We know from the Bible, that God created our world beautiful and perfect. He created first people also beautiful and perfect. After creation of our world, the Lord God saw that everything He created, including people, “was very good” (Gen.1:31). God gave first people, Adam and Eve a commandment not to eat fruit from the tree of knowledge of good and evil. However, first people did not obey God. They succumbed to temptation of devil. Satan deceived Eve and prompted her to eat from the tree of knowledge of good and evil, from which God forbade people to eat. Eve not only ate that fruit herself, but she also gave it to Adam, who then ate it too. In this way sin entered humanity through seduction from devil. People became sinners before God. They became alienated from the life of God (Eph.4:18), died spiritually (Eph.2:1-5), and started to die physically (Gen.2:16-17, 5:5).
Therefore, first people became sinners before God. Since then all people, descended from them, are born with sinful nature. Bible calls this sinful nature with such words as “law of sin and death in our members” (Rom.7:16-25, 8:2), and “old man” (Rom.6:6). All people without exception are not only born with this inclination to sin, but they actually become sinners, when they start to do sinful acts from the early age. They become sinners, worthy of punishment for their sins.
Eccl. 7:20 “Surely there is not a righteous man on earth, who does good and doesn’t sin”
Rom.3:9-19“What then? Are we better than they? No, in no way. For we previously warned both Jews and Greeks, that they are all under sin. As it is written, “There is no one righteous; no, not one. There is no one who understands. There is no one who seeks after God. They have all turned aside. They have together become unprofitable. There is no one who does good, no, not, so much as one.” “Their throat is an open tomb. With their tongues they have used deceit.” “The poison of vipers is under their lips;” “whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness.” “Their feet are swift to shed blood. Destruction and misery are in their ways. The way of peace, they haven’t known.” “There is no fear of God before their eyes.” Now we know that whatever things the law says, it speaks to those who are under the law, that every mouth may be closed, and all the world may be brought under the judgment of God“
Rom.3:23“For all have sinned, and fall short of the glory of God”
All people have sinned, and fall short of the glory of God, which originally Adam and Eve had in paradise, prior to their transgression. There is no person on this Earth, who has never sinned.
So far, we have established the fact that all people, without exceptions, are born with sinful nature, and become sinners when they start doing sinful acts, being urged by their sinful nature. We know that because of sin death entered our world, and everything leading to death – aging, sickness, wars, murder and crime, famine, natural disasters, etc. All troubles and misery in this world are direct consequences of human sin. And now, let us see, how sin of every person will affect him or her later, after death.
Heb.9:27 “Inasmuch as it is appointed for men to die once, and after this, judgment”
Acts 17:30-31 “The times of ignorance therefore God overlooked. But now he commands that all people everywhere should repent, because he has appointed a day in which he will judge the world in righteousness by the man whom he has ordained; of which he has given assurance to all men, in that he has raised him from the dead“
Rom.2:16 “In the day when God will judge the secrets of men, according to my Good News, by Jesus Christ“
What secrets and deeds of men God will judge on the day, which He appointed for judgment? Let us read about this in Epistle to Romans.
Rom.1:28-32 “Even as they refused to have God in their knowledge, God gave them up to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not fitting; being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness, covetousness, malice; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil habits, secret slanderers, backbiters, hateful to God, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, without understanding, covenant breakers, without natural affection, unforgiving, unmerciful; who, knowing the ordinance of God, that those who practice such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but also approve of those who practice them”
Therefore, people doing such things are worthy of death, and will be punished by death. However, the death, mentioned in above text, is not a natural dying or just a physical death. Death, with which all sinners will be punished, is the second death – everlasting punishment in the lake of fire, prepared for the devil and his angels.
Mt.25:41-46 “Then he will say also to those on the left hand, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire which is prepared for the devil and his angels; for I was hungry, and you didn’t give me food to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave me no drink; I was a stranger, and you didn’t take me in; naked, and you didn’t clothe me; sick, and in prison, and you didn’t visit me.’ “Then they will also answer, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry, or thirsty, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and didn’t help you?’ “Then he will answer them, saying, ‘Most certainly I tell you, inasmuch as you didn’t do it to one of the least of these, you didn’t do it to me.’ These will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life”
Rev.20:10-15 “The devil who deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet are also. They will be tormented day and night forever and ever. I saw a great white throne, and him who sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away. There was found no place for them. I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne, and they opened books. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged out of the things which were written in the books, according to their works. The sea gave up the dead who were in it. Death and Hades gave up the dead who were in them. They were judged, each one according to his works. Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. If anyone was not found written in the book of life, he was cast into the lake of fire”
Apostle Paul in his Epistle to Romans also mentions this second death. He explained to his readers, that this death would be wages for sin.
Rom.6:23“For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord”
Wages is something that a person earned. Therefore, what every person has earned for his sins is the second death in the lake of fire.
Repentance – God’s Command for All People
God loves all people. He does not want anyone to perish and be punished for his or her sins with the second death. That is why the Lord is offering for everyone the gift of eternal life through faith in His Son Jesus Christ. However, the very first condition for receiving the gift of eternal life is repentance. God is the King of all the earth (Ps.47:7). Moreover, as the King, He gives command to all people everywhere to repent. Failure to comply with this order threatens serious consequences for everyone. Such a person will have to come to God’s judgment, which will end in his or her condemnation to eternal punishment in the lake of fire without any hope of pardon or salvation.
Acts 17:30-31 “The times of ignorance therefore God overlooked. But now he commands that all people everywhere should repent, because he has appointed a day in which he will judge the world in righteousness by the man whom he has ordained; of which he has given assurance to all men, in that he has raised him from the dead“
Rom.2:1-8 “Therefore you are without excuse, O man, whoever you are who judge. For in that which you judge another, you condemn yourself. For you who judge practice the same things. We know that the judgment of God is according to truth against those who practice such things. Do you think this, O man who judges those who practice such things, and do the same, that you will escape the judgment of God? Or do you despise the riches of his goodness, forbearance, and patience, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance? But according to your hardness and unrepentant heart you are treasuring up for yourself wrath in the day of wrath, revelation, and of the righteous judgment of God; who “will pay back to everyone according to their works:” to those who by patience in well-doing seek for glory, honor, and incorruptibility, eternal life; but to those who are self-seeking, and don’t obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, will be wrath and indignation”
God commands all people everywhere to repent. It includes every one of us. But what is repentance? How should we repent? Now, let us talk about repentance in some details. As we will continue to study this topic, we need to ask ourselves a few questions: “Have this really happened in my life? Have I truly repented before God in my sins?”
1. Recognition of Our Own Sinfulness
Repentance is not a momentary act or experience. Repentance is a process. For some people this process is going faster. For other people, it is going very slowly, and can take months. Process of repentance begins, when a person recognizes and acknowledges that he or she is a lost sinner. It happens because of influence of the Holy Spirit, Who reproves such person of sin, of righteousness and of judgment. Usually this reproof happens through listening to, or reading of, the Word of God, the Bible:
Jn.16:7-8 “Nevertheless I tell you the truth: It is to your advantage that I go away, for if I don’t go away, the Counselor won’t come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you. When he has come, he will convict the world about sin, about righteousness, and about judgment”
2Tim.3:16 “Every Scripture is God-breathed and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for instruction in righteousness”
One day Jesus Christ told people a parable about prodigal son. We can find it in the 15-th chapter of the Gospel of Luke. Using the example of disobedient son, Jesus explained, how people left God, what consequences they suffered, and how they can come back to their Heavenly Father. First act in the life of prodigal son, which prompted him to come back home, was that he came to himself. He recognized the reality, and honestly evaluated his condition and circumstances. And this prompted him to do the next right choices.
Lk.15:11-19 “He said, “A certain man had two sons. The younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me my share of your property.’ He divided his livelihood between them. Not many days after, the younger son gathered all of this together and traveled into a far country. There he wasted his property with riotous living. When he had spent all of it, there arose a severe famine in that country, and he began to be in need. He went and joined himself to one of the citizens of that country, and he sent him into his fields to feed pigs. He wanted to fill his belly with the husks that the pigs ate, but no one gave him any. But when he came to himself he said, ‘How many hired servants of my father’s have bread enough to spare, and I’m dying with hunger! I will get up and go to my father, and will tell him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in your sight. I am no more worthy to be called your son. Make me as one of your hired servants”
So, the very first thing prodigal son did, before returning home – he came to himself. He acknowledged his lost condition. When a person comes to himself and recognizes his or her lost condition – it is the first step toward repentance and turning to God.
The second step toward repentance is godly sorrow. Apostle Paul wrote about this special sorrow in his Second Epistle to Corinthians, chapter seven.
2Cor.7:8-11 “For though I made you sorry with my letter, I do not regret it, though I did regret it. For I see that my letter made you sorry, though just for a while. I now rejoice, not that you were made sorry, but that you were made sorry to repentance. For you were made sorry in a godly way, that you might suffer loss by us in nothing. For godly sorrow works repentance to salvation, which brings no regret. But the sorrow of the world works death. For behold, this same thing, that you were made sorry in a godly way, what earnest care it worked in you. Yes, what defense, indignation, fear, longing, zeal, and vengeance! In everything you demonstrated yourselves to be pure in the matter”
When a person acknowledges his sinful lost condition, it should naturally produce in him feeling of sorrow. However, there are different kinds of sorrow. If a person will have sorrow of the world, or worldly sorrow, it may lead him or her to death, and not to repentance.
Worldly sorrow is concentrated on us, and not on God. It is a feeling of self-pity and a desire to justify our sins, and to avoid consequences for them. Usually it leads to condition, which we commonly call depression. Depression, in turn, destroys health and leads people to slow dying. Sometimes, depression can cause a premature death of a person. Worse of all, depression will lead a person in the condition of “second death”, in the lake of fire.
Rev. 21:8 “But for the cowardly, unbelieving, sinners, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their part is in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death“
Godly sorrow is a sadness caused in a man by the realization that by his sins he insulted the Holy God and brought destruction and damage to God’s universe created perfect, to his life and to lives of other people. A man who has such sorrow for God’s sake is not concentrated on himself. He does not think about how to justify himself and avoid responsibility. He thinks about how to restore the right relationship with God and correct what he did wrong. He recognizes and acknowledges his sin, assumes full responsibility for it, and seeks reconciliation with God. Such sorrow for God’s sake will produce in a person a constant repentance for salvation.
3. Confession of sins, and plea for forgiveness
We’ve just talked about the two steps leading a person to repentance – coming to oneself (awareness of one’s own sinfulness), and sadness for God’s sake. But how does repentance take place, and in what way does it manifest itself? If we continue to read the parable of Jesus about the prodigal son, we will see that he not only came to himself and decided to return to his father. He also started to do this. He got up, went to his father and confessed his sin to his father. Let’s read how it happened:
Luke 15:20-21 “He arose, and came to his father. But while he was still far off, his father saw him, and was moved with compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him. The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in your sight. I am no longer worthy to be called your son”
So, a person is lead to the repentance by the awareness of his sinful state (coming to himself), and sadness for God’s sake (Godly sorrow). Repentance itself is manifested, first, in the recognition or confession of one’s sin before God. Confession may be performed in the presence of other people, but must always be a recognition of your sin before God. To confess literally means to agree, to acknowledge, to say the same. God expects the person who sins to acknowledge his sin, and only after such recognition a person can receive cleansing.
Jer.3:12-13 “Go, and proclaim these words toward the north, and say, ‘Return, you backsliding Israel,’ says the LORD; ‘I will not look in anger on you; for I am merciful,’ says the LORD. ‘I will not keep anger forever. Only acknowledge your iniquity, that you have transgressed against the LORD your God, and have scattered your ways to the strangers under every green tree, and you have not obeyed my voice,’ says the LORD”
1Jn.1:6-10 “If we say that we have fellowship with him and walk in the darkness, we lie, and don’t tell the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ, his Son, cleanses us from all sin. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive us the sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we haven’t sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us”
Ps.32:3-5 “When I kept silence, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long. For day and night your hand was heavy on me. My strength was sapped in the heat of summer. I acknowledged my sin to you. I didn’t hide my iniquity. I said, I will confess my transgressions to the LORD, and you forgave the iniquity of my sin”
Acts 19:18-20 “Many also of those who had believed came, confessing, and declaring their deeds. Many of those who practiced magical arts brought their books together and burned them in the sight of all. They counted their price, and found it to be fifty thousand pieces of silver. So the word of the Lord was growing and becoming mighty”
Mat.3:1-6 “In those days, John the Baptizer came, preaching in the wilderness of Judea, saying, “Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand!” For this is he who was spoken of by Isaiah the prophet, saying, “The voice of one crying in the wilderness, make ready the way of the Lord. Make his paths straight.” Now John himself wore clothing made of camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist. His food was locusts and wild honey. Then people from Jerusalem, all of Judea, and all the region around the Jordan went out to him. They were baptized by him in the Jordan, confessing their sins”
From the above texts, we see that repentance includes the confession of sins. Confession is an acknowledgement of one’s sins before God. Confession was a necessary part of repentance in the Old Testament, together with the offering of a sin offering and reparation to the one against whom sin was committed (or to his heir, or, if this was not possible, to the priest).
Num.5:5-8 “The LORD spoke to Moses, saying, “Speak to the children of Israel: ‘When a man or woman commits any sin that men commit, so as to trespass against the LORD, and that soul is guilty; then he shall confess his sin which he has done, and he shall make restitution for his guilt in full, and add to it the fifth part of it, and give it to him in respect of whom he has been guilty. But if the man has no kinsman to whom restitution may be made for the guilt, the restitution for guilt which is made to the LORD shall be the priest’s; besides the ram of the atonement, by which atonement shall be made for him”
The confession of sin must also be accompanied by a plea to God for forgiveness, mercy, and cleansing from sin. Such an example we see in Psalm 51 and other Scriptures.
Ps.51:1-3 “Have mercy on me, God, according to your loving kindness. According to the multitude of your tender mercies, blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity. Cleanse me from my sin. For I know my transgressions. My sin is constantly before me”
4. Correction of the consequences of sin
The next step in the process of repentance, after the confession of sin, is the correction of the consequences of sin. We have already touched this a bit when talking about confession. According to the Law, a person who had sinned against another person had to compensate him for the damage and add to that a fifth part (20% extra). In the case of a theft, one had to pay twice for stolen things, and sometimes even four times and five times more (Ex.22:1-9). In addition, he had to confess his sin and make a sacrifice for it. If the theft concerned animals, the laws were much stricter than in other cases.
Ex.22:1 “If a man steals an ox or a sheep, and kills it, or sells it; he shall pay five oxen for an ox, and four sheep for a sheep”
When Jesus came to the house of publican Zacchaeus, Zacchaeus acted on the same principle. After repenting, he told Jesus Christ that he would give back four times more to those whom he had offended.
Luke 19:1-10 “He entered and was passing through Jericho. There was a man named Zacchaeus. He was a chief tax collector, and he was rich. He was trying to see who Jesus was, and couldn’t because of the crowd, because he was short. He ran on ahead, and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see him, for he was to pass that way. When Jesus came to the place, he looked up and saw him, and said to him, “Zacchaeus, hurry and come down, for today I must stay at your house.” He hurried, came down, and received him joyfully. When they saw it, they all murmured, saying, “He has gone in to lodge with a man who is a sinner.” Zacchaeus stood and said to the Lord, “Behold, Lord, half of my goods I give to the poor. If I have wrongfully exacted anything of anyone, I restore four times as much.” Jesus said to him, “Today, salvation has come to this house, because he also is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to seek and to save that which was lost”
So, true repentance includes correction of what was done wrong, that is, compensation for the damage. This includes compensation not only for the material damage, but also for the moral damage. If, for example, we insulted someone, deceived, defamed or harmed him in any way, we should ask forgiveness of this person, reconcile with him (if possible), and try to correct what was done wrong to him. For example, if it was a slander, we need to try to restore the reputation of the person before those people to whom we told bad things about him.
Mt.5:23-24 “If therefore you are offering your gift at the altar, and there remember that your brother has anything against you, leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift”
From a person who has sinned against another person is expected that he will ask forgiveness for his act.
Luke 17:3-4 “Be careful. If your brother sins against you, rebuke him. If he repents, forgive him. If he sins against you seven times in the day, and seven times returns, saying, ‘I repent,’ you shall forgive him”
Of course, there can be situations in life where nothing can be done in any way. In such cases, one only needs to hope for the grace of God for forgiveness. The Bible describes one case of a robber hanging on a cross next to Jesus Christ. He asked Jesus to remember him when he will come to His Kingdom. This robber could not correct anything anymore. He could not repay for damage to anyone or ask forgiveness from those whom he offended. He only acknowledged that he deserved suffering for his deeds, called Jesus Lord, and asked that He at least remember about him when he comes to His Kingdom. That is, he recognized Jesus as the King, and the Lord, which is a prerequisite for obtaining salvation (Rom.10: 9-10). This man received mercy and forgiveness. But his case was an exception, not a rule. If we have any opportunity to correct what was done wrong, we must do this in order to obtain forgiveness.
Luke 23:39-43 “One of the criminals who was hanged insulted him, saying, “If you are the Christ, save yourself and us!” But the other answered, and rebuking him said, “Don’t you even fear God, seeing you are under the same condemnation? And we indeed justly, for we receive the due reward for our deeds, but this man has done nothing wrong.” He said to Jesus, “Lord, remember me when you come into your Kingdom.” Jesus said to him, “Assuredly I tell you, today you will be with me in Paradise”
5. Abandonment of sin and righteous living
The final part of repentance is the abandonment of sin and the new, changed life. After confession of sin and compensation for damage, a person must leave his sin and not repeat it. Only then can he hope for forgiveness and purification from his sin.
Prov. 28:13 “He who conceals his sins doesn’t prosper, but whoever confesses and renounces them finds mercy”
Is.1:16-18 “Wash yourselves, make yourself clean. Put away the evil of your doings from before my eyes. Cease to do evil. Learn to do well. Seek justice. Relieve the oppressed. Judge the fatherless. Plead for the widow.” “Come now, and let us reason together,” says the LORD: “Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow. Though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool”
Is.55:7 “Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; and let him return to the LORD, and he will have mercy on him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon”
Only that person made a worthy fruit of repentance, who confessed his sins and asked for forgiveness, corrected what was done wrong (which was possible to correct), and abandoned his sins. He can hope for God’s mercy and forgiveness. Only such a person who has committed true repentance can receive water baptism in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, and become a member of the Church (Assembly) of God or the Church of Jesus Christ.
Jesus Christ Came to Save Us from Sin
So, we have just studied with you from the Bible what true repentance is. But repentance itself is not enough to receive the remission of one’s sins and salvation from condemnation in a lake of fire. This also requires faith in Jesus Christ. The Apostle Paul tells us in Romans 6:23 that retribution (or the wages earned) for sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
God is the merciful and good God. He does not want to punish anyone, and He did not create the lake of fire for man. The Lord wants to forgive people for their sins and save them from punishment and condemnation. But, at the same time, God is the righteous Judge, He is the just God. His justice demands that the breakers of His holy and perfect Law be punished with death. The holy God can not allow any sinner to be near Him in His Kingdom.
That’s why the sinless Son of God, Jesus Christ, came to earth. In order for God to forgive a sinful person, it was necessary that someone sinless took upon himself the guilt of a man and died for a man, was punished in his stead. It was Jesus Christ who did it for us. Through the death of Jesus Christ for the sins of people, God’s justice was satisfied. God can now show His mercy, forgiving people who repent, and believe in His Son Jesus Christ, and remain at the same time righteous and just God. Let us briefly look at a few verses of Scripture that tell us how Jesus Christ was born on earth and what he did for our salvation.
Mat.1:18-23 “Now the birth of Jesus Christ was like this; for after his mother, Mary, was engaged to Joseph, before they came together, she was found pregnant by the Holy Spirit. Joseph, her husband, being a righteous man, and not willing to make her a public example, intended to put her away secretly. But when he thought about these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, don’t be afraid to take to yourself Mary, your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. She shall bring forth a son. You shall call his name Jesus, for it is he who shall save his people from their sins.” Now all this has happened, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying, “Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son. They shall call his name Immanuel;” which is, being interpreted, “God with us””
Jesus Christ was born into this world to save people from their sins. This salvation was realized through the death of Jesus Christ for our sins, and His resurrection from the dead. The message of Jesus’ death for our sins, and His resurrection from the dead, for our justification and salvation, is the Gospel. The word Gospel means Good News.
1Cor.15:1-4 “Now I declare to you, brothers, the Good News which I preached to you, which also you received, in which you also stand, by which also you are saved, if you hold firmly the word which I preached to you—unless you believed in vain. For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures”
Through Faith in Jesus We Have Salvation
Having repented of our sins and having believed in Jesus Christ, we receive salvation from eternal perdition in the lake of fire, and we also receive the gift of eternal life. The first people, Adam and Eve, could live forever, if they had not sinned. But they sinned, and they lost eternal life. Now, through faith in Jesus Christ, God again gives to the penitent people the gift of salvation from sins, salvation from the second death, and the gift of eternal life:
Rom.10:9-10 “That if you will confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart, one believes unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation”
John 3:16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life.”
John 3:36 “One who believes in the Son has eternal life, but one who disobeys the Son won’t see life, but the wrath of God remains on him”
The fact that we have eternal life through faith in the Son of God does not necessarily mean that we will not physically die. But this means that the believer has hope even at his death (Proverbs 14:32). He has the hope of the resurrection from the dead. It passes from death to life. Moreover, believers who will live during the Second Coming of Jesus Christ will not experience death at all. Their bodies will be instantly changed, and they will be gathered to Jesus Christ together with the righteous, resurrected from the dead.
John 5:24-25 “Most certainly I tell you, he who hears my word, and believes him who sent me, has eternal life, and doesn’t come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life. Most certainly, I tell you, the hour comes, and now is, when the dead will hear the Son of God’s voice; and those who hear will live”
1Cor.15:51-52 “Behold, I tell you a mystery. We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we will be changed”
If we trust God and follow His ways, He is able to save us, and bring us to the goal of our salvation – saving of the soul and resurrection of the body.