Repentance to Salvation

Ephesians 2:1–2 ESV

And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience—

Ephesians 2 NKJV

And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others. But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. Therefore remember that you, once Gentiles in the flesh—who are called Uncircumcision by what is called the Circumcision made in the flesh by hands— that at that time you were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation, having abolished in His flesh the enmity, that is, the law of commandments contained in ordinances, so as to create in Himself one new man from the two, thus making peace, and that He might reconcile them both to God in one body through the cross, thereby putting to death the enmity. And He came and preached peace to you who were afar off and to those who were near. For through Him we both have access by one Spirit to the Father. Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone, in whom the whole building, being fitted together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord, in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.

Kicking against the goads - oxgoad, Shamgar, Saul on Damascus road

The heart of man rebels against God. We kick against the goads.

There comes judgment without repentance.

When the bowls of God’s wrath are poured out in judgement of the earth, as those judgments begin to touch man at the 4th and 5th bowls, Revelation says they cursed the name of God but did not repent and give Him glory. They gnawed their tongues in anguish and cursed God for their pain.

Repentance but no salvation

They honor me with their lips but their heart is far from me.

As every drunkard is want to do, when the retching time comes promises are made never to be kept. As a dog returns to his vomit, so a fool to his folly.

Fear and consequences will make men quake and confess but when the fear subsides and the consequences are removed nothing has changed. They would shake because of their sins but not be shaken out of their sins!

This repentance gives no glory to God and cant lead to salvation that frees from sin.

2 Corinthians 7:10 NKJV

For godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, not to be regretted; but the sorrow of the world produces death.

Sin deserves judgement

Sin is not excused. Tho it seems the payment for sin is pushed down the road for some, there always comes a day of reckoning. A just God avenges injustice. Amelek. My sin is injustice against the holiness of God. The payment for sin is death. Plain and simple. When we sin, we deserve death.

Salvation required a sacrifice

To be rescued out of our sin, God has required a sacrifice to cover sin since Adam and Eve. Blood had to be spilled for the righteousness of God to be satisfied. When I sin, it costs! But the mercy of God allows a substitute. Some animal died when Adam and Eve sinned, for God covered their nakedness with animal skin. For the Israelites, the substitute could be a dove, sheep or bull. But substitutes were never enough. Pushing the consequences off on another part of creation couldnt pay full price for sin.

But still the punishment for my sin was not put on me. The payment for my sin was not paid by me. God poured the cup of wrath on the only one who could take it. Jesus. Jesus paid for my sin. He took the punishment I deserved.

Grace offered must be acted upon

Believe on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and be saved… Whosoever believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life. To believe is to respond in faithful obedience. John always used that word as a very active word. It was never meant as a mental ascent, but an active receiving that creates obedience in us. There is fruit!

If I offer Bro Billy this gift, I’m saying its his. Not mine, but his. I purchased it, put it in the envelope, brought it to his presence and awareness. But if he never sticks out his hand and takes it, is it really his? Let’s say he leaves it on the pew here...

There will come a day when it is too late

If we dont accept the substitute Jesus offered, we’ll have to receive the punishment sin deserves. On judgement day, grace will not be offered. The righteous God separate the refusers from the believers and send them out of His presence. Not into oblivion or to cease to exist, but to a real place called Hell.

Jesus talked a lot about Hell. He compared it to the Valley of Hinnom, or Gehenna. A dump just outside Jerusalem where trash and even dead bodies were continually burned with fire. He said it was a prison and ‘outer darkness’.

the rich man and Lazarus

Isaiah 14:9 NKJV

“Hell from beneath is excited about you, To meet you at your coming; It stirs up the dead for you, All the chief ones of the earth; It has raised up from their thrones All the kings of the nations.

Isaiah 14:6 ESV

that struck the peoples in wrath with unceasing blows, that ruled the nations in anger with unrelenting persecution.

For you, that day hasnt come yet. It is not too late. As long as you are drawing breath, you have the opportunity to receive the gift.

2 Corinthians 6:2 NKJV

For He says: “In an acceptable time I have heard you, And in the day of salvation I have helped you.” Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.

Your neighbor, husband, child, sister