This episode ties together several New Testament passages, highlighting how saving faith ALWAYS involves repentance. Paul summarized his mission before king Agrippa, "to open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins.." (Acts 26:18) The prerequisite to receiving forgiveness of sins is a turning away from sin and Satan. Additionally no one can "follow Christ," if they're "following" themselves. Self-denial, a repudiation of one's self-centered life, is foundational to being a Christian. (Matthew 16:24) The episode anticipates that preaching a gospel that includes repentance will result in fewer "conversions," for sinners naturally balk at "receiving Christ" if it requires a change of mind and lifestyle. Since genuine conversions REQUIRE repentance, and only the Holy Spirit can bring one to repentance, the evangelist should stay in his lane, faithfully preaching the naturally distasteful message of repentance and faith in Christ, while the Holy Spirit overcomes resistance and enables sinners to receive Christ as Lord. The conversion of the soul is a supernatural event where the Holy Spirit does the heavy lifting, convicting and confirming the gospel we preach.
“Mourn the Residing Power of Sin, not the Penalty”
Building off of the last episode, this program contends that "mourning" should be a common occurrence in the life of believers. The same Holy Spirit that convicts us of sin, righteousness, and judgment (John 16:7-11), leading to repentance and faith in Christ--well that same Spirit continues his convicting work in the life of believer. Though eternal destiny is settled for believers (position), seemingly endless adjustments are in order as the Holy Spirit conforms the saint into the image of Christ, as He addresses our condition. James 4:8-9 insists that believers mourn their remaining affinity with worldliness: "Purify your hearts, you double-minded. Be miserable and mourn and weep.."
“Godly Sorrow Leads to Repentance”
This initial episode emphasizes that coming to Christ necessarily requires mourning. The gospel of grace is predicated on judgment, the acknowledgement that justice must be satisfied. "The wages of sin is death," so either Christ's pays the debt or the sinner renders the payment. The conditions to receive Christ are repentance and faith. 2 Corinthians 7:10 declares that "godly sorrow leads to repentance." So even though subsequent joy over receiving the grace of God is the experience of the Christian, mourning that leads to repentance opens the door to that joy. The surrounding verses of Matthew 5:4 also highlight the psychological state of anyone who comes into the kingdom. Being "poor in spirit" and hungry and thirsty for righteousness describe those who mourn over sin. Those who receive Christ are subsequently comforted by the Comforter, the Holy Spirit.
“Listen carefully to Me, and Eat what is Good”
This final episode cites the example of Brother Lawrence, who applied the resurrection of Christ to everyday life, in his case, doing the dishes. Menial everyday tasks, noted Brother Lawrence, should be filled with the presence of God. The episode highlights the modern equivalent, the hours most of us spend plowing through traffic. How might most of our lives be transformed if we intentionally communed with God amidst our mundane activities, instead of droning on in endless self-talk? The never-ending treadmill of anxiety that modern Christians endure is largely the consequence of solving our problems without God. The solution is clearly articulated in Isaiah 55:2: "Why spend money on what is not bread, and your wages for what does not satisfy?" Listen carefully to me, and eat what is good, and delight yourself in abundance." Isaiah contrasts futile reliance on our own abilities with attentive listening to the voice of God, resulting in a bountiful harvest of good things. This final episode invites all Christians to abide in the resurrected Christ at ALL times, listening to Him, as we walk in the newness of life.
Resurrection Power: the Evidence of Salvation
This episode builds on the previous program, asserting that mere propositional knowledge about Christ is insufficient for salvation. Many of us have encountered "believers" who insist they are saved based on a past recitation of the sinner's prayer, though evidence that they are presently FOLLOWING Christ is absent. This past confession amounts to acknowledgment of the facts of the gospel [propositional knowledge], but devoid of subsequent following of Christ, is an empty confession that doesn't save. The above scenario highlights the necessity of the ONGOING application of the death, burial and resurrection of Christ to anyone who claims to be a Christian. And, it is part of the constitution of every believer, "if anyone would be my disciple, he must deny himself, pick up his cross and follow me." (Matthew 16:24) "Following Christ" then is the ONGOING application of our Master's life to our lives. So the application of the resurrection of Christ to everyday life, as it turns out, is foundational to being a Christian.
When You Follow Christ, His Power isn’t “Optional”
This episode addresses the tendency among believers to draw on resurrection power only in crises or challenging circumstances. The operating presumption is that believers utilize their own power for routine everyday life but rely on God's power when our own isn't up to the task. Some who are successful in achieving a certain degree of sin-management settle into a mediocre Christian life in which DAILY reliance on Christ becomes optional. One reason is that the bar for Christian life is lowered: being a Christian is primarily about sin-management and strangely "following Christ" is only necessary to manage sin. But this recasting of the purpose of Christian life is fundamentally self-centered and contradicts the Scriptures. "If anyone would be my disciple he must first deny himself, pick up his cross and follow me." (Matthew 16:24) Following Christ and service to Him is the end-goal and it is embodied in love of God and neighbor. In essence "sin-management" is the necessary precondition of following Christ which is principally demonstrated by love of God and neighbor. The recasting of Christian life into sin-management, divorced from following Christ, is arguably the principal reason why many dichotomize routine everyday life from crises moments, only the latter of which requires depending on resurrection power. FOLLOWING Christ and loving God and neighbor requires divine power ALL the time.
The Multi-Faceted Cross
This episode introduces the second arena in which believers are called to apply the death, burial and resurrection of Christ to their lives, that of self-denial. While Christians use the paradigm of Christ's death and resurrection as a model for dealing with the cross of sin, closely related, but not the same, is our attitude towards everything we have that is NOT sinful. All of our gifts and talents need to placed at the Master's feet and utilized based on HIS leading. The episode also mentions the cross of persecution, the third area in which we apply the death, burial and resurrection of Christ to our lives. The episode affirms that the three crosses carried by Christians (sin, self-denial, and persecution) are inter-related. Our submission to Christ over sin issues naturally affects how we respond to self-denial in other areas and our attitude towards persecution.