Regional Synod of Canada - Reformed Church in America

Pioneer Christian Monthly

Date - Mar/93

Contributor - Tom Meyer

Title - Lent: A Time of Repentance

Topic - Meditation

In this season of Lent, we look forward with anticipation to Easter! Easter is a time of rejoicing for the Church! Easter speaks to us of new life and joy and peace with GOD. We would wish that there could always and only be Easter - we don't like to think about the preceding shame and suffering. But before Easter comes Good Friday - we cannot have salvation without the Cross: "For without the shedding of blood there can be no forgiveness of sin."

Lent is therefore a season of preparation in which we prepare our hearts for the celebration of Easter. Our concern in this time of preparation is to reflect on our sins and shortcomings before GOD, and to re-affirm our faith and trust in JESUS CHRIST as our only hope of salvation. This is also the concern of the Psalmist here in Psalm 51, in which David prays to be restored into a right relationship with GOD, after his fall into sin with Bathsheba. His heart's desire is to be restored into fellowship with GOD, and to be used of GOD for the restoration and conversion of others. In verse 12 and 13, we hear him say:

"Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit. Then will I teach transgressors thy ways; and sinners shall be converted unto thee. "

But a careful study of the earlier part of this Psalm shows us what GOD requires before we may expect this desired result. We must leave the comfort of verse 13 and go back to the beginning. The spiritual prerequisite for a healthy church, and a fruitful ministry is personal renewal. This personal renewal involves three things, which are found in this Psalm: A removal of sin, a renewal of spirit, and a recovery of joy.

I. A REMOVAL OF SIN:

"Wash me thoroughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin... purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow."

As you well know, this is a Psalm of confession and penitence, in which David throws himself on the mercy of GOD. After honest and open confession, David invokes GOD's mercy rather that His justice. Without covering up, without making excuses, without making demands, David pleads for forgiveness. He displays a godly sorrow for sin, by acknowledging that he has sinned, and by admitting that he deserves GOD's just and righteous punishment. With such repentance, a sinner will never turn to GOD in vain. As David tells us in verse 17: "A broken and contrite heart, 0 GOD, Thou wilt not despise."

What a contrast to the self-righteous attitude of so many of us who are professing Christians in the Church today. Instead of confession, we are inclined to excuse our sins, we demand our freedom, we question GOD, and blame others. Defiantly we refuse to own up to our guilt and still we wonder why sinners are not being converted in our churches. Before we can expect a real movement of GOD's SPIRIT in our midst there needs to be the acknowledgement of sin, the evidence of genuine repentance, and a turning to the LORD. When we are once again a people with broken hearts and contrite spirits, then we will attract others who are burdened by their sins, and who seek deliverance.

There needs to be honest and open confession, and the thorough cleansing power of the HOLY SPIRIT in our hearts. Only then may we count on GOD's promise, that "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sin, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." In our anxiety about declining membership, or the lack of growth in our churches, we have overlooked the seriousness of declining faithfulness and the lack of genuine repentance. In our zeal for church growth, we fail to realize that GOD's records may be entirely different from ours.

If we can once again stand before GOD with clean hands and a pure CHRIST, then we may also expect to walk in this new life, free from the power and pollution of sin. As someone has well said: "The Church is in the world and properly so, as a boat must be in the water. But when the world begins to come into the Church, it is as disastrous as the water coming into the boat." If we want to win the world for CHRIST, we need to ask ourselves the question: What do we actually have to offer the world, which is more than it already has and enjoys?

II. A RENEWAL OF SPIRIT:

"Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.."

The Church is a spiritual enterprise. the Church's mission concerns spiritual, rather than material, values. Our success as a church should therefore be judged by the quality of spirit, and not by such things a buildings and programs. It is much better to be able to boast of spiritual growth, than to boast of large numbers and a beautiful building. What is missing in the Church today is the exuberant, refreshing and contagious spirit of the New Testament Church. The Psalmist suggests three aspects of spiritual renewal which are essential, if we want to see the conversion of sinners in our midst.

A. We need a right spirit:

"Create in me a clean heart, 0 God, and renew a right spirit within me."

Notice how David prays for the renewal of a right spirit within himself. He does not busy himself about other people's hearts and spirits, his first concern is for his own spiritual healing. He recognizes the great need of having a right spirit or attitude towards GOD, towards himself, and to others. Personal renewal is the prerequisite for reaching out to others.

B. We need the HOLY SPIRIT:

"Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy Holy Spirit from me."

David pleads with GOD not to take His HOLY SPIRIT from him. He admits his utter dependence upon the leading of GOD's SPIRIT GOD's people are called to be holy, as it is written: "You shall be holy, for I am holy." But apart form the powerful working of the HOLY SPIRIT in our hearts and lives, this is completely impossible on our part. JESUS said:

"Abide in Me, and I in you, for without Me ye can do nothing!" We can only be holy as long as the HOLY SPIRIT is the concrete expression of GOD's invisible presence in our lives.

Many churches are alarmed and deeply concerned about losing members, whereas their greatest concern ought to be the decline of spirituality among their membership. The demonstration of the SPIRIT and of power is the mark of a true church. Sanctification is a work of the HOLY SPIRIT! "Not by might, nor by power, but by My SPIRIT, says the LORD of hosts!"

More and more people, and Church members in particular, are asking: "Where is GOD?" Why then do churches continue programs which deny the necessity of the SPIRIT, and why are people satisfied with sermons that are void of supernatural inspiration and content? People need to see GOD at work in the Church, and that is impossible without the presence of the HOLY SPIRIT.

C. We need the freedom of the SPIRIT: "Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation, and uphold me with thy free Spirit.

Conscious of his own weakness, mindful of his recent fall into sin, David seeks to be kept on his feet spiritually by a power superior to his own. The HOLY SPIRIT is a liberating SPIRIT, Who makes us willing to live for CHRIST in every aspect of our lives. JESUS said: "If the Son shall make you free, you shall be free indeed."

His royal SPIRIT is able to make us walk as kings and priests in all the uprightness of holiness, and He will do so to the extent that we seek His gracious upholding. This influence of the SPIRIT will not enslave us, but set us free to enjoy the glorious liberty of the sons of GOD. For holiness is liberty and the HOLY SPIRIT is a free SPIRIT As the Bible tells us: "Where the SPIRIT of the LORD is, there is liberty." Spiritual renewal is possible only where the SPIRIT is free to work in the hearts of GOD's people. Much of the apparent deadness of the Church has to do with quenching and resisting the HOLY SPIRIT

III. A RECOVERY OF JOY: "Restore to me the joy of thy salvation.......

David's prayer at this point is not for the restoration of salvation, but for the joy, which at one time accompanied that salvation. It is this indispensable ingredient, which has always characterized Christianity, that is so often lacking in the Christian community of our day. We have settled for a Christianity that is satisfied with form and ritual.

In our day, we act bored with our spiritual journey and we appear tired of living the Christian testimony. We serve GOD grudgingly instead of cheerfully - we have lost our first love! We have lost the spring in our step because we have forgotten that "the joy of the LORD is our strength!" The Gospel of JESUS CHRIST is a joyful Gospel: When CHRIST was born, the angels sang, the shepherds adored, and the wise men praised.

The apostle Paul tells us that joy is the fruit of the SPIRIT, and the early Church "rejoiced with joy unspeakable." David said in one of his Psalms:

"Come, and let me tell you what the L)ORD has done for me!" But somehow we have lost the joy of our fellowship with CHRIST, and our testimony is less that enthusiastic. Is it any wonder the world does not care to identify with such a joyless religion?

If we want to be used of GOD to draw others to the Saviour, then we must follow GOD's prescription for revival which begins with personal renewal. There can be no recovery of joy until first of all there has been the removal of sin and the renewal of spirit. If we want to know the joy of salvation and be an instrument of renewal in our churches, then David's prayer must become our personal prayer:

"Create in me a clean heart, 0 God; and renew a right spirit within me, cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy Holy Spirit from me. Restore unto me the joy of they salvation; and uphold me with thy free Spirit. Then will I teach transgressors thy ways; and sinners shall be converted unto thee."

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