How to Enter The Good Life
This may come as a surprise to many, but one of the greatest words in the Bible is repent.
Repentance is the ticket to the good life (Acts 3:26; John 10:10; 15:11; Luke 15:7).
Repentance is the ticket to eternal life (Acts 26:20).
Repentance is the ticket to forgiveness of sins (Luke 24:47).
Repentance is the ticket to answered prayer (John 8:51; 9:31; 1 John 3:22).
Repentance is the ticket to peace (Phil. 4:7).
Repentance is the ticket to prosperity (Matt. 6:33; Luke 6:38).
Repentance is the ticket to being a friend of God (James 2:17-26).
Repentance is obedience to God’s Ways (1 Peter 1:2; 1 John 1:7).
To believe, you must repent. To have faith, you must repent. To obey, you must repent (John 3:36). Repentance is the key to the good life that God has waiting for you—a life full of joy, prosperity and every good thing. No good thing will God withhold from those who walk uprightly, which means those who repent (Psalm 84:11; Acts 10:35).
The word “repent” received a bad reputation in the past by “fire and brimstone” half-truth preachers who claimed you had to give up everything that was fun. The truth is, God only wants you to stop doing the things that will hurt you or somebody else. Remember, God’s word says true love does no harm to its neighbor (Rom. 13:10). And the person who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law (Rom. 13:8). Whatever you would want others to do for you, do so for them, for this is the law and the prophets (Matt. 7:12).
True repentance, then, is a Way of righteousness, which Jesus came to show us how to live, as well as tell us how to live (Matt. 21:32; 2 Peter 2:21). Repentance is keeping God’s Ways. Repentance is doing God’s Will daily on earth as it is being done in heaven (Matt. 6:10). Repentance is imitating God in word and deed (Eph. 5:1; 1 Peter 4:11). Repentance is living to do good for the Lord only. Repentance is daily righteousness.
Did you think that repentance was feeling bad about your sins against God? That’s only half the truth. Your sins are forgiven by God when you forsake them by doing what is right in God’s sight daily. Forsaking your sins by overcoming evil, by continually doing good for God, will show God you are worthy of eternal life (Luke 20:35; Psalm 37:27).
As for those “fire and brimstone” false ministers who condemn drinking and dancing, Judges 9:13 says wine cheers God, as well as men. The Lord also told His people to buy wine or strong drink (Deut. 14:26). And the Lord will be serving aged wine, refined aged wine, at the wedding supper (Is. 25:6). There is no way that verse can be made out to mean grape juice! So drink your wine with a cheerful heart (Eccl. 9:7). But don’t abuse the privilege and get drunk (Eph. 5:18).
As for dancing, God’s word says there is a time to mourn and a time to dance (Eccl. 3:4). The virgin shall rejoice in the dance (Jer. 31:13). Jesus used a parable which included dancing (Luke 15:25). You praise God with dancing (Psalm 150:4; 149:3; 30:11). King David celebrated before the Lord by dancing (2 Sam. 6:14).
Repentance, then, is a happy and a joyful word. It means you have decided in your heart to live for God and to please Him in all you think, do and say, so He can bless you with every good thing. Repentance is turning to God by obeying Jesus’ words by putting them into practice in your daily life so God can bless you (John 8:51; Acts 3:26).
So by all means, repent today and begin to live by God’s Ways, so He can begin to bless you for the rest of your days on this earth and give you the gift of eternal life (Matt. 3:2)!