It’s Time to Repent and Believe | Mark 1:14–15

14 Now after John was arrested, 
Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of God, 
15 and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; 
repent and believe in the gospel.”

Whenever a preacher gets to application, he can sometimes find himself trouble.  This was the case with John the Baptist, who was arrested after calling on Herod Antipas to repent of his marriage illicit marriage (cf. 6:17–19).   Nonetheless, John the Baptist was resolute: people need repentance and Christ.

This was also Jesus’s message, for “repent and believe” are the first two commands that Mark records Him saying.  The imperatives here are plural, extended to everyone; we could say today that Christ’s commands are y’all repent and y’all believe.  All those with sin-stained souls, turn in your hearts from your sins to God and believe in the good news of Christ. 

These acts of faith are essential to everyone’s salvation.  As Isaiah 55:7 says, “[L]et the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the LORD, that he may have compassion on him, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.”  One must abandon the futile ways of sin and self, turning around to find treasure in the Lord.  One must place trust in Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God, to find the stain and guilt of sin removed. 

Jesus said that the time is fulfilled.  In Acts 17:30, we read, “The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent.”  This is the time to repent, and it’s also the time to trust in the work that God started.  Gal 4:4–5—“But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, 5 to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons.”


God is going to restore His kingdom (Rv 22).  To be a citizen of the kingdom, you must humble yourself before Him.  Don’t assume you’re okay, and don’t try to impress God with good works.  Repent and believe the gospel He provides in Christ.  And when you sin, continue in repentance and believing in the good news, knowing that there’s forgiveness and cleansing in Christ (1 John 1:9).

Popular posts from this blog

RE: "Pastor Dayna Muldoon EXPOSED"

Image
It enough to make your heart ache.  "Pastor" Dayna Muldoon  has been pitching her tent in Florida, and like Todd Bentley before , false claims to miracles, healing, and prophecies litter her campsites. This video of a Calvary Chapel pastor exposing her as a false prophet has been appearing in various places, and its been uploaded to YouTube multiple times.  Even Todd Friel got animated about this , and nothing gets him hyper. Here's the deal: Muldoon set up her tent-meetings right down the road from Calvary Chapel St. Petersburg , peeking the interests of many attending the church.  When they listened to the message she presented, however, they found it not to be the Gospel, but instead the typical narcissistic message of health and blessings from God. This is coming from a Calvary Chapel crew, folks that are typically non-cessationists themselves.  Many churches, including this particular Calvary Chapel , host after-glow services where one expects similar claims
Click to read more...

Was Rebekah a child when she married Isaac?

Did Isaac marry a three-year-old?  If you've never pondered this question, it's because nothing in the straightforward reading of the text would suggest that Rebekah was a toddler or that their marriage was arranged. Even so, a couple of verses out of context could be used by skeptics to prove anything.  While perusing the web for a related topic, however, I found a thread stating that the Bible isn't against the raping of children .  The cited evidence was this issue, the claim being that Isaac engaged in pedophilia. The question comes from the fact that Genesis 22:23 announces the birth of Rebekah after the binding of Isaac.  Tradition states that Isaac was then thirty-seven, and Scripture says that the two wed when Isaac was forty (Gn 25:20).  Hence, Isaac robbed the cradle. The whole theory is fraught with assumptions, the primary being that Scripture never records a age marker for Rebekah.  Further complicating the matter, however, is Jewish tradition, which spe
Click to read more...

MacArthur: Calvinism in a Nutshell

Image
From YouTube: Calvinism (Also know by Doctrines of Grace or Reformed theology) John MacArthur use Romans 8:28-30 as main text. The five points of calvinism are Total depravity (total inability), Unconditional election, Limited atonement (Also called particular redemption or definite atonement), Irresistible grace (also called efficacious grace), and Perseverance of the saints. Full sermon http://www.gty.org/resources/sermons/90-427 Romans 8:28, "And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren. And these whom He predestined, He also called. And these whom He called, He also justified. And these whom He justified, He also glorified."
Click to read more...