How Important is it to Repent?
How Often should we Repent?
When did Repentance Begin?
Today we are looking into the Foundation of Repentance and understand the importance of it.
Malachi 2:16a; 3:1a
For the LORD God…says…
“Behold, I send My messenger, and he will prepare the way before Me.”
The Gospel According to Mark begins with John the Baptist fulfilling the prophecies:
Mark 1:1-8
THE beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. As it is written in the Prophets: [Notice the plurality Prophets.] “Behold I send My messenger before Your face, who will prepare Your way before You.” [Malachi] “The voice of one crying in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the LORD; Make His paths straight.’” [Isaiah 40:3] John came baptizing in the wilderness and preaching a baptism of repentance for the remission [forgiveness] of sins. Then all the land of Judea, and those from Jerusalem, went out to him and were all baptized by him in the Jordan River, confessing their sins. Now John was clothed with camel’s hair and with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey. And he preached, saying, “There comes One after me who is mightier than I, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to stoop down and loose. I indeed baptized you with water, but He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.
The Messenger
The prophets Malachi and Isaiah were led by the Holy Spirit to prophesy that God would send the Lord’s messenger. The messenger being John was sent to prepare the Lord’s way for people to come to him with a contrite, broken, ashamed, repentant heart—to apologize for offending God when they had been disobedient to His Commandments. In other words, John’s baptism was preparing the hearts for people to take the first step to being saved.
We believe that when a baby is conceived and then born, that the child is innocent in the eyes of God; and that it will go to heaven when it dies before it reaches the “age of accountability”. God welcomes the child to be with Him in His kingdom. (2 Samuel 12:23)
Separation from God
However, when the child matures and, even unknowingly, breaks a Commandment—like even telling a falsehood—a lie, then, since God does not accept sin, God separates that person from Himself. He keeps that separation until the person comes to admit that he has sinned—that is to repent and asks to be forgiven. And the person comes to believe without any doubt that God is who He says He is and will, indeed take those sins away. At that moment, the sinner is brought back to no longer being separated from God—for all eternity future—freely given eternal life—totally redeemed, bought back with a tremendous price.
Redemption
How does redemption work?
When we say “God is who He says He is,” we read that He redeems us with His blood. That eternal life is in His Blood:
Leviticus 17:1, 11
And the LORD spoke to Moses saying… “‘For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it to you upon the altar to make atonement for your souls; for it is the blood that makes atonement for the soul.’”
The blood that gives eternal life is the blood of the Savior. What does the word “atonement”, mentioned above, really mean?
To atone means to unite—to bring together—to satisfy whatever has been causing the separation—to reconcile—to make a person to be at one(atone) again with God.
When we believe that the Lord Jesus shed His blood on the altar—that is, the cross—to forgive us, then God is satisfied that we believe that He is who He says He is—our Creator—our Savior—Almighty God.
Acts 20:28b
the church of God which He purchased with His own blood.
Hebrews 9:22
And according to the law [Leviticus 17:11] almost all things are purified [cleansed] with blood, and without shedding of blood there is no remission [forgiveness].
Ephesians 1:7
In Him [Jesus] we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace.
Repent
Again, we see we are brought back to God. He has bought us with His own blood! Going back to the Gospel of Mark, we see the first time Mark quotes Jesus words in v 15:
Mark 1:14-15
Now after John was put in prison, Jesus came to Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel.”
Luke 13:1-5
There were present at that season some who told Him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled [mixed; persecuted to death] with their sacrifices. And Jesus answered and said to them, “Do you suppose that these Galileans were worse sinners than all other Galileans, because they suffered such things? I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish. Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them, do you think that they were worse sinners than all other men who dwelt in Jerusalem? I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish.”
The righteousness is accounted to him in today’s Church Age simply by his belief.
Ezekiel 18:30-32
“Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, every one according to his ways,” says the Lord GOD. “Repent, and turn from all your transgressions, so that iniquity [sin] will not be your ruin. Cast away from you all the transgressions which you have committed, and get yourselves a new heart and a new spirit. For why should you die, O house of Israel? For I have no pleasure in the death of one who dies,” says the Lord GOD. “Therefore turn and live.
Repentance
What is Repentance?
Turn and live basically gives the definition of repentance: Repentance means an about-face, turning one’s back on sin—on going toward the world’s way, but turning and heading in the opposite direction—toward God’s way. When we repent, God’s Holy Spirit guides us in the right direction.
Ezekiel 36:22b
“‘Thus says the Lord GOD;’”
Ezekiel 36:26-27
“I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them.”
John 3:3
Jesus answered and said to him [Nicodēmus], “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again [with a new heart], he cannot see the kingdom of God.”
Jesus Died
Where is the proof for the hope of eternal life? After all, indeed, Jesus died.
John 19:20b
the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city.
John 19:33a
But when they came to Jesus and saw that He was already dead… John 19:34But one of the soldiers pierced His side with a spear, and immediately blood and water came out…
John 19:41-42a
Now in the place where He was crucified there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb in which no one had yet been laid. So there they laid Jesus…
Alive
But then Jesus rose from the dead. Surprise? Even though the Prophets foretold it in Scripture no one really believed that Jesus was the Messiah and would fulfill the prophecies.
Luke 24:6-7
“He is not here, but is risen! Remember how He spoke to you when He was still in Galilee, saying, ‘The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again.’”
1 Corinthians 6:14
And God both raised up the Lord and will also raise us up by His power.
2 Corinthians 4:14
knowing that He who raised up the Lord Jesus will also raise us up with Jesus, and will present us with you.
Proof
Where is the proof that Jesus was actually alive—raised from the dead?
1 Corinthians 15:5-6a
and that He was seen by Cēphas, then by the twelve. After that He was seen by over five hundred brethren at once,
Eternal Life
Here is our proof for eternal life. All these people saw Him alive which we believe by faith.
John 3:15-16
“whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”
Our eternal life has already begun. We are in it now. Nothing can change it. Our God and Savior wanted us to repent and believe so He could have our companionship and fellowship for all eternity.
Remember that old secular love song by the Teddy Bears, “To know, know, know Him is to love, love, love Him?
God wants us to know Him—to know that Almighty God is three Persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
God wants us to know Him, to love Him, and to express our love by obeying Him.
John 14:15-17
“If you love Me, keep My commandments. And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper [the Holy Spirit], that He may abide with you forever—the Spirit of truth, whom the world [unbelievers] cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you.
Repent Often?
Are we finished with repenting, once we have repented?
Let’s see what Scripture tells us:
1 Corinthians 11:27-29
Therefore who ever eats this bread or drinks this cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread and drink of the cup. For he who eats and drinks in an unworthy manner eats and drinks judgment to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body.
We need to repent often—daily if necessary and before every first day of the week. We need to come to the emblems—the bread and the cup—with a clear conscience and a clean heart to have atonement and therefore fellowship.
Luke 15:6b-7
“‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost!’ I say to you that likewise there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine just [upright] persons who need no repentance.
Luke 15:10
Likewise, I say to you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”
The Lord Jesus wants us to remember Him, love Him and rejoice with Him.
Conclusion
Repenting is “lifesaving”! And we have to repent often because we are still human, and do ungodly things or have ungodly thoughts = sin. Confessing your sins to God is exercising repentance. The need for repentance has been around since Adam and Eve broke God’s command to not eat of the tree of knowledge and had to leave paradise.
Comments and Questions Welcome
What is your thought on Repentance?
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Thank you for reading. God bless you!
How to Receive Eternal Life Posts
Would you like to find out why believers have hope of Eternal Life and how to develop a life-changing relationship with Jesus Christ? If your answer is “yes,” then check out these blog posts:
How can I Receive Eternal Life? [Eternal Life as easy as A-B-C-D]
Why do I need the God of the Bible?
Other Interesting Resources to Check Out:
Uplook Ministry – Jabe Nicholson
Warren Henderson Publishing
Christ-centered Books and Messages to Enhance Your Spiritual Growth
And check out our latest book “Solving the Spiritual Dilemma” which answers many questions about the hope believers have and how to develop a life-changing relationship with Jesus Christ.
or go directly to Amazon.com or Barnes & Noble
For a deeper study into Jesus’ next coming and the signs of the time check out our 3-in-1 Study Guide:
“Digging Deep into the Revelation of Jesus Christ”.
It is a one-of-a-kind reference for anyone striving to understand the Book of Revelation in the Bible.
This study guide for the Book of Revelation is revolutionary and unique.
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