MORE THAN APOLOGIES

God wants transformation not just Apologies

In a prayer time this week, God showed His heart for the Church, cautioning: "Don't let mere confession of sin be a way of "authentically" continuing in sin. It is repentance that I am after."

Too many people know the language of Christianity and can even generate tearful remorse when describing the way they have hurt themselves or others. Years and decades later they are still confessing the same sin patterns while continuing to hurt people without transformation (Rom 12:2)...and are praised because at least they "are being real" in sharing their struggles.

This twisted way of thinking has even infiltrated our theology and church leadership. We now justify living in slavery to our sin (usually built on Romans 7 -"For i do not do the good I want, but the evil i do not want is what I keep doing" without grappling with Romans 6 - "our old self was crucified with Him in order that sin might be brought to nothing...so you must consider yourselves dead to sin...how can we who died to sin still live in it?") and mock or condemn anyone who claims that we can live a life full of hope (Rom 5) and free of the slavery and power of depression, anxiety, pride, lust, anger, rage, greed, unforgiveness, etc... (Rom 6,8, Gal 2, Eph 4, etc...)!

But we can be free. Totally free from the power of sin in our lives. I do not respect the power of sin in my life as it has been defeated and I am continually being transformed by the renewing of my mind (Rom 12:2). May we all lead with lives of obedience that lead to transformation and not stop at brokenness and confession. Let us be "good trees that bear good fruit" and not trees continually bearing bad fruit...no matter how genuine our remorse or eloquent our apologies.