Repentance
John, the Baptist, prepared the way for Jesus by preaching repentance and baptizing people to show their repentance from sin. Jesus began by preaching repentance just like John had done before he was put in prison. John made the meaning of repentance perfectly clear by emphasizing the fruits of change in the life of anyone who truly repents of their sin.(Matthew 3:8) Talk is cheap. Anyone can say they repent from their sins. It is not until there is decisive, lasting action that real repentance has taken place.
The word repentance means a change of mind that leads to a change in direction in a person's life. It is turning away from Satan, the world, and the flesh to live life by God's ways. It is turning off of the broad road that leads to destruction to go through the narrow gate of faith in the Lord Jesus Christ to travel the rest of life on the narrow road that leads to life eternal. Repentance is a one time change, even though we will have to repent of specific sins into which we fall after our salvation. It is saying once and for all that sin is the wrong way, and the Lord's way is the only right way. Repentance is necessary for anyone to be saved.
Repentance is not just feeling sorrow for sins. It is not doing things to have our sins forgiven. That is penance. Jesus alone can forgive sins by His death on the Cross. He does that by His grace, once we turn to Him in repentance and faith. No matter how sorry we feel or what we do, we can't atone for our own sins. We must turn away from sin, so that He can save us by His grace through our faith. Jesus is Lord of all. Once we confess that, it is essential that we follow His ways and none other. Therefore, there will be the fruits worthy of repentance in the life of any person who is a genuine follower of Jesus.
Tomorrow, I intend to read Matthew 7-9.
The word repentance means a change of mind that leads to a change in direction in a person's life. It is turning away from Satan, the world, and the flesh to live life by God's ways. It is turning off of the broad road that leads to destruction to go through the narrow gate of faith in the Lord Jesus Christ to travel the rest of life on the narrow road that leads to life eternal. Repentance is a one time change, even though we will have to repent of specific sins into which we fall after our salvation. It is saying once and for all that sin is the wrong way, and the Lord's way is the only right way. Repentance is necessary for anyone to be saved.
Repentance is not just feeling sorrow for sins. It is not doing things to have our sins forgiven. That is penance. Jesus alone can forgive sins by His death on the Cross. He does that by His grace, once we turn to Him in repentance and faith. No matter how sorry we feel or what we do, we can't atone for our own sins. We must turn away from sin, so that He can save us by His grace through our faith. Jesus is Lord of all. Once we confess that, it is essential that we follow His ways and none other. Therefore, there will be the fruits worthy of repentance in the life of any person who is a genuine follower of Jesus.
Tomorrow, I intend to read Matthew 7-9.