Different people react to their sins in different ways. Some feel no need to repent though they know what God says about their actions, thoughts and words. Adam, Eve and Cain are prime examples of “non-reaction.” This type of sinner does not believe that he/she is actually sinning though they can quote God’s words to the contrary. Recall that while talking with the Serpent, Eve quoted God’s command relative to the forbidden tree only moments before doing the exact thing He had commanded her not to do. Adam had heard the Lord’s command but, being as “special” as she was, also ignored His Words. For many years Adam and Eve’s elder son Cain had followed God’s offering rules before he decided to rebel against Him. They all knew, as did Judas, that what they were doing was sin, but sinned anyway. Why? I call the spiritual disease they suffered from the “delusion of position.” They believed that due to their relationship with the Lord they believed that their actions and attitudes were not actual sins, that their actions would be judged by a different standard because of who they were. They soon learned the truth.

Like their spiritual ancestors, billions of professing Christens rebel against God’s Word by doing the exact opposite of what He commands and for the same reason–they believe themselves to be “special.” Unlike Adam, Eve, Cain and Judas, most of them will not face reality until the end. In 1 Timothy 5:24 we are warned that some people’s sins are known before God’s judgment, but that the sins of others will not be revealed until later. False prophets are among those whose sins will be hidden until they face the Lord upon His return (Mat. 7:22,23). Occasionally we hear of some famous “minister of righteousness” being exposed publically, but this is rare. The same is true for all false prophets–anyone who teaches the perverted gospel put forth within professing Christendom. As the old gospel song says: “You can run on for a long time, but be sure God Almighty’s gonna cut you down.”

Then there are those who readily admit their sins, truly repent, reenter the strait gate and spend the rest of their lives on the narrow path (Mat. 7:13,14), “walk(ing) as He (Jesus) walked” (1 Jn. 6:2) while “purify(ing) themselves even as He is pure” (1 Jn. 3:3) by the “washing of the water by the Word” (Eph. 5:26).

The last category of repentance involves what I call “serial repentance.” We have all suffered from this self-inflicted wound at one time or another. Some embrace it for a lifetime, all the while believing that all is well between him/herself and the Lord. Such were the Laodiceans of Revelation 3:14-17 who “… say, ‘I am (spiritually) rich and increased with (spiritual) goods and need nothing more (on the spiritual level) ….” These people have their religion business running smoothly. The pews and coffers are full; the radio and t.v. mininstries are pulling in people and money; God is active in their services. Parishioners are so happy and blessed that they fail to see how He describes them in the Revelation 3 passage: “… and do not know that you are (spiritually) wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked (like Adam and Eve).” Having “taken Jesus into my heart as my personal Savior,” each of these deceived God-seekers (Rev. 12:9) “knows” that he/she is saved and born again, that all is well with his/her soul. The problem is that God does not know it. See The Church, The Gospel And The Goats. To be continued. L.J.