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SEEK
FORGIVENESS FOR OUR SIN (REPENTANCE)
Repentance
is not reformation, remorse, or penitence. We cannot sufficiently
reform ourselves to be worthy of a relationship with God.
Remorse, or feelings of guilt, for our sins is certainly a
step toward repentance, but repentance is an action, not a
feeling. And no amount of penitent acts will make up for one’s
sins.
Perhaps
the most important biblical example of people asking “What
must I do to be saved?” comes early in the Book of Acts
when the Apostle Peter preached to the assembled masses after
the miraculous appearance of the Holy Spirit among the disciples.
Peter used Old Testament prophesies to prove that Jesus was
the promised Messiah and concluded emphatically: “Therefore
let all the house of Israel know for certain that God has
made Him both Lord and Christ—this Jesus whom you crucified.”
(Acts 2:36)
Luke
(the writer of Acts) reports that the people were “pierced
to the heart” and collectively asked, “Brethren,
what shall we do?” (Acts 2:37) Peter’s immediate
response is revealing: “Repent, and each of you
be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness
of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”
(Acts 2:38) Clearly, Peter did not consider their remorse
(pierced to the heart) repentance or he would not have told
them to repent. What he was telling them to do was to turn
away from their rejection of Jesus and turn to faith in Him
(I’ll get to baptism shortly).
Repentance,
then, is absolutely essential to salvation. It does no good
to claim to have faith if it leads to no change. Repentance
is a turning away from one’s rejection of Jesus.
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