The apostle Paul warned us that one of the characteristics of the last days would be that "men shall be lovers of their own selves" (2 Tim 3:2). The missing message in modern-day preaching is the Biblical doctrine of repentance, where a sinner is convinced and convicted of his exceeding sinfulness and lost condition.
Christ Preached Repentance
‘Now after that John was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of God.’ (Mark 1:14-15).When the very Son of God, the Lord Jesus Christ, appeared upon the scene in His public ministry, He came preaching the narrow and exclusive doctrines of repentance and faith. If Jesus felt compelled to preach such a message before a lost and dying world, so should we. Galatians 1:6-9 teaches that there is only one gospel, and if any gospel message leaves out the doctrine of repentance, faith or both, you can be assured it is a false gospel.
Meaning of Repentance
When the word "repent" is used in the Word of God in the context of Biblical salvation, it is referring to a truly God-given, Spirit-led change of heart and mind toward God about sin."Repent therefore, and turn again, that your sins may be blotted out ..." (Acts 3:19).
The greatest need for any sinner is have his sins blotted out, but a man will never have the pardon of sin while he is in love with his sin. There must be a hatred of sin, a loathing of it, a turning from it. Repentance is a revolution in dealing with our attitude and view towards sin and righteousness.
All Sinners Are Condemned
The Bible declares all sinners are already condemned: "For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God" (John 3:17-18).
The problem is "all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God" (Rom.3:23). Man, in his lost, sinful, condemned state, has failed to glorify God. Eph.2:1 says man is spiritually dead; Rom.3:10 and Isa.64:6 tells us no one is righteous before a holy God; Rom.3:19 says all stand guilty and condemned before God; Eph.4:18 declares all sinners are separated from God whose hearts and minds are blinded so that they cannot understand God or the things of God.
Repentance basically involves two facts: the fact of sin and the fact of God's grace. Repentance implies sin, sorrow for it, and a changed attitude towards God about it.
It should also be stressed that repentance itself is not a human act, but comes only from God (Rom.2:4) -- it is a divine gift of God (Acts 5:31; 11:18; 2 Tim. 2:25).
The Nature of Repentance
In true Biblical repentance, there will be three things to occur as God does a work of grace upon the sinner's heart:
- Conviction -- where sin is admitted. Man must see himself as a lost, ruined, guilty, desperately wicked sinner without hope or help, in danger of hell. In repentance, a lost sinner not only sees himself as a sinner, but he recognizes the fact that he has sinned against a righteous and holy God. The message that Paul preached was: "repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ" (Acts 20:21). In repentance, there will be confession of sin to God (Psa. 32:5; 51:1-4).
- Contrition -- where sin is abhorred. When one sees himself as he appears before God, he is brought to a place where there is godly sorrow for his sin and hates it altogether. To hate sin is to love God. In true repentance, there is not only the desire to escape the consequences of sin, but to be rid of sin itself as a thing displeasing to God.
- Conversion -- where sin is abandoned. Repentance involves the forsaking of sin:
Repentance is not only a heart broken for sin, but also from sin. It should be stressed that it is not enough just to turn away from sin; one must also turn to God for salvation:
"... to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins ... should repent and turn to God ..." (Acts 26:18,20).
Why Did Jesus Come?
"... I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance" (Matt. 9:13). The reason Jesus came to this earth was to call sinners to repentance.
All Sinners Commanded To Repent and Believe
Jesus soundly declared the message in His day: "Repent and believe in the gospel." Repentance and faith are inseparable and occur simultaneously in a sinner's heart; you cannot have one without the other. (Mark 1:15; Acts 20:21; 26:20; 2 Tim. 2:25; Heb. 6:1).
Serious Questions To Consider
- Is the preaching of repentance important? Jesus preached it. John the Baptist preached it (Matt. 3:1-2). The apostles were commanded to preach it: "And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem" (Luke 24:47).
- Who is commanded to repent? ‘The times of ignorance God over looked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent:" (Acts 17:30). The good, the bad, the rich, the poor, the old, the young, the educated, uneducated -- every man must repent because we are all sinners.
- What happens if you don't repent? "I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish" (Luke 13:3, 5). The worst thing in the world for any person is to perish in their sins without Christ as their Savior and spend the eternity in the lake of fire.
Memory verse: "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world; but in order that the world might be saved through him." (John 3:16-17).
In these days let us search our hearts to see if there is any grievous way in us and ask God to lead us in the way everlasting!
Shared by Sis.Beena George
03-11-2015
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