“And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. And ye are witnesses of these things” (Luke 24:47,48).
The above commandment is a part of Christ’s Great Commission, and it is important to note that “repentance” was to be preached along with “remission of sins,” both of them “in His name.” The fact that “repentance . . . in His name” is essentially synonymous with “believing in Him,” is evident from Peter’s message to the Gentiles in Cornelius’ home: “Through His name whosoever believeth in Him shall receive remission of sins” (Acts 10:43).
Repentance and faith are like two sides of the same coin; one cannot exist without the other. True repentance (the transformation of one’s mind in its entire attitude toward God, submitting to His sovereign holiness and hatred of sin) is essentially synonymous with true faith (full commitment to, and trust in, the person and work of God’s Son as one’s Creator, Redeemer, and personal Savior).
The problem is that what has become known as “easy believism” is widespread among Christian “soul winners,” and multitudes have become “professing Christians,” simply on the basis of a mental and verbal, least-common denominator “statement of faith,” and/or some kind of “conversion experience,” all of which are meaningless without genuine repentance. Repeating a prayer at the end of a gospel tract does not save, if it consists merely of words.
Repentance is not merely sorrow for past sins, but a complete change of mind, and this can only be proved real (even to the believer himself) by a changed life. Both Jews and Gentiles “should repent and turn to God, and do works meet for repentance” (Acts 26:20), and this should be paramount in our witnessing as well. HMM
