The Gospel Message

Repentance is the first step to the new birth. But to repent, we must first know what sin is — and sin is the very thing that much of today’s preaching never mentions. God has joined repentance and faith together, but most Christian preachers have separated them. Believing in Jesus alone will not save anyone who does not repent.

The foundation comes first

Living a good life is the superstructure of Christianity. The new birth is the foundation. Jesus told Nicodemus — a religious, upright, respected man — “Unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God” (John 3:3). Being born again is not optional, even for the best of men.

Repentance and faith together

Paul preached “repentance toward God and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ” (Acts 20:21). A child is born only when a mother and a father come together; in the same way, a spiritual child is born when repentance and faith come together. And like a physical birth, the new birth happens in a moment — it is not a gradual process.

What is sin?

Sin is like a vast country: when we first set foot in it, we see only a little of it. The conscience is a voice that God has placed within us. If we ignore it, it hardens — like the soles of an adult’s feet — and a hardened conscience leads to spiritual blindness. More than ninety percent of people follow the religion their parents chose for them. But God does not look at us as members of a religion. He sees every one of us simply as a sinner. Jesus came to save sinners — not to bless the members of any religion.

Jesus — the only way

All truth is narrow-minded. Two plus two is four. H₂O is water. There is no other answer. In the same way, Jesus said, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me” (John 14:6). Either He is the only way to God, or He is a deceiver. He could not have been merely a good man. He is God in human form.

The Judge stepped down

A good father can overlook a broken cup. But a judge must punish a crime. God is a righteous Judge, and He cannot simply overlook our sins. As a Judge He declared that we must all die for our sins. Then He came down as a Man and took that punishment Himself — on the cross.

God exists as Three Persons — the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit — and this is why the Son could take our punishment while the Father remained the Judge. If Jesus were merely a created being, He could not possibly have taken the punishment for the billions of human beings who have sinned. An eternal punishment was borne within three hours. Hell is the only God-forsaken place in the universe, and on the cross Jesus experienced that forsakenness — separated from His Father — so that we might never have to.

He rose from the dead

The foundation of Christianity is this: Christ died for our sins and rose again from the dead. No religious leader in history has ever risen from the dead. Jesus is unique. After His ascension, He sent the Holy Spirit — the third Person of the Godhead — to live within every believer, making the believer’s body the house of God and giving us power to live in victory over sin.

How to be born again

1. Acknowledge that you are a sinner. Do not compare yourself with anyone else — in God’s sight you are no better than the worst sinner in the world.
2. Decide to turn from all known sin. This is repentance.
3. Commit yourself to Christ — not merely believe facts about Him. The word “Christian” is like the title “Mrs. Christ”: it is a marriage-like commitment, made once, for life.
4. Be baptized in water. Baptism is like a marriage certificate — it comes after the commitment and it confirms it; it is not a substitute for it.

And after the new birth: read the Bible daily, be filled with the Holy Spirit, and meet with other born-again believers. The Christian life is a marathon, not a sprint — it is a lifelong commitment to Christ.

A prayer you can pray

Lord Jesus, I believe that You are the Son of God. I confess that I am a sinner. I turn from my sins and I ask You to forgive me, for Your sake. Come into my life now, blot out the record of my past, and make me a child of God.

If you prayed that sincerely, God has heard you. “As many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God” (John 1:12). And Jesus said, “I will never reject anyone who comes to Me” (John 6:37).

Start today. Read His Word daily, ask Him to fill you with His Holy Spirit, and find a church that teaches His Word.