"Then Jesus opened their minds to understand the Scriptures
and He said to them, Thus it is written, that Christ should suffer
and rise again from the dead the third day; and that repentance
and forgiveness of sins should be preached in His name
to all nations..." (Luke 24:45-49)
WHAT TO PREACH...ACCORDING TO JESUS?
What is usually preached? What we call the Gospel, that Jesus Christ, the Son of God was born of a virgin, died on the cross shedding His blood, was buried and rose again to redeem the world from sin that separates them from God.
That’s not all that Jesus said! He said “...that repentance and forgiveness of sins should be preached in His name to all nations…” We hear very little about REPENTANCE. Repentance is having a change of mind and turning to God. More preaching emphasis is only believing in Jesus and being saved...but, if the life has not changed and turned away from sin to Christ… then, there is no salvation of sin! You CANNOT go in both directions. It you turn to God seeking forgiveness for sin, and receive salvation, remission, forgiveness of sin, you will NOT turn back away from God to the life you had before.
John the Baptist preached repentance...Jesus preached repentance. (See Matthew 3:2 & 4:17) At Pentecost, Peter preached repentance. (See Acts 2:38) Paul preached repentance. (See Acts 17:30)
Christian America needs repentance! So much emphasis has been on 2 Chronicles 7:14 to pray for God to heal our land. There are 3 conditions for God to hear, forgive and heal the land. They are pray, seek God’s face and turn from your wicked ways! This would be (1)prayer of confession, (2)seeking God with your whole heart (Deuteronomy 4:29, Jeremiah 29:13) and (3)repenting (do whatever it takes to turn back to “One Nation under God.”)...THEN, God will hear! We don’t have His attention yet—we haven’t even begun.
CHRISTIANS, GOD’S PEOPLE, BORN AGAIN BELIEVERS
WE ARE CONVICTED AND GUILTY OF
NOT STANDING UP FOR GOD!
How long before it will be too late?
“Repent, for the Kingdom of God is at hand.”
