The Importance of Repentance

“Then He began to rebuke the cities in which most of His mighty works had been done, because they did not repent.” [1]

Jesus called sinners to repentance. Sin is an evil fruit. It destroys those who partake of it.

Throughout the Old Testament, God called His people to bring animal sacrifices to atone for their sins. Atonement for sin was a key function of the tabernacle and the priesthood.

Sin must be atoned for with blood: “Without shedding of blood there is no remission.” [2]

When Jesus instituted communion, He told His disciples, “This is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.” [3]

Jesus reached out to the last, the least and the lost, but His message to everyone was the same. Sin must be repented of. It must be atoned for. The Old Testament animals sacrifices were a type of His sacrifice, but they were imperfect. They had to be done over and over again. The sacrifice of Christ for our sins was a ONCE-FOR-ALL sacrifice.

Jesus “does not need daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifices, first for His own sins and then for the people’s, for this He did ONCE FOR ALL when He offered up Himself.” [4]

“Not with the blood of goats and calves, but with His own blood He entered the Most Holy Place ONCE FOR ALL, having obtained eternal redemption.” [5]

“...But now, ONCE at the end of the ages, He has appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself.” [6]

“So Christ was offered ONCE to bear the sins of many. To those who eagerly wait for Him He will appear a second time, apart from sin, for salvation.” [7]

“...We have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ ONCE FOR ALL.” [8]

So, Jesus rebuked and pronounced woes over the cities that did not repent. [9] Sin separates people from God. Jesus brings people close to God through the forgiveness of their sins, but proud people rejected this theology of Jesus, which, by the way, is the theology of the Bible.

But to those who come to God on God’s terms, Jesus says, “My yoke is easy, and My burden is light.” [10] Once, sin is atoned for, there is wonderful fellowship with God and with His people.

John Wesley, at the height of the great awakening, preached that people are depraved due to sin and need to be converted by Christ to become new creations. Many sinners found forgiveness and renewal thanks to John’s Holy-Spirit-led and Biblically based preaching. May the Lord bring such preaching to the USA ONCE AGAIN.

[1] Matthew 11:20
[2] Hebrews 9:22
[3] Matthew 26:28
[4] Hebrews 7:27
[5] Hebrews 9:12
[6] Hebrews 9:26
[7] Hebrews 9:28
[8] Hebrews 10:10
[9] Matthew 11:21-24
[10] Matthew 11:30