Repentance

1. Why did I read this book? It was recommended to me by a friend.
2. What did I learn from this book? The text seems stern at first. For example, “Except you repent, you will all likewise perish.” (Luke 13:35) I can imagine someone asking, “Is this the gospel?” This is a hard saying; who can hear it? (John 6:60). These words came from the lips of One who loves us with a love that passes knowledge — Jesus Christ. Our Lord left heaven for our sakes to come to earth to preach the gospel and die for our sins. For 33 years, He lived a poor and humble life for our sakes. Words that come from lips like these must surely be words of love.

I was thinking what better way to show someone you love them than to warn them of coming danger. A father that sees his son heading toward a cliff would cry out, “Stop, Stop!” Or a mother watching a daughter handle a knife incorrectly would yell, “Stop, Stop! Put it down!”

It is indifference that leaves people alone and allows them to go their own way. It is love, that warns them and raises the cry of alarm. The words, “Except you repent, you will all likewise perish” might be stern, but they are words of love, and they could be the means of delivering precious souls from hell. I have never known someone to regret that they repented, or came to know Christ. So, what is stopping you?