Repentance: The first word of the gospel

To understand repentance we must understand that it is a gift of God. Therefore, man alone by himself unaided by the Holy Spirit is incapable of "true" biblical repentance. Scripture speaks of an earthly "sorrow" or repentance(2 Corinthians 7:10). Such as produced by Judas (Matthew 27:3). This earthly repentance results ultimately, in damnation. By preaching the gospel with a call to repentance we are appealing to the need of grace, not to human ability. The New Testament sees repentance as something that God grants ( 2 Timothy 2:24-26), (Acts5:31), (Acts 11:18)
The biblical idea of repentance is turning from serving self to serving God. (1 Thess 1:9-10) So, on to the next chapter........


Chapter 1
Repentance , The First word of the gospel

The first word of the gospel is not "love." It's not even "grace." The first word of the gospel is "repent."
Repentance: The first word of John's ministry.

As Zacharias stood in the temple to burn incense to the Lord, as was the custom. An angel of the Lord spoke to him and said (Luke 1:13). It was promised to him that he would have a son who would make straight the way of the Lord (Luke 1: 16-17).
Fast forward several years and we see Zacharias' son John, proclaiming repentance. (Matthew 3:1-3).
Not only is the word repent the dominant note in John's message, but he made the concept of repentance absolutely clear. Repentance makes the path straight between the lord and the repenting person. Repentance is like clearing the highway of holiness to and from God.

Luke spelled out the details of John's message "Make ready the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. Every ravine shall be filled up, and every mountain and hill shall be brought low; and all flesh shall see the salvation of God".(Luke 3:4-6) Without repentance, no one can make their way to the Lord. Without true repentance the Lord will not make His way to us. John the baptist appeared in the wilderness preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sin. (Mark 1:4) One follows the other: repentance must precede forgiveness; forgiveness does follow repentance. There is something grossly unwise in supposing that a person can experience the forgiveness of sin while resisting or merely remaining ignorant of repentance.
We are made keenly aware of John's knowledge of the attitudes of the Pharisees and Sadducees who were coming to him for baptism, he said to them "You brood of vipers, who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Therefore bring fruit in keeping with your repentance."(Matthew 3:7-8)
John's message is urgently needed today. Millions are trying to receive the Lord when their path has never been made straight by repentance. I beg you, don't think yourself a christian unless you are bearing fruit that is keeping with repentance.

Richard Roberts

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Repentance: The first word of Christ's ministry