Repent!

Repent!

If you haven’t already, you will eventually have to occasion to witness a person who is forced to admit to you that they have acted sinfully against you. But surprisingly, they will only concede that it is something that is ‘sinful’ in your eyes, not in theirs. And that any apologies made are to console your hurt feelings, and not as an admission of any supposed guilt.It appears that a miracle has occurred in our lifetime. The world has run out of sinners! God has long-since given up on the idea of hell, and heaven’s gates have been swung open to all. SIN IS DEAD!Given this state of mind, it is hardly surprising that any call to repentance is greeted with absolute incredulity. The prevailing thought being: “What has that got to do with you, and what has your opinions of right and wrong got to do with me and God, anyway?” Evangelism is first and foremost a call to repentance (why do you think it is avoided so much?).It cannot be expressed strongly enough that if you baptise someone who has not repented of their sins, you are doing nothing more than dunking them in water. Call it what you like, but it is not baptism—it is a waste of God’s time. Repentance is the sinner’s submission of heart and will to God most High.Repentance is an admission that you are a sinner without hope in the face of overwhelming guilt and condemnation before a Holy God.And, praise God, glory Hallelujah! it is that heart, motivated by godly sorrow, that has ‘turned to God’ because of the conviction that forgiveness is only available in the saving grace of Jesus. Repentance is the prodigal son coming to his senses in the pigsty, Peter weeping bitterly after he denied Jesus, and the tax-collector who, unwilling to even lift up his head to God, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, the sinner!’ When the crowd understood that the apostle Peter was accusing them of murdering the only man who could save them from their sins (Jesus, the Messiah), they asked: “What shall we do?” Peter replied, “Repent and be baptised…” (Acts 2:37-38).John StaigerIf you have been blessed by this message, please feel free to: Like, Comment or Share it with your friends.