Scripture Matters Podcast - Episode 11 (Chapter 9 "Getting Repentance Right")

This is the 11th episode of the Scripture Matters Podcast, with hosts Cliff Thompson & Jonathan Sanford. Currently we are reviewing the book published by Focus Press, and written by Jack Wilkie, "You Are Saved - A Christian's Assurance." Please like, share and make sure you've subscribed to the Scripture Matters Podcast, produced and published alongside the Watters Road Church of Christ. Below is a synopsis of this week's episode:

Imagine trying to live the Christian life like you’re racing between spiritual checkpoints. You make it to the next one and you feel fine, but if you fail in between, you panic, “reset,” and hope you’re safe again. That mindset is common, but it’s also exhausting and it quietly erodes Christian assurance.

Jonathan Sanford and Cliff Thompson continue their review of Jack Wilkie’s You Are Saved: A Christian’s Assurance by working through Chapter 9, “Getting Repentance Right.” We trace repentance through the message preached by John the Baptist and Jesus, then through the ongoing call in Acts and the letters to the churches. Repentance is not a side topic; it’s woven into the gospel itself, which means we can’t afford to define it in a way Scripture doesn’t.

From there, we tackle the big correction: repentance is not a reset button. It’s a change of mind that leads to a change of direction, a life reoriented toward God. Using 1 John 1:7-9, we talk about walking in the light, ongoing confession, and the steady reality of continuous cleansing through Jesus. We also address the fear that repentance equals perfection, showing instead that biblical repentance is about direction, rising again, and continuing forward in a real relationship with a faithful God.

If you’ve ever lived the “sin, panic, reset” cycle, we hope this brings you rest and clarity. Subscribe to Scripture Matters, share this with someone who needs steadier assurance, and leave a review so more people can find these Bible studies.

Transcript

Checkpoints And The Repentance Myth

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Imagine living your Christian life like you're constantly trying to reach a checkpoint.

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Sure, everything is fine as long as you make it to the next one.

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But if you mess up in between, you're not safe anymore. So you hurry back, you reset, you try to get right again.

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And for a lot of people, that's exactly how repentance feels.

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Not a direction, but a reset button.

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Yeah, not a life, but a series of emergency corrections.

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And the result is you're never really settled.

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Because your confidence rises and falls with your last moment.

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Your last failure.

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Your last prayer.

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Your last attempt to fix it.

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But here's the problem that's not the picture scripture paints.

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Not even close. Repentance was never meant to keep you guessing.

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Instead, it was meant to ground you.

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It wasn't designed to make you feel like you're constantly starting over.

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But to show you what it means to keep walking forward. And if we don't get this right, we won't just misunderstand repentance.

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We'll struggle to understand assurance.

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So today, we're not just defining repentance, we're correcting it.

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Because when you see it clearly, folks, it changes everything. And that's what we'll be talking about here today, right here on another episode of the Scripture Matters Podcast.

Welcome And Chapter Nine Setup

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You've tuned in to the Scripture Matters Podcast, produced and published in cooperation with the Waters Road Church of Christ. Looking for a church home in the Houston area that lovingly stands upon God's Word? Waters Road is the place where you belong. If you need more information about the Waters Road Church of Christ, check out their website at www.wrcomc.org. We'd like to thank each of you who helped make this podcast possible, especially the prayerful support of our wives and families. And now, good folks, let's get back to another episode of the Scripture Matters Podcast. We welcome you back to Scripture Matters, and we're indeed thankful that you've tuned in to what Cliff and I believe will be a landmark episode.

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Absolutely, Jonathan. Whether you're watching on YouTube or Facebook or listening on one of your favorite podcast platforms, we're so grateful you're here and studying along with us.

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My name is Jonathan Sanford. I serve as the pulpit minister alongside the wonderful brethren of the Waters Road Church of Christ.

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And I'm Cliff Thompson. I also serve as an elder as well as a Bible class teacher for the brethren at Waters Road Church of Christ, right along with Jonathan.

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That's right. And so we come now today to episode 11. Wow. We're diving even deeper into our review of Jack Wilkie's book, You Are Saved, a Christian's Assurance. As today we are stepping into chapter nine entitled Getting Repentance Right.

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But before we get there, Jonathan, let's take a just a moment to look back at where we were in last Friday's episode.

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Yes, Cliff. In episode 10, we spent our time together in chapter 8 entitled The Helper. And we focused primarily uh last week on the role of the Holy Spirit that it plays in our Christian life.

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And that was such an important discussion, folks, because it shifted the way we think about living faithfully.

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Right. And you know, it reminded us that the Christian life is not something that we're just left to carry on our own.

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Yeah, God doesn't just save us and then he steps away.

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No, he sustains us.

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And through his spirit, he is actively helping us grow, guiding us through his word, and strengthening us as we walk with him.

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And you know, that really sets the stage for where we're headed here today, uh, because understanding the spirit's role helps us better understand how repentance fits into our Christian life.

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And before we move forward, we want to take a moment to remind you, as always, folks, this is not just a one-way conversation.

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Yes, we truly want this to be a study that involves all of us working together.

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So if you have questions, if you have comments, or even things you're working through as we go through these chapters, we uh we just absolutely love to hear from you. Yeah, you you can reach out to us using the email addresses or social media information that you see on your screen.

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And this is not just lip service, folks. Trust me when I tell you your feedback, uh, your questions, um, all of it, your insights, they are so valuable to us as part of what we're doing here.

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Because this isn't just about Jonathan and I talking.

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No, it's about us all growing together and working through the scripture together.

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So don't hesitate to reach out. We genuinely look forward to hearing from you.

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And with that in mind, Cliff, uh, tell you what, let's begin our journey together here today through chapter number nine.

Repentance At Heart Of Gospel

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Getting repentance right. Well, we begin here as chapter nine opens. Uh, the first thing that Jack Wilkie, the author, he does is take us straight to the beginning of the message.

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Not opinions, not traditions, but what was actually preached.

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And he starts right there with good old John the Baptist. Matthew chapter three, if you'd like to look there with us in verses one and two. Again, Matthew chapter three, verses one and two, it says this in those days, John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea. Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.

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Now that's important because repentance isn't introduced later.

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No, it's right there at the very onset of the message.

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Before the ministry of Jesus even fully begins.

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And then what's amazing, Cliff, is that Jesus comes preaching the exact same message. In Mark chapter 1 and verse 14 and 15, we see this Jesus came into Galilee proclaiming the gospel of God and saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent and believe in the gospel.

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So, folks, right away, you've got a pattern. Repentance isn't optional, folks.

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It's central, it's not a side note. No, it's part of the core message. And and I think, Cliff, looking back, this is for me anyway, where the chapter began to press into me in a personal way.

SPEAKER_00 7:59

Yeah, Jonathan, because if repentance is that central, then we need to make sure we actually understand it correctly.

SPEAKER_01 8:07

I think you're so right, Cliff, because something it can be emphasized in scripture, yes, uh, and and still be misunderstood in practice.

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And folks, that's what Jack Wilkie is beginning to expose. That repentance is preached clearly, but is often practiced incorrectly.

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And then he expands uh that beyond just John the Baptist and Jesus, because this wasn't a temporary message, it was a theme that continued even beyond the resurrection. In Luke chapter 24, beginning in verse 46 and 47, it says, Thus it is written that repentance for the forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all the nations.

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So now it's not just the beginning of the message, it's the ongoing message, folks. You see that immediately in Acts chapter 2 and verse 38, it's right there at the beginning. Repent and be baptized, every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins.

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That's the response to the gospel, and yet, good folks, it doesn't stop there. Acts chapter 17 and verse 30 says, God now commands all people everywhere to repent. That's not limited. No, sir, Jonathan, that's universal, and then even later, you see it in the letters to the churches. You know those seven churches in Asia Minor? Revelation chapter two and verse five. Remember, therefore, from where you have fallen, here's that word, repent.

SPEAKER_00 10:01

So, Jonathan, what you're saying is this just isn't something for becoming a Christian, it's part of continuing as one.

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And that's a huge step towards really where chapter nine is taking us on our journey today, because uh at this point, one thing is truly undeniable. Repentance is everywhere in this message, yeah.

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In the beginning, in the middle, and ongoing.

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And if you think about it, if something is that consistent in scripture, then folks, we cannot afford to get it wrong.

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No, all right.

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So before we move forward, let's summarize what we've seen here. Repentance is not a minor theme in scripture, no, it's central to the message from the very beginning. John preached it, Jesus preached it, the apostles preached it. And here's the thing the church was called to continue it. Which means the question isn't whether repentance matters, no, it's whether we understand it in the way that scripture defines it.

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And that's exactly where the chapter is about to take us next.

SPEAKER_01 11:20

Thank you, Cliff. It really is. It's clear if you've read chapter nine, like Cliff and I have, that after establishing just how central repentance is to the message, the chapter begins to press into something even deeper.

Repentance As Ongoing Reorientation

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Not just that repentance is preached, but how we've come to think about it.

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That's right. Because for a lot of people out there, and you may be one of them, repentance is treated like a moment, something you do once, or something that you only return to whenever something goes wrong. Yeah, almost like it's tied to some specific point in time, and that's where Jack Wilkie, the author, begins to just slow us down a little bit.

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Because when you look at the way repentance is presented in scripture, it does not uh feel limited to moments.

SPEAKER_01 12:18

No, folks, it feels bigger than that, and and one of the ways that he shows that is by the language itself, yeah, Jonathan, because the Greek word translated repent carries the idea of a change of mind, yeah, uh a reorientation, a shift in direction, not just something that you say, but something that affects the way that you live, and and that begins to truly challenge the way often people approach it. Because if repentance is only a moment, then it's something that you do and then it's over with, it's complete, yeah.

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But if it's a change in direction, then it's something you must continue. And Jonathan, that's a major difference.

SPEAKER_01 13:10

Oh, I agree 100%, Cliff, because now we're not just talking about just checking a box, we're talking about a way of living. Think about this, and I think that's where it really starts to connect with what we saw in our previous chapter.

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Yeah, Jonathan, because if the Holy Spirit is helping God and shaping our lives, and as we discussed and confirmed last week, he certainly is. Yeah, then repentance isn't separate from that.

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No, I would say, and I think you would agree, Cliff, that it is an inseparable part of our ongoing transformation.

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Yeah, not just the starting point.

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Yeah, and you can see that reflected even in passages like Acts 26 and verse 20 that says that they should repent and turn to God, performing deeds in keeping with their repentance.

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That's important, Jonathan, because repentance is connected to a way of life. Again, not just a single act, it shows up in how someone lives.

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And I gotta be honest with the folks out there, Cliff. Here's where I felt like Jack Wookiee started stepping on my toes a little bit. You know, as a preacher, people tell me I step on their toes, right? Well, Jack repaid the favor here. I don't know about you, Cliff, but uh, but Jack is really forcing us to ask have we reduced something that's meant to be ongoing to something that's just occasional?

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Yes, sir. And Jonathan, he even got to me through steel-toe boots as well. Well, as to the question, if that is so, brother, that will negatively affect how we understand everything else, including assurance.

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Because if repentance is only something that you do in your Christian life at certain moments, then your confidence may feel tied to only those certain moments. But if repentance is a direction, then your confidence is tied to the life that you're living in Jesus Christ, and that's a completely different way of thinking, folks. All right, let's okay, as I had to do when I was reading this, uh, let's just pause here and take a deep breath, right? Um, before we move forward, how about let's summarize now what we've seen in this segment?

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Good idea, Jonathan, because this might be, as you said earlier, new to a lot of people. Remember, folks, the first thing is this repentance is not just something that happens at isolated points in time.

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Now here's the deal: it reflects a change of mind and a change of direction, something that continues, something that shapes how a person lives. And if we misunderstand that, then folks, the honest truth is we're going to struggle to understand repentance the way that scripture presents it.

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Which beautifully moves us on to the segment number three.

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That's right, Cliff. This is where the chapter really begins to truly expose the problem.

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Yeah, Jonathan, because now we're not just talking about what repentance is.

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No, we're actually talking about the way most people tend to treat it.

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And this is where that illustration comes in.

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Right.

Breaking The Save Point Mindset

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It's the idea of what is referred to as a save point. That's S-A-V-E save point.

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Yeah, like in a video game.

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You're uh at least young enough to know about video games, right? They, you know, that that those old video games, I'm sure, for Cliff. But in a video game, right, you make progress, you move forward. But if something goes wrong and you lose a life, well, with a click of a button, you can go right back to the last place you saved.

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And you know, for a lot of people, that's exactly how apprentice functions in their mind, it becomes a recess point, a place you return to to get back to where you were. And that sounds subtle.

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But the truth is, folks, it changes everything. Because now your relationship with God feels unstable, like you're constantly moving in and out of a saved position based on your last action, your last sin, your last prayer, your last moment of repentance, and that creates a cycle. And that cycle sounds like this sin, panic, reset, sin, panic, reset over and over again.

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And the result is, folks, you never ever feel settled.

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No, because your confidence is tied to how recently you've fixed things, yeah.

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And I think this is where the chapter really challenges us, Jonathan.

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Yeah, because now uh that that's just not how repentance is presented in scripture. No, not as a reset button, that's right, not as a place that you return to over and over in order to stay saved, folks. And this is where passages like first John chapter one and verse seven begin to matter. Listen to this. It says, if we walk in the light, the blood of Jesus, God's Son, cleanses us from all sin. Now, I want you to notice the language there, folks.

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It's not describing a moment, no, it's describing a walk, an ongoing life, not constant restarting, but continuous cleansing, and that stands in direct contrast to the save point, that save point way of thinking.

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Because now, instead of going back, you're moving forward, and that doesn't mean, folks, that sin isn't serious. Please do not misunderstand us. All of us, I think, that are watching this know how serious, without a shadow of a doubt, we know how serious sin truly is.

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And this doesn't mean repentance isn't necessary either, folks. It's absolutely, positively, 100% necessary.

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But here's the reality, folks. Please listen carefully to what I'm about to share with you. What Cliff and I are saying here today is that repentance is not functioning in the way that many people within the Lord's church have traditionally uh tended to treat it.

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Yes, and I know this is so hard for some folks out there to hear.

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Yeah.

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But trust Jonathan and I today as we tell you, repentance is not a reset mechanism.

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Instead, folks, here's the beautiful truth that I hope and pray that you will accept. It's part of a relationship, folks.

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It's a life that is being lived in the light, and that's such a huge shift. Yes, because now we're not asking, did I reset correctly? No, we're we're asking, Am I walking with God? And folks, that changes everything about how you think about assurance.

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All right. Well, we're we're chipping away at this a little bit of the time, and I like the progress that we're making, but before we move forward, let's summarize here what we've seen in segment three, Cliff.

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Okay, now remember the save point way of thinking treats repentance like a reset button.

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Yeah, something that you must return to in order to stay saved.

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But scripture presents a completely different picture.

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Oh, a beautiful one.

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One of us walking in the light, of an ongoing relationship and continuous cleansing, which means repentance is not about constantly starting over.

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No, it's about continuing in the right direction.

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Okay. Now that we have a handle on this, let's go ahead and move on forward to segment number four, Jonathan.

Direction Over Perfection

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Well, uh, after Jack exposes that save point way of thinking, the chapter now begins to rebuild our understanding. Not just what repentance is not.

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No, but what it actually is.

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And it starts with something simple, but oh so powerful.

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Yeah. Amen. Repentance is a change.

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A change of mind.

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That leads to a change in direction.

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And that's important because now we're not just talking about isolated moments or actions. No, we're talking about a reoriented life, a life that is now moving toward God. Not perfectly, but intentionally.

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And I think, Jonathan, that distinction really does matter.

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Oh, it does because a lot of people they hear repentance and automatically think perfection.

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Like if I repent, I won't struggle anymore.

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Or I won't fail again.

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But that's not the picture scripture gives us.

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No, no, no, not at all.

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You can see that even in passages like Proverbs chapter 24 and verse 16, where the Bible says, For the righteous falls seven times and rises again. That's not describing someone who never falls. Folks, it's describing someone who doesn't stay down when they fall, someone whose direction is set.

SPEAKER_01 23:29

And that lines up oh so perfectly with what we saw earlier. Walking in the light, first John chapter 1 and verse 7 that we mentioned earlier. That's not a description of perfection. Instead, it's a description of direction. And that's a life, again, as we've said, that is oriented toward God. And that is where repentance truly lives.

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Yeah, not just in a moment, but in a mindset, a heart that is continually turning towards God.

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And what I love about that is that helps clear up a lot of confusion.

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Yeah, because now repentance is not just something you redo every time you fail.

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No, it's something that defines the way you respond when you fail.

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And Jonathan, that is a big difference.

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It is because instead of asking, hey, did I reset correctly?

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Yeah, you're asking, Am I still turning towards God?

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And that's uh a so much more stable place to live.

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Yes, it is, because now your relationship with God is not hanging on perfect performance.

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No, it's grounded in a consistent direction, a heart that continues to turn back to him, and that's exactly what you see throughout all of scripture.

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Yeah, Jonathan. Look at Acts chapter 3 and verse 19. Repent, therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out.

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Yeah, notice carefully the language that is used there. Turn back.

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And that's direction, it's movement. Yeah, not just a single point in time either.

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And that's what this entire chapter is helping us to see. That repentance is not about constantly starting over, no, it's about continually turning toward God. And when you begin to understand that, good folks, it changes the way you see your walk with Him.

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Yeah, it brings clarity, oh, it brings stability, and it brings confidence as well.

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All right, so before we move forward, let's summarize what we've just seen here together.

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Okay, repentance is a change of mind that leads to a change in direction, it is not perfection, but it is intentional movement towards God, it's not about resetting your salvation. No, it's about continuing your walk.

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And when you understand that correctly, it removes confusion and strengthens assurance.

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And that leads us into the final piece of the chapter.

Assurance From Ongoing Forgiveness

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All right, as this chapter begins to come to a close, everything really begins to just come together. Yeah, because what we've seen is not just a correction of repentance, no, it's a correction, uh, even more so about how we think about our relationship with God.

SPEAKER_00 26:48

Exactly, Jonathan. Because if repentance is misunderstood, then assurance is going to be unstable.

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But when repentance is understood correctly, guess what it does? It actually strengthens our assurance, and that's such an important shift. It is, folks, because now we're not living in fear of every single mistake, we're living in confidence of a relationship. And I think this is where passages like first John chapter 1, verses 7 through 9 really need to be seen clearly. Listen to these words, meditate on them. If we walk in the light, the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin. And it goes on to say if we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins.

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Folks, that's not describing a system of constant resetting, it's describing a relationship of ongoing forgiveness, a life that is being lived in the light.

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And yes, please do not misunderstand us here today. There is confession, no doubt. And there is 100% repentance. But please listen to Cliff and I, folks. It's not functioning, as we've said, as a reset button, it's functioning as part of our ongoing walk with God. And that, oh folks, it changes everything.

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Because now, instead of asking, Am I still saved?

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We're asking, Am I still walking with Him?

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And folks, that's a much more stable question.

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Because it's not based on perfection. Again, remember, it's based on direction. And I think that's where, Cliff, a lot of Christians out there watching this need to find some rest.

SPEAKER_00 28:53

I agree, Jonathan, because they've been living way too long in that cycle we talked about.

SPEAKER_01 29:00

Yeah, sin, panic, and reset. Y'all are hearing this out there. You've lived that, you know what I'm talking about. Sin, panic, reset. Over and over. It's such a tiring way to live. And you never really feel secure. But when you really understand repentance correctly, that cycle is broken. And I say to that, Amen.

SPEAKER_00 29:23

Yes, amen. Because when it is, you're no longer trying to constantly get back.

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No, instead, you're continuing to move forward.

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And that doesn't make sin less serious now, folks.

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And it doesn't make repentance an optional add-on to the Christian life.

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No, but what it does, it puts both of those things in the right place.

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And listen, this is where they live. Inside a relationship.

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Yeah, folks, not outside of it.

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And that when you understand it, that's where confidence begins to grow. Not because we're perfect, but because God is faithful.

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And that's exactly what first John emphasizes that God is faithful and just to forgive, that his cleansing is ongoing, and that our walk with him, folks, is real.

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So as we bring this another chapter to a close, let us please make it clear. We're going to say it one more time. Repentance is not a reset button.

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Please remember, folks, it is a direction.

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It is not about constantly having to start over, it's about continually turning towards God. And the most beautiful thing is when that is understood correctly, it doesn't weaken assurance. No, it strengthens it. Because now our confidence is not in our last perfect moment, but in a faithful God who continues to forgive and sustain.

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And folks, that's where this chapter leaves us. In confidence, in clarity, and in better understanding of what it truly means to repent.

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Good folks out there today, as we now wrap up our study of chapter 9, getting repentance right, everything really comes down to this. Repentance was never meant to leave you uncertain, it was meant to give direction.

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And when you begin to see it that way, it doesn't weaken your confidence. Folks, it strengthens it.

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Because now your assurance is not based on a single moment, but to a relationship that is ongoing, continuing to walk in the light.

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A life that continues turning towards him.

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And if anything that Cliff and I that we have discussed here together with you, it if it if it's helped you in any way to see repentance more clearly, and in turn help strengthen your assurance, even just a little.

Connect With Us And Subscribe

SPEAKER_00 33:23

Yeah, that's important because this is not just a powwow between Jonathan and I.

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No, I think about it. This is just as much of a Bible study as a Bible class that you're setting in on a Sunday morning or a Wednesday night.

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And our goal is that every person who tunes in feels a real connection to what we're doing here.

SPEAKER_01 33:46

So if you're out there and you have questions or thoughts or concerns of things you're working through, we would really and truthfully love to hear from you. And as always, we want to encourage you to take a moment to like and share this episode.

SPEAKER_00 34:03

And if you haven't subscribed yet, folks, now is the time to do so.

SPEAKER_01 34:07

Yeah, because we've been incredibly encouraged by the growth that we've seen through these uh first several weeks.

SPEAKER_00 34:15

The increased viewership, the messages, the engagement. Oh, it has meant so much to us, folks.

SPEAKER_01 34:23

And here's the thing we're excited to see just how far the Lord will continue to bless us to grow. Lord willing. But above all, here's the thing to God be the glory.

SPEAKER_00 34:37

Amen. For everything we do here on Scripture Matters.

SPEAKER_01 34:42

That's right. Well, listen, folks, we're so grateful that you've joined us and been with us here today.

SPEAKER_00 34:47

And we hope you'll join us next time as we continue to study together every Friday at 3:30 on YouTube, Facebook, and all major podcast platforms.

SPEAKER_01 34:59

Well, until then, stay grounded, stay focused. And remember, as always, good folks, Scripture Matters. Yes. Goodbye, everybody. Bye, folks. Thanks for spending part of your day with us on the Scripture Matters Podcast. We'll be back with a new conversation every Friday at 3.30 p.m. on YouTube, Facebook, and all major podcast platforms. Until then, may the word guide you in your week and as always remember Scripture Matter.