ESOCS Devotional 17 May 2025 – The Need For Repentance
MEMORY VERSE: “And the rest of the men which were not killed by these plagues yet repented not of the works of their hands, that they should not worship devils, and idols of gold, and silver, and brass, and stone, and of wood: which neither can see, nor hear, nor walk: Neither repented they of their murders, nor of their sorceries, nor of their fornication, nor of their thefts.”
Revelation 9:20-21te robes, and palms in their hands.” Revelation 7:9
TEXT: REVELATION 9:17-21
And thus I saw the horses in the vision: those who sat on them had breastplates of fiery red, hyacinth blue, and sulfur yellow; and the heads of the horses were like the heads of lions; and out of their mouths came fire, smoke, and brimstone. 18 By these three plagues a third of mankind was killed—by the fire and the smoke and the brimstone which came out of their mouths. 19 For their power is in their mouth and in their tails; for their tails are like serpents, having heads; and with them they do harm.
20 But the rest of mankind, who were not killed by these plagues, did not repent of the works of their hands, that they should not worship demons, and idols of gold, silver, brass, stone, and wood, which can neither see nor hear nor walk. 21 And they did not repent of their murders or their sorceries or their sexual immorality or their thefts.
Read Other ESOCS Devotional Here
Repentance is a very important word. It involves showing deep remorse for sin committed and turning away from such behaviour completely. It includes a change of heart and ceasing from doing what is wrong in the sight of God. A person who repents turns away from all sins and does not indulge in evil or any form of ungodliness. He develops new and proper attitudes and new and right ways of doing things. He is governed by good behaviour and lives by acceptable ethical principles and Christian standards.
Repentance is not mere remorse or regret without a positive change. So those who felt sorry, sorrow, regrets and remorse towards their actions without turning a new leave didn’t actually repent. John the Baptist said in Matthew 3:8, “Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance.” Something must show that repentance has actually taken place in one’s life. Otherwise, it will be a momentary thing. This has happened to so many of us. Some people become sober one moment a sin, and the next moment they back to the very sin again. This is an unfruitful attitude and practice. It is not true repentance.
Beloved, genuine repentance leads to salvation. The gospel is the power of God unto salvation (Rom. 1:16). This is the word of God that turns men to salvation. People who discipline themselves to tune their hearts to the gospel message and imbibe it receive the power in the word of God to stay away from sin and all its appearances and attractions. This is what believers should yearn to do always. In the Old Testament, men who repented genuinely did so by the hearing of the word of God. David is a perfect example (Ps. 51).
Since we need genuine repentance to be reconciled with God and stay away from sin, what do we do? Is it not to truly believe in Jesus now that grace is available to us freely? True repentance comes from being plainly contrite and sober, with a willingness to pursue a life of holiness and righteousness with a pure heart.
CHALLENGES
- Have you repented? What led to your repentance?
PRAYER POINT
- Father, in the name of Jesus my Lord, give me a genuine repentance experience in my heart.
FURTHER READING: 1 Samuel 9:1-12; 9:13-27; Revelation 9:1-16
ESOCS Devotional 17 May 2025
