Repent!

Bill Brinkworth

Repentance is the “… pain, regret, or affliction which a person feels on account of his past conduct …” (Noah Webster, 1828). This regretful feeling was a vital part of John the Baptist’s ministry and is important today when one is saved from their sins.

Although a truly repentant person will change his behavior, just changing behaviors alone will not get one saved. If it were a change in lifestyle that was important, then those acts would be a type of good works, and no good works will save anyone from their sins (Ephesians 2:8-9).

John the Baptist illustrated that a broken heart over sin will produce a better life (not the other way around) when he spoke to four types of people:

To the religious, but not righteous, he told them that if they really were convicted over their sins they would prove it by a lifestyle that would show “fruits” from their inward changes. Their changed heart would change how they lived, and others would be able to see what the changes had done in their life (Luke 3:8).
To the common people, he told them that a giving attitude would show a changed heart (Luke 3:11). John must have known that they were covetous of the things of this world and that they were not trusting God daily for their needs.
To the publicans, he also said that there would need to be some changes in their lives. Publicans were notoriously dishonest tax-collectors. John said for them, the change would include their being honest (Luke 3:13).
To soldiers, he did not tell them to quit the army. He told them their change of heart would include lack of unneeded violence (perhaps John was referring to their practice of unnecessary cruelty), lying, and dissatisfaction with their salaries.

A changed, repentant heart is a proof of one’s salvation. The areas John said should change in lives over 2,000 years ago, still should change when one’s life is truly changed by salvation today.
“Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” II Corinthians 5:17

“Sin and Hell are married unless repentance proclaims the divorce.” — Spurgeon

This article was featured in the Bible View 670.