What happens when sinners repent?
“Repent…and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out, that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that he may send the Christ appointed for you, Jesus” (Acts 3:19-20).
When we repent:
1) Our sins are blotted out….”all that believe are justified” (Acts 13:39).
2) Times of refreshing come from the presence of the Lord. “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid” (John 14:27).
3) God will send the Christ, Jesus. “I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you” (John 14:18).
And one thing more; there will be joy in heaven. “Just so, I tell you, there is joy before the angels of God over one sinner who repents” (Luke 15:10).
The word repent means to change our minds. It is a change of mind that results in a change of action.
Repentance involves recognizing that we have thought wrongly in the past and determining to think rightly in the future.
Repentance is changing our minds from rejection of Christ to faith in Christ.
Repentance is necessary for salvation.
It is changing your mind about sin—no longer is sin something to toy with; it is something to be forsaken as we “flee from the coming wrath” (Matthew 3:7).
It is also changing your mind about Jesus Christ—no longer is He to be mocked, discounted, or ignored; He is the Savior to be clung to; He is the Lord to be worshiped and adored.
A person who has truly repented of sin and exercised faith in Christ will give evidence of a changed life. “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come (Corinthians 5:17). Not a perfect life…yet. But a changed life.
Some day those who have repented will see Jesus. Then perfection will be achieved.
We who repent are “God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is” (1 John 3:2).
Amen.