A Call to Repentance
Repentance is the heartfelt sorrowful act of realizing that you are sinful and you are willing to turn away from your sins. This is done by asking for forgiveness and accepting the gospel of Jesus Christ. In Isaiah 55:7 says, "Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon." Jesus tells Nicodemus in John 3 that we must be born again. We must die out to our old earthy self which begins with repentance. Jesus declares to us in John 6:44 No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day. A call to repentance is found all throughout the Old Testament. God's invitation to repent is a call to absolute surrender of your free will giving your total self for the purpose of God's will in your life. You will know that God is drawing you near to him when you feel convicted of something you are doing. He opens our understanding that whatever it is you are doing is wrong makes you feel miserable every time you do it. Another way he draws us is by opening up spiritual things making us curious to know the more of the Word of God like we never had before. He may also place people of faith in our lives as a witness to his drawing to help spark your interest in knowing more about him.
Repentance is essentially the first-step toward receiving salvation which requires you to turn away from the old sinful fleshly side of man that is disobedient to God. Some feel like they are not a bad person, but the Bible states in Romans 3:23 For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. This is because we are born from the natural earthy man Adam who was created in the image of God. Due to the disobedience in the garden we are all born in the image of the natural sinful man Adam. Our all knowing God knew this from the beginning and provided a redemptive plan for mankind before the world was formed. John starts out with the deity of God in 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 14) And the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. There had to be a permanent perfect sacrifice to redeem the fallen man. God made a way to totally restore his creation of man in a renewal spiritual rebirth through Jesus Christ. For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross," Colossians 1:19-20. Moses longed to see the face of God but through Jesus Christ men were able to see the earthly face of God.
Examples of the New Testament messages of repentance starts with John the Baptist. John the Baptist came as the fore-runner of Jesus Christ preparing the way for the ministry of Jesus. Matthew 3 tells that John the Baptist was preaching in the wilderness and in all the surrounding region, saying Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. 8) Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance: 9) And think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham. 10) And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. 11) I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance, but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire: 12) Whose fan is in his hand, and he will thoroughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the garner; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire. Then there is Peter preaching to the people on the day of Pentecost who stood up and told the people who was witnessing a move of God in a way they had never experienced before and gave them a word that moved them to ask in Acts 2:37, "What shall we do?" He told them in Acts 2:38, Repent, and be baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ for the remissions of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. Again in Acts 19 when Apostle Paul was passing through Ephesus. Paul found certain disciples and he asked them if they have received the Holy Ghost since they had believed. Their answer was that they had not heard about the Holy Ghost. He then asked them how were they baptized and they told him unto John's baptism. They were baptized unto repentance by John the Baptist who told the people that they should believe on him which should come after him, which was Jesus Christ. In verse 5) When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 6) And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them; and they spake with tongues, and prophesied. 7) And all the men were about twelve. What happened when they heard the gospel their faith was activated such as Mark 1:15 states: And saying, "This is the time of fulfillment, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel." Ephesians 2:8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: True repentance is not just merely feeling of sorrow but an act of total change of way of life and in your mindset 24/7. Faith is described in Hebrews 11:1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. 3) Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear. Verse 6 tells us without faith it is impossible to please God. Faith and repentance work together.
Many people receive the calling of God but there are few who want to walk after it. Our ways are not God's ways and Gods ways are not our ways. Our ways are not good enough we cannot save ourselves no more than Adam and Eve could once they fell from grace in the Garden of Eden when sin entered the world. This is why we are called out of the ways we were born unto as we are born unto the world through Adam who sinned. This is why Jesus told Nicodemus we must be born again. We have to be called out from this earthy world which are the ways of the sinful man and be born again into the kingdom of heaven which is unto the ways of God. In Ephesians 4:1 Paul writes, "I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called, 2) With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love; 3) Endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace 4) There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; 5) One Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6) One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all. When you respond to your calling and commit whole heartily to God's plan of salvation and follow after him in spirit and in truth you are no longer just called you become one of the his chosen. You become joint heirs with the Children of Israel in God's divine plan even before the beginning of time. Titus 1:1-2 Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of God's elect and the acknowledging of the truth which is after godliness; 2) In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began; This redemption plan was chosen before the foundation of the Earth that through Jesus we might be called his spiritual chosen people. In 1 Peter 1:18-19 Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; 19) But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot 20) Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the word, but was manifest in these last times for you, 23) Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever. We are now living in the dispensation of God's grace best stated in Ephesians 1:7 In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grave; 9) Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself: 10) That in the depensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him.
Those who have heard the call from God and have believed in faith have their inheritance to the kingdom of heaven that was purchased through the blood of Jesus Christ. You may also inherit this same promise through the redemption plan after believing once you heard the word of truth, which is the gospel of our salvation. I pray that God opens your understanding and through the spirit of wisdom and the revelation in the knowledge of him that you may continue in your measure of faith towards your calling. You do not have to just be called but learn to become one of his chosen.
Next Lesson: Faith Cometh by Hearing:
Faith Cometh by Hearing to Non Believers (sylviasjournalandthouhts.blogspot.com)
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