Conviction of sin, realization of the need for a sin Forgiver along with acceptance of the Forgiver’s grace to do exactly that are essential beginning steps on the path that will lead to eternal life for those who remain on that narrow path until death or His return (Mat. 7:13,14). How important repentance is to the process of salvation is revealed in Matthew 3:2 and 4:17 where we find John the Baptist and Jesus of Nazareth saying the exact same thing: “Repent, for the Kingdom of heaven is at hand.” The Kingdom of Heaven is the church which Jesus established on the Day of Pentecost over 2000 years ago. This present kingdom church, which contains both sheep and goats, wheat and tares, wise and foolish virgins, etc., is a mere shadow of the Kingdom of God that now resides in heaven (Mat. 6:9,10), the same kingdom that Jesus will establish upon His second advent. Just as God’s very elect (His sheep, wheat, etc.) are a shadow of what they will be, the globally scattered church is a shadow of the church that will rule and reign with Christ in the future Kingdom of God. All goats, tares, foolish virgins, etc. found in His present church will be cast away from Him on the Day of Judgment. See The Church, The Gospel And The Goats. The Apostle Mark tells us the rest of what John said about repentance: “… the Kingdom of God is at hand; (therefore) repent and believe the gospel.” The expressions “Kingdom of heaven” and “Kingdom of God” are used interchangeably in Scripture for they refer to the same spiritual entity which exists in two forms and in two places in this present age. Notice the final admonition spoken by John which determines whether one is now in the former and will enter the latter–“… and believe the gospel.”

Obviously, conviction, God’s grace and repentance are not enough to secure eternal life. One must also “believe the gospel.” Everyone in the global church system claims to believe the gospel, or at least the parts that count. And herein lies the proverbial rub. The question becomes: Which Scriptures are to be believed as written? which are to be believed once they have been altered to conform to organizational doctrine? and which are to be rejected outright? An additional question involves the object of repentance. I.e., of what is one to repent? The answer comes from the Apostle Paul in Romans 3:24,25: ” (We are) justified (forgiven) freely by His (God’s) grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus; Whom God has set forth to be a propitiation through faith in His blood, to declare His righteousness for the remission (forgiveness) of SINS THAT ARE PAST.”

Note that sins are forgiven freely (by God’s grace) based solely on one’s faith in His Word/Truth (Jn. 17:17). Note also that He justifies (forgives the sins of) the seeker’s PAST sins. Question: What is sin? The answer presents another rub as God shows His rejection of church doctrine concerning the Law by revealing that it is a lie: “To transgress the LAW is sin; for SIN IS THE TRANSGRESSION OF THE LAW” (1 Jn. 3:4). By God’s grace one can be forgiven for having broken His Law in the past. THE TEN COMMANDMENT LAW COVERS EVERY SIN ONE CAN COMMIT. Note John’s present tense statement concerning the supposedly cross-nailed Law: “sin IS (at present) the breaking of any one of God’s Ten Commandments. The  most important commandments are numbers 1 and 2 where we are told to honor God and treat well our fellow man. We honor God by obeying His Word (Jn. 12:44-50), all of which is included in the general term “Law.” It is in that Word that He tells us how to treat our fellow man. To be continued. L.J.