Dr. Rob Staples passed this story on to me from his book, "Words of Faith: An Easy Reference to Theological Terms" (Beacon Hill, 2001).   He relates this humorous story that illustrates the difficulties that may arise from a wrong understanding of predestination.

A man who had just received his private pilot's license invited his friend to go for a plane ride.  His friend refused, saying he was afraid to get that high off the ground.  Being unable to convince the man that flying was safer than riding in a car, he said:  "I thought you believed in predestination, and that nobody can die until his time comes."  "I do," replied his friend. "Then if you know you cannot die until your time comes, what is the problem?" asked the pilot.  "Well," his friend replied, "what if we get up in the air and your time comes?" 

The man in this story might have been uncomfortable with the idea of God’s sovereignty and power. 

The Bible proclaims truth that makes most post-modern men uncomfortable. 

Let me be clear.  We would rather turn over a new leaf than confess and turn in repentance from our sins.   We would rather avoid restitution to those we’ve sinned against.  Perhaps this is just another way of rejecting God’s sovereignty and authority in our lives.

The fact is most post-modern men do not believe that God is in control.  They believe that truth cannot be known, so why submit to a loving God?   But even so, we cannot soft-pedal the Gospel of Repentance.

A friend recently told me he misses the public demonstration of repentance; people kneeling and seeking the Lord.   I agree.

Repentance and submission are rarely seen in church services.   We have invented ways of unlinking spiritual formation with submission and conversion.  We would rather drift toward a personal testimony, doing churchy things, rather than witnessing or testifying to the Holy Spirit’s convicting power.

Several years ago, I was rehearsing with a praise team, and one student, unacquainted with the common theological term asked me what I meant by a song of repentance. 

                                                                              

I answered, “It’s a Biblical term and means turning around, changing your mind and resolve to follow God’s leading.”  It’s a wonderful thing.

“Repentance mends both our broken relationship with God and with man.  It commands Christ followers to live in relationship and community with God and each other.   There is no estrangement in the Kingdom of God.”

We need repentance among us.  If we do not yield to the moving of the Holy Spirit in repentance, then He will let us have it our way.  Without repentance we deny our past and reject our future. 

Public confession and submission has long been the Biblical sign of Christian conversion as God’s Kingdom comes on earth.  The joy of public repentance and personal renewal will link us with the future work of the Holy Spirit who goes before us, preparing our way, giving us new life.

Repentance does not mean that “the living” die, but that the dead, once again, live.