Helping broken people treasure Jesus.
- Broken people walk in ongoing repentance because they have tapped into the sustaining goodness of the triune God (and understanding the corresponding horrid nature of sin and its consequences).
- Repentance is a change of mind, heart, and direction; and the understanding of myself, my sin, the fullness and mercy of God, and the path of life that I should take. (Obedience).
“Repent and believe in the gospel.” Mark 1:15
“Repent and be baptized.” Acts 2:38
“God commands all people everywhere to repent.” Acts 17:30
“Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me.” Matthew 11:28-29a
WHAT IS SIN?
Sin is rejecting or ignoring God in the world he created, rebelling against him by living without reference to him, not being or doing what he requires in his law—resulting in our death and the disintegration of all creation. New City Catechism, Question 16
- BROKEN - The process of restoration by the power of the Holy Spirit is never complete in this life.
“We must always be accepted for Christ’s sake, or we cannot ever be accepted at all. This is not true of us only 'when we believe.' It is just as true after we have believed. It will continue to be true as long as we live. Our need of Christ does not cease with our believing; nor does the nature of our relation to Him or to God through Him ever alter, no matter what our attainments in Christian graces or our achievements in Christian behavior may be. It is always on His 'blood and righteousness' alone that we can rest. There is never anything that we are or have or do that can take His place, or that can take a place along with Him. We are always unworthy, and all that we have or do of good is always of pure grace. Though blessed with every spiritual blessing in the heavenlies in Christ, we are still in ourselves just 'miserable sinners:' 'miserable sinners' saved by grace to be sure, but 'miserable sinners' still, deserving in ourselves nothing but everlasting wrath. That is the attitude which the Reformers took, and that is the attitude which the Protestant world has learned from the Reformers to take, toward the relation of believers to Christ.” B.B. Warfield, From “Miserable-Sinner Christianity” in The Works of Benjamin B. Warfield, Vol. 7, pp. 113-114.
“It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and of a kind that is not tolerated even among pagans, for a man has his father's wife. And you are arrogant! Ought you not rather to mourn? Let him who has done this be removed from among you.
For though absent in body, I am present in spirit; and as if present, I have already pronounced judgment on the one who did such a thing. When you are assembled in the name of the Lord Jesus and my spirit is present, with the power of our Lord Jesus, you are to deliver this man to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, so that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord.
Your boasting is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump? Cleanse out the old leaven that you may be a new lump, as you really are unleavened. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed. Let us therefore celebrate the festival, not with the old leaven, the leaven of malice and evil, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.” 1 Corinthians 5:1-8
GENERAL PRINCIPLES
1. As we help each other, we always come with humility as broken ones who are continuously involved in the ongoing process of restoration. There is no personal triumphalism or self-aggrandizement but humility and love. (Galatians 6:1-2)
2. Because of the goodness of the Lord, we are committed to walking in known repentance (continually adjusting my understanding of self, sin, God, and the path of obedience).
3. The path of life brings restoration and healing, therefore we do not give bottles of water to those who are about to be consumed by a raging fire.
THE VALUE OF BROKENNESS IN THE COMMUNITY OF CHRIST/LOCAL CHURCH
1. Brokenness corresponds to biblical reality. Life is joyful and messy, and the restoration is never complete until we go to heaven.
2. Understanding brokenness opens the door to deep friendship and mutual support.