Repentance is turning away from sin, disobedience, or rebellion and turning back to God. It is the only wise response to God’s gracious call to salvation. But why is repentance necessary?
As much as God loves us,
He is also holy and cannot co-exist with sin. After He put creation in place,
He created man and woman; He wanted us to be like Him! He said to the other
members of the Trinity: “Let us make human beings in our own image to be like
us. They will reign over the fish in the sea, the birds in the sky, the
livestock, all the wild animals on the earth, and the small animals that scurry
along the ground” (Genesis 1:26). Sadly, Adam and Eve sold themselves to the
devil by believing his lies and disobeying God. However, this behavior did not surprise God; He knew before creation that man would rebel against Him. So, He
had already made plans for our restoration through Jesus.
Sin has plagued mankind
ever since. We are each born with a sinful nature that separates us from God. The only way we can have a relationship with God is if our sins are paid for by
a sinless Person. So, God gave His one and only Son, Jesus, to die in our
place. This is where repentance comes in; each person has to be sorry for their
sins and ask God for forgiveness. It’s only then that one can have a
relationship with God.
So, repentance is the
game changer: it moves us from darkness, the devil’s camp, into God’s light. He
puts His Holy Spirit in our hearts to witness that we belong to Him, not the
devil. Also, the Holy Spirit is our guarantee that we will inherit heaven (see
Romans 3:24-25).
Dear reader, do you
understand that you are a sinner, and have you repented of your sins? Please
do because the alternative to non-repentance is scary; it is spending eternity
with the devil and his demons in hell. It will not be a fun place; it will be a
place of torment. On the other hand, if you repent now, your afterlife is
guaranteed to be in heaven with God, Jesus, the angels, and all penitent
sinners. Heaven is promised to be beautiful: streets of gold, pearly gates,
singing and worship, not to mention feasting, no pain, sickness, sin, or death. Which of these two places appeals to you? Would you choose hell over heaven? I
hope not! Please give this earnest attention and choose wisely.
If you are reading this
article, you still have time, but time is running out. Once your time on earth
is over, you’ll have missed the opportunity to repent. Repent now and have the
assurance that your sins are forgiven, and your eternal dwelling place is
secured; you will be ushered into God’s presence the moment you take your last
breath. “Yes, we are fully confident, and we would rather be away from these
earthly bodies, for then, we will be at home with the Lord” (2 Corinthians
5:8). Take repentance seriously; it will change your life now and in eternity.
Suppose you already have a
relationship with God. In that case, it is essential to understand that repentance will be
ongoing because we struggle with sin and
sometimes lose the battle due to our sinful nature. John reminds us, “If we claim we have no sin, we are
only fooling ourselves and not living in the truth. But if we confess our sins
to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us and cleanse us from all
wickedness” (1 John 1:8-9).
Repentance and
confession will restore our fellowship with the Father. John goes on further to
say: “If anyone does sin, we have an advocate who pleads our case before the
Father. He is Jesus Christ, the only one who is truly righteous. He himself is
the sacrifice that atones for our sins” (see 1 John 2:1-2). So, this is how Christians are restored when
they fall—repentance!
Repentance, therefore,
is a game-changer whether or not you are a child of God; it can bring you into
a relationship with God and keep you in that relationship until you see Him
in glory.
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