User:WhyRepentance
"Except Ye Repent, Ye Shall All Likewise Perish" The Lord Jesus Christ said that …
"Except Ye Repent, Ye Shall All Likewise Perish" The Lord Jesus Christ said that … He is saying: 'This is of utmost importance to you, that you listen - My child (if we are His children- we will listen)- to what I am saying: except you repent, all of you will perish' Let us turn to Luke's gospel, and chapter 13 of the third gospel, and I want to read just five verses with you. There are a few things that the Lord Jesus Christ repeated: Ye must be born again, ye must be born again, ye must be born again. Except a man be born again he cannot see the kingdom of God'. The Lord Jesus Christ said those words, but the words that we're going to look at today He said twice within this same passage of Scripture. Verse 1: "There were present at that season some that told him", the Lord Jesus, "of the Galilaeans, whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. And Jesus answering said unto them, Suppose ye that these Galilaeans were sinners above all the Galilaeans, because they suffered such things? I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish. Or those eighteen, upon whom the tower in Siloam fell, and slew them, think ye that they were sinners above all men that dwelt in Jerusalem? I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish". Let's ask the Lord's help in a word of prayer as we come to His word. Our Father in heaven, we have read your words, and we know that Thy word is truth, that it is the sword of the Spirit, that it cuts the very bone and marrow in two, in fact it divides asunder the Spirit and the Soul and the Body, (joints and marrow) and, that it, the word and/or the Spirit ,(they are the same) 1Jo 5:7 have the power to reprove/convince/convict (John 16:8) the world of sin. But, our Father, we know that the Word without the Spirit is dead. We pray, dear Father God, that the Holy Spirit, Thy Holy Spirit - that power of Pentecost, as it came upon them in that upper room, (HE who lives in us) that this Day it would open our hearts to His word and Truth in this gathering, but Lord that He would also lead men / women to salvation. That He who reproves/convinces/convicts the world of sin, righteousness, and of judgement to come - that He may this day and every day, help us in our walk, and help us to save souls. Lord, teach us we pray, teach us Truth, in Jesus' Christ’s Holy name. Amen. John 16:8 And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: The text I want to bring to you today is found in verse 3 and verse 5 of chapter 13.of Luke’s Gospel . Jesus said it twice in fact and that has to mean something doesn’t it. He said : 'I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish'. We learnt that when Jesus says something it's very important to listen, didn't we? We learnt that when He says something two times - twice, (He repeats Himself here ) we had better listen - remember that this is God in the flesh, the Son of God, and He is bringing His Word to us today, by His Spirit, and He is repeating something to you. He wants you to prick your ears up, He wants your conscience and my conscience to become attentive to what He is saying. He is saying: 'This is of utmost importance to you, that you listen - My child - to what I am saying: except you repent, all of you will perish'! (This of course is to the unsaved- for no one was saved until after His death on the cross and the shedding of His precious blood – and let us not forget.-His resurrection - for after all IF He did not rise from the dead, then we are without hope. Every preacher of the gospel knows that people don't like hearing about repentance, but it's one of the most important subjects in the gospel I know it's not a very popular subject -, but it's one of the most important commands, and oft repeated, in the gospel. You could take a poll, look at the statistics, within our land of all the pulpits where a message is preached from, and ask the question: Do you hear about repentance? The answer is 'No'. Why? Because, sad to say, men are afraid to preach it because people don't like it! ( the fear of Man bringeth a snare ) Sure, you know and I know that men don’t like to bring bad news to a person, do we ? Policemen don’t like to bring bad news about a death in an accident etc etc. But you see the gospel, although it is good news, the beginning of it, for the sinner, is awful news! You see, preachers want to bring a message of happiness, they want to bring a message of a new life, they want to bring a message of salvation, but the word of God teaches that until you realise that you're born in sin, until you / they realise that you/ they are bound for hell, that you've no hope, that God's wrath abides upon your head and upon your soul - and except you repent, you'll all perish! John 3:36 He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him. By way of an interlude, here is something that has really struck a chord in my heart recently , from the prince of preachers , Charles Spurgeon, he says Quote: "To live one hour apart from Christ is to live in infinite peril, since in that hour you may die, and pass beyond the realms of hope" -Charles H. Spurgeon
Verse: "Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation" - 2 Corinthians 6:2
Oh, it's hard to be told you're wrong, isn't it? Oh, sure, you can criticise - and it happens in life, doesn't it? You hear your neighbours, friends etc and they're talking about this one, and that one, and the other one - and sadly it happens in churches that they're backstabbing one another everywhere! I do it and have done it /and still do, Lord forgive me … it has to be stamped out. But what happens when someone comes to you and points the finger at you, yes at you, brothers (and sisters) you don't like it sure you don't? We're all the same, It's human nature. You/me we don't like being told we’re wrong about anything. Oh, it's easy to load the gun for other people, isn't it, and shoot at them?
I remember reading about a young preacher, as he came into a meeting (I have copied it here …) He was walking up the aisle through the back doors - - and as he was walking up the aisle one man stopped him and said: 'Now son, when you're preaching whatever you do when you get into that pulpit don't mention discos'. He says: 'Why ever not?' He says: 'Well, it's a bit sensitive because there's a deacon in this church and his son is running to the discos all the time, and he doesn't like anybody to condemn him or mention it'. He thought: 'Well, I suppose I could steer clear of that'. He walked a little bit more up the aisle and then another deacon stopped him, and said: 'Now, you see when you're preaching? Whatever you do don't mention drink, not drink! Because there are some people in this fellowship and they have shares in the breweries. You know, if you mentioned it or condemned them, or frightened them off, maybe we wouldn't get the revenue in the collection plate week by week. Don't mention wine, because there's some of the congregation - and they're not alcoholics or anything, but they like a wee glass of wine many once a week with their family meal. Just a wee social one. Don't mention Sunday observance, because the Grand Prix is on on a Sunday afternoon. Don't mention that, because they like to watch the match. It's harmless, it means nothing, whatever you do don't mention those things'. The young man, by the time he got to the pulpit, he turned round and he said: 'In heaven's name, what do you want me to preach?' There was a wee voice came up from the back, and he said: 'Give it to the Jews, for there's none of them'.
(Maybe I should mention one of my besetting sins, vulgar /crude speech. Many have tried to reprove me, I pray they don’t give up.)
Is that what we're like? Oh, preach it brother, as long as it doesn't come near me! Hit out against that one and the other one, preach against that sin or this sin, but whatever you do don't preach against MY sin!
You're like David, remember the king, (a man after Gods own heart, the scripture says) and he committed adultery with Bathsheba - a married woman. Then what happened? He knew of his sin, he realised he was going to have to do something about it, and he made sure that woman's husband was murdered - put him on the front line of the battle, made sure he was wiped out. Then, (like you and I ), the one sin grew into another sin and it multiplied, and over and over again and again he found himself in this morass of iniquity and transgression in the face of God. Then one day there was a knock on his door, and the prophet Nathan came to him. He said: 'I've a story to tell you oh King, and you're not going to like it. It's about a poor man and he has no kids, not married. He has a small lamb, a little pet lamb, and he nurses it. It sleeps in the same bed as him, it eats from the same cup as him; it's like his own child. But there's another man, he lives a bit up the road, and he's got plenty of flocks and plenty of sheep. He has a great farm and barns, he's wealthy; he's got everything going for him. One day there was a visitor coming to this rich man, and do you know what he did? He went down to the little known poor man, and he took the poor man's lamb and he killed it and roasted it! He prepared it and he served it for the traveller for his meal'. David says: 'Tell me who he is, and I'll sort him out. I'm not going to have that in my kingdom'. You know the story, then Nathan – (I can see him now) - turned round to the King, and he could have lost his head for it, he pointed his finger and he said: 'You are that man'.
Oh, it's different when it comes near home, isn't it? It's different. Oh, make me a preacher, Lord, like John the Baptist. Make us all followers of Christ, like John the Baptist - not a fear of man in any of the bones of his body. He lost his head, you remember. Do you remember why he lost his head? Because he stood in front of the king, King Herod, and he loaded his gospel gun with the seventh commandment: 'Thou shalt not commit adultery' - this old king had gone off with his brother's wife. He pointed it at the old Herod and he fired it, and he lost his life for it. My friends, there's a cost in preaching repentance - and can I say this from the depth of my soul, and I mean this before God, if it costs your praise upon this preacher, well, that's a big price to pay but I'm going to pay it. For unless you realise that you need to repent of your sin, (for the unsaved they must believe they are sinners and therefore are in dire need of a Saviour) they must repent and turn to God through Jesus Christ alone, (john 14 v 6) for He said: 'Except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish' .and for the saved, (us), we here in this gathering, and any other true believers gatherings, we must repent and ask God for forgiveness for our manifold sins
1John 1:8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
1John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.
It's the message that Jesus Christ the Son of God preached! As soon as His mouth was opened in His ministry on earth He said: 'Except ye repent, all of you will likewise perish'
You know, Paul preached the gospel of repentance - not just Jesus, but Paul preached it. There's a story I read about a minister, and he used to go to what's called a minister's fraternal –(I used to go to them) and there's nothing wrong with that.
All the ministers of the district met and talked and sometimes one or the other gave an address to the others. They used to exchange notes and ideas about their pet doctrines, and they were all sitting round one day and the meeting was over. He went home, and he went to his bed. As he was lying there in his sleep he had a dream, and he saw into the next week of when they were in the ministers fraternal. They were all dressed in their long robes and garbs, and with their fancy books - they were all sitting round, and all of a sudden Paul, Paul the apostle, burst in the door! His hair was dishevelled, his face was scarred and he was limping. He had a bruised arm and a black eye. He looked around the circle and he said: 'Where, men, in God's name have you been preaching?'.
You see, when you preach repentance, mostly to the unsaved, and that will be my point here today, you will suffer for it. That's maybe why you'll hear a message here this day that you may not like. Well you're going to hear me say things today about repentance- because it's the message that Jesus Christ the Son of God preached! In His ministry on earth He said: 'Except ye repent, all of you will likewise perish'. My Point is that I/ we must preach repentance, to the unsaved, for it leads people to be saved. And we must preach repentance to the saved as it leads people to turn their hearts back to Him
Why do people not repent today? Why is it not preached? Why is there a fear of man? Do you know why? Because repentance is admitting that you're wrong. Wrong in your outlook and your world view as Ken Ham so aptly puts it. If you look at this passage you'll see in verses 1 to 5 that the Jews came to the Lord Jesus Christ and they cited two things that were happening around the environment of where Jesus was living at this time. They were all talking about it, it was in the newspapers, they were gossiping about it: 'Did you hear what happened to the Galileans? They were sacrificing in the temple, and Pilate sent his troops in and he slew those people worshipping God, and they mingled the blood with the sacrifice! What an abomination unto God! Blasphemous! Did you hear what they did? Do you know what was behind the Jews thinking? Their theology, I think, in part, whether written down or only in their mind, was this: that if something terrible happens to you, oh, you must be sinful. So they deduced - they put two and two together and made five - they deduced: 'These people must be awful sinners for something to happen like that'. Then they said: 'What about those of whom the tower of Siloam fell? They must have been doing something in secret that only God knew about'. It's all told in the story about the blind man - do you remember that blind person? The Jews came up to the Lord Jesus Christ and said: 'What did his parents do that he's been born blind?' Jesus answered and said he had done nothing wrong and neither had his parents .There are so many in the world like that, aren't there? 'If you're in trouble it's because of sin'. Jesus Christ was drawing all of humanity together and saying there's no difference - whether it be a King, whether it be a pauper - no matter who is born into this world: except they repent, they'll all perish!
That is the clear message of our Great God and Saviour to this world, from the beginning to the end of scripture, that without the true God of Heaven and earth, the only God, creator of all things, (Exodus 20 : 11 and many other scriptures) there is NO salvation. Read Acts 4 : 12
Acts 4:12 Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.
Ex 20:11 For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day, and hallowed it.
The greatest sin is the denial that there IS a God, and that He IS the creator of all things, and that He came into this world as a man, in the person of The Lord Jesus Christ, and showed us who He was and is, and to be the sacrifice for us. The propitiation for our sin.
Ro 3:25 Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; 1Jo 2:2 And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.
1Jo 4:10 Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. But do you see the thing that the Lord was trying to get across to them? Listen: 'You're running around the district and you're talking about this awful thing that has happened with the Galileans and the tower of Siloam. You're looking at the awful calamity and you're saying: 'They must be awful sinners', but I say unto you except ye all repent, you'll all likewise perish. Don't you think for one moment that they're worse off than you are, that because this accident has happened to them that they're a bigger sinner than you are'. Jesus Christ was drawing, like a curtain, all of the people together and saying there's no difference - whether it be a King, whether it be a pauper as I said before - no matter who is born into this world: except they repent, they'll all perish! This is what I want to hone in on. In this world today most people, I believe do not think they are sinners/ or in sin. They go about having their own righteousness, Ro 10:3 For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God. Php 3:9 And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith: 1Pe 2:24 Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed. Did you know that? You must repent. I want to tell you that repentance isn't just knowing you're wrong - sure there are plenty of people that know they're wrong. This is something that must happen by the Holy Spirit of God, He must come into your life, He must open the eyes of my/our understanding, He must show you/I that you/I need Christ, that you/I need to turn from your sin. There are those people that know they're wrong, and they're carrying on in their wrongness and their sinfulness - but they won't ever stop it or repent. There are some people, you know, and they can't lay their head on the pillow at night, because they know they're wrong. They've wronged their husband or wife or their children their boss or whoever, they've known the many things that they've done in their past and it destroys them, it tortures them - but they've no intention of repenting. One day they will be thrown into the mouth of hell knowing that they were wrong, but never repenting! I want to tell you that repentance isn't knowing you're wrong - sure there are plenty of people that know they're wrong, it’s about DOING something about it It's more than being sorry. Oh, you can know you're wrong, but it's more than being sorry that you've done wrong as well. Paul says: 'Godly sorrow worketh repentance'. 2Co 7:10 For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death You can be sorry about something, but it might never turn into godly sorrow that makes you repent, that makes you turn away from your sin for good - leave it, trust Christ and His cross, and be saved. Think of a prisoner, you go down to a prison and you talk to one, sure they're all sorry, aren't they? But what are they sorry for? They're sorry that they got caught! They're very remorseful, but because the long arm of the law has caught them red-handed, that's what they're sorry about. Very few would really be sorry for what they have done. I have a relative like that, someone who went to jail, who was even approached by the Christian man, the husband of the woman he had killed in a drunken drug intoxicated accident, in which it was reported that he said he would see who he could ”take out”, the Christian man said I forgive you, but I would like you to say you are sorry, “ he wouldn`t He instead said the lady (a Christian) was an oxygen thief, See what I mean. You go into intensive care to a man/woman who has been rushed in all of a sudden in an emergency, or his/her doctor has just diagnosed him/her, and their liver is shrivelled up because of their drinking – It’s called alcoholism. You look at them lying there in pain, poisoned, and they are crying out, they say: 'I wish I hadn't done this'. But what are they sorry about? They are sorry about the consequences – ( I had an ex brother in law who died recently after exactly this, with a leg and a half missing first) but if they got better tomorrow, where would you find them? In the Bar again. I have just heard about another man just like that, he was told that if he gave up the drink, he could go on the list for a liver transplant, apparently he started to, but then has since turned back. What about the young person that's sleeping around? They get a venereal disease - are they sorry for the illicit sex? Are they? Or are they sorry for the illness it has brought? What about the bloke that gets his girlfriend pregnant? You've heard all about it, it's all over the television and papers - and he's sorry, what's he sorry for? Is he sorry that he's defiled this young girl's innocence? Not a bit of it! He's sorry that his plans are destroyed, and something is going to have to come out of his pocket, and he hasn't got a job - and that's why the whole world, and even their own family, tells them: 'Get an abortion! Get rid of it quick! It'll destroy your life!' It will cost too much, destroy your freedom and liberty etc. (And that’s another subject. The wilful killing of an innocent child) another plan of satan for human sacrifice. What about homosexuality, well let’s not get me started on that one. When they are all cast into the lake of fire, that bottomless pit, will they repent then? I don’t think so ! The bible says no! Many will curse God, in whom they did not, in this life, believe Let me tell you I can speak from real life experience, I lost a wife and my family because of adultery and anger etc, thank God that at least I found Him, or He found me, and drew me unto Himself. Praise His Holy name forever. and that I was brought to real repentance re that issue. Let me tell you satan never gives up. 1Pe 5:8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: Another very powerful and so true statement was made by the Lord Jesus Christ Himself as recorded in Johns gospel ch 10 Joh 10:10 The thief ( satan) cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly
My friends, knowing you're wrong is not repentance, being sorry about it is not repentance - and let me say this: even confessing your sin is not repentance! You've heard of deathbed conversions, and sometimes the world - people that aren't saved - are sceptical about it. You know, to tell you the truth, I'm sceptical about it - some of them -many of them. Because I think many a man or woman lying on their deathbed, who have probably lived a life probably under the sound of the Gospel and/or through a church even, and has said: 'Well, I'll wait till I'm on my deathbed and then I'll cry to God for mercy'.or I`ll get the preist to bless me,(Catholicism)( I have had a man say exactly that to me) Do you know what they're sorry for? Not their sin, no,- now they're sorry that they're dying. It's a fear of death! Don't you ever, whatever you do, wait till you dying - because you might be lying on your deathbed, and you might have a pain in your chest, or cancer oozing across your whole body, and you think that you're crying unto God - but you can't differentiate from what is repentance and what is the fear of death! You will be in confusion…listen the Word of God says God is not the author of confusion. 1Co 14:33 For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints.1
"Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation" - 2 Corinthians 6:2 Don't make that confusion for yourself whatever you do. I will remind you again of that statement by the “prince of preachers” Quote: "To live one hour apart from Christ is to live in infinite peril, since in that hour you may die, and pass beyond the realms of hope" -Charles H. Spurgeon
It's amazing how men can be as pious as a pope when they're on the way out, isn't it? You might even confess your sin this evening, and some are too proud even to confess it - do you know how hard it is to get an alcoholic to admit that they are an alcoholic? Sure, that's what AA are always trying to do( I don’t agree with AA by the way) It’s the gospel which is the POWER of God to salvation . The word salvation carries with it the meaning also of deliverance, that would count for deliverance from the lies of satan and his demons, through the power of the Holy Spirit who would then be dwelling in us, and through sanctification by the Word, through the Word,
Ro 12:1
¶ I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of
God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.
Ro 12:2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God
Why, because through the fear of God men depart from evil, that is any besetting sin.
Pr 16:6
By mercy and truth iniquity is purged: and by the fear of the LORD men depart from evil.
They say that you've taken the first step when you say: 'I am and I'm an alcoholic'. Why? Why is it so hard to do? Because deep in the heart of men and women, and boys and girls, there's a thing called pride: 'Everybody in the world can be wrong, but I'm not wrong - not me!'.
Pr 16:18 Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.
Are you repentant of your sin, my friend? Have you repented? That means this: that you have left off from from your sin - and you know what I'm talking about, the person beside you doesn't know what it is, sure they don't? But you know, and God knows – Heb 4:13 Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do. Have you turned around from it? Have you admitted in your heart, your iniquity, your sin, In relation to who He is and what He has done for us, in fact for the whole world. That is His incarnation, his death and His resurrection, and your denial of that fact, and made a real decision to turn from it. That's what repentance means: to turn away, to forsake it and say: 'I’ve left that, Lord, and I'm turning to You. I'm making a decision to live my life for You Lord, To believe in my heart and confess with my mouth that Jesus Christ is Lord and Saviour, I am I want to make Him- you Lord Jesus, the Lord of my life. take me Lord , “try me now and see. See if I can be completely yours.' As the words of a song I know suggests. - have you done that? For my friends, if you have not done that, in relation to Eternal life with God Himself in heaven, you will perish - I don't care what your name is, I don't care what church you go to, I don't care if you take communion, you've been baptised - I don't care, because Jesus didn't care! He said: 'Except you repent, you'll all perish'! What does it mean? What do you have to do? Well, here's the beauty of it -, do you know what the next thing is you have to do? Nothing, nothing! Nothing that is except, believe the gospel, Ac 16:30 And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved? Ac 16:31 And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house. Ro 1:16 ¶ For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. 2Co 1:9 But we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God which raiseth the dead: 2Co 1:10 Who delivered us from so great a death, and doth deliver: in whom we trust that he will yet deliver us That's the second thing that hurts the pride of men and women - not just that they're a sinner, but that they can do nothing to get themselves out of it. You say: but you've just been telling us all to repent or we'll all perish!' My friends, you can only repent today, if you turn from your sin –and as we know from scripture, that we can and should continually turn from sin: who are you turning to? What have you to turn from? You could turn to yourself, you could turn to a church, you could go into a convent or into a monastery and turn to religion - but, you see, the only person that can help you, the only person that can save you is if you turn from your sin and turn to Christ! He's done it all you see. It's finished, Jesus said on the cross, “it is finished”. 1Ti 2:4 Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth. 1Ti 2:5 For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;
Jesus, you remember, was hanging on the cross - and men put Him there, and the word of God says your sin put Him there. As He hung there they were many beautiful things that dropped from His lips, and one of the things was this: He lifted His head high, He opened His mouth, and those lungs that had borne the weight of the sin of the world cried out, 'Tetelestai! It is finished!'. That means that everything that you need to be saved has been done, that Jesus Christ died for you at the cross, that He took your place, that He bore your sin, that He went through your punishment - all that you need to be saved has been done - but, my friend, you've got to realise that you need it, and you need the Holy Spirit to reveal that to you - and I would like to believe that He's doing it for some of you now. The Holy Spirit is doing it because you're dead in your sins and trespasses. ( those who are not saved) Eph 2:1 And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; Col 2:13 And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses; .If it please, God, that the Holy Spirit would come to you and turn your eyes to Calvary to see there the bleeding Lamb of God, that you may behold the Lamb of God that taketh away your sin! My friend this evening, if you don't you'll perish. Joh 1:29 The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world. Joh 1:36 And looking upon Jesus as he walked, he saith, Behold the Lamb of God!
Do you see that word 'perish'? Do you know what it means? Eternal death, not eternal life, with God in Heaven .But it is separation from A holy God in being cast into hell where there is torment day and night forever.
Re 14:11 And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name. Re 20:10 And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.
Do you see that word 'perish'? Do you? Joh 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. Joh 3:17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. Joh 3:18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
you know what it means? Eternal death. Not just death - you know these people that tell you that once you're dead you're done for, your “dead like a dog” whatever that really means in their unbelieving hearts: 'Your life is like a candle and it's great when it's burning away but don't worry about after that - it'll go out and that's the end of it. You die like a dog, and you'll be buried and rot in the grave – there is no afterlife, you don't go anywhere – it is a LIE a lot of nonsense!'. My friends, many so-called Christian churches are preaching that –(SDA`s for example), but the Greek word for 'perish', do you know what it means? 'Eternal death'. Separation from the Holy and only true God.
You'll go home today maybe you're taping something on the television, are you? You'll go home, maybe it's a football match, and you'll switch it on, you'll put the tape in and you'll press play. You'll see a goal when it's scored, and maybe you missed a bit of it, or you didn't see the lead up - so you rewind it and you play it again. You think: 'That's terrific!', and you rewind it and you play it again, over and over again and again and again. That’s the thought I want to convey here today ,'perish' means: you'll die over again and again and again, but you'll not be able to die finally. It will be an eternal hell over and over, again and again and again - and you'll not be able to stop it. It is given unto man once, YES I SAID ONCE TO DIE . In the flesh that is . you die once in the flesh only. ( of course scripture also reveals that we died spiritually in Adam in the garden of Eden, ) Ro 5:12 Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:1 Ro 5:20 Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound: Heb 9:27 And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment
Half the world, no most of the world, are fearing dying - but they shouldn't be fearing dying, ( I know people like that, that are dear to me, very dear,) they should be fearing eternal death, and perishing! They should be fearing not what- or who, will take the body and throw it in the grave, but who will take the soul and throw it into hell –Almighty God! The true and only righteous judge of heaven and earth.
Do you fear God? It's a hard thing to come by these days, fearing God. Do you fear meeting your Maker after you die? Are you prepared to meet your God? Are you prepared to look Him straight in the eye and say: 'Well, I did alright you know. I tried my best and I went to my church, and I gave into the collection and it's all written down with the amount beside it. I was baptised and catechised, and I was this, that and the other'? bla bla bla …. Look, simply what I am saying is, Unless you repent of your sin, your sin of unbelief, in Christ and God, unless you turn to Christ, an answer from the sky is sent: 'Ye who from God depart: while it is called today: repent and harden not your heart'. Jesus said in Luke 23 that there is a day coming when men and women will call out for the mountains and the rocks to fall upon them. They'll cry out for mercy to God because they'll realise that Jesus has come again and it's too late now to repent, they can't do it There'll be hundreds of people and they'll all fall on their knees and they'll cry to God: 'Lord, you said in your word whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. Lord, save me, save me now' - but it's too late! There are millions of penitents in hell today Think of the rich man and what happened to him after death, Jesus told us about him, he was a real person, not a story. If you could look into hell, and if God could open it up for us for five minutes - or for a few seconds - and look in: you would see men and women reciting prayers that they learnt at the foot of a Sunday School teacher! They'll be reciting the catechism or whatever and whatever would remind them of what it is to repent of sin! They'll be crying for mercy upon God, that He may pour the blood of Christ over them to wash them and loose them of their sin - but it's too late! What are you going to do? Are you going to wait? Jesus says that on that day Nineveh - have you heard of Nineveh? You know Jonah and the whale, and Jonah was sent to preach to these people in Nineveh -, but when they heard the Gospel, (God was calling them to repent) through the prophet of God they repented , yes they repented. That was a mighty move of God. If I preach this in the future, there will be people, (oh they`ve heard it all their life )- my friends, they will reject Christ, and for not repenting and turning to Him, The Lord Jesus Christ Himself said that those poor souls from Nineveh will rise up one day and say: 'You're a fool! You heard it about 2000 times, 60 years or more perhaps, and you rejected Christ and look where you are now!'.
To those outside of my hearing right now who may read this sermon or have it read to them,
Will you repent and be saved? I am trying to convey that there is really an absolute need to turn to God and to turn away from the world , that repentance is indeed part of the drawing of Christ to himself, Joh 12:32 And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, I will draw all men unto me. 1Jo 5:4 For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. 1Jo 5:5 Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God? Joh 15:19 If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you. Jas 2:5 Hearken, my beloved brethren, Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him?1 1Jo 2:15 Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 1Jo 3:1 Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not. As we admit that we are all sinners, and that as the scriptures clearly show, as we search the depths of our evil and deceiptful hearts, and we admit truthfully that we have sinned before a Holy God, then we would also need to admit that it requires a turning away from our sin/s (which so easily beset us}and a turning to Him . It absolutely requires a repentance from sin of one sort or another . the greatest sin is unbelief. 17:9 The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it? Ro 3:23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; Ro 5:12 Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned. You need to ask the Lord to save you, you need to admit your sin - not just be sorry for it, but you need to turn away from it ( repent) and be willing to leave it for good Let's bow our heads. Will you strip off those things that are weighing you down, my friend? Will you repent of your sin? For except you repent, you'll perish. You need to ask the Lord to save you, ( if saved, then to deliver you from the enemy and his snares) you need to admit your sin - not just be sorry for it, but you need to turn away from it and be willing to leave behind. You need to see Jesus Christ shedding His blood there at Calvary, and you need to say: 'Lord, I trust You, that Your death finished it all for me there'. You need to ask Him to take your life, and to save you and make you His own, or in the case of the already saved, you need to come before Him in Holy Communion, and search your heart, asking as king David did, “….and see if there be any wicked way in me…. .” You can do it now where you sit, or lie or stand, just lift your heart to Him. Open your heart to the wooing of His loving Holy Spirit. Ps 139:23 Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: Ps 139:24 And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. If you have done that, the word of God says that we are to confess with our mouth Jesus Christ as Lord - why not tell me or someone else if you hear this message elsewhere. If you want to talk to me about your soul, there's something stopping you but you want to get saved, or delivered from something that is troubling you, talk to me. - I'll be here for as long as you want. If you're a backslider, and you want to come back to the Lord, do something! Speak to Me/us, but whatever you do: repent. I have books on this subject and many sermons from many preachers. you can get one of them if you ask me . If you even just want to sit where you are in your seat, draw no attention to yourself, do that and I will come to speak to you. Listen …please Listen… For except you repent, you WILL perish. I don’t want that, most of all Almighty God Himself does not want that, He has done everything He can to save mankind. He did it on the cross at Calvary. Please please Repent and be saved.
Our Greatest Need If our greatest need had been information, God would have sent us an educator. If our greatest need had been technology, God would have sent us a scientist. If our greatest need had been money, God would have sent us an economist. If our greatest need had been pleasure, God would have sent us an entertainer. But our greatest need was forgiveness, so God sent us a Saviour. Repent and repentance verses in the new testament
Mt 3:2 And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. Mt 4:17 From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. Mr 1:15 And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel. Mr 6:12 And they went out, and preached that men should repent. Lu 13:3 I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish. Lu 13:5 I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish. Lu 16:30 And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent. Lu 17:3 Take heed to yourselves: If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him; and if he repent, forgive him. Lu 17:4 And if he trespass against thee seven times in a day, and seven times in a day turn again to thee, saying, I repent; thou shalt forgive him. Ac 2:38 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. Ac 3:19 Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord; Ac 8:22 Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee. Ac 17:30 And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent: Ac 26:20 But shewed first unto them of Damascus, and at Jerusalem, and throughout all the coasts of Judaea, and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, and do works meet for repentance. 2Co 7:8 For though I made you sorry with a letter, I do not repent, though I did repent: for I perceive that the same epistle hath made you sorry, though it were but for a season. Heb 7:21 (For those priests were made without an oath; but this with an oath by him that said unto him, The Lord sware and will not repent, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec:)1 21. 1. without...: or, without swearing of an oath Re 2:5 Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent. Re 2:16 Repent; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth. Re 2:21 And I gave her space to repent of her fornication; and she repented not. Re 2:22 Behold, I will cast her into a bed, and them that commit adultery with her into great tribulation, except they repent of their deeds. Re 3:3 Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee. Re 3:19 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.
Repentance
Mt 3:8 Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance:1 8. 1. meet...: or, answerable to amendment of life Mt 3:11 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: Mt 9:13 But go ye and learn what that meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance. Mr 1:4 John did baptize in the wilderness, and preach the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins.2 4. 2. for: or, untoMr 2:17 When Jesus heard it, he saith unto them, They that are whole have no need of the physician, but they that are sick: I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance. Lu 3:3 And he came into all the country about Jordan, preaching the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins; Lu 3:8 Bring forth therefore fruits worthy of repentance, and begin 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.3 8. 3. worthy of: or, meet for Lu 5:32 I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance. Lu 15:7 I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance. Lu 24:47 And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. Ac 5:31 Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins. Ac 11:18 When they heard these things, they held their peace, and glorified God, saying, Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life. Ac 13:24 When John had first preached before his coming the baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel. Ac 19:4 Then said Paul, John verily baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people, that they should believe on him which should come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus. Ac 20:21 Testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ. Ac 26:20 But shewed first unto them of Damascus, and at Jerusalem, and throughout all the coasts of Judaea, and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, and do works meet for repentance. Ro 2:4 Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance? Ro 11:29 For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance. 2Co 7:9 Now I rejoice, not that ye were made sorry, but that ye sorrowed to repentance: for ye were made sorry after a godly manner, that ye might receive damage by us in nothing.4 9. 4. after...: or, according to God 2Co 7:10 For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death. 2Ti 2:25 In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth; Heb 6:1 Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God,5 1. 5. principles...: or, word of the beginning of Heb 6:6 If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame. Heb 12:17 For ye know how that afterward, when he would have inherited the blessing, he was rejected: for he found no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears.6 17. 6. place...: or, way to change his mind 2Pe 3:9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
Though Repentance is a necessary ingredient to Salvation, Salvation itself is a free gift. For further insights into Salvation by Grace check out this page. [[ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:GraceAloneNotWorks]]