Grab A Tiger By The Tail

The little kids rhyme says this, "Eenie, meenie, minee, mo...my momma told me to pick the very best one, and you are NOT it."

When it comes to Tiger Woods it depends on what you are talking about. I used to be a fan of Tiger, and now I am just fascinated by him.

As Tiger made his return to golf and the mother of all golf tournaments -- The Masters, I have been paying attention. What is undeniable already is the dude can play some golf. He is an incredibly talented golfer! The best ever!

As I watched the coverage yesterday of his first tee shot I listened to the crowd roar with applause and cheer at the sound of his name. And I wondered why? What are they cheering for? Tiger has now become the most notorious serial adulterer of our generation.

I was hoping he would shank his shot and miss the cut. Someone who would so trash his marriage, wife and kids, I have a hard time rooting for.

I have heard a lot of people and commentators say that we should just move on. That his infidelity is his private life. The American people are forgiving. He has done rehab and is trying to keep his family together, and get his life back in line.

So, why don't I feel that way? My pastor from college has always stated something that I think is true. Before restoration can occur in some one's life, their repentance needs to be as notorious as their sin that led to the downfall. I think that is true.

Sure, Tiger has started down the right road. But, he has not had nearly enough time for his repentance to equal the enormity of his scandalous sin. (Besides, it's not repentance if you don't turn to Christ.) Tiger missed about 4 months of golf. It was during the off season, which he doesn't play much anyway. He probably only missed 3-4 tournaments that he would have normally played. That's not enough.

Plenty of people disagree with me, that's fine. But I still hold this principal as true: repentance needs to be as notorious as the sin. He may win the tournament, but he is still a loser.

Turn To Christ

If you have never heard of Richard Owen Roberts, he has been described as the closest thing to an Old Testament prophet there is. He is ancient old, feeble, and slow of speech. Yet, it is obvious that God's power is present. I was able to hear him twice last week, and both were humbling.

Here is one thing that stuck with me. Dr. Roberts has a lengthy book and ministry on Repentance. He talked about this subject from scripture with us. There are two tracks of repentance. Repentance for self and repentance for Christ. Repentance for self is when we turn from sin to avoid hell. That is a very real and biblical motivation for repentance. But, that is not all repentance is. If my repentance only stays on that level then it is selfish -- for my self.

Repentance is not complete until it also includes turning to Christ. This means that we turn from our sin and turn to Christ. It is recognition that Christ is so worthy and so loving that He deserves for me to turn away from my sin.

Repentance is not a one-and-done act. It is a life that continues to turn away from sin for the glory of Christ.

I pray that I would, "bear fruit in keeping with repentance." (Luke 3:8)

Historic Halloween: True Repentance

There was no trick or treat on October 31, 1517. That was the day that the great Martin Luther nailed to the door of the Wittenburg church his 95 Theses. It was basically a paper written to refute the serious error of the Roman Catholic Church at that time.

The major point of dispute was that some priests were selling forgiveness to the people. Literally. If you paid enough money you could have your sins forgiven.

Martin Luther had studied and read the Bible. He knew that such a concept was offensive to the true gospel. So, he spoke (and wrote) the truth.

I am intrigued by the very first of his 95 Theses. It is on repentance. That is the biblical mandate for anyone who would follow Christ.

Here are the first 3.

#1 When our Lord and Master, Jesus Christ, said "Repent", He called for the entire life of believers to be one of repentance.

#2 The word cannot be properly understood as referring to the sacrament of penance, i.e. confession and satisfaction, as administered by the clergy.

#3 Yet its meaning is not restricted to repentance in one's heart; for such repentance is null unless it produces outward signs in various mortifications of the flesh.


The rest are worth reading as well. Martin Luther’s 95 Theses