ACalltoRepentance

Godisnotwillingthatanyshouldperish,
butthatallshouldcometorepentance(IIPeter3:9).
Not only is the death of Jesus ChristGod manifested in the flesha witness to the
world,thenations,thereligiousleadersandeveryperson,butitisacalltorepentance!Johnthe
Baptist was sent to prepare the way for Jesus. He preached repentance of sins, instructing the
peopletobelieveinChrist,Whowouldcomeafterhim.AfterJohntheBaptistwasputinprison,
JesusbeganHisministrybypreachingrepentance:ThebeginningofthegospelofJesusChrist,
theSonofGod.NowaftertheimprisonmentofJohn,JesuscameintoGalilee,proclaimingthe
gospelofthekingdomofGodandsaying,Thetimehasbeenfulfilled,andthekingdomofGod
isnearathandrepent,andbelieveinthegospel(Mark1:1,1415).
JesusmadeitclearthatHecametocallsinnerstorepentance,Ididnotcometocallthe
righteous[thosewhothinktheyarerighteous],butsinnerstorepentance(Mark2:17)and,He
leftnodoubtthatallmustrepentoftheirsins:Nowatthesametime,therewerepresentsome
whoweretellingHimabouttheGalileans,whosebloodPilatehadmingledwiththeirsacrifices.
AndJesusansweredandsaidtothem,DoyousupposethattheseGalileansweresinnersabove
allGalileans,becausetheysufferedsuchthings?No,Itellyoubutifyoudonotrepent,you
shallalllikewiseperish.OrthoseeighteenonwhomthetowerinSiloamfell,andkilledthem,
doyousupposethattheseweredebtorsaboveall menwhodweltinJerusalem?No,Itell you
butifyoudonotrepent,youshallalllikewiseperish(Luke13:15).
AllHaveSinned:TheNewTestamentdefinessinasthetransgressionofthelaw(IJohn
3:4). A literal translation of this verse from the Greek reads: Everyone who practices sin is
alsopracticinglawlessness,forsinislawlessness.
Thereisnooneintheentirehistoryoftheworldwhohasnotsinned,exceptJesusChrist.
ThatiswhyHealonecanbeourRedeemerandourSavior.Everypersonneedstobesavedfrom
his or her sins, because the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through
ChristJesusourLord(Rom.6:23).
InhisepistletotheRomans,theapostlePaulwasinspiredtodeclareemphaticallythatall
havesinnedallhavetransgressedthelawsandcommandmentsofGod,andallaresentencedto
death.TheonlyescapeandsalvationisthroughChrist:Whatthen?Arewe[Jews]ofourselves
better[thantheGentiles]?Notatall!ForwehavealreadychargedbothJewsandGentiles
ALLwithbeingundersin.Exactlyas it iswritten:Forthereisnotarighteousonenot
evenone!ThereisnotonewhounderstandsthereisnotonewhoseeksafterGod.Theyhaveall
goneoutofthewaytogethertheyhaveallbecomedepraved.Thereisnotevenonewhoisprac
ticingkindness.No,thereisnotsomuchasone!Theirthroatsarelikeanopengravewiththeir
tonguesthey haveuseddeceitthe venomofaspsisundertheir lips,whose mouthsare fullof
cursing and bitterness their feet are swift to shed blood destruction and misery are in their
waysandthewayofpeacetheyhavenotknown.ThereisnofearofGodbeforetheireyes.
Nowthen,weknowthatwhateverthelawsays,itspeakstothosewhoareunderthelaw,sothat
everymouthmaybestopped,andalltheworldmaybecomeguiltybeforeGod.Forall
havesinned,andhavecomeshortofthegloryofGod(Rom.3:919,23).
On the day of Pentecost, just fiftyfour days after the crucifixion, the apostles began
preachingJesusChristsgospelofrepentancefortheremissionofsins.Onthatday,Godpoured
outHisHolySpirit inpower,andtheapostlesspokeina multitudeof languagesasa fantastic
witnesstotheJews fromall nationsgatheredatthetemple inJerusalem forthe feastday,who
eachheardtheGospelinhisownlanguage(Acts2:118).Whentheywonderedwhatthismiracle
meant, the apostle Peter was inspired to powerfully preach Christ and repentance of sin. His

movingwitnesstotheJewswhohadgatheredatthetempleendedwiththesewords:There
fore, let all the house of Israel know with full assurance that God has made this same Jesus,
Whom youcrucified,bothLordandChrist.Nowafterhearingthis,theywerecuttotheheart
[convictedoftheirsins]andtheysaidtoPeterandtheotherapostles,Menandbrethren,what
shallwedo?ThenPetersaidtothem,Repentandbebaptizedeachoneofyouinthename
of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and you yourselves shall receive the gift of the
Holy Spirit. And with many other words he earnestly testified and exhorted, saying, Be
savedfromthisperversegeneration.Thenthosewhojoyfullyreceivedhismessagewerebap
tizedandaboutthreethousandsoulswereaddedthatday(Acts2:3640).
The Apostle Pauls Call to Repentance: When Paul came to Athens, the center of the
Greekpaganreligions,hepreachedapowerfulmessageofrepentance.AsitisrecordedinActs,
he exhortedtheAthenianstorepentoftheir idolatries and vainreligiouspractices: ThenPaul
stoodinthecenterofMarshillandsaid,Men,Athenians,Iperceivethatinallthingsyouare
veryreverenttodeitiesforasIwaspassingthroughandobservingtheobjectsofyourvenera
tion,Ialso foundanaltaronwhichwas inscribed,ToanunknownGod.Sothen,He Whom
youworshipinignoranceistheonethatIproclaimtoyou.
He is the God Who made the world and all things that are in it. Being the Lord of
heavenandearth,HedoesnotdwellintemplesmadebyhandsnorisHeservedbythehandsof
men, as though He needs anything, for He gives to all life and breath and all things. And He
madeofonebloodallthe nationsof mentodwelluponallthe faceoftheearth,havingdeter
minedbeforehandtheirappointedtimesandtheboundariesoftheirdwelling,inorderthatthey
might seek the Lord, if perhaps they might feel after Him and might find Him though
truly,Heisnotfarfromeachoneofus,forinHimweliveandmoveandhaveourbeingas
someofthepoetsamongyoualsohavesaid,ForweareHisoffspring.
Therefore,sincewearetheoffspringofGod,weshould notthinkthattheGodheadis
likethatwhich ismadeofgold,orsilver,orstoneagraventhingofartdevisedbytheimagina
tionofman.ForalthoughGodhasindeedoverlookedthetimesofthisignorance,Henowcom
mands all men everywhere to repent, because He has set a day in which He will judge the
world inrighteousnessbya man WhomHehasappointed,havinggivenprooftoallbyraising
Him from the dead (Acts 17:2231). Pauls message of repentance was the same as Jesus
Christs:Ifyoudonotrepent,youshalllikewiseperish.
TheMeaningofRepentance:BecauseofthewitnessthatJesusChristhasgiventothe
worldallnations,allreligionsandallpeopleHecommandsallmenandwomentorepentand
turntoGodwithalltheirhearts.Today,Godsjudgmentisatthedoor.Noneshallescapeunless
heorsherepents!
Whatisrepentance? Therearetwokindsofrepentance.Oneisworldlyrepentance,which
isashallowrepentancethatleadstodeath.Theotherisgodlyrepentancethatleadstoforgive
ness and salvation. The apostle Paul said, For sorrow unto repentance before God works out
salvationnottoberepentedofbutthesorrowoftheworldworksoutdeath(IICor.7:10).
Godly repentance means a complete abhorrence of ones sins, a complete turning from
sinfromthetransgressionofthe lawsandcommandmentsofGod.Repentance is acomplete
amendmentoflife,aturningawayfromonesownsinfulwaytothewayofloveandobedience,
keepingthelawsandcommandmentsofGodandlivingbyeverywordofGod.
InthebookofPsalms,wefindKingDavidsprayerofrepentance,utteredwhenNathan
the prophet came to him after Davids affair with Bathsheba and the killing of her husband
Uriah. This prayer shows Davids complete abhorrence of sin and self as he cried out to God
with tears of anguish and sorrow, begging for His mercy and forgiveness. Davids repentance
wastoGod,nottoanyman.Hedidnotconfesshissinstoapriest.Hedidnotconfesshissinsto
Nathantheprophet.JustasDaviddid,wearetoconfessoursinsdirectlytoGodtheFatherand

JesusChrist,nottoaman.KingDavidsprayerhasbeenpreservedforussothatwecanunder
standtheattitudeoftruerepentance:Havemercyuponme,OGod,accordingtoYourloving
kindnessaccordingtothegreatnessofYourcompassion,blotoutmytransgressions.Washme
thoroughlyfrommyiniquity,andcleansemefrommysin,forIacknowledgemytransgres
sions,andmysiniseverbeforeme.
AgainstYou,Youonly,haveIsinned,anddoneevilinYoursight,thatYoumight
bejustifiedwhenYouspeakandbeintherightwhenYoujudge.Behold,Iwasbroughtforth
in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me. Behold, You desire truth in the inward
partsandinthehiddenpartYoushallmakemetoknowwisdom.Purgemewithhyssop,andI
shallbecleanwashme,andIshallbewhiterthansnow.Makemetohearjoyandgladnessthat
theboneswhichYouhavebrokenmayrejoice.HideYourfacefrommysins,andblotoutall
myiniquities.Createinmeacleanheart,OGod,andrenewasteadfastspiritwithinme.
CastmenotawayfromYourpresence,andtakenotYourHolySpiritfromme.Restoretomethe
joyofYoursalvation,andletYourfreespiritupholdme.Delivermefromtheguiltofshed
dingblood,OGod,OGodofmysalvation(Psa.51:114).
Repentance is the first step in the sinners reconciliation with God and Christ. Godthe
Father through His Spirit must open a persons mind to understand that he or she is a sinner
againstHim.AsDavidsaid,IhavesinnedagainstYouandYoualone.Thenonemustbelieve
the gospel of Jesus Christ,that it is because of ones own sins that He had to die. True belief
bringsrepentanceandnecessitatesconfessingonessinstoGodandasking forforgiveness,re
missionandpardonofthosesinsthroughthebloodofChrist.True,deep,godlyrepentancewill
produceaprofoundchangeinapersonsmindandattitude,whichwillresultinacontinuousde
siretolive byeverywordofGod.Thetrulyrepentantpersonwillturn fromevilthoughtsand
ungodlypracticesandwillseektoconformhisorher lifetothewillofGodasrevealed inthe
BibleandasledbytheHolySpirit.Repentanceandconfessionofsinsisanongoingprocessina
ChristiansspiritualgrowthtowardperfectioninJesusChrist.
Upontrue,heartfeltrepentance,Godisreadyandwillingtoforgivesin,asshowninan
otherofDavidsprayersofrepentance:Bemercifultome,OLORD,forIcryuntoYouall
daylong.RejoicethesoulofYourservant,fortoYou,OLORD,doIliftupmysoul,forYou,
LORD,aregoodandreadytoforgive,andrichinmercytoallthosewhocalluponYou.Give
ear,OLORD,tomyprayer,andattendtothevoiceofmysupplications.Inthedayofmytrou
bleIwillcalluponYou,forYouwillanswerme(Psa.86:37).
Goddoesnotrequireanimalsacrificesforthepropitiationofsin.Hedoesnotrequirethe
sinnertoperformroteprayerswiththeaidofastrandofbeads.Hedoesnotrequirehundredsof
reiterationsofHailMaryorOurFather.Godrequiresonlythatthesinnerhaveabrokenand
contriteheartandgenuinelyrepent:ForYoudonotdesiresacrifice,orelseIwouldgiveitYou
donottakepleasureinburntoffering.ThesacrificesofGodareabrokenspiritabrokenand
acontriteheart,OGod,Youwillnotdespise(Psa.51:1617).
TheapostleJohnwrote,Ifweconfessourownsins,Heisfaithfulandrighteoustofor
giveusoursins,andtocleanseusfromallunrighteousness(IJohn1:9).Ifwerepentandcon
fessoursinsdirectlytotheFatherinheartfeltprayer,Hewillcertainlyforgiveus.Onceoursins
are forgiven, we areto quit living in sin as Jesus said, Sin no more, sothat something worse
doesnothappentoyouandGo,andsinnomore(John5:148:11).
TheprophetIsaiahwrote: Washyourselves, makeyourselvescleanputawaythe
evilofyourdoings frombeforeMyeyesceasetodoevil learntodogoodseek judgment,
reprovetheoppressor.Judgetheorphan,pleadforthewidow.Comenow,andletusreasonto
gether, says the LORD. Though your sins are as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow
thoughtheyareredlikecrimson,theyshallbelikewool.Ifyouarewillingandobedient,
you shall eatthegoodofthe land but if yourefuseandrebel, you shall bedevoured withthe

swordforthemouthoftheLORDhasspoken it(Isa.1:1620).
The Meaning of Water Baptism: After accepting Jesus as ones personal Savior, one
mustbebaptizedbycompleteimmersioninwaterfortheremissionofsins.Waterbaptismsym
bolizesthedeathandburialofeachrepentantbelieveraspiritualconjoining intothedeathof
Christ.ThroughthisbaptismaldeathwebecomeapartakerofthecrucifixionanddeathofChrist,
Whosebloodisappliedasfullpaymentforoursins.Risingupoutofthewatersymbolizesour
beingconjoinedwithJesusinresurrection.Whenweriseoutofthewaterygraveofbaptism,we
rise to newness of life. In order to become a new person, we must receive the begettal of the
Holy Spirit from Godthe Father throughthe laying on of hands. We are then led by the Holy
SpirittowalkinlovingobediencetotheFatherandtoJesusChrist.
Paulwas mostemphaticwhen hewrotethatafterbaptismweare nottolive insinany
longer!Whatthenshallwesay?Shallwecontinueinsin,sothatgracemayabound?MAYIT
NEVERBE!Wewhodiedtosin,howshallweliveanylongertherein?Orareyouignorantthat
we, as many as were baptized into Christ Jesus, were baptized into His death? Therefore, we
wereburiedwithHimbybaptismintodeathsothat,justasChristwasraisedfromthedeadby
thegloryoftheFather,inthesameway,wealsoshouldwalkinnewnessoflife.Forifwehave
been conjoinedtogetherinthe likenessof Hisdeath,soalsoshallwe beinthelikenessofHis
resurrection.Knowingthis,thatouroldmanwascocrucifiedwithHiminorderthatthebodyof
sinmightbedestroyed,sothatwemightnolongerbeenslavedtosinBecausetheonewhohas
diedtosinhasbeenjustifiedfromsin.NowifwediedtogetherwithChrist,webelievethatwe
shallalsolivewithHim(Rom.6:18).
Aftertrue,godlyrepentanceand baptism forthe forgivenessofsin,the new believer is
justifiedandputinrightstandingwithGodtheFather.TheapostlePaulexplainedthisoperation
ofGodsgrace:ArebeingjustifiedfreelybyHisgracethroughtheredemptionthatisinChrist
JesusWhomGodhasopenlymanifestedtobeapropitiationthroughfaithinHisblood,inorder
todemonstrateHisrighteousness,inrespecttotheremissionofthesinsthatarepast.Eventhe
righteousnessofGodthatisthroughthefaithofJesusChrist,towardallanduponallthosewho
believe:forthereisnodifference(Rom.3:2425,22).
It is Jesus Christs faith that He had when He willingly gave Himself to be beaten,
scourged and crucified that saves us from sins and justifies us to Godthe Father. Throughthe
poweroftheHolySpirit,JesusimpartsHisfaithtoussothatwemaylivebyfaith:Ihavebeen
crucified[throughbaptism]withChrist,yetIlive.Indeed,itisnolongerIbutChristlivesinme.
ForthelifethatIamnowlivingintheflesh,IlivebyfaiththatveryfaithoftheSonofGod,
WholovedmeandgaveHimselfforme(Gal.2:20).
SalvationbyGrace:Oncewehavebeenjustified,wecontinuallystandinastateofgrace
before God: Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our
LordJesusChrist.ThroughWhomwealsohaveaccessbyfaithintothisgraceinwhichwe
stand,andweourselves boastinthe hopeofthegloryofGod.And notonlythis, butwealso
boastintribulations,realizingthattribulationbringsforthendurance,andendurancebringsforth
character,andcharacterbringsforthhope.AndthehopeofGodnevermakesusashamed,be
causetheloveofGodhasbeenpouredoutintoourheartsthroughtheHolySpirit,which
hasbeengiventous(Rom.5:15).
Salvationbygracedoesnotconferalicensetosinwithimpunity.NeitherChristnorthe
apostlesevertaughtsuchadoctrine.JesusHimselfsaid,ifweloveHim,wewillkeepHiscom
mandments:IfyouloveMe,keepthecommandmentsnamelyMycommandments.Theone
whohasMycommandmentsandiskeepingthem,thatistheonewholovesMeandtheonewho
lovesMeshallbelovedbyMyFather,andIwilllovehimandwillmanifestMyselftohim.If
anyonelovesMe,hewillkeepMywordandMyFatherwilllovehim,andWewillcometohim
andmakeOurabodewithhim.TheonewhodoesnotloveMedoesnotkeepMywordsandthe

wordthatyouhearisnotMine,buttheFathers,WhosentMe(John14:15,21,2324).
In his firstepistle,theapostleJohnshowsthatwe mustkeepGodscommandments.In
fact,whenwearekeepingHiscommandments,weknowthatweknowJesusChristandarebe
ingperfectedinlove:AndbythisstandardweknowthatweknowHim:ifwekeepHiscom
mandments.Theonewhosays,IknowHim,anddoesnotkeepHiscommandments,isaliar,
andthetruthisnotinhim.Ontheotherhand,ifanyoneiskeepingHisWord,trulyinthisone
theloveofGodisbeingperfected.BythismeansweknowthatweareinHim(IJohn2:35).
ManyprofessingChristians claimthatthey lovetheLordbutthenrefusetokeepHis
commandments.ToloveGod is morethananemotion.Ouractions mustalsoreflectthat love
throughourobedience.Johnalsowrote:Bythisstandardweknowthatwelovethechildrenof
God: when we love God and keep His commandments. For this is the love of God: that we
keepHiscommandmentsandHiscommandmentsarenotburdensome(IJohn5:23).
TheapostleJames,abrotheroftheLordJesusChrist,alsowrotethatwemustkeepthe
commandmentsofGod:Forifanyonekeepsthewholelaw,butsinsinoneaspect,hebecomes
guiltyofall.ForHeWhosaid,Youshallnotcommitadultery,alsosaid,Youshallnotcommit
murder.Nowifyoudonotcommitadultery,butyoucommitmurder,youhavebecomeatrans
gressorof thelaw.Inthismannerspeakandinthismannerbehave:asthosewhoareabouttobe
judgedby thelawoffreedom(James2:1012).
Jamesfurtherwrotethatfaith,ifitdoesnothaveworks,isdead,byitself [ itwilllead
todeath].Butsomeoneisgoingtosay,Youhavefaith,andIhaveworks.Myansweris:You
proveyourfaithtomethroughyourworks,andIwillprovemyfaithtoyouthroughmyworks.
Do you believe that God is one? You do well to believe this. Even the demons believeand
trembleinfear.Butareyouwillingtounderstand,Ofoolish man,that faithwithoutworksis
dead? Was notAbrahamour father justified by workswhen heofferedupIsaac,hisown son,
uponthealtar? Doyounotseethatfaithwasworkingtogetherwithhisworks,andbyworks
his faith was perfected? And the scripture was fulfilled which says, Now Abraham believed
God,anditwasreckonedtohimforrighteousnessandhewascalledafriendofGod.Yousee,
then,thatamanisjustifiedbyworks,andnotbyfaithonly(James2:1724).
Salvation by grace is demonstrated in worksnot the humanly devised traditions and
works of religion but the good works of loving God and keeping His commandments as Paul
notes,Forbygrace youhave beensavedthrough faithandthisespecially is notof yourown
selvesitisthegiftofGod,notofworks,sothatnoonemayboast.ForweareHisworkman
ship,createdinChristJesusuntothegoodworksthatGodordainedbeforehandinorder
thatwemightwalkinthem(Eph.2:810).
When we have received the begettal of the Holy Spirit from Godthe Father, we areto
walkinthewayoftheLordandtoloveGodtheFatherandJesusChristwithalltheheart,and
withalltheunderstanding,andwithallthesoul,andwithallthestrength(Mark12:2934).We
aretokeepthecommandmentsofGodfromtheheartinthespiritofthelaw.Finally,weareto
growingraceandknowledgeandtobefaithfuluntodeath.Then,atthereturnofJesusChrist,
wewillberesurrectedtoeternallifeandgloryasaspiritsonordaughterofGod.Tobringmany
sonsanddaughterstogloryisthereasonwhyJesusChristdied!
JesusChristdiedforyoursins,andHecanbeyourpersonalSavior.Youhaveachoice:
eithertorepentandtobelieveinJesus,acceptingHissacrificeforyoursinsortorejectChrist
andHiswordsandtoreceivethejudgmentofGodandeternaldeath.Whatwillyoudo?Youwill
beheldaccountableforyourdecision.Youmustchoose!