Text:  Heb. 6:1-3;  Ezekiel 33:10-11

INTRODUCTION:

A.  DEAD WORKS – DREADED WORD – DIE, DEAD, etc.  THE WORST THING.

B.  DEAD WORKS è SIN.

          1.  Wages of Sin (Rom. 6:23).

          2.  Cut off from God (Isa. 59:1-2).

          3.  More than just croaking (Mark 9:48;  Matt. 25:41).

C.  REPENTANCE FROM DEAD WORKS.

          1.  A Requirement of God (Acts 2:38).

          2.  The Preaching of Ezekiel (Ez. 33:10-11).  Why will ye die?

I.      WHAT IS REPENTANCE?

A.  A CHANGE OF HEART è REPENT:  1. metanoeo, lit., “to perceive afterwards”, …

          signifies “to change one’s mind or purpose,” always, in the NT, involving a change for the

          better (from Vine’s Expository Dictionary of Biblical Words).

          1.  A Change in Affections (Rom. 12:9:  Psa. 119:128).

          2.  A Change of Will (Rom. 6:12-13) You “let not …”

          3.  A Change of Commitment or Servitude (Rom. 6:17-18;  1 Pet. 3:15).

B.  RESULTS IN A CHANGE IN BEHAVIOR.

          1.  Trees and Their Fruit (Luke 6:43-45).

          2.  Therefore (Luke 3:8;  Acts 26:19-20;  Matt. 21:28-29).

C.  THE NEW CREATURE (2 Cor. 5:17;  John 3:5).

II.     GOD’S DESIRE.

A.  EZEKIEL (Ez. 33:10-11).

B.  PETER (2 Pet. 2:9).

C.  GOD’S COMMAND TO ALL (Acts 17:30).

          1.  Of Love (Rev. 3:19-20).

          2.  For All Men Everywhere (Luke 24:46-47).

III.    REPENTANCE INVOLVES:

A.  MORE THAN

          1.  Sorrow alone à Judas (Matt. 27).  Why are we sorry?

          2.  Just quitting sin (Luke 6:43-45).

          3.  Admitting sin (Rom. 3:23).

B.  INVOLVES

          1.  Recognition of Sin (2 Sam. 12:13;  1 John 1:9).

          2.  Sorrow for Sin (Psa. 51:16-17;  2 Cor. 7:10).

          3.  Coming out of darkness (1 John 1:6-7).  Quitting sin (1 Cor. 6:9-11).

          4.  Into the Light (Acts 26:20).  Peter vs. Judas.

          5.  Commitment to God (1 Thess. 1:9;  2 Tim. 1:12;  1 Pet. 4:19).

          6.  Restitution à Righting the wrong (Luke 19:8).

IV.   WHY DO IT?

A.  TO SAVE OUR SOULS (Luke 13:5).

          1.  For the Remission of Sins (Acts 2:38).

          2.  Judgment is coming! (Acts 17:30-31).

B.  SUBMISSION.

          1.  God’s Command (Acts 17:30).  ALL MEN!

          2.  Jesus’ teaching on the New Birth (John 3:5).

          3.  Gives meaning to Newness of Life (Rom. 6:3-7).

C.  SORROW FOR SIN (2 Cor. 7:10).

          1.  Again à Godly sorrow distinguished by repentance.

          2.  Peter vs. Judas.

          3.  Acts 2:37.

D.  RATIONAL THINKING (Luke 15:17).

E.  APPRECIATION (Rom. 2:4).

          1.  What has God done? (Rom. 5:8;  1 John 4:9-10).

          2.  What has Jesus done? (John 14:15;  2 Cor. 5:14-15).

          3.  What has the Holy Spirit done?

                   a.  Revealed the truth (1 Cor. 2:9-13).

                   b.  Confirmed it (Heb. 2:3-4).

                   c.  Announces our relationship (Rom. 8:15).

          4.  How can we close our eyes to all of this (Rom. 2:4).

CONCLUSION:

A.  GOD IS LONGSUFFERING (2 Pet. 3:9, 15).

B.  IT IS CAN’T  LAST FOREVER.

          1.  Jesus is coming (2 Pet. 3:10).

          2.  We must fly away (James 4:14).

C.  NOW WOULD BE A GOOD TIME (2 Cor. 6:1-2).