And if you'll take your Bibles, turn to Romans chapter two. We'll be a few minutes before we get there. Romans chapter two. Amen. I'm a little warm up here so this, I don't know why I bother to put this coat on.

I put it on. I take it off. I put it on. I take it off. Anyway, alright.

Are y'all comfortable down there? Okay, good. And it's just up here that it's warm. Or it's just me. Anyway, We're talking about repentance.

We learned last week that repentance is vital for salvation. God is long suffering to usward. Not willing that any should perish but that all should come to what? Repentance. Repentance and salvation are sometimes used synonymously in the New Testament scriptures.

To turn to Christ in faith and receive him as the Lord and savior of your life is repentance. And that must happen. You cannot get to heaven any other way. But to turn to Christ and Christ as God alone. To receive the only sacrifice for sin.

Only way of salvation and forgiveness. In Jesus Christ, our Lord. And so we learn how vital last week repentance is to salvation Question today is this, is repentance also necessary for the Christian Or just for the unsaved and coming to Christ for salvation? Must Christians sometimes repent? In other words, must we sometimes turn from sin?

Must we sometimes deal with sin? Must we sometimes confess our sin? Must we sometimes have a change of heart concerning our sin? Must we still repent as Christian? Is it part of Christian life and growth?

Is it beneficial? Does God command it? And that's some of the questions we're going to answer here this morning. But first, I must be clear, Christian can never, need, never repent again for salvation. You can only be truly saved what?

Once and it is eternal. I am not asking if a Christian can lose their salvation for the Bible clearly states, excuse me, that those who come to Christ for salvation will never perish. John ten twenty eight. That they have passed from death unto life. John five twenty four.

That they will never come into condemnation. Romans eight one. That nothing can separate us from the love of Christ Jesus. Romans eight thirty eight and thirty nine and that we can know that we possess eternal life. First John five thirteen.

It says, the Bible says, we are kept by the power of God and the salvation. First Peter one five and that he is faithful and will perform this good work until the day of Jesus Christ, Philippians one six and finally, that we are sealed until the day of redemption when we one day at last will stand before Christ complete and perfect in him. Ephesians chapter four and verse 30 and we could continue on. It isn't a verse or two or three proof text that you pull out of scripture that declare that salvation is eternal. The nature of salvation is that when you receive it, you receive what?

Eternal life. That means it lasts how long? Forever. And all of these scriptures just and many others just support that clear doctrine from scripture. Just as Noah was safe and secure in the ark when God closed the door, just as the Israelites firstborn were safe and secure in their homes from the judgment of God because they had placed the blood of the lamb on the what?

On the doorpost. So, are we safe and secure in the Lord Jesus Christ? And no one or nothing can pluck us out of the father's hand. John 10. So, no, I am not saying that you need to repent in order to be saved over again and over again because salvation is a one time deal and we are secured by our savior Jesus Christ until the day we stand before him.

But repentance is something. Is something that God expects from his children and something that is necessary for our growth, our effectiveness, our assurance, and our joy as a child of God. Take David for instance and the verse we read just a few minutes ago. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, a broken and contrite heart, oh God, thou wilt not despise. A broken and contrite heart and a broken spirit is descriptive of repentance.

What was David doing? He was repenting of a great sin. That he had committed to his God. Did he already know his God? Was God already in his life?

Was he not called the man after God's own heart before he committed his sin? Yeah. And yet he still did. Committed adultery essentially had a man murdered in order to cover up his sin. How terrible?

How absolutely atrocious? And so he cried out to God with a repentant heart and God did what? God heard him and God cleansed him. Again, as he where the broken heart and spirit came to God. To restore in him the joy.

Of his salvation. Not to restore his salvation but restore the what? Restore the the joy of his salvation. When we are walking contrary to God, when we are harboring sin and unwilling to repent in our life as Christians, it's going to rob you of your joy as a Christian. It's going to rob you of your peace as a Christian.

It's going to rob you of your power as a Christian. It is going to hinder your prayer life as a Christian. You need to repent. Christians sadly still commit sins. Even adopt sinful habits and accept worldly philosophies which must be repented of if we are to grow and prosper in the way of the Lord.

Sadly, this happens. One day, when I stand before Jesus complete in heaven, it will happen no more. I'll never have to repent again. I'll never sin again. I'll never struggle again.

Praise the Lord. But as for now, I have a helper who lives with me, who works inside my heart to give me victory but the battle still wages and sometimes, when we choose not to walk in the spirit, we do fulfill the lust of the what? The lust of the flesh. Sometimes, over and over and over again. You might think that once saved an individual is incapable of adopting sinful habits or patterns of thought but that's simply not the case.

We've seen examples of that in scripture. You've seen examples of that in your own life and experience. Thus, it says in first John one eight that if we say we have no sin, we are a what? We are a liar. You say, well, God's talking to the unsaved.

No, he's not. John was written to who? John was written to professing Christians. Those who profess Christ as savior. Many of whom were saved.

He said, Christians, if you say, I'm sinless, I never sin. Then, who are you lying to? You're lying to yourself and you're lying to God. Now, it is God's will he tells us in first John two that we sin not but if we do sin which sadly we do, we have an advocate with the father, Jesus Christ, the righteous, who intercedes in behalf of all those who are his children and he's interceding for you today and he's interceding for me today and if he weren't interceding for us, we would be forever lost but because he is at the right hand of the father, he is my advocate on high. He is interceding in my behalf.

I can be secure in Jesus Christ. But when I sin, especially when I continue to sin, boy, I need to what? I need to repent. I need to get back on the right track. I'll lose my joy.

I'll lose my peace. I'll lose my effectiveness for Jesus Christ. We Christians are warned incessantly in the scriptures not to adopt or be conformed to worldly lifestyles and philosophies. Over and over again, Paul warns the Christians he's writing not to get sucked into these things, not to be pulled off track. Romans twelve two, and be not what?

Conformed to this world, but be you transformed by the renewing of your mind that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. Paul is writing Christians. He says, Christians, now you've been saved by the power of God, you have the holy spirit, you have the word of God that I'm giving you, do not be conformed, don't be forced into the pattern of the lifestyle of those who know not the Lord, don't listen to their philosophies, listen to the Lord and the word of God. Be transformed by his power and not conformed to the way of the world. Colossians two eight, beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit after tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world and not after Christ.

Be on watch because the devil has a roaring lion roaming about, roams about seeking whom he may want, devour and who does he want to devour? He wants to devour Christians. He is your enemy. He wants to destroy and devour your testimony. He wants to destroy and devour your joy.

If he could, he would rob you of your salvation But he can't take that one. He can't take that one. Because Jesus Christ by his power is keeping me. But don't don't be deceived to think. That he's not out there and he is not working to destroy you.

He hates you. Because you love Jesus. And he hates that. Why are we warned of these things? Because if we do not walk circumspectly, that is cautiously, wisely, purposefully, and if we don't walk in the spirit, we will certainly fall prey.

To many sins in our life. And often strongholds. First Corinthians six nine through 11 Paul writes this, know you not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God. Be not deceived. Neither fornicators nor idolaters nor adulterers nor feminine nor abusers of themselves with mankind nor thieves nor covetous nor drunkards nor revilers nor extortioners shall inherit the kingdom of God and such were some of you But you are washed.

But you are sanctified. But you are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the spirit of our God. The apostle here reminds the Christians in Corinth that they were once many terrible things described here but not anymore. They have been set apart in Jesus Christ. They have been declared guiltless before the throne of God.

They have been washed from their sins, forgiven, and they need to act like it. And they need to get victory over those things for they can and they must. And what does that require for us to get victory? Sometimes, it requires repentance in our life. A recognition that we have sinned and a determination by God's grace to turn from whatever that sin is.

Why does God remind them of who they were and what they are now? To warn them not to bring any of those wicked things back into their lives because if we are not on guard against them, we may. So, you've been saved from these things. Don't let them back in your life. They have no place in your life.

They have no power over you. You, I've given you the victory in Jesus Christ. Don't let them back in. They don't define you anymore. Keep them out.

You belong to me. First Peter one hundred fourteen and fifteen. Wherefore, gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. In other words, gather your thoughts, be have self control, discipline yourself by God's grace and help, knowing that one day you're gonna stand before God in heaven, thanks to what Jesus did. And as obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts and your ignorance but as he which has called you as holy, so be holy in all manner of conversation.

Peter says, don't go back. Don't let them in. Don't follow their example. You have a different example. You have a better example and that's who?

That's Jesus Christ. Follow his example. Follow his pattern. Resist the pattern of the world. It is not a good pattern.

It leads to sorrow. It leads to ruin. It leads to destruction. Ephesians five seven and eight. Again, be not you therefore partakers with them.

For you were sometimes darkness but now are you light in the Lord, walk as children of light. Don't partake with them. Don't go back there. You are now the children of who? God.

Galatians five, we are commanded to walk in the spirit that we should not fulfill the lust of the flesh. That means if we're not walking in the spirit, then, we could what? Fulfill the lust of the flesh and sometimes we do. Which conversely tells me this, when I do fulfill the lust of the flesh, when I do cave to it, then I am definitely not walking in the wild. I'm not walking in the spirit.

Clearly, Christians can induce sin and even adopt sinful habits and behaviors when we are not walking in harmony with the holy spirit. What is God's command to Christian? Excuse me, to the Christian who realizes the error of his way? His command is what? Repent.

Repent. And turn back. Don't don't keep going down that that road. It's going to bring sorrow. It's it's it's it's going to bring confusion.

It it it's going to rob you of your power. You don't want to go that way. It's going to bring pain. Repent. Confess and forsake your sinful ways and holy serve the Lord Christ, your savior.

Look if you Lord in Revelation two. Revelation two. We'll read verses one through five this morning. Revelation two one through five. Unto the angel of the church of Ephesus write this is God telling John to write this letter to this church.

These things saith he that holdeth the seven stars in his right hand and who walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks. Won't get into all that symbolism right there but the person he's talking about is Jesus Christ. I know thy works and thy labor. Again, speaking of the church of Ephesus. I know thy works and thy labor and thy patience and how thou canst not bear them which are evil and hast tried them which say they are apostles and are not and hast found them liars and has born and has patience for my name's sake hast labored and has not fainted.

Nevertheless, I have somewhat against thee because thou hast left thy first love. Remember therefore, from whence thou art fallen and repent and do the first works or else I will come unto thee quickly and remove thy candlestick out of his place except thou repent. Now, the first thing I want you to notice from this passage is the Lord addressed them as the church at Ephesus which could also be rendered the assembly of believers in Ephesus, okay? For certainly, the Lord would not have regarded as an unsaved group of people as a church. So, then, we are talking primarily of Christians and not of the unsaved.

He is writing a group of Christian believers, followers of Christ in the church at Ephesus. So, most of these people he's writing are Christians, are born again believers. Secondly, notice that the Lord in this case did have many good things to say about this group of saints. He didn't just come and write them a letter of condemnation. He actually had things to praise them about and he encouraged them with.

He encouraged he praised them for their diligence, their work, and their labor. He praised them for their patience in waiting upon the Lord. He praised them for rejecting false prophets and false doctrine. They had discernment. They were on guard to false teaching and when the false teacher came in, they rejected them and they didn't listen and so God praised them for their diligence, their hard work in the church.

He praised them for their patience and waiting on the Lord and he praised them for casting out the false prophets and the false teaching. Sad to say, many churches today would not do well in these three categories. There are a lot of lazy and uncommitted Christians today in regards to serving the Lord. They're just kind of going with the what? Going with the flow.

You know, if it's convenient, they show up to church. Maybe they pick up their Bible during the week. Maybe they don't. They don't think about the Lord a whole lot and they don't commit to ministering to others and there's a lot of Christians and a lot of churches like that today. There are a lot of impatient Christians who just can't trust the Lord and wait patiently on him.

So, they're constantly running ahead and when you run ahead of God and you don't listen to his word and you don't wait for an answer for prayer, you say, well, this is what I want. So, this is what I'm going to do. You're apt to get yourself in what? In a lot of trouble. There's a way that seems right unto a man.

They're in thereof are the ways of death. You better be sure you're listening to the Lord and waiting on him. The Israelites did that when they came into the land, the city of Jericho. They waited on the Lord. The Lord, Lord, the captain, Lord host, told Joshua what to do.

They did what God said and the walls of Jericho, what? Came tumbling down. They had such a such an easy time of Jericho. The next city was Ai. They thought, hey, this will be a this will be a cinch.

So, they ran ahead of God. They didn't commune with him as they should have and so they sent a small group to the small city and they got crushed. Same things happens in the Christian life when we run ahead of God. You need to learn be patient and trust on him. They that wait on the Lord shall renew their strength.

They shall mount up with wings as eagles. They shall run and not be weary. They shall walk and not faint. Learn to wait and listen to the Lord. There are a lot of Christians who even despite their genuine faith tolerate false teachers and false teaching and they should know better.

Lot of Christians sitting in churches today that are no longer teaching the word of God or the gospel and they should know better. Shouldn't be there. They should find a church that is teaching the truth. And when the false teachers come in, they should be cast out. And that isn't happening Sometimes, the false teachers are in their churches.

Sometimes, the false teachers are their pastors. Sometimes the false teachers are the ones they invented invite into their home on their television set. Watch out for the false teachers. There's a lot of wolves masquerading in sheep's clothing today. A lot of Christians being taken in.

Don't listen. They were praised for these things. And I hope these are areas of praise in our life too. If not, then what should you do? Repent.

Repent. However, thirdly, he strongly rebukes them for a significant shortcoming and what was their shortcoming? They had left their what? They had left their first love. They apparently had grown cold in their love of Christ and their personal fellowship with him.

Substituting busyness for fellowship. The Lord rebuked Martha in Luke 10 for the same shortcoming. Let me read it to you. It begins in verse 38. Now, it came to pass as they went that he entered into a certain village and a certain woman named Martha received him into her house and she had a sister called Mary which also sat at Jesus' feet and heard his word and Martha was cumbered about much serving and came to him and said, Lord, does thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone?

Did bid her therefore that she helped me? And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things. But one thing is needful and Mary hath chosen that good part which shall not be taken away from her. Martha, Martha, you're very busy. You're doing good things.

But there's one thing that's why? Needful. To spend time with who? To spend time with. Mary was still in awe.

At the presence of Jesus. Mary was still hanging on every word. That Jesus said. Martha was too busy scurrying around. And she was missing it.

And sometimes Christians are just too busy scurrying around. Even in things that are quote unquote good. But not taking time to sit at the feet of who? To Jesus, to enjoy our fellowship, to grow in our relationship with him. And our hearts grow cold.

They are busy bees in an exciting life. A prosperous career. A fruitful ministry. Even in many in various ministries, programs, and services. And yet something very important and very vital is missing.

Their personal walk with the Lord. Activity has replaced fellowship and that will ruin a Christian every time. Is that true of you? There have been times in my life where I believe that was true of me. I just got so busy with other things.

Some things were good things. Some things were an absolute waste of time. And it didn't take the time at the feet of Jesus that I should have and it robs you of your your power in Christ. It robs you of your joy, of your confidence in the Lord. When you're not spending time with the power source, throughout the week.

Just to sit at his feet just to enjoy his fellowship. How long since you spend an hour in your prayer closet with the Lord? How about a half hour? How about ten minutes? Or your devotional and prayer life amount to praying after two or three meals a day.

Sitting in a pew for an hour once a week. If that is the extent of your devotional time with God, then, you're going to grow weak as a Christian. And you don't have to. A lot of Christians I know, they come to me. They express or you can see it in their life that they're struggling and they wonder why this is happening and that is happening and they just can't get victory over this and victory over that.

And in so many cases, they're just not spending time at the feet of who? At the feet of Jesus. They're just not spending time with him. They're not nurturing their relationship with him and so they feel alone and they feel defeated and they don't have to and you don't have to. The church of the Ephesus didn't have to but you gotta find time to be with Jesus.

This was their shortcoming. May very well be yours but it might be something else. Maybe it's your eating, smoking, or drinking habits. Maybe it's your viewing habits or thought life. Maybe it's your unforgiving attitude towards someone.

Maybe it's your lack of concern for the lost. Maybe it's your relationship with your spouse. Maybe it's your unwillingness to be used by the Lord and step out in faith and trust him. Maybe it's your laziness in his service. Maybe it's your dishonesty with others.

You've kind of become accustomed with just shading the truth. Maybe it's your greed and unwillingness to trust God with what he has provided. Maybe it's your lack of faithfulness just to get up and come. And worship the Lord on Sundays. Maybe it's you fill in the blank.

What is it? What is it that the Lord is putting his finger on in your life and saying, this, this is not right. This is not right. This must change. This is sin.

It's wrong. It's become a part of your life and it does not belong there. What is it that God is putting his finger on today? And what does the Lord command of these Christians at Ephesus and what is the Lord command of you? We find it in verse five.

Remember therefore, from whence thou art fallen and repent and do the first works. Remember the way it used to be and repent. Repent of that in your life. That is wrong. Whether it's neglect of spending time with God.

Whether it is it is doing something that God has told you not to do. Whether it's neglect of telling others about Christ. Whatever it may be that God is putting your finger on, remember what it was like when you got saved. Remember when it was fresh and repent. You know there's something wrong.

You feel it in your bones. Don't put it off till tomorrow and next week and next month again and again and again. Don't don't kid around and say, oh, it'll just disappear. Just, you know, I used to think that when I was a kid. When I when I graduate from high school, all my problems are just going to poof disappear because I'll be an adult.

Guess what? I turned 18. I graduated from high school. The struggles I had at 17 were the same struggles I had at 19, unless I did what? Unless I repented.

Unless I dealt with them. Same thing happened when I graduated from college. Same thing happened when I get married, got married. Think, oh, when this happens in my, then, no, doesn't work that way. You must repent.

You must deal with your sin. If you don't, it's not going to change. And it's not God's fault. It's my fault. God will help me.

God will cleanse me of that. God will give me victory. I give it to you too. But you must be willing to humble yourself and come to God and say, God, I know this is wrong. Don't belong Lord, cleanse me of it or strengthen me to make the right decisions and cast this out of my life Do the first works.

Go back to the way it was. Have a change in attitude and behavior which demonstrates a sincere love for Christ and confession of sin. A more passionate prayer and devotional life. Spending real time with God and his word. A hunger and openness to the preaching of God's word and a soft heart.

A true love and concern for others, a willingness to change, a willingness to change for God. Don't change for me. Don't change for change for God. Be willing to change. The Christian life is a life of change.

If you're not changing anymore, then you're not growing anymore. And if you're not growing, you're going to grow stagnant. Sin is going to creep in the door be willing to change. They'll be willing to say I'm wrong. They don't want to say, Lord, I recognize where I failed.

Be willing to come to him. Turn if you would to first Timothy. No, I think I have it up here. First Timothy three sixteen and seventeen. All scriptures given by inspiration of God is profitable for doctrine.

That's teaching for reproof, or rebuke, for correction, for instruction, and righteousness that the man of God may be perfect, truly furnished unto all good works. Two words up there, maybe hard for some of you to read because it's in dark red and that's the words for what? Correction. By correction, God means putting things right that went wrong. Correction is putting things right that went wrong.

If you have a test and the and the teacher marks some things that are wrong and hands it back to you and says, correct them. What is the teacher saying? Fix the things that you got what? That you got wrong. Okay?

So the scripture is good at giving us doctrine, events rebuking us about what's wrong, and then giving us a path to correct that which is in error. And it requires, guess what? It requires repentance. And the heart of the child of God. In response to the preaching of God's word and the prodding of the spirit, it is a necessary part of our growth.

We all sometimes need correcting, requiring repentance on our part. You're not unique. You're not the only one. Every child of God sometimes needs to acknowledge error in their life and correct it. What if you do not repent?

Well, it tells us for in the verse five or else or else. In other words, church at Ephesus, if you don't repent, I will come unto thee quickly and will remove thy candlestick out of his place except thou repent. What happens if you don't repent? Chastisement, God will chasten you. If you don't repent, God's going to work to try to make you repent.

He doesn't, he's not going to say, okay, yeah, just go the wrong way. I don't care. You're his child. He doesn't want you to ruin your life. He doesn't want you to destroy your testimony.

He doesn't want you to be a miserable child of God. He wants you to be a happy, joy filled, effective child of God. So, he's not going to say, oh God, I don't don't care if if you decide. No, that's not God's attitude. He loves you and he has something better for you and if he has to, he'll chasten you and chastening isn't what?

Pleasant. When I was a kid, I got spanked and I got paddled. Guess what? I didn't consider those pleasant consequences for my errors and my sins against my parents. They were uncomfortable to say the least.

God's chastening hand can be much more miserable than just a spanking. If you don't repent, chastisement is apt to follow and eventually, a loss of ministry and testimony before others. God here speaking to the church says, he will take away their candle indicating the death of the church or at least the death of their genuine testimony for the Lord. If this church doesn't repent, if you continue to go down the wrong path as a church, John writes, then guess what? You're eventually going to lose your testimony.

You're eventually going to lose your effectiveness for Christ. Your church is going to fall into false teaching and it is going to be done. So, you better repent. You better repent. Because it doesn't lead to a good place.

Now is the time. Ongoing repentance itself is evidence in the life of a child of God of genuine salvation. Consequently, a refusal to repent leads to a lack of assurance of salvation and confidence in the Lord. You ever lacked assurance as a Christian? Ever run into somebody that lacked assurance?

Well, I think I'm saved. I hope I'm saved. You say, well, did you accept Christ? Oh, yes, I did that. I know I did.

I'm confident I did that but I just don't feel, well, what's the problem? Well, probably, they've been letting sin in the door and they haven't been what? They haven't been repenting. And now, they're lacking assurance and confidence. Repent.

Conclusion. Do Christians need to repent? What's the answer? Yes. Y'all gave me the right answer before I started the sermon.

So, Why? Because Christians can fall prey to the tricks of the devil, the flesh, the world far too often. When we find ourselves in such a state, we must turn back, we must repent, or if we are to have any success in the Christian life and in service to our Lord and savior. We need to say with the Psalmist in Psalm one thirty nine, search me, oh God. Think I have that up here.

Search me, oh God, and know my heart. Try me and know my thoughts. And see if there be any wicked way in me and lead me in the way. Everlasting. Would you read that verse with me?

And mean it? Search me, oh God, and know my heart. Try me and know my thoughts and see if there be any wicked way in me and lead me in the way everlasting. Is there anything you need to repent of today? Don't be too afraid.

Don't be too proud to admit failure. This is something we all sometimes need to do. If the Lord has touched your heart today, as we pray, as we sing, would you talk to God? You don't have to sing. You can come up here and pray at the front.

I'll meet you and pray with you if you like But don't put off, don't put it off again till tomorrow. Don't do it. Let's pray. Dear God, thank you Lord. For all that you've done for us.

Lord, it is a a small thing but an absolutely necessary thing for us to come to you and repent of things in our life that don't belong there as children of God. Lord, I pray that you would reveal those things to us. I pray that you would open our eyes that we'd be willing in humility to acknowledge those failures. And Lord, to repent and trust you to give us victory, to cleanse our heart, and to change our path. But Lord, that won't happen if we're too proud.

To acknowledge and confess those things before you. That won't happen, Lord. We're not willing to turn from them. And to trust you. Lord, you can give us victory and Lord, I pray that you would give us victory today.

As we make those decisions for you. In Jesus name we pray. Amen.