Repentance and Believing Psalm 50:22-23
INTRODUCTION

"Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of
things not seen. For by it the elders obtained a good testimony."


Dear friend,

In the face of absolute truth that we as mankind have fallen short of
God's glory and have become thoroughly corrupt and that by God's
righteous judgment we stand condemned a serious question arises:

"....what shall we do?"

More personally as it must be the question is:

"..what must I do to be saved?"

The condensed simple answer (and command mind you) is given to
us by God:

"Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, ..."

And again it is written elsewhere:

"The time is fulfilled and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent and
believe in the Gospel."

And once more:

"Repent for the kingdom of God is at hand."

Friend do not hesitate to heed His holy Command. Turn from your
rebellious ways against God and embrace Christ as your Savior and
Lord.  Do not harden your heart.

Now therefore, do not be mockers,
Lest your bonds be made strong;
For I have heard from the Lord GOD of hosts,
A destruction determined even upon the whole earth

As a way of introduction into this matter of great concern ( as it well
should be in our hearts) let us take to mind immediately that true
repentance and believing are one. They are not the same yet one
cannot be without the other. You cannot say "I believe" and have not
repented nor can you say "I have repented" and hold not in your heart
the Gospel of your salvation through Christ alone.

Secondly we must take to heart that exercising repentance and
believing are good works (fruits) which do not save nor help you
save yourself but manifest and glorify God's work which He has begun
in you and shall complete. God commands us to do these things but
in the face of Christ given to us who is our Savior. They are not
conditions to salvation. Salvation is not conditional upon man nor co
labored for. Repentance and believing is to walk with God trusting
alone in His tender mercies and great love towards  you in Christ.
Because of Him and His works you shall be delivered from wrath in the
Day of Judgment. Our life becomes a living sacrifice of thanksgiving
and praise seeking first His kingdom and His righteousness.  

Our resting (believing, trusting) is in His works alone to save us. Our
repentance is away from any notion that we have a hand in it, away
from our rebellion against Him, away from thinking we are good in any
way before Him. Apart from Christ we cannot do these things and
it is God alone who gives us the Christ.

 Beware of doctrine that teaches "faith in faith, trusting in trusting,
believing in believing" in anyway. A slippery slope it is that will stray
away from the issue of repentance as part of the holy Command,
"Repent and believe!"  Salvation becomes conditioned upon man
though Christ has already died and purchased us.

There are no requirements or preconditions to salvation for you will not
obey lest you are united to Christ, born of God in Him.  A carnal mind is
dead and full of enmity towards God and in violent war against the
Almighty but a child of God is a new creature in Christ, sealed with the
Spirit of our LORD and is beloved as He is the Beloved of our heavenly
Father.

"And when He putteth forth His own sheep, He goeth before them and
the sheep follow Him: for they know His voice"

"Jesus answered, 'Most assuredly I say to you, unless one is born of
water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is
born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.' "

"Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be
partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light: Who hath delivered us
from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of
His dear Son: "  


Thirdly, it is God and God alone who saves us in Christ. Our
justification, sanctification and glorification are done alone by His hand
in Christ. You have no part in bringing yourself into this immediate state
of blessedness. It is He by grace who saved you, is saving you and
shall save you on Judgment Day. Repentance turns away from
wretched  " I " and towards one's soul clinging to the dust before God
and confessing one's sinfulness and His deliverance  of you in Christ
and crying for it till your dying breath.

Praise be to God alone for He shall save His people and do so
because of Christ's faithfulness. It is the works of God in Christ by
which we are saved not by our own. God does not equip us to save
ourselves but has given us Christ Jesus freely by His tender mercies
and great love to save us. In Him we can do all that He commands us
and again as it is written apart from Him you can do nothing.

"Thou shall call His name Jesus for He shall save His people from their
sins."

With that said let us proceed to make His praise glorious. Let us not
deny Him but acknowledge Him in all our ways.

Choose the way of the Lord as revealed by His gracious Word which is
good and life eternal. To reject it is to stand (as you already are)
embracing evil and death eternal. There is no middle ground. Why then
should you die? Live! Cling to Christ! Great will be your fall in the Day
of Judgment as you stand before the Messiah Jesus who will judge all
mankind. You will be found guilty and with no cover for your shame and
this for a great multitude of sins you have committed against God.

"For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came
through Jesus Christ."
"Therefore by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight,
for by the law is the knowledge of sin.
But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being
witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, even the righteousness of
God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe."

"Why do you spend money for what is not bread,
And your wages for what does not satisfy?
Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good,
And let your soul delight itself in abundance.
Incline your ear, and come to Me.
Hear, and your soul shall live;
And I will make an everlasting covenant with you—
The sure mercies of David."

He who has ears to hear, let him hear!


                      Continue to Believing not without Repentance