Call to Repentance
Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized each of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is for you and for your children, and for all who are far off, as many as the Lord our God will call.”
Acts 2:38-39 (CSB)
As the church expanded in the Book of Acts, the apostles preached the gospel and spread Christianity. They shared their experiences with Jesus and conveyed the Gospel message. When people inquired about what to do with this knowledge, the apostles told them to repent. Today, when sharing the Gospel, we must also include a call to repentance.
We shouldn't only talk about Jesus; instead, we should share how we've followed Him. The apostles recounted their experiences, including Christ's miracles, works, and teachings. While they spoke from their personal journeys, their goal was to inspire others to know Jesus as Lord and Savior personally. It's important that our conversations about Jesus also include how people can truly know Him and be known by Him, not just mention His name.
We should not only tell others about the Gospel. Like sharing personal experiences with Jesus, the apostles preached and declared the Gospel. They explained the need for salvation due to sin, the work of Christ on the cross, the victory over death, and the availability of the Gospel to everyone. They shared the Good News but never simply as information. Presenting the Gospel merely as information fails to invite people to experience the transformation that comes from genuinely following Jesus. Our goal is to share the Gospel and also to call people to respond and do something with it.
We need to urge people to repent, just as the apostles did when they called on others to respond to the Gospel. Repentance involves recognizing one's sinful and separated state before God and seeking forgiveness. It is not just about words but a genuine change in life direction. When encouraging repentance, we are essentially inviting individuals to put to death their old self and embrace the new life that is only available through Christ. It is important that this call to repentance arises naturally from sharing the Gospel message.
QUESTIONS
Why must the Gospel never become mere information, but we must strive to have people experience it as transformational?
How would you call someone to repentance? What steps would you encouage them to take?
