Revivals are happening all over the world. God is moving mightily to bring His people back to Him. Why? I believe it’s because the return of Jesus is near. God does not want to loose any one. He does not send people to hell, people send themselves there by not repenting and turning back to God.
Biblical Meaning of Repentance
The biblical definition of repentance is a “change of mind” or attitude, and thus of behavior. It is a complete turning away from sin we have in our lives.
It is God who draws us to repent. He chooses us. We would be wise to heed the tug on our hearts when He places conviction there. Repentance is not simply being sorry for our sins (though an important element of repenting) but a firm determination to turn away from sin to a new life of righteousness in Jesus Christ.
If A Sinful Person Repents
20 “The soul who sins shall die. The son shall not bear the guilt of the father, nor the father bear the guilt of the son. The righteousness of the righteous shall be upon himself, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon himself. 21 “But if a wicked man turns from all his sins which he has committed, keeps all My statutes, and does what is lawful and right, he shall surely live; he shall not die. 22 “None of the transgressions which he has committed shall be remembered against him; because of the righteousness which he has done, he shall live. 23 “Do I have any pleasure at all that the wicked should die?” says the Lord GOD, “[and] not that he should turn from his ways and live?
Ezekiel 18:20-23 (NKJV)
31 “Cast away from you all the transgressions which you have committed, and get yourselves a new heart and a new spirit. For why should you die, O house of Israel? 32 “For I have no pleasure in the death of one who dies,” says the Lord GOD. “Therefore turn and live!”
Ezekiel 18:31-32 (NKJV)
God Wants Us All To Be Saved
God loves us so much that He sent His Son to die for us. Jesus Christ is the only one who could fulfill the requirements of the law. He was a perfect man who knew no sin. He took all our sin past, present and future and nailed them to the cross, so that we could live.
God’s plan has always been for us to live forever with Him. It has always been that we live a life free of pain, sickness, poverty, etcetera. He has always wanted us to live an abundant life with no need for anything. He is our provider. But what He is not is a dictator. God has given us the right to choose.
Right from the beginning we choose wrong. When Adam and Eve were tempted of Satan they immediately brought sin into the world. And so by one man’s disobedience we were all made sinners, but the same is true in the reverse. By the obedience of Christ (he didn’t have to die, but that was the will of the Father. It was the only way to save us from his wrath.) many will, have been, and can be made righteous. The key is to repent, and believe on Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior. Our salvation is a free gift.
15 But the free gift [is] not like the offense. For if by the one man’s offense many died, much more the grace of God and the gift by the grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ, abounded to many. 16 And the gift [is] not like [that which came] through the one who sinned. For the judgment [which came] from one [offense resulted] in condemnation, but the free gift [which came] from many offenses [resulted] in justification. 17 For if by the one man’s offense death reigned through the one, much more those who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.) 18 Therefore, as through one man’s offense [judgment came] to all men, resulting in condemnation, even so through one Man’s righteous act [the free gift came] to all men, resulting in justification of life. 19 For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so also by one Man’s obedience many will be made righteous. 20 Moreover the law entered that the offense might abound. But where sin abounded, grace abounded much more, 21 so that as sin reigned in death, even so grace might reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
[Rom 5:15-21 NKJV]
2 For you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night. 3 For when they say, “Peace and safety!” then sudden destruction comes upon them, as labor pains upon a pregnant woman. And they shall not escape. 4 But you, brethren, are not in darkness, so that this Day should overtake you as a thief. 5 You are all sons of light and sons of the day. We are not of the night nor of darkness. 6 Therefore let us not sleep, as others [do], but let us watch and be sober. … 8 But let us who are of the day be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and [as] a helmet the hope of salvation. 9 For God did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, 10 who died for us, that whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with Him.
1Th 5:2-6, 8-10 (NKJV)
