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LESSON 1: Repent Often—For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret… 2 Corinthians 7:10a (ESV)
Repentance is a beautiful, supernatural grace that the Spirit causes in our hearts. It results from seeing the guilt of my sin through God’s eyes and leads me joyfully to surrender to the authority of the one who saves me from that guilt—Jesus. The more I repent, the more I see Jesus and the glory of the grace of his sacrifice in my life. I am transformed by this power and am conformed into his image.
As I repent, my stubborn, offensive will begins to shrink. It is replaced by the personality of Jesus, as the presence of His Spirit is released in me and touches my wife’s heart. As this transpires, two marvelous benefits occur:
(1) Jesus’ unconditional love—not my wife or the condition of our marriage—defines my life. I am liberated from depending on her for joy and validation. Therefore, my joy in life does not fluctuate based on the circumstances of my marriage, but remains steadfastly rooted in God’s unchanging love poured out in Christ. I am empowered to love my wife regardless of whether or not she treats me as I want to be treated.
(2) My wife is exposed to the transforming power of Jesus’ grace in me, and most often her heart melts under the radiance of that grace. That is the power of the Gospel, and it is all released through repentance.
LESSON 1: Repent Often—For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret… 2 Corinthians 7:10a (ESV)
Repentance is a beautiful, supernatural grace that the Spirit causes in our hearts. It results from seeing the guilt of my sin through God’s eyes and leads me joyfully to surrender to the authority of the one who saves me from that guilt—Jesus. The more I repent, the more I see Jesus and the glory of the grace of his sacrifice in my life. I am transformed by this power and am conformed into his image.
As I repent, my stubborn, offensive will begins to shrink. It is replaced by the personality of Jesus, as the presence of His Spirit is released in me and touches my wife’s heart. As this transpires, two marvelous benefits occur:
(1) Jesus’ unconditional love—not my wife or the condition of our marriage—defines my life. I am liberated from depending on her for joy and validation. Therefore, my joy in life does not fluctuate based on the circumstances of my marriage, but remains steadfastly rooted in God’s unchanging love poured out in Christ. I am empowered to love my wife regardless of whether or not she treats me as I want to be treated.
(2) My wife is exposed to the transforming power of Jesus’ grace in me, and most often her heart melts under the radiance of that grace. That is the power of the Gospel, and it is all released through repentance.
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