Repentance is essential to salvation. Jesus’ evangelistic message centred on repentance as we can see when it is boiled down to its core.
Matthew 4:17
From that time on Jesus began to preach, “Repent, for the Kingdom of God has come near.”
As we would expect from those trained by Jesus, Peter’s Pentecost message also focused on the need to repent. When the crowds were “cut to the heart” (i.e. under godly conviction of their sin) and cried out, “Brothers, what shall we do?”
Acts 1:38
Peter replied, “Repent and be baptised, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
Repentance is a change of mind that leads to a change of lifestyle. Repentance means not continuing to follow the same course but changing direction. It is choosing to live no longer for oneself but instead to live for Jesus and to live His way, obeying His commands.
Repentance is not just an internal or attitudinal thing. It is visible in the Christian’s lifestyle. He/she lives a different way now. John the Baptist saw some Pharisees and Sadducees approaching. He recognised that they were motivated by a desire to flee God’s coming wrath but a desire to avoid judgement is not enough. Having called them a brood of vipers, John said to them …
Matthew 3:8
Produce fruit in keeping with repentance.
People can justifiably ask to see the evidence (fruit) in the life of the person who claims to have repented. John went on to say…
Matthew 3:10
The axe is already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.
There can be no salvation without repentance. It simply doesn’t make sense. A person cannot claim to be a follower of Jesus but not actually follow Him.