After a long break of 6 months (we never had such a long break) because of my health problem, we are back again this year to give you words of encouragement.
Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. (Mat 4:17).
Repentance is a condition of spiritual regret experienced by a sinner who realizes that he has broken one or more of the commandments of God. Repentance is not the kind of sorrow that thief who has been caught red-handed. Repentance is not the reluctant apology of a person who has been proved wrong. Repentance is a spiritually produced remorse and sorrow-of-heart at having sinned in the first place. True repentance comes when we realize that we have broken Yahweh’s laws. This once again shows that His commandments exist and are eternal. Yahweh’s laws and commandments are like a mirror in which we can compare our life with Elohim’s standards.
Why is repentance necessary? Because every person on this earth is a sinner. ”All have sinned and come short of the glory of Elohim (Rom.3:23). Sadly sin and repentance are topics that are not heard from many church pulpits today.
Every true prophet of Elohim preached repentance.
It is the duty of every true preacher to warn his flock of their sins and to show the way to Christ, who alone can save mankind. Many false teachers excuse sin and make light of the law of God. We should avoid them. (Matthew 12: 41, Ezekiel 14: 6, Matthew 3: 2, Mark 1: 15, Mark 6: 12, Luke 13: 3-5, Acts 3: 19. Acts 8: 22)
Yahweh wants everyone to repent.
Elohim loves each one of us with a love that we can never imagine. No matter how evil you may be, no matter how unworthy you consider yourself, you can be sure that the Almighty does not want you to die. During Noah’s time, Yahweh gave men a hundred years to repent while Noah was building the ark. His greatest desire is that all sinners should repent. That is the main reason He sent His Son to earth. 2Pet. 3:9,’The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.’ Also see Acts 17: 30, Romans 2: 4, Luke 5: 32.
Repentance is not the result of human effort.
Yahshua said, ‘No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.’ (John. 6:44).
It is a gift from the Almighty Elohim of Abraham, Isaac & Jacob (Israel). The imagination of man is always evil (Gen.6:5). The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it? (Jer.17:9). We of our own selves and our own wisdom cannot repent unless we are prompted by the Holy Spirit. Repentance is a heavenly product of great value. And though it usually comes with tears, it results in great joy. (Acts 5: 31, 2 Timothy 2: 25-26)
Repentance is a foundation doctrine of the true church. The subject of repentance should form one of the basic and vital doctrines of any church/denomination. Without repentance there is no salvation and without the doctrine of salvation, Christianity becomes a dead religion or way of life. Repentance is a condition which must be present in every new believer's born again experience and closely followed by faith in Yahshua and his Gospel. (Heb.6:1, Mark 1:15). Repentance leads to salvation and everlasting life. If repentance is ignored, then punishment will surely follow. (2 Corinthians 7: 9-11, Revelation 2: 5&22, Revelation 3: 3).
Repentance should be acted upon quickly. It will not be available always. Esau tried but it was not found. (Hebrews 12: 16-17). Many postpone repentance in the false hope that they can repent just before death. They take the example of the thief of the cross (Luke.23:39-43). We should remember that the thief had not heard the gospel, but now we have the word of Elohim in our hands and Elohim speaks to us through His word so we have no excuse.
Baptism should follow repentance. When Peter preached the gospel on the day of Pentecost, the people were ‘they were pricked in their heart’ and wanted to know what should be done. Then Peter said unto them, “Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.” (Act 2:38).
In fact baptism by immersion is called the Baptism of Repentance. Many believers incorrectly suppose that they must be perfect Christians before they can be baptized. And so they keep putting off this important ceremony - till it is too late. This is a serious error. The truth is that water baptism should follow close on the heels of genuine repentance. (Mark 1: 4, Acts 2: 38, Acts 13: 24, Acts 19: 4, Luke 3: 3)
Believers should never think of giving up their faith in Yahshua Messiah. Heb 6:4,’For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance;’
A glorious eternal life waits for all who will humbly accept Yahweh's offer of mercy and forgiveness through Messiah. But to those who refuse to repent and who reject the Almighty's offer of mercy and salvation, there is a frightening future in the lake of fire.
