Repentance toward God, and faith toward
our Lord Jesus Christ, ACT 20:21.

The religion of the apostle Paul may rightly be called the religion of a sinner; for none but sinners need repentance, faith in a Mediator, or forgiveness of sins which is preached in the name of Jesus. Jesus said in MAR 2:17, "I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance." Those who loose sight of this become offended at those ministers who "...are not ashamed of the gospel of Christ...For therein is the righteousness of God revealed," ROM 1:16-17.

Even the most moral, respectable, and loving of all mankind are sinners who stand condemned under the sentence of death. God's Word tells us in ROM 5:12, "Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned." When a criminal is executed, it is for breaking the laws of the land; equally as certain, when a sinner dies, he dies for breaking the law of God.

The apostle was faithful to our souls; He "kept back nothing that was profitable," preaching "...repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ," ACT 20:20-21. Men by nature are so spiritually blind they take death for granted, and don't see it as the penalty for sin. We read in ECC 8:11, "Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil."

It seems so shocking to read the account of a hardened criminal in our local paper, who was sentenced to death for murder. "At the sentencing hearing, -[he]- said he felt no remorse and that he had no motive." His crimes were so gruesome that the prosecuting attorney argued, "Beelzebub has a devil set aside for --[him]--. The sooner they meet, the better." The Judge told him upon sentencing, "May God have mercy on your soul..." but there was no remorse! No repentance! Without "...repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ," there is no remission of sins!

Oh, beloved, have you learned remorse over your crimes against God's Holy Law? You will never escape the wrath of God if all you have is a legal repentance.

If you, like the Pharisees, are seizing upon the death of the Son for the inheritance, without the fruit of repentance--true remorse over having violated God's Holy Law, over having offended such a loving God, "He will miserably destroy those wicked men," MAT 21:33-41.

Our lovely Saviour has sent His ambassadors to preach 'repentance for remission of sins,' MAR 1:4; LUK 24:47. How shall you dare appear before the judgment seat of Christ as a hardened criminal, confessing that you 'felt no remorse' and that for your sin you 'had no motive'?

How can one presume upon their eternal destination without true remorse over sin--without 'repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ'? Oh, beloved, "While it is said, To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts, as in the provocation...Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it," HEB 3:15-4:2. Amen.