Cost of Repentance
I traded pulpits with another preacher recently and
spoke at a church in northern Indiana. After the lesson, a man came
forward confessing sin and asking for the prayers of the congregation.
One of the major stumbling blocks to him in his sin came from a source
with which we are all familiar—movies. The prevalent culture we see
displayed in movies and television has a tremendous effect on our
thinking.
I have addressed this issue with many people in
sermons and personal conversations. So often, it feels like the message
goes in one ear and out the other. Some people feel as though they are
so strong they can let any type of immorality into their minds and be
unaffected.
Yet, anybody who has been around the block knows that art affects life
and vice versa. We may think there is nothing we can do about it, but
there is.
In fact, the young, penitent brother I mentioned earlier e-mailed me
about what he has done to help the problem. I offer it here in the hope
it can help you too.
In an e-mail to me he wrote, “I’ve gotten rid of my R-rated movies...I
will put no vain thing before my eyes...I got rid of 120 DVD’s. Was it
hard? Yes, but the question is: what is more important, the money the
DVD’s have cost over the years or an eternal soul?”
Assume each of those DVD’s cost $10, even though they usually cost more.
This brother in Christ just threw away over $1200 of merchandise because
he realized his soul is worth more.
That’s repentance. In Acts 19:18,19 the Ephesians converts, “came
confessing and telling their deeds. Also, many of those who had
practiced magic brought their books together and burned them in the
sight of all. And they counted up the value of them, and it totaled
fifty thousand pieces of silver.”
Think about it.
March 2006