GREATER THAN (A STUDY IN THE BOOK OF HEBREWS) SUBSERIES: FOUNDATIONS - WEEK 1 - REPENTANCE

I want to begin by mentioning an important event that will happen this week for many, many churches around the world. Now, in our tradition, in the Restoration Church, where we don’t follow many of the High Church events on the Church calendar (i.e., Epiphany, All Saints’ Day, etc.), we haven’t ever really focused on this event - much less ever really mentioned it; BUT it is a day that has been held as sacred for many Christians over the past centuries.

The day is Ash Wednesday - a commemoration not specifically commanded in Scripture - but a day where the intention is very much connected to the principles that we read of in Scripture.

What is Ash Wednesday? Well, Ash Wednesday originated somewhere between the sixth and eighth centuries (in the Year of our Lord - A.D. - Anno Domini). It was a day for the Church to gather to remember the sinfulness of mankind and the need for repentance. And as a sign of the sorrow for sin and the decision to be made clean, believers would sprinkle ashes over their heads.

Last week I showed you from Hebrews 5 and 6 the FOUNDATIONS of our faith. Remember the Author of Hebrews is concerned that the Hebrew converts to Christianity would not be strong enough to withstand the temptation that they faced to go BACK to trying to be justified by the OT Law, rather than through their faith in the sufficiency of Jesus’ perfect life and perfect sacrifice to pay the penalty for their sins,

He scolded them for not growing past the basic, elementary doctrines of the faith, knowing that if they still were having trouble with the foundations, they wouldn’t get the deeper stuff that is involved in living out one’s faith through obedience to the Spirit of God.

And, if you recall, this prompted me to decide that perhaps, before we continue in our study in Hebrews, we would do well to pause and take a look at those foundational truths of the Gospel: The truths of repentance from dead works, of faith in God, of the teachings of baptism, of the laying on of hands - which is the yielding to the Spirit of God, and finally of matters of eternal life.

So this morning I have set the scene for us (and I think it’s quite timely since this Wednesday will be a time where Christians around the world will be focusing on repentance) for us to also consider the basic, foundational truth of repentance, and what that IS, what is MEANS, and what it LOOKS LIKE for believers today.