Repentance is one of the most positive words in the Christian vocabulary! It refers to turning from a destructive path and moving instead into God’s abundant life.
Corporate Hindrances to Revival, Revival Commentary, v. 2, n. 2.
People who truly love God will willingly serve Him, excitedly tell others about Him, and long to worship Him (John 14:15).
Corporate Hindrances to Revival, Revival Commentary, v. 2, n. 2.
The problem with (an altar call for rededication) is that it is not biblical. The crux of the gospel message is not a call to rededication, but a call to repentance. John the Baptist preached repentance (Matt. 3:2). Jesus preached repentance, both in His earthly ministry and as the resurrected Lord (Matt. 4:17; Rev. 3:19). If one’s previous commitment did not keep him walking in obedience, a re-commitment is no more likely to make him faithful. The proper response to disobedience is not a commitment to try harder, but brokenness and repentance for rejecting the will of Almighty God. God looks for surrender to His will, not commitment to carry it out. Rather than asking church members to repeatedly promise to try harder, churches must call their people to repent before Holy God.
Corporate Hindrances to Revival, Revival Commentary, v. 2, n. 2.