New Life Found in Christ's Gospel
Repent
The first message of the gospel is repent for the forgiveness of sins.
This is not a single action, but a new way of life. Repentance says,
"I am not going to do it my way anymore, and I will make it right."
John the Baptist, in Luke 3, says that the King is coming, and you need to prepare His way. Any mountain needs to be brought low, and any valley needs to be filled. These represent our own sins as well as our own good works.
If there's anything between you and the Lord Jesus, you need to remove it. John goes on to give examples of true repentance. Even now, the Holy Spirit is bringing things to your mind of which you need to repent for forgiveness.
"Repent" is present tense and means a true follower continues a repentant life from this moment onward.
Believe
Belief, or faith, in this King, the Lord Jesus, is what must follow to inherit eternal life.
The King is coming, and you must prepare His way through repentance. Repentance and faith fit together perfectly, and you can't truly have one without the other.
It is through repentance we receive forgiveness for sins, and are made right in God's eyes. But it is through a life of faith and trust in this One who saved us that brings eternal life.
The Bible teaches us to put off the "old self" and then clothe ourselves with Christ. This is a picture of repentance and faith working together.
"Believe" is also present tense. A true follower of Jesus is a follower who trusts daily in Jesus.
Born Again
In John 3, only those who are born again will enter the kingdom of God.
When we were born, we inherited a sinful nature from our parents. But Jesus says we need to be born again, and this means to become something new.
How is this accomplished? By being born of water and Spirit.
The water is the cleansing, purifying water of Jesus’ death. He was perfect, and died in our place as a substitution. When we repent and believe, as above, we are washed and cleansed by this water. It’s better than a second chance, it’s as though we completely start over. Born again.
The Spirit is life. Jesus died on the cross, but then three days later rose again to eternal life. Romans 8 teaches us about this Spirit, and expands on what Jesus meant by being “born of Spirit”. Paul says in Romans 8 that if the same Holy Spirit of God that raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, then He will give you life to your mortal bodies.
To be “born again” is a requirement to enter God’s kingdom.
God loves you, and wants you to be fully aware of the consequence of your decisions.
If your car has a flat tire, you would have two choices:
1. Restore the tire to what it was originally designed.
2. Dispose of the damaged tire.
God wants all to come to repentance, and find restoration in His Son.
If we deny that call to restoration then we are choosing to be thrown away.
The warning is that you were created for a purpose in God’s kingdom, and Jesus wants to restore you.
We are all born damaged, and we are destined for the dumpster known as Hell.
Do not deny His restoration. Repent of your past sins, Believe in Jesus, and be Born Again.
God created Hell for the devil and his angels. Not mankind.
Denying His salvation means choosing Hell.
THE PROMISE OF NEW LIFE
Jesus said, “I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.”
The “they” He spoke of here is found in John 10. Any who come to Him, and enter by His way, find life, and have it in abundance.
There are people who claim to follow Jesus, but are lifeless. There are many in the world who recognize these kinds of lifeless followers, and they are not who Jesus had in mind when He spoke these words. There will always be people who claim religion, but are followers in name only.
It is a promise that He wants you to test, and see for yourself. The above steps are outlined in the gospels, and Acts, of what believers must do to truly find Jesus.
The promise is clear. Find Jesus and you find life. Repent, believe, and be born again.
The kingdom is coming.