August 6, 2023
Passage Read: Luke 23-24
Meditation Verses: 24:46-47
Thought
Repentance and forgiveness of sins is to be preached to all nations. All people have gone astray and live by their own standards of righteousness, but now that Jesus has suffered and risen from the dead, He has been appointed Lord and Christ, and has inherited God's kingdom that will soon come to claim the whole earth. He desires that all men be saved, so all men must repent of their self-will and self-righteousness, humble themselves before the Lord and accept His standard of righteousness and right to rule. Those who do so will be forgiven on the basis of Jesus' death and resurrection, and be welcomed into Christ's kingdom.
Application
It is not just forgiveness of sins that is to be preached in Jesus' name to the whole world, but repentance! Forgiveness is only for those who repent. Someone who "comes to Christ" without recognizing Jesus and turning from their sinful ways is not actually forgiven or saved! But one who recognize who Christ is and bows the knee in repentance, humbling themselves and submitting to Him, that person is forgiven and saved. That is the gospel, and I need to make sure that is what I preach.