This document provides a lengthy discussion on the importance and meaning of repentance according to the Bible. It discusses how repentance is a command for everyone, involving a change of mind, attitude, and heart away from sinful lifestyles. True repentance requires genuinely feeling sorry for sins and making efforts to stop sinning and turn to God, not just offering empty apologies. The document emphasizes how through faith in Jesus Christ, who died to save believers, people can receive salvation, forgiveness of sins, and righteousness in God's sight. It encourages readers to repent of their sins, be baptized, and avoid condemnation on the final Judgment Day.

1. A Command for everyone – 2nd August 2017
“Andnowwhat are youwaitingfor? Get up,be baptizedandwash your sinsaway,callingonhis
name.” (Acts 22:16).
There are manydifficultcommandsinthe Bible;none were more difficultthanthe command Godgave
to Abrahamto sacrifice hisson,Isaac as we can readin Genesis22.As for today’sChristians,ourmost
challengingcommandmightwell be thatof repentance.Thisisacommandfor everyone aswe can
understandwhenwe read Acts17:30-31, “In the past Godoverlookedsuch ignorance,but nowhe
commandsall people everywhere to repent. 31
For he hasset a day whenhe will judgethe worldwith
justice bythe manhe hasappointed.He hasgiven proofof thisto everyone by raisinghimfrom the
dead.”
Repentance isachange of mind,of attitude andof heart. Itis an act of faiththat leadstoa change away
fromany sinful lifestyle.Jesuswantedeveryonetohearthe message of repentance. We canlearnfrom
Luke 24:46-47,“He toldthem, “Thisis what is written: The Messiahwill suffer andrise from the dead
on the third day, 47
andrepentance forthe forgivenessofsins will be preached inhis name to all
nations,beginningatJerusalem.”
All of us are sinners andcan be justified freelybygrace throughthe redemptionthatcame byChrist
Jesuswhodiedtosave us. We can learnbyreading Romans3:22-25, “Thisrighteousnessis given
throughfaithin Jesus Christto all who believe. There isno difference between Jew andGentile, 23
for
all have sinned and fall short ofthe gloryof God,24
andall are justifiedfreelyby hisgrace throughthe
redemptionthat came by Christ Jesus. 25
Godpresented Christ asa sacrifice ofatonement, throughthe
sheddingofhis blood—tobereceived by faith...” All of usare sinnersinthe eyesof the Lord and
therefore we needsalvationand tobe bornagain – so as to begina new life withGodasone’spriority.
Thisis impossible without faithinJesusChristasonessaviourbecause itisonlythroughHimthat we
have thisGod givenpossibility of the free giftof salvation…and tobe savedfrometernal damnation. Itis
onlya fewof those whocome to JesusChristthat are saved. We can learnfroman incidentinJesus’life
as reportedin Luke 13:23-25, “
Someone asked him, “Lord,are onlya few people goingto be saved?”
He saidto them, 24
“Makeevery effort to enter throughthe narrow door,because many,I tell you,will
try to enter and will not be able to. 25
Oncethe owner of the housegets upand closesthe door,you
will standoutside knockingandpleading,‘Sir,open the door for us.’“Buthe will answer, ‘I don’tknow
you or where you come from.’ We absolutelyneedHis provision.
In our dayto day liveswe saysorryfor manythingsbut the questionis“didyoumeanitalwayswhen
yousay sorry? If not isjusta use of wordswithno meaningattached.Asbelieverswe needtoknowthat
whena person saysthat he or she repentsforthe sinful life led, withoutachange inone’ssinful life…
that isnot repentance. One needstotrulyfeel sorryforsinningagainstGod,whohasgivenus
everything.ThisisNOT“verbal sorrow” line we doatmost times,butgodlysorrow. Apostle Paul said
“godlysorrowproduces true repentance.”Itisnotrepentance alone butforthe steadfastbelieverthe
promise of salvation,andtherebyincreasinglygettingclosertoGod’spresence. We can learnfrom2

2. Corinthians7:10,“Godlysorrowbringsrepentance that leads to salvationandleavesno regret, but
worldlysorrow bringsdeath.” Just saying“I am sorry” isnot repentance;butapersonwhoistruly sorry
for hisor hersins;they come to ‘true’ repentance.
By simplyreadingthe biblethatcontainsGodslawsformankind, doesnotmake us “sinless”and
righteous!The bible makesusaware of sinandshowsour NEED for repentance and God’sforgiveness.
“Therefore no one will be declared righteousin God’ssightby the works of the law; rather, through
the law we become consciousof our sin.” (Romans3:20). We needtoknow that repentance isanact of
faith...notacompulsioninanywaybyanyone. We needtofeel deepinourheartsthatwe desperately
needGodin our lives…to helpus ridourselvesof sinandbeginfromscratchagain! The true believer
seeksaneternityinGod’spresence. We canlearnthisfrom Hebrews 10:38-39, “But my righteousone
will live by faith. AndI take no pleasurein the one who shrinksback.” 39
But we do not belongto those
who shrinkback and are destroyed, but to those whohave faithand are saved.”Thisis why those who
have faithare saved!
We can learnin Johnchapter eightrecordsthe storyof a womanthat was caught for adultery andthe
Phariseesandthe onlookers wantedtostone herto death.We can read thisin John8:5-7, “In the Law
Moses commanded usto stone such women. Nowwhat do you say?” 6
They were usingthisquestion
as a trap, inorder to have a basisfor accusinghim. But Jesus bent downand started to write onthe
groundwith hisfinger. 7
Whenthey kept on questioninghim,he straightenedup andsaid to them,
“Let any one of youwho is withoutsinbe the first to throw a stone at her.” Jesus’desire isthatwe
repentandstop sinning. Butasthe righteous God,He will notforce us.It has to be our owndecisionto
stopsinningandturn to God.But He We are blessedof the indwellingHolySpirittoassistus.
Jesusdidnotwant to simplypunishherbutforherto repentforwhatshe haddone and stop
sinning…become agoodperson! Mostpeople whoquote thisverse dosoinorderto try to justifysome
personal wrong. Jesuswantstosave us…Notto condemnus!We can learnfrom John8:9-11, “Atthis,
those who heard beganto go away one at a time, the older ones first,until onlyJesus was left,with
the woman still standingthere. 10
Jesusstraightenedup and askedher, “Woman,whereare they? Has
no one condemnedyou?”11
“Noone,sir,” shesaid.“Thenneither doI condemnyou,” Jesus declared.
“Gonow andleave your lifeof sin.” Jesuswantsall of us to stopsinning. He sacrificedHimself forour
sake…to save us fromdabblinginsinful deeds.Therefore we needto observe andbe mindfulof our
weaknessandbyrelyingonthe atoningsacrifice of Jesusgetoutof the businessof sin.
Repentance involvesstoppingthe sins andsinful thoughts thatplague us inourlives.OurjustGodloves
us and He desiresourrepentance. AsourcreatorGod knowsall aboutus and therefore because of His
love,he wantsusto change from our sinful lives andseekHispresence.Therefore Godispatientwith
us.We can learnfrom 2 Peter 3:9, “The Lord is not slowin keeping hispromise,as some understand
slowness.Insteadhe ispatient with you,not wantinganyoneto perish, but everyone to come to
repentance.” Therefore asChristiansthe importantquestionis:“Have yourepentedof yoursins? Have
youbeenbaptizedforthe remissionof yoursins? We mustrepentof oursinsand be baptizedintoChrist
to avoidcondemnationonthatJudgmentdaythatall of us will have toface sometime orthe other.
Therefore the Command for everyone is found in Acts 22:16 “Andnow what are you waitingfor?
Get up, be baptizedandwash your sinsaway,callingon hisname.”