Barth: repentance

Saturday, August 21, 2010
Meditation:
    [Jesus:] “In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”
    —Luke 15:10 (NIV)
Quotation:
    There is joy in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance. But what is Repentance? Not the last and noblest and most refined achievement of the righteousness of men in the service of God, but the first elemental act of the righteousness of God in the service of men; the work that God has written in their hearts and which, because it is from God and not from men, occasions joy in heaven; that looking forward to God, and to Him only, which is recognized only by God and by God Himself.
    ... Karl Barth (1886-1968), The Epistle to the Romans, translated from the 6th edition by Edwyn C. Hoskyns, London: Oxford University Press, H. Milford, 1933, 6th ed., Oxford University Press US, 1968, p. 68 (see the book)
Quiet time reflection:
    Lord, You know how partial my repentance is. CQOD    Blog    email    RSS
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