IRIS IS BACK! "REPENTANCE" ON THE AGENDA?

IRIS

One newspapper has dubbed her;

"The First Lady of Lust."

Iris Lundy former member of KOBA may not be back in person but she is back in the "News headlines." A number of "Sunday Newspapers" featured Iris related stories on their front page. One story told of the police searching council offices related to allegations of financial wheeling and dealing made in the Spotlight programme.

Another story had the bizarre notion Iris was preparing or was being prepared to do a loony, showbiz type of "Public Repentance" appearance. The world`s current view of "Repentance" seems shaped by the crazy antics of "Tele-Evangelists" who proliferate in the "Fraud Channel" extravaganzas. When they are outed in some crime there is massive publicity and public humiliation. To the hardened and unscrupulous "Tele-Evangelist" it is all water of a duck`s back. They lie low for a few months, then return with an over the top "weepy performance of public contrition," ehanced viewing figures and the money still rolling in.

The weekend publicity was so great KOBA have been forced to make a public statement on the "Iris Issue." Their credibility is so badly damaged people are more likely to believe the accounts given in the questionable "Sunday Papers" rather than the KOBA press office.

This part of their statement is possibly true;
"It added that she had paid a "high price" for her "one indiscretion" and accused some of "a clear attempt to pursue her to the grave and destroy the lives of all her family". It would likely be more accurate if it had ended, "....all her family and former party colleagues who continue to support the Pinnochio Punt Dynasty."

One good thing has come out of this little "publicity flare-up." The theological topic of Repentance has been brought to the fore. One of the most famous Biblical passages dealing with Repentance is Psalm 51. David is truly repentant but he does not expect his repentance to annull the effects of God`s judgement upon his sin.

The fearful reaping of what David had himself sown;
2 Samuel 12
10 Now therefore the sword shall never depart from thine house; because thou hast despised me, and hast taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be thy wife.
11 Thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will raise up evil against thee out of thine own house, and I will take thy wives before thine eyes, and give them unto thy neighbour, and he shall lie with thy wives in the sight of this sun.
12 For thou didst it secretly: but I will do this thing before all Israel, and before the sun.


PSALM 51
1 Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions.
2 Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin.
3 For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me.
4 Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight: that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest.
5 Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me.
6 Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts: and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom.
7 Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
8 Make me to hear joy and gladness; that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice.
9 Hide thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities.
10 Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.
11 Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me.
12 Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit.
13 Then will I teach transgressors thy ways; and sinners shall be converted unto thee.
14 Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, thou God of my salvation: and my tongue shall sing aloud of thy righteousness.
15 O Lord, open thou my lips; and my mouth shall shew forth thy praise.
16 For thou desirest not sacrifice; else would I give it: thou delightest not in burnt offering.
17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.
18 Do good in thy good pleasure unto Zion: build thou the walls of Jerusalem.
19 Then shalt thou be pleased with the sacrifices of righteousness, with burnt offering and whole burnt offering: then shall they offer bullocks upon thine altar.

Anyone wanting to do research on genuine repentance should look up the writings of Thomas Brooks and other Puritan writers. Most "modern-day" theologians have not the foggiest notion about "true repentance", those that do are generally using the work of Puritan authors.