Repentance leads to life!

Repentance. What is it? How does it affect us and why should we care about it?
Well, repentance is much more than some nifty little doctrinal statement made by christians. Repentance is the basis for life in God.
It is, in a cosmic sort of nutshell, choosing to turn from our sins toward God and asking Him to forgive us of those sins which we had previously committed.
Repentance is NOT a one time deal where God forgives all the sins we've ever committed AND those we will commit.
Romans 3:25 says that God passed over our sins which we had previously committed, due to His forebearance and eternal knowledge.
However, we must realize that God does not forgive every sin we WILL commit unless we ask for forgiveness.
We must come before Almighty God in humbleness and fear, and ask for His forgiveness when we sin.
Hebrews points out why -

"For if we sin willfully after we have recieved the knowledge of the truth there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a certain fearful expectation of judgment, and fiery indignation will devour the adversaries." - Hebrews 10:26

Did you get that? If we sin, knowing full well that we're sinning, Jesus' sacrifice no longer has a place in our lives. It doesn't count because we've put Him to an open shame all over again (Hebrews 6:6).

If we don't repent of our sins we'll die in them. But if we do repent then we experience the free gift of salvation that Messiah Yeshua (Jesus Christ) brings to us by His grace.

Messiah said in Luke 13:3 - "...but unless you repent you will all likewise perish."

Not the message of Jesus that we're used to hearing, is it? But it's the truth of His Word.

Regardless of what people think Messiah said or didn't say, really doesn't matter because He said what He said! We can't change what He has said and done.
He does NOT change and His Word stands forever!

If the Lord died to save us from our sins then we have to ask ourselves why so many of us continue to sin willfully. Do we think God doesn't care anymore about repentance in our lives?
Certainly not! Of course He still cares. He's God and as we already said He does NOT change.
He therefore still cares every bit as much about us and our relationship with Him today as He did ages ago.

Without repentance we will continue to walk in sin, which, ultimately, is walking AWAY from God. He knows this and that is why He wants us to let Him work in our lives to destroy sin.

By the Holy Spirit we CAN overcome sin!

Many times, when Yeshua would encounter someone seeking forgiveness He would forgive them and then tell them "go and sin no more".
That statement would be some kind of awful joke if we couldn't get past our sins. But He knew/knows that by HIS strength and HIS grace we can be truly free when we walk in His Torah (Law).
If we walk in the light as He is in the light, we will know what it means to walk upright and free in His Law. Because we are saved by His grace through our faith.

Repentance leads to life, but walking in darkness and unrepentance just leads us closer and closer to eternal death and separation from God.

"For godly sorrow produces repentance, leading to salvation, not to be regretted; but the sorrow of the world produces death." - 2 Corinthians 7:10