1 John 1:5-10 – “This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all. 6 If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. 7 But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin. 

8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us.”  NKJV

Through the years I have encountered people who attend church, hold membership in various denominations, give charitably, do good works and believe that they are Christians but see no need or have no intention of repenting and asking God forgiveness.  They believe their goodness and good works take care of that issue.  They believe God exists and that is sufficient, in their minds.  But is it sufficient according to the Bible?

I realize there are numerous passages that make no mention of repentance in addressing the promise of salvation but do we take those isolated passages or the overall teaching of our Lord and the Bible to determine the truth in this matter?  I hope we take the latter path for it is the only sure path to truth.  The Bible is perfectly clear that God is holy and man is sinful and sin separates from God’s fellowship as is clearly revealed in Isaiah 59:1-3.  Paul declares in Ephesians 2:1 that trespass and sin bring spiritual death and continues to reveal that it is through the Blood of Jesus that we are reconciled to God.  In Acts, we read words like, “repentance unto life” and “repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.”  Jesus was the first to preach “repentance” in Matthew and even told His hearers that WITHOUT REPENTANCE they would perish.  (Luke 13:3)

        Jesus’ parable of the sower indicates that it is possible to believe in God and still not have salvation.  He said in Luke 8:13, “But the ones  on the rock are those who, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, who believe for a while and in a time of temptation fall away.”  In our text, we realize that if we say we have nothing to ask forgiveness for we blind ourselves and that perpetuates our lost-ness.  We also know that Proverbs 28:13 opens the truth that “covering sins” is a dangerous precedent and “confesses and forsakes sins (repentance) leads to joy and salvation.”  The message of Peter in Acts 2:38 he informed the crowd that REPENTANCE was a necessary ingredient in Salvation.  In Acts 3:19 he declared, “Repent and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out…”  Then in Acts 17:30 we read, “Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent, because He has appointed a day in which He will judge the world in righteousness by the Man whom He has ordained.”  Then Jesus plainly declared in Luke 24:47 that “repentance and remission of sins should be preached in all nations…” 

What would cause a person to reject the need for Repentance or Asking God for Forgiveness?  I would suggest that it is first and foremost, deception but it is fueled by pride and a spirit of independence that believes salvation is earned, deserved, and prideful.  I no more believe a person can be saved without repentance than I believe a bird can fly without wings.  The devil, I’m sure, is elated when he hears anyone and especially someone of national or international prominence suggest that Repentance is not necessary.  We are saved by grace, through faith and access to that grace is through the door of repentance.

            God bless you as you go through this day!