A Call for Repentance (revised)

“You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men.”

(Matthew 5:13 NIV)

Salt has literally hundreds of uses, but here Jesus is speaking of the positive qualities it has in purifying, seasoning and preserving.

Those who are taught and trained in the word of God are likened unto salt; they serve as a purifying agent in their community, spreading as seasoning, the word of God and preserving the principals of godliness. But when the truth of God is exchanged for myths, fables, lies and the tradition of men the “salt” has become tasteless or has lost it’s “saltiness” and “it is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men.”

“Therefore you have no excuse, everyone of you who passes judgment, for in that which you judge another, you condemn yourself; for you who judge practice the same things. And we know that the judgment of God rightly falls upon those who practice such things. But do you suppose this, O man, when you pass judgment on those who practice such things and do the same yourself, that you will escape the judgment of God??”

(Romans 2:1-3 NASU)

The design of this scripture is to show that the Jews were no less guilty of breaking His Law than the Gentiles, and that they needed the benefit of the same salvation. The same is true of the church today. The church has greater light than the people of the world, and yet they do the same things that the heathen do. Still they are in the habit of accusing and condemning the heathen as wicked and having need of salvation; while they excuse themselves on the ground that they possessed the word of truth, and are His chosen people. The scripture here affirms that the church is inexcusable in her sins, and is condemned in the sight of God on the same ground on which they condemn the world; to wit, that they have truth and yet commit wickedness.

Our churches of today have welcomed and accepted the traditions of the world and the practice of paganism into the church and are teaching myths, fables and lies rather than the truths of God’s Holy Scriptures. They have tickled the ears of the masses for the sake of numbers in the pews and dollars in the offering plate. They have become rich and think they have need of nothing.

Yes, the church has fallen away from the faith of our forefathers and have become as the heathen. Immorality in the pulpits has led to immorality being accepted in the congregations and it seems no one in the churches is speaking out against it. Thus the church is no longer held is high esteem by the community it is serving, but is looked upon as being a house of hypocrites, whoremongers and thieves.

We look at our leaders in government in awe of their total disrespect for the laws that they are sworn to uphold, we presently see congressmen and senators with morals less than that of an alley cat. In the past we have seen, and was even approved by the masses, immorality in the White House. We have become a nation of shameless fornicators, adulteresses and murders!! Homosexuality and same sex marriages are now accepted as a normal way of life.

The responsibility of these moral failures lies on the shoulders of the church; the church is to be the moral fiber of the nation. Why do we see crime of all sorts in our communities on the rise? Do we wonder how these things can be? Could it be that the “salt” has become “tasteless” and has lost its ability to purify, season and preserve? Has the church become the apostate church? Has this apostate church led this nation down the path of destruction?

Where is the fear of God? Have we as a church and a nation become so haughty that we don’t any longer fear Him? Have we become so unpleasantly or disdainfully self-important we feel that we are self-sufficient and have no need to reverence God? Have we become so proud of our military that we lean upon our own might rather that the power of God?

We must take heed lest we fall,

“Before his downfall a man’s heart is proud, but humility comes before honor.”

(Proverbs 18:12 NIV)

“When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom.”

(Proverbs 11:2 NIV)

“The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; all who follow his precepts have good understanding. To him belongs eternal praise.”

(Psalms 111:10 NIV)

We must return to teaching the precepts of our Lord to see the salvation of a declining nation destined to fall. Yes, our nation is in a downward spiral into the pit of immorality, but if we will listen to the words that God speaks to His people and take heed there is still hope.

“Or do you think lightly of the riches of His kindness and tolerance and patience, not knowing that the kindness of God leads you to repentance?”

(Romans 2:4 NASU)

God has shown us His love through His tolerance and patience with our sin; let us not think lightly of the riches of His kindness for it is though these that He leads us to repentance.

“---- If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.”

(2^nd Chronicles 7:14 NASU)

When He says, “if my people who are called by My name” He is speaking to the church today just as He spoke in the days of King Solomon. He is calling for His people of today to come humbly before Him and to pray. God hears the prayers of the humble but resist the proud.

How can the salt become salty again? Repent and call upon the name of the Lord that our sins might be forgiven. The church must repent; turn its back on sin and seek God’s face in humbleness with broken and contrite hearts. God promises that He will hear the prayers of the broken and contrite.

“Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord, and that he may send the Christ, who has been appointed for you — even Jesus.”

(Acts 3:19-20 NASU)

We as a church and nation must turn from the course of wickedness in which we have been so long walking. Sin cannot be pardoned before man repents of it. In the order of the work of grace, repentance must always precede pardon. Of course, no peoples can have evidence that their sin is pardoned until they repent.

The enemy is at work he never sleeps. He has penetrated our boarders and sits in our pews, he has filled our pulpits and governmental offices, and he seeks whom he might destroy. The faithful and true church is the “salt” that preserves and it must be this church that brings this nation back to God; the church must lead this nation in repentance before it is too late. We must call upon our Lord and Savior to give us wisdom and strength; we must lean upon His power to save us. Selah.

James C Sanford