Some Christians seem to have missed the significance of repentance for the new life to which God calls his children. Grace not only offers pardon but also demands and produces transformation.

“But that wasn’t the case with me,” protests someone. “I genuinely repented of my past when I came to Christ, but I just can’t break away from pornography (or cursing or fornication or alcohol).” That is distinctly possible. In order to defeat sin, however, one must go beyond remorse and sincere determination to turn away from evil. He or she must take an additional step of “burning the boats.”

When Julius Caesar landed on the shores of England with his well-armed legions, he simultaneously made a bold and decisive move to guarantee the success of his campaign. He marched his men to the edge of the Cliffs of Dover and ordered them to look down at the ships that had brought them across the channel. Every one of them was ablaze! General Caesar had cut off the possibility of a pullback. Now that his soldiers were unable to return to the continent, there was nothing left for them to do but advance and conquer. And that is precisely what they did.

Rubel Shelly The FAX of Life