Friends: The book of Acts can be a real mind-changer about repentance. If you know, you know.  Blessings, Bob

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Spirituality Column #975

July 22, 2025

Common Christianity / Uncommon Commentary

Acts of Repentance, Part 2 

By Bob Walters

“… God has granted even the gentiles repentance that leads to life.” – the apostles, after Peter presents the Gospel to gentiles at Cornelius’s house. – Acts 11:18

Continuing last week’s theme of repentance being more about changing our minds than changing our manner, the Bible becomes a very different book when we read the word “repent” and think “grow my faith” rather than just “fix my sins.”

I will argue all day long that the purpose of Jesus on the cross was not primarily to forgive sins, although it did that; remember, Jesus also spoke of forgiveness prior to the cross.  But forgiveness was unlocking a door to a greater heavenly purpose: restoring humanity’s broken relationship with a loving God. That was Jesus’s mission.

Forgiveness is a necessary condition of salvation because man’s sins resulted in God’s curse.  Sin broke our perfect relationship with God, but it was a relationship God’s love required He restore.  So here comes Jesus, teaching us about God, covering our sins, cleansing our lives, healing our brokenness – something we cannot do ourselves – and leading us toward salvation.

Our true repentance is knowing Jesus is Lord, eternal Savior, and the Son of God.  Our faith in His truth is our transport to salvation, by which we enter His Kingdom. We know it by the Holy Spirit and God’s Word the Bible: hope lighting our path forward.

I can change my behavior all day long, feel guilty about past sins all day long, do good deeds all day long, even read my Bible all day long. Until we understand and confess who Jesus really is, we remain a behavioral case, not a salvation case. 

Repentance – renewing our minds – is the key to God’s Kingdom, which I firmly believe we catch glimpses of on this side of eternity.  When we obey God’s commands, renew our minds in Christ, and realign our behaviors with God’s love, we don’t change God; we change our lives. These are the “works” we see in faith. God’s grace is our joy.

The Bible verse above is the capstone, if you will, of the story of gentile centurion Cornelius and apostle Peter in Acts 10 and 11. This line, “repentance that brings life,” is the other apostles’ response to Peter’s description of the Holy Spirit coming down into Cornelius’s guests who heard Peter describe Jesus to them, saying, “everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name” (Acts 10:43).  These gentile pagans “renewed their minds” in Christ, and gifts of the Spirit poured into them.

This is noteworthy because it is where Peter and the other “apostles and brothers” (Acts 11:1) realize that salvation is not only for the Jews, but for everyone: for whoever renews their mind by recognizing and believing in Jesus. Notice the Spirit arrived (Acts 10:45) when they believed, not when their behavior changed.   

Christian testimonies are replete with outward, world-witnessing behavioral changes. Sometimes we put down the sinful behavior first; often faith reorders priorities away from overt sin. The plain old fear of God – and the desire to be a witness for His Kingdom – is for me a comforting, life-guiding guardrail. It is our hearts that matter.

It is easy to read or hear “repent” and think, “I better shape up and clean up my act because I’m a sinner.”  Good idea! Break a bad habit, atone for wrongs, start a good habit, and pursue virtue; you’ll feel better. But, repent in faith that leads to life and joy.

I crave Christian fellowship because in that fellowship of the repentant and the redeemed is the vision of the relationship God wants to have with us … and with me.

That, for now, is life in Christ.

Walters (rlwcom@aol.com) quit smoking long before he found Christ. Just sayin’.