Some people call that extra poundage around the middle a
‘spare tire.’ Others more kindly call it ‘love handles.’ My brother had ears
that stood out; my dad called them ‘handles’ and often used them that way.
Handles make many items easier to grasp. I have a flower
vase that needs them because it is difficult to hold, even slippery and easy to
drop. However, there are handles that I don’t need or want . . . Today’s
devotional ends with an interesting quote. It says . . .
“Any place where a person sins, he puts handles on his soul for Satan to grasp. Repentance gets rid of the handles.” Author unknown.
I’ve never thought of handles that way but must agree. Any
rebellion against God cannot be conquered as long as I cooperate with the
enemy. All self-serving and sinful attitudes give the devil something to hold and
keep me in his grasp.
Tozer gives the reason why this is true. He says God
cannot do our repenting for us. The church, by trying to magnify grace, has conveyed
the impression that repentance is a work of God, but that is an error. God
commands repentance, but He does not do it for us. Even Christ could not do it.
He could die for us, but He cannot do our repenting for us.
Tozer adds that God can push us in that direction and give
us the idea we should repent. For instance, the Bible says, “Or do you presume
on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that
God’s kindness is meant to lead you to repentance?” (Romans 2:4)
However, I’m not sure of Tozer’s teaching. There are
verses that say otherwise. For instance, one passage tells God’s worker to be
kind and teach others, “correcting his opponents with gentleness. God may
perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth, and they may
come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, after being
captured by him to do his will.” (2 Timothy 2:25-26)
From this, I understand that yes, Satan does grab us by
our ‘handles’ yet God grants repentance, so we can come to our senses. This is
the role of the Holy Spirit who convicts us of sin, particularly the sin of not
trusting Jesus. I so easily trust myself and build handles for the enemy to
reinforce his lie that says I don’t need God!
Repentance is vital. It is turning from sin and all
self-effort to trust God. Like any of the commands, this one tugs at my heart,
yet I know that I cannot obey it without the power of the Holy Spirit. I’ve
learned that the hard way.
Yet there is another prerequisite for repentance; I must
want it, and to want it, I must hate sin, and to hate sin, I need the Spirit of
God to show me how awful it is.
In my understanding every step and part of salvation is of
God. That gives me no excuse for being uncooperative or for growing handles. God
is right here to bestow on me what I need — as soon as I’m convinced to stop
resisting it. Sin is such that I want to ‘do it myself’ but grace is of God, an
incredible gift to one so undeserving.
This is part of the mystery of redemption. God does it,
yet I must respond. He convicts of sin, yet I must confess it is true. He
grants faith, yet I must believe. He grants repentance, yet I must repent. This
is why Jesus said: “Just so, I tell you, there is joy before the angels of God
over one sinner who repents.” (Luke 15:10)
^^^^^^^^^^
Jesus, I realize that there is ‘Your part’ and ‘my part’
and that I can never blame You for my failure to live as You desire. At the
same time, I know that I cannot live Your way in my own strength. You grant the
grace and the power to say NO to sin and YES to You. Thank You for the great
blessing of being able to repent!
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