1 - You Can be Saved by Repenting from Works that Lead to Death
THE PRIMARY IMPORTANCE OF REPENTANCE
Matthew recorded repentance as the very first
teaching that Jesus began to preach (Mt 4:17).
When Jesus sent out His twelve apostles, they
primarily taught that men should repent (Mk 6:12).
Paul preached that all Jews & Gentiles must
turn to God in repentance (Ac 20:21) not come
to God as they are. In Hebrews 6:1, we read
that one of the first things about Christ that a
sinner must be taught is the teaching of: “...
repentance from dead works...” What are
dead works? Dead works are behaviors that
lead to death, not eternal life. So you must
understand that you cannot be saved or get
close to the Lord, even at the start, unless you
do what He and His authorities said to do, to
repent. This teaching must be foremost in your
mind as you come to God. Now consider the
literal meaning of repentance.
THE DEFINITION OF REPENTANCE
(A) It Begins with a Sorrowful Afterthought
Have you ever felt sorry after you wronged someone? If so, then you have experienced the beginnings of repentance.1. The N.T. Greek Definition of Repentance
The literal meaning of the New Testament Greek word “repentance” is “to perceive afterwards”. (Vines Expository Dictionary of Old and N.T. Words)2. The Prophet Jeremiah Explained it Well
He said about those in Jerusalem: “No man
repented of his wickedness, saying, ‘What
have I done?’” (Jer 8:6) Have you ever said
that? Repentance starts with a sorrowful
realization of a wrong behavior that causes
a person to have regretful afterthoughts, such
as, “What have I done?” This begins in the
inner thoughts, in the heart of a man.
But if repentance begins with a sorrowful afterthought, how does repentance end?