Repentance 101

FRESH Official Podcast

Question: If God forgives us our sin through Jesus’ sacrifice on that blood-drenched Cross, do we then need to change the way we live, turn away from our sin that alienated us from God in the first place … or is His sacrifice more than sufficient?

That’s a question that many who believe in Jesus studiously avoid. After all, if God’s forgiveness is based purely on what Jesus did for us, not on our own good deeds (and that’s absolutely what I believe) then hey, we can just keep on our merry way, living how we’ve always lived. But is that the right conclusion?

Question: Does a man have to stop seeing other women in order to be married? In theory, the marriage certificate proves he’s married. But that’s patently absurd. His wife has every right to expect him to be faithful.

And so it is with God. It’s not just about some nice little sinner’s prayer, but the demonstration of our faith comes primarily in how we live our lives.

Acts 2:38 Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptised every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. (ESV)

What’s the very first thing that Peter the Apostle tells that crowd to do (the very same folk, incidentally, who’d shouted “Crucify Him” just weeks earlier)?

Repent – turn away from your sin. That’s the evidence that you’ve believed in Jesus not just in your head, but with all that you are. That’s the evidence of your faithfulness to Him.

Repent and be baptised every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins.

That’s God’s Word. Fresh … for you … today.