Easy Expedience of Repentance – Part One

Matthew 4:16-17 “The people dwelling in darkness have seen a great light, and for those dwelling in the region and shadow of death, on them a light has dawned." From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand."

Back from the beauty of the western Sierra Nevada mountain range in central California. Taking time out to continue in the reading of the “Provincial Letters” of Blaise Pascal, I came to an excellent writing, “Letter 10”, of an exchange in quick and easy “Believism” within the church of 1656 that can and has arisen again and again, when the focus is taken off of the Kingdom of God. An anti-kingdom system that places Jesus into the background of life and glorifies humans by permitting biblical teachings and commands which formerly forbidden, as Pascel puts it: “heretical allowances devised to please all and offend none.”

Ephesians 5:6-8 “Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. Therefore do not become partners with them; for at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light.”

An elder of the church explains to Pascal how people’s conscientious scruples and sense of guilt and shame may be remove, by showing that what was once supposed to be sinful is not really so, expiating real sins (mortal and venial) with ease. The principle removes all the embarrassment and unpalatable bitterness of confessing personal sins, preserving the esteem of the confessor. Include habitual sins when giving general confession, because, be it a Priest, a Pastor, an accountability partner or group, or trusted family member or close friend, “has no right to force the individual to confess sins to the shame of divulging his frequent relapses and falls.”

Pascal replies, “How can this be, Father? It’s like saying that a doctor has no right to ask his patient about the time when he was struck with a fever. Do not all sins differ from each other according to the circumstances? Ought not then a genuine repenting penitent disclose to his confessor the whole condition of his conscience, with the same sincerity and openness as if he were speaking to Jesus Christ? Is not that person far from having a true disposition if he conceals his frequent relapses in order to veil the seriousness of his transgressions? Do you think that a man deserves forgiveness when he objects to the least painful service (true conviction, guilt, or shame of that sin) to expiate (atone for) his offense? They truly have not repented in their heart and is not genuine. How can you imagine that a man who indulges in these occasions of sin can genuinely detest it? Is it not on the contrary too obvious that he is not aware of its enormity, as he should be, and that he is far from that true conversion of heart which would make him love God as much as he had before loved things? When you say that attrition (imperfect contrition due to defect in motive), arising solely from the fear of punishment, is sufficient with the sacrament for the justification of sinners, does it not follow that a person may expiate his own sins and be saved without ever loving God throughout his whole course of his life?

Matthew 22:37 Jesus said to him, “ ‘You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.

We'll pick up next post with the church edler's reply and Pascal's conclusion.

Blessings, in Christ, Brian