Unless You Repent
By Ron Boatwright
There is no way to be forgiven of our sins and be saved without repentance. Jesus says, “Unless you repent you will all likewise perish” (Luke 13:3, 5). Repentance involves regret. We must feel regret or godly sorrow because we have offended God. 2 Corinthians 7:10 says, “For godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation”. In repentance we must resolve to change of our will. In a parable Jesus told of a man who said to his “’Son, go, work today in my vineyard.’ He answered and said, ‘I will not’, but afterward he regretted and went” (Matthew 21:28-29).
Repentance involves reform which results in a change in our conduct. We are to “Therefore bear fruits worthy of repentance” (Matthew 3:8). If we repent we will restore. Zacchaeus told Jesus, “If I have taken anything from anyone by false accusation, I restore fourfold” (Luke 19:8).
Repentance also involves confessing our sins. “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9).
It is our sins that separate us from God and will cause us to be eternally lost if they are not forgiven (Isaiah 59:2). When we stand before the Lord on Judgment Day, if we have unforgiven sins of which we will not repent, we will not go to Heaven (Galatians 5:19-21), but we will be eternally tormented in the fires of Hell (Mark 9:43-49). Repentance is a change of heart which results in a change of actions. Let’s make sure we always repent when we sin, so we can go to Heaven when this short life here on earth is over.