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The Soon Coming Judgment Of God Upon America and How To Escape It 554
have the desire and a sincere effort. Only in Christ can we be totally successful, for in God “all
things are possible.” (Matthew 19:26; and Mark 9:23)
John the baptist preached repentance in preparation of the ministry of Jesus.
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Jesus
preached repentance and declared that the kingdom of God was at hand throughout his ministry
(Matthew 4:19 and Mark 1:14-15). Jesus declared that His call for repentance was meant for
sinners (Matthew 9:13; Mark 2:17 and Luke 5:32). Jesus said that a person who did not repent
would perish (Luke 3:3, 5). Jesus instructed his disciples that repentance should be preached
throughout the whole world (Luke 24:47). In accordance with the commands of Jesus, the
disciple preached repentance (Mark 6:12).
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True and sincere repentance is a condition that is necessary for forgiveness of sins and
eternal salvation. “Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out,
when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord” (Acts 3:19). Paul writes:
“For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the
world worketh death.” (2 Corinthians 7:10)
Be Ye Perfect
True repentance involves both a desire and an attempt to be perfect. Jesus commanded:
“Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.” (Mt 5:48-6:1) James
writes: “But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.” (James
1:22)
The word of God instructs us as believers in Christ Jesus to be “therefore followers of
God, as dear children; And walk in love,
as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for
us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour.” (Ephesians 5:1-2) We are to be
“all of one mind, having compassion one of another, love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous:”
(1 Peter 3:8) We are to come out from among unbelievers and be separate (2 Corinthians 6:16-
17); we are not to be “unequally yoked together with unbelievers” (2 Corinthians 6:14) and we
are not to forsake “the assembling of ourselves together” to worship and praise our savior and
God (Hebrews 10:25).
We are to be “kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for
Christ’s sake hath forgiven” us (Ephesians 4:32). We are to be “holy in all manner of
conversation.” (1 Peter 1:15-16) We are to be merciful (Luke 6:36), patient (James 5:8), angry
but without sin (Ephesians 4:26). Children are to obey their parents. Men are to love their wives
as their selves which is to say that they are to put the well being of their wife ahead of their own.
And wives are to submit their selves to their husbands as unto the Lord (Colossians 3:18-20).
The Apostle Peter says that “the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch
unto prayer.” (1 Peter 4:7) In like manner, our Lord Jesus Christ instructs: “Be ye therefore ready
also: for the Son of man cometh at an hour when ye think not.” (Luke 12:40) The Apostle Paul
further instructs:
Now these things were our examples, to the intent we should not lust after
evil things, as they also lusted. Neither be ye idolaters, as were some of them; as it
is written, The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play. Neither let
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