Repent And Turn To God

"Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from The Lord ..."  Acts 3:19 (NIV)

These are the words of the Apostle Peter, as recorded by Luke, the physician, under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God.  After he healed the man by the temple gate who had been born crippled, Peter spoke to the crowd which had gathered.  His message was the same as that of John, the baptizer (Matthew 3:2), and the same as the initial messages of Jesus, The Christ, (Matthew 4:17), repent.   

If we do not believe and repent, then our sins will not be forgiven, and salvation will not be ours.  We need to turn to God instead of continuing to turn away from Him.  Only those who pray, and sincerely seek His face, and turn from their wicked ways, will God hear and forgive. (2 Chronicles 7:14)  Those who confess their sins and believe will be saved. (Romans 10:9)  Heaven rejoices every time one sinner repents. (Luke 15:7)  However, those non-believers who do not repent, will endure a second death and then eternal damnation. (Revelation 21:8)  Those who think that they can do "good deeds" and be saved without repenting and believing in Jesus, The Christ, will call on Him on judgment day, and will hear Him say, "Depart from me, I know you not." (Luke 13:27)  So, repent, the kingdom of heaven is at hand. (Matthew 10:7)