7/18/15

"Joy...In Heaven Over One Sinner That Repenteth" -- How 'Bout You Sinner...Ready To Admit It?

'I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth...' Luke 15:7

An heir is born to some powerful sovereign, or such a one is married, or ascends the throne, and there is great rejoicing and merry-making on earth. Some mighty conqueror returns at the head of his victorious armies, there is great rejoicing on earth; but such matters receive little notice in Heaven. Some poor, broken-down, miserable wreck of a man or woman on a heap of filthy rags or straw, in some tumble-down garret or hovel, turns their face towards Heaven and says, "Father, I have sinned" - Luke 15:18-21, or "God, be merciful to me a sinner" - Luke 18:13-14, and all Heaven rings again with joy.

And only to think, that it is not the faultless self-righteous Pharisee [Luke 18:10-12] that produces this joy; it is the repentance of a sinner that does so. Of a sinner?

Yes, there is joy in Heaven over ONE sinner that repenteth. Will you, my unconverted reader, yield Heaven joy? ~~ C.H. Mackintosh (CHM) 1820-1896

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"repent" - Greek 3340 metanoeo met-an-o-eh'-o from 3326 and 3539; to think differently or afterwards, i.e. reconsider (morally, feel compunction):--repent.

The word repent or repenteth i.e. "metanoeo" means essentially a 'changing of the mind', as seen in the two examples above - the Luke 15 prodigal son and Luke 18 publican. Starts in the mind, felt in the heart.

It is when denial 'changes' to admittance.


Rev. 18:4
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Romans 3:23 'For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God'

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