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There must be true repentance
To the Editor:
When Jesus began His ministry in Galilee His message was "the kingdom of God is at hand: repent and believe the gospel" (Mk. 1:15). Men and women need to repent because of the fall of Adam and the condition of their heart (inner person, the seat of thought and emotion). Since the fall their hearts are "evil continually" (Gen. 6:5; 8:21) and "deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked" (Jer. 17:9). They are born as sinners (Ps. 51:5; 58:3). They are "dead in trespasses and sins" (Eph. 2:1) and "there is none that seek after God" (Rom. 3:11. They are "enmity against God" (Rom. 8:7) and God's enemies (Rom. 5:10). And there is nothing within themselves that they can do to change this (Jer. 13:23; Rom. 8:7).
To access the kingdom of God there must be true repentance. For men or women this can only come about when God changes their heart of stone into a heart of flesh (Ezek. 36:25-28). It comes about by the working of the Holy Spirit (Jn. 3:5-8).
True repentance comes about by a changed heart and brings about a changed mind (Phil. 3:7-9). It brings about a sorrow and hatred for sin (Ezek. 20;43) and the acknowledgment and confession of that sin (Ps. 51:3; 32:5; Rom. 10:10; Jn. 1:9) Those who truly repent churn away from sin (Ezek. 14:6) and turn to the righteousness of God (Phil. 3:4-9). Those who truly repent will have old things pass away and all things become new (Cor. 5:17). True Repentance is always accompanied by saving faith (Matt. 5:4; Isa. 66:2)
Jim Batt
Mexico, PA