Repentance Is A Command

     The precious little children of Guatemala pictured above are repenting and asking the Lord Jesus for mercy. Repentance is not just an option. Repentance is a command and a requirement to get saved with the Lord Jesus. A person must repent and decide to stop sinning before they can be saved with Jesus. 2 Corinthians 7:10 says For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death. Acts 17:30 says And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men everywhere to repent. Luke 24:47 says And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. And ye are witnesses (not Jehovah Witnesses) of these things. Let's all be like the children of Guatemala pictured above and repent. Jesus said at Luke 13:3 I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish. 

Get saved, repent, decide to stop sinning,

Confess that Jesus is God, and believe the gospel,

That Jesus died on the cross for you, was buried, and rose again

     Since repentance is a command take time to meditate on the Greek definition of repentance. Repentance is defined to change one's mind for the better and decide to stop sinning. DL Moody said that one must repent to see the kingdom of God. There will be no unrepentant sinners in heaven. If a man does not repent, there is no hope for him to get to the kingdom of heaven. John the Baptist said at Matthew 3:2 Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.

     Repentance is a gift from God that is required to be saved. This is proven by Acts 11:18 that says When they heard these things, they held their peace, and glorified God, saying, Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life. Salvation with the Lord Jesus is a two step process. First a person repents to God and then they have faith in the Lord Jesus to get saved with Jesus. Repentance without faith in the Lord Jesus can not save a person.

     Repentance is married to faith. You need both repentance and faith in the Lord Jesus to be saved. Acts 20:20 says And how I kept back nothing that was profitable unto you. but have shewed you, and have taught you publickly, and from house to house, Testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ. Repentance turns you from sin and faith turns you to Jesus. Repentance brings you out of sin and faith brings you in to Jesus. Repentance causes you to stop sinning and faith causes you to start living for Jesus. Repentance causes you to quit sinning and faith causes you to begin living for Jesus.

     Repentance and good works without faith in the Lord Jesus can not save a person. Ephesians 2:8 says For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. But we do good works to witness Jesus everywhere and save lost sinners. 

     Christians will be rewarded for their good works after the rapture by Jesus at the bema judgment seat in heaven. James 2:20 says But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead? This is why Ephesians 2:10 goes on to say For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

     Isaiah 58:1 says to Cry aloud, spare not, lift up thy voice like a trumpet, and shew my people their transgression, and the house of Jacob their sins. Only the Lord Jesus was perfect with no sin. 1 John 3:5 says And ye know that He (Jesus) was manifested to take away our sins; and in Him is no sin. 

     But all people are sinners that must repent to get saved with the Lord Jesus. Romans 3:23 says For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God. I pray in Jesus name that anyone reading this bible study will repent, get saved, and receive the blessing of 2 Chronicles 7:14. If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

     The people of Nineveh received mercy and peace when they repented after they heard an 8 word sermon from Jonah. Jonah said at Jonah 3:4 Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown. After Jonah preached this 8 word sermon, everyone in Nineveh (the king, all the people, and even the animals) put on sackcloth and repented of their sins. This revival was so blessed that even the animals (camels, dogs, mules, goats, and chickens) put on sackcloth, repented, and cried mightily to God for mercy and forgiveness from their sins. 

     Jonah 3:8 describes the revival at Nineveh where the king of Nineveh proclaimed But let man and beast be covered with sackcloth, and cry mightily unto God: yea, let them turn everyone from his evil way, and from the violence that is in their hands. I pray in Jesus name that the leaders of every country today can be like the king of Nineveh and make laws where everyone including the animals pray together, crying for mercy from God, while they turn from their evil ways. God changed his mind and blessed Nineveh and did not destroy Nineveh because they repented. Jonah 3:10 says And God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way; and God repented of the evil, that He had said that He would do unto them; and He did it not.

     There has never been a greater revival on this earth than the revival at Nineveh after Jonah preached. The bible tells us that 120000 little children under the age of 3 years old that didn't know the difference between their right hand and left hand were spared from destruction. God said to Jonah at Jonah 4:11 And should not I spare Nineveh, that great city, wherein are more than sixscore thousand (120000) persons that cannot discern between their right hand and their let hand; and also much cattle?

     Now if you include the parents of the 120000 little children of Nineveh, you realize that Nineveh was the greatest revival on this earth where 500000 (half a million) people were spared and saved from destruction by the preaching of Jonah in just a couple of days. No earthly preacher (John Bunyan, John Wesley,  George Whitfield, DL Moody, Billy Sunday, or Billy Graham) ever held a revival where 500000 people were saved at one time. Only Jonah saved half a million people at one time with just one sermon (a truly great sermon). 

     But the bible tells us that Jesus is a greater preacher than Jonah. This is because millions of preachers today including Brother Bob use the KJV Word of God who is Jesus to save untold millions of souls all over this earth (much greater than the 500000 souls saved at Nineveh). Soon the men of Nineveh will rise in judgment and condemn our generation because they repented at the preaching of Jonah and a greater preacher named Jesus and His Word is being preached on this internet. Matthew 12:41 says The men of Nineveh shall rise in judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: because they repented at the preaching of Jonas (Jonah); and, behold, a greater than Jonas (Jesus) is here. 

     The Lord Jesus delighteth in mercy, and Jesus Himself rejoiceth in the presence of the angels over one sinner that repenteth. Luke 15:10 says Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth. Micah 7:18 says Who is a God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of His heritage? He retaineth not His anger for ever, because He delighteth in mercy. He will turn again, He will have compassion upon us; He will subdue our iniquities; and thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the sea. 

     Isaiah 55:7 says Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the Lord, and He will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon. Repent and receive Jesus' free pardon that not only pardons you (but abundantly pardons you with eternal peace and joy for ever in the kingdom of God) and sets you free from sin, hell, and the lake of fire.

     I pray in Jesus name that this bible study blesses multitudes everywhere with great joy, peace, and strength. Feel free to email Brother Bob anytime at rz9tlm@gmail.com or write to Brother Bob Malkin, 2233 Pinetree Lane, Apt. N., Reynoldsburg, Ohio 43068. (614) 746-7071. Till we all meet again soon to lift up our Lord Jesus, everyone have a blessed day in Jesus name.