“Repentance toward God” (Acts 20:21) is the first step for sinners to enjoy God’s salvation in Christ. It is vital because it is the message preached by our Lord Jesus Christ and His servants, because it is God’s desire, “not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9), because it is God’s command for all mankind everywhere, “And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent” (Acts 17:30), and because it is Christ’s commission to His followers, “And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem” (Luke 24:47).
John the Baptist preached, “Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Matt 3:2).
The Lord Jesus preached, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel” (Mark 1:15), and “I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish” (Luke 13:3, 5). After His ascension, our Lord Jesus Christ still preached the messages of repentance through the apostle John to the seven churches in Asia Minor except the two churches in Smyrna and Philadelphia, “Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent” (Rev 2:5), and “Repent; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth” (Rev 2:16), and “As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent” (Rev 3:19), and so forth.
Jesus’ Disciples “went out, and preached that men should repent” (Mark 6:12).
Peter preached, “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” (Acts 2:38).
Paul’s preaching is “Testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ” (Acts 20:21), and “But shewed first unto them of Damascus, and at Jerusalem, and throughout all the coasts of Judaea, and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, and do works meet for repentance” (Acts 26:20).
Nowadays, many like to preach an easy and broad-way Gospel to attract and draw many people, ignoring the message of repentance or failing to emphasise the true meaning of repentance. How about you and me? The message of repentance is for sinners and backsliders, then how hard it is to preach this message when many do not acknowledge their sins, shortcomings, compromise, unbelief, or even their apostasy!
by Rev Hien Nguyen
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