The scribes and Pharisees once condemned and reproached the Lord for eating and drinking with publicans and sinners. To this the Savior said: ‘for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance’. (Matthew 9:13 KJV). From these words of Christ it is evident that the purpose of His coming into the world was our repentance. If repentance was the purpose of Jesus Christ’s coming into the world, then it is clear that we, too, ought to consider repentance the purpose of our entire lives and all our labors.
Acts 2:38 - Repent and be baptized for the remission of sins. Some people do not realize that the Bible teaches baptism is essential. Other people have been shown but still will not accept it. These people are not showing true repentance!
Remember, repentance is a decision to do what God's word says. When a person sees what God's word says but will not do it, that person is not showing true repentance.
When a person refuses to be baptized, his primary problem is not baptism: it is his faith or his repentance! If believes the truth he will know he must repent and be baptized. If he then truly repents, you won't be able to keep him from the water!
Sometimes children of God sin after they have been baptized. They do not need to be baptized again, but they do need to repent again.
Acts 8:22 - Simon was told to repent and pray that his sin might be forgiven. The Christian who sins needs to repent and pray, not repent and be baptized. [1 John 1:9; Matthew 6:12]
If one has wronged other people, he must also confess to them - Matthew 5:23,24. If the sin is known and has been a bad influence on the congregation or hindered the effort of the church to teach, then the whole church needs to be told the person has repented.
Acts 26:20 - After forgiveness men must do works worthy of repentance. [Luke 3:8-14; Matthew 3:8]
Ezekiel 18:21-32 - To avoid death, the wicked must turn from evil and do right and keep God's statutes.
Matthew 21:28-31 - The ultimate question, in the story of the two sons, was which of the two did the will of the father. The son who was right was the one who eventually went and did what he was supposed to do.
Proverbs 28:13 - We prosper, not by hiding our sins, but by confessing and forsaking them.
The gospel is a message of change. Sinners can change. You can change.
Note: the attitude of the father when the son did return: Luke 15: 20,22-24. Truly there is joy in heaven among the angels when a sinner "repents" Luke 15:7-10.
