Monday, August 30: What is your point of view?

In the early years of settlers coming to the shores of what would become America, many people died of starvation, or at the hands of the existing residents of the land, the Indians. Sadly, most of the men on the initial voyages to the new land were gentry. Consequently, none of the men were willing to work. Planting, building, clearing land…in their minds, these were tasks for a lower class of people. The only work they were willing to do involved digging for gold or searching for gems, minerals or ores that could add to their wealth. Not even starvation changed their minds about manual labor!


When the Pilgrims landed at Plymouth Rock, it was a different situation entirely. Even the motive of coming to this new land was opposite, focused on sharing Jesus Christ with people who never had heard His message. Prior to the voyage, this strong body of believers solidified its bonds to the Lord, as well as the bonds to one another. Their suffering on the three-month voyage was similar to those on previous expeditions, but how they handled that suffering was exemplary, with joy and thanksgiving. Upon arrival, everyone pitched into the effort of building a settlement and growing enough food for survival, trade and profit. All along the way, they looked to God for their provisions, and with their hearts right, He provided.


Additionally, God provided help from the Indians to teach the Pilgrims survival skills in this new land. After a few years, the Pilgrims began to see major improvements. With winter approaching, the Pilgrims were prepared, having enough corn to last until the next harvest. But God threw a wrench into their plans. A ship arrived without food, carrying an additional group of settlers. Instead of an abundance of food for the winter, the Pilgrims severely rationed their supplies. Yet with God in their focus, not one Pilgrim died of starvation that year. In the spring, the leaders decided to employ a new strategy. Instead of planting, tending and harvesting collectively, they told the people to select a plot of land and grow their own corn. People worked even harder to grow more than necessary. Yet again, something went wrong with their plans. A drought occurred on the land. None of the local Indians could remember a longer period without rain. Once again, the Christian leadership took it to the Lord, and upon reflection, decided that their motives had changed. Instead of asking the Lord for provision, the people had become more concerned with profit. It didn’t matter if Satan used gold bars or corn to trip up God’s people; it was the same issues of greed and pride. Collectively, the people gathered together and repented to the Lord. Not surprisingly, the Lord opened the skies with a gentle rain that saved all of the crops.


What does it mean to repent? It is a complete change in point of view. Instead of looking at the world and our own sins through our own eyes, when we repent, we look through God’s eyes. Sin is a cancer that separates us from God, and without a remedy, one sin would kill us. Yet repentance urges us to turn around and see that sin from a different perspective. Satan urges us to give in to sin, and when we sin, we are serving him. By doing that “about-face,” we face God. When we see our own sin through God’s perspective, it repulses us in the same manner that it repulses God. That change is a matter of the heart. Instead of saying, “Sorry for sinning, God,” and then continuing in the same manner, repentance alters our hearts to the point that we no longer desire to continue in that brokenness. Instead of pleasing Satan, we begin pleasing God.


8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
1 John 1:8-9


Confess is the Greek word homologeo in the passage above, meaning to “speak the same thing” or “to come in agreement with.” It is the same word used in the following passage, as well:


9 that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
Romans 10:9-10

This confession doesn’t involve going to a human intermediary. Instead, our High Priest is Jesus Christ. Yet even though we can confess with our mouths and in our hearts that He is Lord, sin remains a concern. As believers, we need to continue to repent of our sins. It is my belief that the moment we are saved, Jesus forgives us of all past, present and future sins, yet our part in that is the ongoing confession of those sins. This involves reflection upon our lives. Do you think God only punished His people for their sins in the past? He punishes us because He loves us. That punishment of drought caused the Pilgrims to reflect and find sin in their lives. In a similar way, we should be reflecting on the sin in our lives, and through confession, to change our points of view. Once we see our sin through the Lord’s eyes, He can draw us closer!


But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.
Hebrews 11:6


testifying to Jews, and also to Greeks, repentance toward God and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.
Acts 20:21