One Must Repent of Sin
What must I do to be saved? We have examined the first two elements of the Gospel Plan of Salvation over these last two weeks and we will consider next repentance. Jesus explained, “I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all in like manner perish.” (Luke 13:3) On this occasion some men asked Jesus about two situations where some particular individuals faced a particularly heinous death. First mentioned are men of Galilee whose blood Pilate had mixed with sacrifices after their death (cf. Lk. 13:1-2). In another instance, they mentioned the eighteen who died when the tower of Siloam fell on them. The men asked in regards to the former, “Were these Galileans worse than other Galileans?” (cf. Lk. 13:4) They asked Jesus if He thought the latter were sinners above all the others living in Jerusalem. These are good questions, but notice the perfect answer that Jesus gives in both circumstances. “I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all in like manner perish.”
We may think of heinous deaths and say, “Wow! That's a horrible way to go.” We may think of drug addicts and see how risky behavior leads to physical death. However, any man who will not repent will perish. This includes even those who die peacefully and surrounded by their loved ones. Spiritual death is eternal, so we must come to understand that repentance is vital.
What Is Repentance?
What is repentance? Repentance is a real change of mind, and it is required for one to become a Christian. Repentance is a resolve that one can no longer live in open rebellion against the Lord of Heaven and Earth. Repentance is ongoing in the life of every Christian once converted and must occur.
Paul reminded the Christians at Corinth of the reality of their repentance and just how far some had come from.
“Or know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with men, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you: but ye were washed, but ye were sanctified, but ye were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, and in the Spirit of our God.
(1 Cor. 6:9-11).
In the congregation at Corinth there were some who had been idol worshippers, they had ceased to worship idols. In the same local congregation there were those who were formerly engaged the sins of fonication, adultery, homosexuality, and others but they had repented. They changed their minds, they changed their actions, and no long engaged in those sins. The Word of God is plain that without repentance sins cannot be remitted (Acts 2:38;3:19). It is certain that an unrepentant sinner (the unrighteous) shall not inherit the kingdom of God.
How Long Must Repentance Occur?
Repentance is ongoing and must be authentic. There is a difference between godly sorrow and worly sorrow. The Spirit said, “For godly sorrow worketh repentance unto salvation, a repentance which bringeth no regret: but the sorrow of the world worketh death” (2 Cor 7:10). Authentic repentance is rooted in true sorrow for our sin against our Creator and a change proceeds from that sorrow. This is repentance unto (moving one toward) salvation. The sorrow of the world is merely a temporary stop of a sin just ot return back to it.
There were some in the first-century church that assumed that if they sinned more, then they would receive more grace. The reasoning was that God gave them grace when they had lived in sin before, then He must give more if they kept sinning. To that the Spirit said, “God forbid. We who died to sin, how shall we any longer live therein” (Rom. 6:2)? When we obey the Gospel, we must accept the fact that we are dying to self, and thus we are no longer to live as we did when we are lost.
Before someone can fully obey the Gospel they must be willing to change. First, the repentance of past sins is necessary. I must repent (cease) from engaging in perpetual ongoing sin. If I am a thief, I cannot continue as a thief. If I am a liar, I cannot continue lying. If I am unethical, I must cease being unethical. If you are considering becoming a Christian, what do you need to repent of? Can we study further about God’s desire to save us?
Grace and Peace,
R.D. Beavers
