So Christian - do you say that you want to do more good works? Do you want instruction in how you can be a better Christian? Do you want simple lists of things to do to make yourself a better person. Here I have the ultimate list - so powerful, so simple, it needs only one item, indeed, only one word.
Repent.
There it is. Not too flashy, is it? Well, you didn't say that you wanted some flashy plan... Oh, you wanted some flashy plan. Well, tough. Flashy plans are dumb and self-centered, and if you are to be a better Christian, you are not to be self-centered. You are to be a denier of self - you are to repent.
...
No, seriously. Want to be a better Christian - repent more. Search out the sin in your life and repent of it - turn away from it. Fight against it, beat it down. Figure out in what ways you yourself have been a tool, a jerk, a dweebzoid, a wild variety of choice words and...
Repent.
Turn away from your sin. Beat it down. Fight against it. And in so doing, you will see and understand just how big and nasty your sin is - it isn't a matter of you being decent and just needing a little bit of touch up, a nice coat of paint that you can slap on by watching a 1 hour video and then sell yourself as the most bestest house on all the street. Nope. You are in need of complete refurbishment.
Repent.
And when you are repenting -- not "have repented", for that implies that you get to stop repenting at some point in your life, but when you are repenting of your sin and struggling against it, know that Christ Jesus lifts the weight and guilt of that sin from you, bears it upon Himself upon the Cross, and that He fills you with wondrous and sweet life everlasting, His own life, poured upon you in baptism, preached into your years, placed upon your tongue and poured into your mouth.
Christ's life is yours. Repent - kick your own dross out of the way, and the life that He has given you will shine forth all the more.
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