Repent and Believe

You know that I have not hesitated to preach anything that would be helpful to you but have taught you publicly and from house to house. I have declared to both Jews and Greeks that they must turn to God in repentance and have faith in our Lord Jesus.

Acts 20:20-21

In Paul's great charge to the Ephesian elders, he is describing his own ministry. It is a beautiful passage from which we get the most intimate glimpse anywhere in the Scriptures of the heart of this great apostle, of the character of his labors, and of his concern for those with whom he ministers.

Paul shares what he did whenever he came into a city: First, he always sought to set forth the whole counsel of God. He tried to teach them the whole truth. He did not want them to be shortchanged in any way. Sometimes he stayed up long hours in order to cover all that God has said to man. This, of course, was because he knew and understood that it is the knowledge of the Word that sets you free.

I wish I could make that clear to people who are struggling with problems and internal tensions and pressures, and with boredom, frustration, and a sense of restlessness — all the negative qualities of life. God has never intended for you to live like that. That is why he has given you the Word. It is the Word of Truth that sets you free. When you learn it and understand it and operate on it, it will always set you free. One of the exciting things in life is to see people who have simply been transformed by the truth they have learned, and have been set free from habits and attitudes that have ruined them for years. That is why Paul emphasized this ministry so strongly. He was faithful in its delivery not only in public but also from house to house.

Also, see how practical it was. It always could be reduced to two concepts: Repentance toward God and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ. There is the Christian message. These are the two basic steps, and you must take them over and over again. The way you begin the Christian life is to repent and believe. And that also constitutes your walk through the Christian life. A walk is more than a single step. When faced with a situation, you should take the first step and repent, think through the old way of life and say to yourself, I've been going at this the wrong way. But that is not yet a walk. You must take the next step and believe, trust in God's Word and his work in you. Then, on the next occasion that comes, you go through the same procedure over again: You repent, and then believe; repent and believe; repent and believe — and you are walking! That is what the Christian life is all about. In every circumstance, every situation, this is the two-fold way by which the Christian lives in the power of a living God: repent and believe.

Father, how grateful I am for your Word! How much it speaks to my heart, and how powerful is its ministry to me. And, in the hands of the Spirit, how graciously it teaches me to repent and believe. I thank you in Jesus' name, Amen.