Repent! Imagine I'm dressed in a long brown monk's robe holding up a sign mounted on a long pole, and on that sign, the single word REPENT! is written. I have recently watched a movie with this very thing, the movie about a plague destroying most of the world and leaving behind those who are forces for evil and those forces for good. That movie was fiction but the truth of the matter is, a couple thousand years ago the Apostles were in their own way doing this very thing, holding up a repent sign, so to speak.
Act 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;
Act 3:20 And he shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you:
Act 3:21 Whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began.
A couple thousand years ago, it seems like a long time, but time is relevant, right? And by that I mean whether it was a hundred years, five hundred years, or a couple thousand, the only time that matters in repentance is the time you are alive in and have the chance to repent. Jesus will return, there is no doubt about that whatsoever. Speculation mounts as to why he waits so long, and there are many theories. One of those theories with absolutely no Biblical backing is that compared to the millions and billions of people born the majority are not going to be his. Remember, the Bible tells us FEW will find the narrow way. God may be waiting until all those who will ever be alive and his are born and we have no telling how long something like that might take. There are a lot of theories as already mentioned but the fact remains, HISTORY has proven that Bible prophecies are true and that the LAST prophecy is the one of Jesus' return- it WILL happen believe it or not, your choice.
God has spoken by the mouth of ALL his holy prophets since the world began that Jesus Christ will usher in the RESTITUTION of all things. Obviously, that did not occur when Jesus had His ministry here on earth almost a couple thousand years ago. Jesus came and sacrificed Himself and using that sacrifice He makes atonement for all of those who will be God's. When the time is right, Jesus will finish that work of atonement as High Priest in the heavenly sanctuary and He will return for us.
We are to REPENT and be converted. Converted from what? From sin's hold over us. WE repent, we trust that God will take our repentance- the sincere desire to keep from denying His love, from breaking laws given from that love- and forgive us. He will complete in us a work that is begun, that He will do all for us we are unable to do, this is what we believe. We believe in His saving grace. We want our sins blotted out as if they never existed. We want to be God's and we must trust that He will create the clean heart in us, that He will renew a right spirit in us, that He will keep us from evil, that He will save us to the uttermost, that He will find us as a Shepherd finds the single lost sheep from a flock of many. We must trust HIM all the while we continuously train our hope, our thoughts, and all that is within us to use to live for Him and His will. We do all we can and leave God His work in saving us. Our faith is NOT in our own ability to believe but in God's ability to save us and help our unbelief.
As in the movie I watched with seemingly the end of the world at hand, we need to have people crying out for repentance, the time grows so short- whether it's the time until Christ's return, or the time until you are no longer capable of seeking repentance- none of us are promised tomorrow, not a single one of us.
God help us all!
All through the love and mercy, the grace of our God, and of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ now and forever!
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