Have you observed that in our churches or on the radio or television, the doctrine of repentance is not preached very often? No one wants to hear hard truth from the pulpit, and repentance is the ultimate hard truth. Everyone wants to hear the preacher tell good things about life.
Some preachers do not preach repentance because they think it somehow opposes the gospel of grace. They think repentance means doing some impossible things, the act where a man atones for his own sin. But that is not true biblical repentance. Where true repentance is preached, it actually promotes the grace of God (Yahweh).

Only God (Yahweh) can grant repentance. Repentance is a gift from God (Yahweh). We are all born with a sinful nature that leads us constantly away from God (Yahweh) (Ephesians 2:1-2). If we are not checked, we will always walk in the wrong direction. No one will ever have the slightest desire to change unless and until God (Yahweh) touches that person with the power of the Holy Spirit. That’s why both Acts 11:18 and 2 Timothy 2:25 speak of God (Yahweh) granting the gift of repentance. Without that gift, no sinner could ever turn from his sin and find the Lord Jesus (Yahshua).
Repentance is not just feeling sorry for our sins. There are many examples of true and false repentance in the Bible. On the one hand we have the prodigal son (Luke 15:11-32) When he came to his senses, he realized what a fool he had been, and resolved to return to his father’s house. On the other hand we have Judas who betrayed the Lord for thirty pieces of silver. When he realized his error, he returned the money to the high priests and tried to cancel the deal, but it was too late (Matthew 27:1-10). The Bible says Judas repented, but he ended up committing suicide. The prodigal son cried out to his father for forgiveness while Judas did not.
The first step in changing the direction of your life must come from within. You must have the desire to change. Most of us change slowly and often only under great pressure from within or without. Real change is hard work. We take our sins too lightly. But if there is no real change, there is no real repentance. Until you can say, “I was wrong,” you will never be able to repent.
Repentance is the doorway to heaven and there is no other entrance. If we fail to preach repentance, we are leaving out a vital part of the gospel message. Our failure in this regard has produced a tasteless and ineffective gospel, without its power to change human lives. If you are a Christian, repentance should be part of your daily life.

John said, “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), he was talking about repentance. The words are different but the meaning is the same.

The Gospel invitation begins with repentance. The first step in becoming a Christian is changing your mind about Jesus Christ. Jesus (Yahshua)   said, “Unless you repent, you too will perish.” The next step is to be baptized. It is only when you repent and are baptized in the name of Jesus (Yahshua) you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit, which is eternal life. Repeating the so-called sinner’s prayer or the currently popular Four Spiritual Laws will not lead you to eternal life.

It would be terrible to go to hell because you never repented of your sins. Terrible because God (Yahweh) has already sent his own son to die on the cross, bearing your sins, taking your place, paying your penalty.
Do you feel your need of him? If you do, I urge you to come to Christ(Messiah) and put your trust in him. Do it today and enter into the salvation God (Yahweh) has prepared for you. Amen.