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Repentance: Turning from Sin to God

of the coming Messiah (Matthew 3:1–12). His message of repentance
produced great results among the people, and multitudes repented and
reconsecrated their lives to God. Undoubtedly, many of these people
who sincerely responded to John’s preaching were among the thousands
who came into the church on the Day of Pentecost and following.

Jesus began His public ministry in Galilee, and like John He declared,
“Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near” (Matthew 4:17; compare
with Mark 1:15). A different version translates Matthew 4:17 as “turn
away from your sins, because the kingdom of heaven is near” (TEV).
Repentance continued to have an important place in the preaching of
Jesus and His disciples (Matthew 11:21–22; 12:41; Luke 5:32; Mark 6:12).

One of the last commandments Jesus gave before He returned to
heaven was that repentance and forgiveness of sins must be preached
to all nations (Luke 24:47; Acts 1:8). The fully developed message of
repentance and faith appears in the book of Acts, where it is emphasized
from beginning to end. Peter preached repentance for salvation from sin
on the Day of Pentecost and thousands repented (Acts 2:38). He continued
with this same message soon afterward, and again many people repented
of their sins and turned to God (Acts 3:19). In his later ministry through
letters, he said of the Lord: “He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to
perish, but everyone to come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9).

Paul preached repentance to the city council in Athens: “In the past
God overlooked such ignorance, but now he commands all people
everywhere to repent” (Acts 17:30). And in summarizing his ministry,
he said: “I have declared to both Jews and Greeks that they must turn to
God in repentance and have faith in our Lord Jesus” (Acts 20:21).

Repentance is an oft-
repeated theme in the Bible.
For as long as there is need for As long as there is
salvation from sin, there is a need for salvation from
need for repentance. This has
been true since the fall of man, sin, there is a need for
and it will be true until the time repentance.
of grace and opportunity to
repent has passed.

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