I was the student in school who raised my hand only when I knew my answer was right, and when I answered, I expected an immediate reply from the teacher that I was right. That immediate kudo that I got was my reward for the right answer. When we repent, turning away from our old life and towards a new one with God, we don’t get an immediate oral response from God as our reward. Instead, what we receive is so much better…it’s a peace that I cannot explain, a feeling of relief that a big burden is gone, and a total feeling of acceptance in a way that you have never been accepted before. Your reward is also a promise of a future spent in eternity with your Creator. So, don’t be afraid to raise your hands toward Heaven and confess your sins to God and your belief in His plan of salvation. The reward is eternal; the consequences of not answering His call to repentance are eternity without Him and separation from God forever. That’s a high price to pay just because you won’t raise your hand. You already know your answer is the right one if you are ready to repent. So, don’t wait…today is the day of your salvation and the beginning of a new life with the Lord!

The Beginning of Our Journey

God has been working within history for thousands of years. His redemptive plan has culminated in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus. All of God’s promises in the Old Testament find their fulfillment in Jesus. 

The book of Acts, which details the life of the early church, contains many long speeches which cover the historical timeline of God’s redemptive activity. Acts 3 is one of those speeches, given by Peter to a group of Israelites. Peter’s speech not only includes historical details, but also a right response to all of this information.

The right response to hearing about what God has done throughout history is to repent and believe in Jesus. When we learn of all that God has done for us, it’s only fitting that we should turn our lives back to Him.

Repentance is when we recognize the truth and we turn towards it. Usually it involves turning away from our own way of life and turning towards God’s way. Repentance is the beginning of our faith journey.

When we repent, God forgives us. We no longer live according to our past mistakes and offenses. Rather, God gives us a new life that is forgiven of those things.

This is why Peter says that times of refreshing follow repentance. Repentance leads to rebirth. We are made into a new creation. We are empowered to walk in the newness of life with God. After beginning this journey with Jesus, we continue it by the power of the Holy Spirit.

If you haven’t started that journey, begin today by repenting of your sins and turning back to God. He is faithful to forgive you. Pray for Him to guide your life. Continue to read about God’s ways in Scripture so you can grow in your knowledge of Him.