What Is Repentance Unto Life?
Repentance unto life is synonymous with another term that we use frequently. Today, I shall explore, that synonym and what is repentance unto life, and how to achieve it?
After Cornelius and his household had received the word of God the apostles and brethren in Judea were in amazement and asked each other, then had God also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life? Acts 11:18.
Repentance unto life means anyone who has repented and turned to the Lord God will enjoy eternal life with Him.
However, it’s the remission of sins which makes eternal life with Christ possible.
And this I shall explain shortly.
Since Jesus Christ ascended into heaven, his disciples had not been preaching much to the Gentiles.
With the solitary exception of Samaria, the disciples had been preaching to Jews only. Additionally, the Samaritans are part Jews.
If you prefer to watch the video of this Bible Study, click this link!
Could We Enjoy Remission of Sins Without Repentance?
Therefore, repentance unto life means the same thing as the remission of sins. Another way to express this phrase is repentance to eternal life.
This would mean the identical thing, mainly, because we have repented we will enjoy eternal life with Christ!
But, there is no remission of sins without repentance.
Last week, I showed you how the Lord sent Simon Peter to preach to Cornelius and his household, but they were all Gentiles.
Yet, they received and believed the word that Peter preached and received the remission of sins. Then, the brethren in Judea heard that they had received the Word of God.
Under ordinary circumstances, we would have expected them to be happy for them. But happiness was the farthest thing from their hearts.
Did They Pray Any Repent Prayer?
This reaction is different from the one they exhibited when they heard that Samaria had received the word of God.
According to Dr. Luke:
“Now when the apostles which were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent unto them Peter and John.”
Acts 8:14
Observe in both cases, Samaria and Cornelious, that nobody prayed any “repent prayer”! What is that?
Folks, I want you to be very careful when accepting information on the Internet. It’s replete with garbage. Repent prayer or the prayer of repentance is one of them.
We cannot make any prayers and repent. People who postulate this know nothing about repentance.
How Did The Church Respond When They Heard The Gentiles Received Repentance Unto Life?
Keep in mind, that the Samaritans are part Jews and not fully Gentiles. So they sent assistance to Philip in the persons of Apostle Peter and John.
This tells us that they approve of them receiving the Word of God and that they were somewhat happy at them being saved.
How did they react when they heard that God had granted repentance unto life, to a Gentile, that is, Cornelius, his household, and many of his close friends?
They certainly didn’t display any signs of happiness and they sent no assistance to Peter. Apostle Luke tells us how they reacted.
He says:
“And the apostles and brethren that were in Judea, heard that the Gentiles had also received the word of God.”
Acts 11:1
He continues,
Acts 11:2
“Now when Peter was come to Jerusalem they that were of the circumcision contended with him.”
So, instead of rejoicing and giving thanks that more people had entered the kingdom of God, they fought with him.
Traditions Vs. Repentance Unto Life
Last week, I looked at Peter and six other brethren going to Cornelius’ house. He preached the gospel to them and the Holy Ghost fell on them, then they baptized them.
This week is a follow-up to that.
The brethren in Judea, and Jerusalem, heard this and their reaction is very similar to that of religious folks of today.
What did they argue with Peter about? The Bible said they contended with him, this means that they argued with him, they fought with him verbally.
What did they say? They said:
“… Thou wentest in to men uncircumcised, and didst eat with them.”
Acts 11:3
Leaders Wanted Proof – Peter’s Explanation
In other words, Peter visited unclean people and ate with them. He went into their homes and ate with them.
We’re talking about salvation here and we are talking about Christians.
This is how Christians, Apostles, and Brethren, saved people are reacting when they should be saying, “oh my God, thank you, Jesus, these guys got saved.
They were arguing about traditions. Could you see how religious these Christians were?
Instead of them celebrating that others have repented and entered into the kingdom of God, they were concerned with traditions.
Because that’s all that it is, religious traditions, that were handed down to them by their ancestors.
The situation was so toxic that Peter had to supply a full explanation before they were appeased.
They weren’t just taking his word for it, so he had to give them the whole bill and receipt before they felt contented.
Peter Came Prepared!
Acts 11:4
“But Peter rehearsed the matter from the beginning and expounded it by order unto them [and this is how he did it] saying.”
Act 11:5
“I was in the city of Joppa praying: [I did a Bible study on this too and a link is in the description below] and in a trance I saw a vision, a certain vessel descend, as it had been a great sheet, let down from heaven by four corners; and it came even to me:”
Acts 4:6
“Upon the which when I had fastened mine eyes, I considered, and saw fourfooted beasts of the earth, and wild beasts, and creeping things, and fowls of the air,”
“And I heard a voice saying unto me, Arise, Peter; slay and eat,”
Acts 4:7
Act 4:8
But I said, Not so, Lord: for nothing common or unclean hath at any time entered into my mouth.
Then Hath God Also To The Gentiles Granted Repentance Unto Life?
And the Spirit bade me go with them, nothing doubting. Moreover, these six brethren accompanied me, and we entered into the man’s house.” Acts 11:12.
And he showed us how he had seen an angel in his house, which stood and said unto him, Send men to Joppa, and call for Simon, whose surname is Peter.
Who shall tell thee words, whereby though and all thy house shall be saved. Acts 11:14.
And as I began to speak, the Holy Ghost fell on them, as on us at the beginning.” Acts 11:15.
And this beginning he’s talking about is in Acts 2, the day of Pentecost.
“Then remembered I the word of the Lord, how that he said, John indeed baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost.
“Forasmuch then as God gave them the like gift as he did unto us, who believed on the Lord Jesus Christ; what was I, that I could withstand God?
“When they heard these things, they held their peace, and glorified God, saying, Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life.” Acts 11: 18.
Repentance Unto Life Is Not This!
So, repentance unto life is not this! Many contemporary Christians say that repentance is a change of mind. They hold this persuasion because they received a word that has no basis in the Bible.
Thus, they cannot enjoy repentance unto life as Cornelius as and his family and close friends, because, their faith is misguided and misplaced.
We can only benefit from the Word of God if we believe it. If we believe the word from some other sources, it will not impart the power of God and salvation to us.
Because it’s not coming from Him.
To receive repentance unto life, that is the remission of sin, we must accept and believe only the true Word of God.
The Meaning Of Remission Of Sins
The remission of sins means the removal of them. It is not about the forgiveness of sins.
It is the removal and it’s the blood of Jesus that removed the sin of Adam and the sins of the world from us.
So that we have the remission of sins.
The Bible said without the shedding of blood there is no remission of sin, that’s removal not forgiveness, removal of sins.
Prayer of Repentance & Eternal Life With Christ!
To receive repentance unto life, that is the remission of sin, we must accept and believe only the true word of God.
If we believe anything besides the true Word of God, we have no remission and we have no salvation.
Sins still abide with us and we are unsaved. We remain unsaved, mainly because there is no power in anyone else, except in Jesus Christ.
Salvation is only through Jesus Christ. Salvation is not in any other person or being, only through Jesus Christ.
The Importance of Repentance
If we never repented we could never enjoy eternal life, repentance is that crucial.
Another thing I want to remind us of is that there’s no prayer of repentance in the Bible.
Who in the Holy Bible prayed a prayer of repentance, was it successful? Nobody, for there, is no prayer of repentance.
I also did a study on that before, I’ll not repeat that content here.
People who teach that there’s a prayer of repentance don’t understand repentance. They are not repentant and they will not enjoy repentance unto life, that’s eternal life with Christ.
Why?
Because their sins still remained. They have not been remitted or removed.
What’s The Connection Between Repentance and The Mind?
In other words, they’re not saved, because they don’t know what repentance is. You can’t pray and receive repentance, who did that?
Who has ever done that in The Bible? Nobody. Repentance is not a change of mind. Today, you change your mind, but tomorrow you revert to your original state.
That’s not repentance!
Repentance is when your heart is broken and submissive before God and you stop sinning, stop sinning and turn to God.
So repentance is to stop sin, cease from dead works and turn, then turn to God, that’s repentance.
It has nothing to do with prayer because we can’t pray any prayer of repentance. The only connection between repentance and prayer is the heart.
Because from the heart we pray and from the heart, we repent.
Remission of Sins & Repentance!
Your mind has nothing to do with your repentance. Repentance is of a broken and contrite heart before God.
Read how to repent here! Or if you desire to know the stages of repentance click this link!
That means that it is submissive before God; that’s repentance; let nobody fool you.
Consequently, if you pray a prayer of repentance you have not repented, for, your sins remain, and as a result, you will not enjoy the benefit of repentance to life.
How To Enjoy Repentance Unto Life?
Let me conclude. The phrase repentance to life appears only once in the entire Bible and you could only find it in Acts 11:18.
And as I always teach, you cannot use one verse of scripture to teach any doctrine. You need at least two.
But you need to find out what repentance to life means.
If you don’t understand what it means to repent, in the scripture, then, you will never understand what repentance to life means because one leads to the other, one is contingent on the other.
Yes, and there is no remission of sins without repentance. We must repent, that’s how crucial it is. We must repent.
Repentance is an Evangelical Grace?
However, I know one thing, repentance is not Evangelical Grace! What does that even mean? Repentance is with believing the Word of God that we hear and obeying it.
Evangelical Grace implies that repentance is associated with evangelism and an evangelist. This could be true only if such a one is sent by God.
But that statement is too broad to be generally accepted. In retrospect, we know that God sent Paul.
Thus, we could say that, but to make that as a general statement could be misleading and cause confusion with the diction of both grace and repentance for the new Christians.
Refrain from using it generally.
Peter’s Role In Cornelius’ Salvation
Recall that Peter’s role in Cornelius’s salvation was to tell him how he could be saved.
While he preached Jesus Christ to them, they received and believed in him and they also received the Holy Ghost, then they were all baptized in his name.
When the apostles and brethren in Judea heard this, they asked, among themselves, “then had God also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life?”
They were amazed because up until that time, the Jews were the only ones who had this privilege.
But now they realized that God had given this same privilege, of repentance to life, to the Gentiles also, and they were amazed.
Yes – Now The Gentiles Have Repentance Unto Life!
But the answer to that question is ‘yes’, he has given to the Gentiles repentance unto life because they believed in the name of his only begotten Son Jesus Christ.
“And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.” According to Luke 24:47.
Peter preached this on the day of Pentecost and he proclaimed the identical thing to Cornelius and his household. As a result, God has granted the remission of sins to all who believe in his Son.
The scripture says:
“To him [that is Jesus Christ] give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins.” Acts 10:43.
Conclusion
So have you believed in the name of Jesus Christ? Today, accept him as the Son of God. In closing, believe in his name and that he hath sent him to die for your sins and inherit repentance unto life, or everlasting life with him.
Thank you for your time, I bless you in the mighty name of Jesus. The blessings of the Lord are on you and if the Lord wills, I’ll see you in another video.
Bye.
