A Letter

To whom it may concern -- that is, you,

Have you contemplated the goodness of God? It is His goodness that leads to repentance.

His goodness does not consist in forcing every situation to result in the best possible outcome, but in His gracious allowance of our choices, His just reward for our successes and failures, and his provision: for forgiveness of past failures and for exceeding abundant power to succeed (neither of which we deserve)! What then should be our response to God's unpeakable goodness?

First, it should be sorrow, but not mere moroseness. Godly sorrow is contrition -- a realization of God's good standard and our failure to meet it -- deep, no, total regret of our misdeeds and desire to have done rightly.

Second; however, this sorrow should never be our primary mode of existence, because the purpose of godly sorrow is to work repentance. Desire to do right and regret do not make repentance, for repentance is an action. To repent is not to regret our past actions, but to change our present life (that is, our actions); it is also not an incremental change, but a complete, entire, and wholehearted change -- from sinful, selfish motives and actions to reliance on, devotion to, and service to God. In short, repentance is forsaking sinful sef-centeredness and consecrating our life and motives to God, centered on His will, His wisdom, and His lordship as supreme.

Thirdly, our response should be one of continued, persevering submission to God and His cause. Repentance is a start (in fact, the only start), but it is only a start -- we must continue in choosing to act rightly. This is righteousness, for we have not been merely saved from sin (though we do not deserve even this), we have been saved to righteousness. This is the defining mark of every true child of God, for John tells us that in this the children of God and the children of the devil are manifest: the children of God work righteousness, while the children of the devil work sin (I John 3:10).

Is your life centered around God and His goodness? Or is your life centered around what is best for you and those you love?


In Christ,

Andrew Powers