Daily Fountain Daily Devotional of the Church Of Nigeria Anglican Communion

The Daily Fountain Daily Devotional of the Church Of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) 2 April 2019 – Repentance, the Missing Step of Salvation

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TOPIC: Repentance, the Missing Step of Salvation

READ: Matthew 3:1-12 King James Version (KJV)

1 In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea,

2 And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.

3 For this is he that was spoken of by the prophet Esaias, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.

4 And the same John had his raiment of camel’s hair, and a leathern girdle about his loins; and his meat was locusts and wild honey.

5 Then went out to him Jerusalem, and all Judaea, and all the region round about Jordan,

6 And were baptized of him in Jordan, confessing their sins.

7 But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism, he said unto them, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come?

8 Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance:

9 And think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham.

10 And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.

11 I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire:

12 Whose fan is in his hand, and he will throughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the garner; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.

THE MESSAGE:

John the Baptist was a voice crying, repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand! He preached repentance. Jesus, in Mark 1:15 says, Repent and believe in the gospel.

In Acts 2:37-38, on the day of Pentecost, Peter preached repentance saying, Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins. Paul also in Acts 20:20-21 said: testifying to Jews, and also to Greeks, repentance toward God and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.
Repentance is one of the great doctrines of the Christian faith. Repentance is the first move of any man in returning to God. Religion is not a substitute for repentance.

Except you repent, you will perish (Luke 13:1-5). Repentance is decision, followed by action. It is not mere emotion. We all need to repent (Isaiah 55:6). We may not have committed immorality or stolen, but we have all turned our own way. The entire human race is guilty of iniquity (rebellion/self-will). Unfortunately, many are confessing faith in Christ without repentance.

The story of the prodigal son is one of the clearest examples of what repentance means (Luke 15:11-24). It is decision followed by action. Note that repentance is not a once-and-for-all thing; the more light comes to us from the word of God, the more we repent to align ourselves with the revealed truth.

Prayer: Father, please open my eyes to areas of my life I must repent of.