Repentance Toward God and Faith in Christ

Repentance and faith are fundamental biblical ideas, and essential for spiritual life. Even so, the simplicity of these truths can tempt us to treat them with casual familiarity, leading us to forget the richness and power of their meaning. Repentance is more than just a change of mind. It is a change of heart that inevitably produces a godly pattern of life. It begins with a realization of our sin, leads to sorrow over our offense to God, and culminates in a regular act of our will in turning from sin and toward the things that please Him. In the same way, faith is more than just a confession we make with our mouth. It is an accurate understanding of the biblical gospel, belief that it is divine truth, and trust in its power to save. Repentance and faith have different and distinct meanings, but they are inseparable and indispensable gifts of God. There is no salvation unless both are present in our life, yet God graciously supplies them to anyone who sees his need and cries out for the Savior.