Bible Questions and Answers

John Baptist preached the baptism of repentance.

Mark 1:4 John came baptizing in the wilderness and preaching a baptism of repentance for the remission of sins.

He said to the Jews who came to be baptised:

Matthew 3:8 Therefore bear fruits worthy of repentance,

Isaiah writes of the kind of repentance required:

Isaiah 1:16 Wash yourselves, make yourselves clean; Put away the evil of your doings from before My eyes. Cease to do evil, 17 Learn to do good; Seek justice, Rebuke the oppressor; Defend the fatherless, Plead for the widow.

Paul describes his mission to call the gentiles to repentance:

Acts 26:18 to open their eyes, in order to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in Me… 20 but declared first to those in Damascus and in Jerusalem, and throughout all the region of Judea, and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent, turn to God, and do works befitting repentance.

Repentance is not just a matter of being sorry for our sins.

It requires a change in the way that we live.

We must cease to live by our own desires and live instead by God’s precepts – laid out for us in the commandments of Jesus Christ.

Jesus said:

Luke 6:46 But why do you call Me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do the things which I say?

Matthew 7:21 Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven.

The works befitting repentance are the works of love.

Firstly, the love of God; and secondly, the love of our fellow man.

Matthew 22:37 Jesus said to him, "‘You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and great commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbour as yourself.’ 40 On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets."

The love required is a self-sacrificial love.

John 15:12 This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.

We must love our enemies.

Matthew 5:44 But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you,

And do good to all:

Galatians 6:10 Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith.

Paul describes the qualities of love:

1 Corinthians 13:4 Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; 5 does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; 6 does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; 7 bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. 8 Love never fails.

1 Timothy 1:5 Now the purpose of the commandment is love from a pure heart, from a good conscience, and from sincere faith,

I hope you find this helpful.

God bless,
Glenn