Repent

By Clifton Angel       Let us consider seven reasons repentance is necessary for every accountable soul.     1. The Command of God. “The times of ignorance therefore God overlooked; but now he commandeth men that they should all everywhere repent” (Acts 17:30, ASV). God commands repentance of every person in every place.     2. The Cost of Sin. “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Romans 6:23, KJV).     3. The Cutoff of Sin. “Behold, the LORD’S hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear: But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear” (Isaiah 59:1–2). Sin separates us from our God.     4. The Connection to God. “If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth” (1 John 1:6). But if we repent and walk in the light, we have fellowship with him (cf. 1 John 1:7). That is tremendous motivation for repentance.     5. The Conclusion in Salvation. “Godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation” (2 Corinthians 7:10). It is rewarding to study the prepositions concerning the requirements for salvation. Hearing the gospel leads unto salvation (Romans 1:16). Believing Jesus leads unto righteousness (Romans 10:10). Confession with the mouth is unto salvation (Romans 10:10). And as we have read from 2 Corinthians 7:10, repentance leads to salvation. But it is not until one is baptized that he is in Christ (cf. Galatians 3:27; Colossians 2:10–12), has his sins washed away (cf. Acts 22:16), has his sins forgiven (cf. Acts 2:38), is saved (cf. Mark 16:16; 1 Peter 3:21).     6. The Cancellation of Sins. “Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins” (Acts 2:38). As was aforementioned, cancellation of sins does not occur until baptism, but repentance is required in order to get to that point. Immersion without repentance is merely a physical bath.     7. The Occasion from God. “The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is long-suffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9). If you are reading this article in the flesh, God is still displaying his long-suffering to us. The Lord has promised to return (cf. John 14:1–3), but he has not yet because He is “willing ... that all should come to repentance.”     Have you obeyed this command of God? Will you avoid the cost and cutoff of sins with the cancellation of sins? Are you connected to God? Will your life conclude in salvation? Have you taken advantage of the occasion God has provided you? If your answer is “no” to any of these questions, we urge you to repent.

- Clifton Angel preaches for the Coldwater Church of Christ in Coldwater, MS. He may be contacted through that congregation's website: http://www.coldwatercofc.com/