Christians can learn much from Israel’s annual national process of repentance and forgiveness
Israel is presently in the midst of the Ten Days of Repentance that begin with Rosh Hashanah and end at the conclusion of Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement.
This time of national repentance goes all the way back to Moses and Mount Sinai, and has not waned in importance in our modern day. Even “secular” Israelis can be found asking forgiveness of family, friends and acquaintances during these 10 days, as it is forbidden for the petitioned person to deny it.
But it is religious Jews, who flock to the synagogues and the Western Wall in Jerusalem, who lift up the entire nation before the Almighty and seek His mercy for the sins of the past year.
This repetitious repentance, before both man and God, is something that has been lost in much of the Church. Many Christians ask forgiveness for their sins upon accepting Yeshua into their hearts, but will only rarely do so afterwards. Some believe that the single recitation of the “Sinner’s Prayer” is sufficient to cover them for a lifetime. And in regards to salvation and eternal life, perhaps it is.
