Salvation from sin is man’s greatest need (whether the individual man or woman recognizes that fact or not). It is man’s own personal sin which he has committed (1 John 3:4; John 8:34; Ezek. 18:20) that separates him from God (Isa. 59:1-2; Jas. 1:13-16). In a spiritual condition of extreme desperation, he must get away from and get rid of his sin. The decision to do that is what the Bible calls “REPENTANCE.”
Picture in your mind someone drowning in the ocean. What is that person’s most desperate need? To get out of the water. What if that person knows he needs to be saved out of the water and even believes in the one who came to save him, but he wants to stay in the water? Would he be saved? No. Could he be saved? Only if he got out of the water! The same is true with sin. One must make up his mind to “get away from” and “get rid of” sin before he can be saved.
Repentance is absolutely essential in order to be saved. “God…now commands all men everywhere to repent” (Acts 17:30-31), and that was part of the instruction in the first gospel sermon in Acts 2:38. The Lord longs that “all should come to repentance” (2 Pet. 3:9).
“Repentance” is a change of mind that leads to a change of life. Jesus depicted repentance for us when He told of a man who said to his son, “Son, go, work today in my vineyard.” The son said, “‘I will not,’ but afterward he regretted it (changed his mind, ESV) and went” (Matt. 21:28-29). That is repentance—one decides to turn away from sin and “turn to God” (Acts 26:20).
Repentance is one of the hardest things to do, because it involves turning away from one’s passions and fleshly desires—the sinful thoughts, words and deeds that will condemn our souls. But, knowing that it is hard, God provides numerous motivations for us to repent: (1) the command by God (Acts 17:30); (2) the goodness of God (Rom. 2:4); (3) the awareness of the gravity of sin (Acts 2:37-38); (4) the godly sorrow for sin (2 Cor. 7:10); (5) the fear of judgment (Acts 17:30-31); (6) the desire to be forgiven of sin (Luke 24:47). Each of these and all of these should drive us to repentance.
If those are not motivation enough, Jesus also warns us of what will happen if we do not repent of our sins. Jesus Himself said, “I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish” (Luke 13:3). If one is not willing to turn from his sins, then he will pay for his sins for all eternity.
Man has a part in his salvation. He must believe Jesus is the Son of God. He must repent of his sins, making up his mind to stop doing wrong and start doing right. But, even then, he is not saved yet. The Lord has more required of him.