True Repentance

Ruth 1:16,17 –  And Ruth said, Intreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee: for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God: 17 Where thou diest, will I die, and there will I be buried: the LORD do so to me, and more also, if ought but death part thee and me.

 

Naomi does not try to talk her daughters-in-law into converting to Judaism.  Their conversion to Christ must be their decision, not something they have been talked into.

Every person must learn to count the cost of following Christ.

Notice the sadness of Orpah as she determined she would go back to her former lifestyle, and the kisses she gave Naomi (the love she had for her).  That is not enough.  There must be an understanding that the present life is wrong before God and a determination to be obedient to God.  Orpah looked at her future with Naomi, and knew she loved Naomi, but her hope was not in Christ. 

Many people love the way we live and they love us, but they do not love God enough to leave their former lifestyle and go to heaven with us.  They love this present world more than God or heaven. 

 

A change of lifestyle – against all odds of ever having prosperity.  A complete lack of trust in the past or any promise of the past.

See Ruth 1:12 -  Naomi is referring to the Jewish law of kinsman redeemer. 

Verse 15 – Orpah returned to her people and to her gods. 

Deuteronomy 23:3 – Ruth was not the 10th generation as evidenced by counting from Judah to David

God will accept any truly repentant person, even you.

 

Salvation is more than a one time experience, not easy-believe-ism, say the prayer, sign on the dotted line.

Repentance is a change of mind – a change of direction – for the rest of your life.  Not sinless perfection.

I Thessalonians 5:23 – salvation of the entire person – spirit/soul/body.

Romans 13:11 – Our salvation is near than when we believed.

 

Proof that salvation is more than a one time thing, but that salvation is of the whole person

Ø                  Luke 19:8 – “And Zacchaeus stood, and said unto the Lord; Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have taken any thing from any man by false accusation, I restore him fourfold. 9 And Jesus said unto him, This day is salvation come to this house, forsomuch as he also is a son of Abraham.”  Salvation is a continuing experience, not a one time event.

Ø                  Matthew 16:25,26 – “For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it. 26 For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?”  Whoever would come after Christ, must deny himself.  Who would gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?

Ø                  Acts 2:38 – “Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. 39 For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.”  Repent and be baptized for the remission of sins, receive the Holy Ghost and then live for him, and you will be saved.

Ø                  I Corinthians 15:1-4 – Only those that keep the gospel in memory are saved.  “Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; 2 By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. 3 For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; 4 And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:” 

Ø                  John 8:31 – Only those that continue in the Word of God are saved.  “Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; 32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” 

Ø                  James 2:14-26 (works prove our faith in Christ) is talking about sanctification of our life, not of our spirit.  If we have sanctification of the spirit, (“initial” salvation) we will have sanctification of the life.  If we do not have sanctification of the spirit, (“initial” salvation) we will not have sanctification of the life.  “Initial” salvation involves what Christ sees and gives to us.  Progressive sanctification involves how we use what Christ has given us and what people see in us.

Ø                  Phil. 2:12 – “Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.”  This passage is not speaking about working out your own personal way to be saved.  It is speaking about working out the salvation you already have.  It is like working out your garden.  This means you get rid of the weeds in your garden.  If you don’t have a garden, you can’t “work it out.”  If you don’t have salvation, you can’t “work it out.”