REPENTANCE MEANS “METANOIA” META (CHANGE) NOIA (MIND).
Acts 2:38 “Repent and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit”
Luke 3:8 “Therefore bear fruits worthy of repentance….baptize you with the Holy Spirit and Fire”
Does repent and believe the Gospel implies that the sinner must do two things to be saved and not only one. It’s like saying leave Sydney and go to Melbourne, it’s impossible to go to Melbourne without leaving Sydney.
WHAT CAN BE LEARNT BY PAUL’S AREOPAGUS MESSAGE!
Religious duty is deceiving. Prayer, study, work unless it’s touched by God is dead routine.
Even unbelief is a religion of self-worship. Luke 19:1-10, Mathew 5:21-26 Making things right!
- Regret is being sorry – mentally
- Remorse is being sorry – mentally & emotionally
- Repentance is being sorry – mentally, emotionally and volitionally
Only in the Power of the Resurrection do we find our true self.
The message of the resurrection is that you can rise again.
1 Corinthians 15:1-7
Repentance allows God to bless your life.
Acts 3:19 “Repent therefore and be converted that your sins may be blotted out so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord” (Holy Spirit)
Conclusion
After repentance or a change of mind comes the infilling of the Holy Spirit. God only ever empowers a person who is repentant or has a change of mind. When I go from fear to faith I have changed my mind and now God can anoint!
Proverbs 13:13 “He who despises the word will be destroyed. But he who fears the commandment will be rewarded”
