Repentance Not Optional
Repent, and believe in the gospel.
Mark 1:15
If you want to enter the narrow gate you must repent. Many Jews during Jesus’ time believed that just being physical descendants of Abraham was sufficient for entrance into heaven. And many people today believe that simply being churchgoers or morally good people qualifies them for salvation. After all, they reason, God is too benevolent to exclude anyone but the most evil people.
God does desire that everyone enter the narrow gate because He is “not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance” (2 Pet 3:9). But you will not pass through the narrow gate unless you follow Charles Spurgeon’s admonition: “You and your sins must separate or you and your God will never come together. No one sin may you keep; they must all be given up, they must be brought out like Canaanite kings from the cave and be hanged up in the sun.”
MacArthur, J. (2001). Truth for today : A daily touch of God's grace (Page 241). Nashville, Tenn.: J. Countryman.
Lessons Learned: Sin separates us from God. Because He is holy, he cannot tolerate sin. No matter what we do, by ourselves, we can never make up for all of our sins. Only Christ's sacrifice was capable of washing away sin. Without true repentance (turning away) from sin and belief in the power and grace of Christ, we cannot be saved.
Applications: Although Christ's sacrifice was sufficient to redeem us of all of our sins, we must bear the fruit of salvation by good works and conforming to His image. We must cast out and turn away from our sins. We must be holy because God is holy. "Go now and leave your life of sin " (John 8:11). Live a sanctifying life, following Christ so you will sin less and less.
Prayer Subjects: Pray thanksgiving for Christ's grace and mercy. Pray for power to lead a life of sanctification, a life of victory over temptation and sin through Christ.
Listen to this entry
Mark 1:15
If you want to enter the narrow gate you must repent. Many Jews during Jesus’ time believed that just being physical descendants of Abraham was sufficient for entrance into heaven. And many people today believe that simply being churchgoers or morally good people qualifies them for salvation. After all, they reason, God is too benevolent to exclude anyone but the most evil people.
God does desire that everyone enter the narrow gate because He is “not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance” (2 Pet 3:9). But you will not pass through the narrow gate unless you follow Charles Spurgeon’s admonition: “You and your sins must separate or you and your God will never come together. No one sin may you keep; they must all be given up, they must be brought out like Canaanite kings from the cave and be hanged up in the sun.”
MacArthur, J. (2001). Truth for today : A daily touch of God's grace (Page 241). Nashville, Tenn.: J. Countryman.
Lessons Learned: Sin separates us from God. Because He is holy, he cannot tolerate sin. No matter what we do, by ourselves, we can never make up for all of our sins. Only Christ's sacrifice was capable of washing away sin. Without true repentance (turning away) from sin and belief in the power and grace of Christ, we cannot be saved.
Applications: Although Christ's sacrifice was sufficient to redeem us of all of our sins, we must bear the fruit of salvation by good works and conforming to His image. We must cast out and turn away from our sins. We must be holy because God is holy. "Go now and leave your life of sin " (John 8:11). Live a sanctifying life, following Christ so you will sin less and less.
Prayer Subjects: Pray thanksgiving for Christ's grace and mercy. Pray for power to lead a life of sanctification, a life of victory over temptation and sin through Christ.
Listen to this entry
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