DCLM Daily Manna 23 August 2024 Devotional By Pastor W. F. Kumuyi — “True Repentance”
TOPIC: “True Repentance” (DCLM Daily Manna 23 August 2024)
KEY VERSE: “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” (Acts 2:38).
TEXT: Acts 2:37-42 (KJV)
37 Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?
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.
40 And with many other words did he testify and exhort, saying, Save yourselves from this untoward generation.
41 Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls.
42 And they continued stedfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.
MESSAGE:
A class teacher was recruited to train prison inmates and help them complete their secondary education while still serving their terms. One rule of the school was that no student was allowed to sleep during class hours. One of the students fell deeply asleep and the teacher tapped him by the shoulders. The boy was enraged and threatened the teacher. As a punishment, he was kept in isolation for one month. On being released, the boy apologised to the teacher. Obviously, one month in isolation had softened him. He was like those Peter was addressing in our text today.
Filled with the Holy Spirit, Peter delivered an impromptu sermon to the people who witnessed the Spirit’s manifestation in the apostles and about three thousand of his hearers “received the word… and were added unto the church”. Their repentance and salvation were genuine as they continued steadfastly in the doctrine of Christ and fellowship with the brethren.
Today’s assemblies are dotted with professed members and leaders with no genuine repentance and salvation experience. Yet, the Lord demands a complete, permanent renunciation of sin. Expressing regret, mere remorse and turning a new leaf do not translate to true repentance. They are mere state of the mind that neither implies true repentance nor godliness. What is required is godly sorrow and faith in Christ’s provision for your salvation.
Professing believers must have genuinely repented, forsaken their sins, and be born again. This is what makes one a Christian. Anything else will be a substitute that is displeasing to God. Hypocrisy will only earn you condemnation if you continue to reject true salvation made available through Christ’s atoning sacrifice.
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY
When you partly repent, you are wholly guilty.
THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
Daniel 9-10
Deeper Life Daily Manna was written by Pastor W. F. Kumuyi; is the founder and General Superintendent of the Deeper Life Bible Church situated at KM 42 on the busy Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, Nigeria.
