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“…All Should Come to Repentance”

“…All Should  Come to  Repentance”

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“ The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us- ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” ( 2 Peter 3: 9)

Can you imagine a town or a village that is completely isolated? A town with no interference from the rest of the world, a town that is governed by themselves, a town that produces everything that it needs in order to survive, and a town with no roads that travel to the outside world? Let's imagine that such a town exists in a remote location that would be difficult to travel to, now let's imagine that someone decided to build a road to this remote location. If such a place existed, and if such a road was built, and if someone decided to visit that town, the only way for that person to leave that town would be to turn around. In this hypothetical situation we have an illustration of repentance. Repentance is a command of God and is something that MUST take place in order for one to be saved, but what is repentance, and how does one truly repent in order to be saved by God?

Repentance is a radical and moral turn of the whole person from sin to God.

Repentance is a change of life that is brought about by godly sorrow.

Repentance is the knowledge of sin, which knowledge comes from the Word of God, the sorrow that is brought about from knowing one is removed from God, the changing of a life of sin, and turning to God for forgiveness and living for Him.

Repentance is not an admission of guilt, only being sorry because one was caught, but it is admission of guilt and a ceasing of the sin that caused one to be guilty.

Repentance is the true response to the Gospel. When we begin to read the Gospel, to learn of all that God has done for us in order to save us, all that Jesus

Continued on Page 5

‘A Minute with the Minister’

By Jeremy Thornton JEREMY THORNTON (cont.)

endured for the remission of sins, and all that waits for the faithful, one should be willing to repent of sin.

Repentance is something that God desires for us (2 Peter 3:9). When one repents of sin, they are doing so in order to please God. Repentance is not an agreement between two people, but rather when one repents, they are entering into an agreement with God. In this agreement the one that repents is agreeing to stop committing sin and begin to be faithful to God, and God has promised that the one that repents will be saved. As Paul was speaking at Mars Hill, he began to speak of the UNKNOWN GOD, and in this masterful speech, he tells those that were present that there was a particular time when God “winked” at their sins, but now God commands all men everywhere to repent (Acts 17:30). Not only is repentance something that God desires, but it is also something that He commands because there is a day coming in which all will be judged and those that have not repented of sin will be removed from God eternally (Matt. 7:23).

When one repents of sin, they must remove themselves from sin. Some have the idea that confession of sin equals repentance but that is not true. When one repents of sin, they must stop whatever sinful action in which they are involved.

I have often heard the illustration of the man that has stolen a car, in order to truly repent the man would confess his sin but he would also need to return the car. If the man simply confessed his guilt and continued to drive the car, he would continue to be guilt of theft. There are a number of illustrations that can be used to help with this point, but the fact is this, if one truly desires to be forgiven by God of sins, then they must stop the sin. This applies to all sin.

Simply put when one repents, they must make right what is wrong and bring forth fruits of repentance and begin living a fruitful and faithful life (Matt. 3:8; Acts 26:20).

May we keep in mind that there is an appointed time when God will judge the world. On that day those that have refused to repent of sin, turn to God, keep His commands, and be faithful to Him will be told to depart! Now is the time to turn from sin, turn to God, be baptized for the remission of sin, and bring forth fruits of repentance.

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