Repent
&
BELIEVE THE GOSPEL
To repent means: to turn / change. It is a change of thinking about your sins and start to see it as God sees it. Understand and acknowledge that you are guilty of your sins against God and can not change anything
yourself.
Repentance also means radically turning 180 degrees away from your own efforts and following God’s way. The way of the cross, death and resurrection of Jesus. His unconditional grace for you.
This repentance is a personal decision that no one else can make for you, not even God. It is God’s will for your life, but He can not force you. He has created man with a free will to voluntarily turn to Him and love Him.
You wouldn’t want love from your child or partner, if they are forced to do so. Then it wouldn’t be genuine love. That’s the way it is with God. He does not force you. He has made His move. Now it’s your turn. He waits patiently until you respond to His mercy and you turn around and trust in Jesus for your salvation. ( Ezekiel 18 verse 32)
rEPENT
&
BELIEVE THE GOSPEL
The gospel means: good news. Which is: the good news of God’s salvation through Jesus Christ. He has provided for your salvation, deliverance from sin and healing. Already in this life. He wants you to get peace with Him and He wants to give you eternal life. Whoever you are. He also has you in mind. This is not only good news, but awesome news and ‘almost’ too good to be true! But it is true, because it is impossible for God to lie. Everything He says is true.
To believe means: trusting God, that He does what He has promised. So you have to take Him at His Word. Trust Him that this great news also applies to you! 1 John 4 verses 9-10, John 10 verse 10, Numbers 23 verse 19
God says:
By believing, or fully trusting that Jesus has borne your punishment
and paid with His blood for you,
you are saved and delivered from the power of Satan.
By this faith in Jesus (and His work) you receive His forgiveness of all your sins and you are made right with God. This way God gives you His life and Spirit and you are spiritually born as His child. Then there is a totally new start with Jesus as your Lord. ( Ephesians 2 verse 8, Romans 1 verse 17, Colossians 1 verses 13-14, John 1 verses 12-13, 1 John 5 verses 4-5, Romans 5 verse 1)
Dare to take God at His Word for this!
God has obligated Himself to keep His Word. He loves it when you trust Him and take Him at His Word, because it gives Him pleasure and miracles will happen.
(
Hebrews 11 verse 6)
Just as Adam and Eve could choose in the beginning, you can choose now. You can choose to step over your pride, turn away from your own path and acknowledge that you cannot save yourself and need a Savior. You can choose to surrender your life to Christ in faith.