God’s desire is that “everyone” will “come to repentance” (2 Pet. 3:9, NIV). Though we cannot do the work of the Holy Spirit in bringing people to repentance, we are called to reach them with the message of salvation, which, if accepted, will lead to repentance.
We, too, as church members; need to be in an attitude of repentance. Repentance is part of the process of revival and reformation. Revival means to come back to life, to be renewed, and to be restored. Reformation means to be reshaped, reformed—to be a new creation (2 Cor. 5:17). . . .
The “how should we wait” passages in [Matthew 25:1–13] illustrate conditions and outcomes of revival and reformation. For example, all ten virgins needed to be revived, awakened out of sleep. . . . The foolish virgins needed to increase their capacity for the Holy Spirit in their lives. When we humble ourselves, die to self, unselfishly pray, study God’s Word, and lovingly share it with others in word and loving deeds, we increase our capacity for an infilling of the Holy Spirit in latter-rain power. However, it is possible to study the Bible for hours and still be a selfish person. We could pray for revival and the latter rain but selfishly want it only for ourselves. Revival always leads to unselfish concern for others. When we are filled with the Holy Spirit, we will be reformed into passionate, mission-and service-centered disciples.
—Excerpt from Gaspar F. Colón and May-Ellen M. Colón, “The Role of the Church in the Community,” Adult Bible Study Guide, third quarter, 2016, 106.
