In the last 20 years, something disturbing has happened in our pulpits. The disappearance of the word “Repent”. The entire teaching of repentance has seemed to have been replaced with softer, more loving, less judgemental and more accepting terms. Terms such as “Ask Jesus into your Heart” or “Choose Christ” or some more palatable phrase as these.
The problem is, salvation is being saved from hell, and none of these terms or responses will create that result from a Holy God who must punish sin. This is why these softer terms are not in the Bible, and why they were never used by the Apostles when they presented the gospel. I firmly believe you can ask Jesus into your heart and you’re still bound for hell.
The message the Holy Spirit gave in scripture is Repentance since that alone requires you to acknowledge you are a sinner in the eyes of a Holy God deserving eternal punishment. Repentance requires you to plead the blood of Christ over you to save you from your deserved destiny. Repentance demands a total unreserved turning away from sin and to Christ.
This is why it is the gospel requirement.
Repent…
- [Mat 3:2 ESV] “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”
- [Mat 4:17 ESV] From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”
- [Mat 11:20 ESV] Then he began to denounce the cities where most of his mighty works had been done, because they did not repent.
- [Mar 1:15 ESV] and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.”
- [Mar 6:12 ESV] So they went out and proclaimed that people should repent.
- [Luk 13:3, 5 ESV] No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish. … 5 No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.”
- [Luk 16:30 ESV] And he said, ‘No, father Abraham, but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent.’
- [Luk 17:4 ESV] and if he sins against you seven times in the day, and turns to you seven times, saying, ‘I repent,’ you must forgive him.”
- [Act 2:38 ESV] And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized 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.
- [Act 3:19 ESV] Repent, therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out,
- [Act 17:30 ESV] The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent,
- [Act 26:20 ESV] but declared first to those in Damascus, then in Jerusalem and throughout all the region of Judea, and also to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, performing deeds in keeping with their repentance.
- [Rev 2:5 ESV] Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent, and do the works you did at first. If not, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you repent.