Repentance is the result of Godly grief and sorrow over our sins. It's a renouncing of our sins and a deliberate intentional choice to stop doing what does not glorify God according to the Bible strictly because we honor and love Him. We experience godly sorrow and grief over our sins only after we fix our eyes on Jesus hanging on the cross realizing that he is there because of us.
If you have sympathy you have the ability to become thankful, because you can put yourself on the cross and imagine what your deserved stripes, pierced hands and feet, and emotional suffering might feel like. We can put ourselves on the cross, because we are the sinners worthy of that suffering. We can repent, therefore, because we are thankful realizing we are the benefactors of Jesus' substitution for us.
Why is repentance so important? Because it changes the direction we are going in, and it changes our status with God who is able to save us, and do more than we can ask or imagine for the betterment of our lives.
Jesus proclaimed, "Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand!"
Because there is no repentance there is an increase in sin which is causing this world to change so rapidly toward everything we really don't want. Human perspectives are of the flesh, and there are so many ideologies, so many religions, so many opinions of the flesh that ultimately produce death and destruction. The proof of that is the current world we are living in. Think of the tremendous heart ache, and suffering there is because of our choices. Look around at what non-sensical things are happening, what lawlessness, what murder, what deception, what perversion, what apathy. It's all sin, and we are all guilty. Ask yourself if you really want it all to stop and get better or if you want it to continue, because it can continue and get even more ferociously evil and diabolical (The wages of sin is death). If you don't think so then put yourself in the position of those who are currently suffering rape, stabbings, unjust demotions, being stuck with deadly needles inside their uterine home. Alternatively, it can also stop and things can change for the better for mankind, for the races, for the children and their futures if we truly repent toward God and His will.
The will of man can continue to control his destiny in its entire fragmented, individualistic mindset, and face the result of that sin or the will of man can surrender one by one, or better yet, two by two, household by household, community by community, and nation by nation to the will of the Creator. The will of the Creator is found in the Word of God...The Bible.
"But the nations, communities, families, and individuals of the world don't want God's will!" you say. And most everyone would agree that this is so obvious. Neither do Satan and his demons desire God's will. The truth of God's Word proclaims this pride in us is the very problem. Human nature is sinfully rebellious toward God, and as a result our world is in a real mess. What is in the hearts of man is manifesting at every level. But God's way is the way to healing when it is believed in or performed! How bad does it have to get before the lazy and apathetic are ready to turn from their unaccountable way to the way of God? How violent do the streets have to become before the hateful and angry and bitter want to experience peace? How dark, and depraved and perverted do the ways of the sexually immoral need to get before they want purity? Is it even in the nature of man to want to change from all his ways of sinful pride to a humble surrender? Be sad, very sorrowful and in grief because sin is the way of man and the world. It's the way of the leaders of the world's countries, it's the way of every human on earth, and it is producing death. We are so comfortable in it too, because we don't know any better way to live, and when we hear the slightest expression of God's REAL LOVE we shun it. People run from God in every nation; "Oh I can't have faith in Jesus like that," or "I don't want to give up my life for Jesus," or " Jesus can't possibly be the only way to God in heaven!" or "I cannot accept that Jesus is God in a human body!" The answer from God for our problem is shunned by humanity, but we will look for it in politics, religion, drugs, pornography, suicide, global dominance, new world orders, false christs? How completely shameful is that!? "Jesus said he is the Way the Truth and the Life, and that no one can come to the Father except through him." John 14:6. No other way will work, and I write that in a spirit of asking you to really think about what other way really works and will stand the Justice of God? What other way is really working? Do you have 100% confidence that you know where you are going to spend your eternity after you die? That's a very long time. If you have no peace and you don't know your eternity, and you've never believed in Jesus fully why don't you ask his Holy Spirit to reveal himself to you? Once he does what will be completely obvious is the sinfulness of your own soul and you will learn of the healing convicting power of the Holy Spirit and you will turn away from sin. You will hate it, and fight it, and stumble in it yes, but you will have a new nature that is repulsed by sin.
There could be nothing worse then remaining in a lost state spiritually when the death wages of sin really start to hit the fan, and the full manifestations of it begin to be experienced on this planet. We haven't seen anything yet. In an unrepentant state people blame everybody else but themselves and get angry at God and people. People will turn to an Anti-Christ for a "salvation", instead of the true Christ for forgiveness of their sin. In an unrepentant state people want to rule and dominate everyone under their own way. The spiritually unrepentant say, "How could God let this happen to me! God is not good!" Without repentance everyone resolves wrongly... naturally.
What additional evidence is needed to help a mind and soul realize and accept that humanity is wretched through and through if the barbaric acts, blatant systematic deconstruction of our strong nation, insane bullying of the countries against Israel, and murderous systems of the world that slaughter the unborn are not enough evidence? The fact those things are even tolerated for longer then 1 second and supported is our depravity.
THERE IS ONLY ONE EVIDENCE NEEDED and PROVIDED THAT IS POWERFUL ENOUGH TO CONVICT US ALL OF OUR PERSONAL SIN and it is offered by God. It is His will. His evidence is found beaten and blugeoned on a cross, bleeding out, paying for the crimes, the violence, the sin of mankind. His evidence and answer to mankinds problem is there for all to see. Love, Justice, Mercy, Righteousness, Forgiveness, Lawfulness, Power, Perfection, Freedom, Accountability ....it's all there hanging on the cross. Jesus Christ is the answer to this world's problems. HE PAID FOR ALL OUR SINS ALREADY!
Who is listening?! Who is looking?! Who cares?! Don't harden your heart to the only provision of salvation from your sin whom God has provided. Without Jesus Christ in your heart and his forgiveness of your sins it can and will get much worse. Don't come to Jesus because you're afraid of ISIS, Russia coming down from the north, America weakening pathetically from the scene, Refugee Terrorism, or because there is no more money, work, or hardly a straight story in the main media. No, come to Jesus because you are dead spiritually and because He loves you fully, and because you are a sinner needing to be saved by him. Come to Jesus because you want to live. Believe in Jesus because he did what no one else will do for you....he died, was buried and rose again for you personally and has completely justified you before perfect Justice. People are willing to die for Christ and face terrible things, and not renounce their faith in JESUS because they really know Him by love and not fear. They know Him because they read the Bible for themselves and ignore the Anti-Christ Spirit of the world that demonizes God's pure words.
Remember people were screaming and scratching at the Ark of Noah when the floods came. Those mockers, unbelievers weren't mocking and unbelieving at that point, but sadly it was too late for them to be saved. It is getting very close to the same situation today. The Bible warns people that there is danger ahead. The Bible warns of the coming judgement and wrath of God against all the sin. Without repentance it will get much worse. To die without a sincere genuine faith in Christ is the absolute worst, scariest, and terrible thing. Justice will only withold its heavy eternal verdict upon you, and allow Mercy to sweep you away into eternal paradise only if the blood of Jesus is covering your sins. AND REPENTING NOW WILL BE THE PROOF OF YOUR FAITH IN JESUS ON JUDGEMENT DAY. DO YOU HAVE A RELATIONSHIP WITH JESUS CHRIST TODAY? If not, then give your heart to him now. Pray to him and invite him to be your Lord and Savior, to forgive you of your sins and to give you his gift if repentance.
“Wake up from your drunken stupor, as is right, and do not go on sinning. For some have no knowledge of God. I say this to your shame.”
1 Corinthians 15:34
“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.”
1 John 1:9-10
“But God’s firm foundation stands, bearing this seal: “The Lord knows those who are his,” and, “Let everyone who names the name of the Lord depart from iniquity.””
2 Timothy 2:19
The Gospel of Jesus Christ goes out into the world. And there are many different ways to proclaim the same message of Jesus' hope and salvation. If you believe that Jesus lived, died, was buried and rose again for you what might your prayer of repentance be? If you want Jesus tonight pray this with me and trust in these verses in the Bible. The Lord Jesus will be faithful to you:
Let hatred and disgust toward sin be born in me, and grow in great measure. May the deadly delicacies I partake in disgust my palate and repulse my soul and spirit. Majestic and Worthy Lord and Savior Jesus, sprinkle your cleansing blood over the total nature of who I am in the flesh of flesh and purify my mind, heart, soul and body so that your Holy Spirit would make me holy and set apart for you in the complete reverent fear of God. In surrender to the Love, Humility, Perfection, Purity, Forgiveness within Jesus I ask you to make me right with you according to your will and not mine. With one eye on my sin, and one eye on your cross I can repent with a sorrowful regret and memory of that which You are putting to death in me, But better still is my gaze upon you Jesus with both eyes fixed upon you fully trusting in your work and your love for me. My sin is completely gone.... remembered no more. It is dead on that powerful cross of my Savior, and I remember my sin no more!
In Hebrews chapter 12:15-29 we find the very powerful reasons why we would willfully want to repent and change through the grace of God towards us right NOW and with no delay. We find Esau is mentioned as one who sold his birthright for some soup, and that afterwards he was not able to inherit that blessing even though he sought it with tears, because he found no more chance to repent. We also find a list of amazing blessings that inspire and encourage us in the hope we have through repentance towards Christ. Here are the reasons why you remain motivated to live a repentant life in the fear of the Lord daily. If you received Jesus into your heart just now this is a part of your inheritance you are looking forward to. Death has no sting upon you.
*You have come to the city of Zion.
*You have come to the city of the living God.
*You have come to the heavenly Jerusalem.
*You have come to innumerable angels in the festal gathering.
*You have come to the assembly of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven.
*You have come to God...the Judge of all.
*You have come to the spirit of the righteous made perfect.
*You have come to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant.
*You have come to Jesus and his sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel.
*You cannot be shaken for you are in Christ the unshakable. The voice that shakes both the heavens and the earth will shake again everything so that which cannot be shaken will remain.
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