A Right View Of Repentance September 26, 2015

Acts 2:37-39      Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?

Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.

 For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.

Mark 1:15     "The time has come," he said. "The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!"

Acts 3:19     Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord,

Acts 5:31     God exalted him to his own right hand as Prince and Savior that he might bring Israel to repentance and forgive their sins.

Acts 8:20     Peter answered: "May your money perish with you, because you thought you could buy the gift of God with money!

Acts 10:43     All the prophets testify about him that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name."

Preaching the truth about Jesus Christ in Acts 2, Peter left thousands of listeners asking the same question: “What shall we do now?”

The apostle’s response is simple: “Repent, and . . . be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins” (Acts 2:38). As a result, 3,000 people were added to the new church that day (Acts 2:41).

Is this the message of most churches today? Does it seem strange that Peter said “repent” instead of “believe”? Actually, Scripture often uses these concepts interchangeably. You see, repentance and faith are really two sides of the same coin: Both are essential for salvation, and each is dependent upon the other.

In terms of salvation, you cannot separate faith and repentance—both happen simultaneously. In order to be saved, you must place faith in Christ for the forgiveness of sins, and that faith decision requires a change of mind (repentance) about your way of life. Yet many people mistakenly believe they must change their way of living long before they can make a faith decision for the Savior. The truth is, repentance does not mean that we must completely change our ways and “clean ourselves up” so we can receive Christ as Lord.

If you’re holding off on a decision for Christ until you think you are “ready” or “worthy,” you’re waiting in vain. Jesus is ready to receive you right now. Only as a child of God will you find the power—His power—to truly become the person you were created to be.