; Joel 2:15-16; Luke 15:11-20a; 2 Kings 17:6-13; 2 Chronicles 36:15; 2 Corinthians 5:20; 2 Samuel 12:1-7; 1 Samuel 15:12-19; 2:27-36; 3:17-18; Matthew 22:2-14; Isaiah 1:18-20; Proverbs 1:20ff; Hosea 6:1-2; 2 Samuel 12:7ff; Ezekiel 18:4-32.

Conclusion
1. God’s call to repentance can be directly to an individual or indirectly. He can speak to you in your heart or send preachers to you or to a group of individuals. He can tell you a parable and use that parable to make clear your sinfulness to you, and He can tell you the story of your life with a view to letting you see how you have sinned before Him. Whichever approach God takes, the goal is the same—to bring the sinner to repentance!
2. God’s call to repentance is not always heeded. For those who heed, there is their personal spiritual revival, and, a resumption or restoration of fellowship with God, and eternal life; and for those who refuse, eternal judgment and damnation in hell.
3. Heeding God’s call to men to repent is personal (even though it may be in a congregation)—it is whosoever hears and heeds!
4. Heeding God’s call to repentance or not makes all the difference on where you end up in eternity—in heaven for those who heed and turn away from sin onto God, but, unfortunately, in hell, for those who refuse to heed the call to repentance!
5. Three things must necessarily be evident in true repentance; and all three shall be evident before God if indeed, one is truly repentant—humility, mourning (godly sorrow for their sin), and, a change of heart (attitude, conduct, etc.) toward sin! (1 Corinthians 5:1-2; 1 Kings 21:17-29; 2 Chronicles 33:9-17).
6. Whether or not a person is forgiven and saved from eternal judgment depends on the state of the heart of the individual rather than on mere outward appearance (Jeremiah 17:9-10; 1 John 3:18-21).
7. Your act of repentance may not stop the consequence of your sin here on earth, even though, your sins, once forgiven are never taken account of in heaven (2 Samuel 12:15-23; Luke 23:39-43; Jeremiah 31:31-34).

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