Two Sides of the Coin

4/6/14                 John, Michael                     30/40

While shopping at Walmart I took some time to reach out to some other shoppers, and had back to back conversations that reminded me of the importance of both faith and repentance in our reconciliation with God.   A middle-age man named John said he had faith in Jesus, but insisted in the end that he would be saved because God can see he is a good person.  Therefore he need not repent.  He had “faith” without repentance.  Next a man named Michael said he would be found guilty on judgment day, and said he is extremely sorry every day for his many sins.  He hoped his repentance would save him, and criticized those who simply claimed faith in Jesus as being hypocrites.  In effect he believed his repentance, not his belief, would save him.  I should have had these two guys talk to each other.  They both had important, but incomplete, pieces to the puzzle that leads to a right relationship with God.  Is it possible to truly believe in Jesus, at least the Jesus of the Bible, without having the desire to repent?  Is it possible to know about Jesus and truly repent of ones sins without bowing before Jesus as one’s Lord and Savior?  Repentance and belief in Jesus are like two sides of the same coin, both distinct but mutually dependent on each other for their very existence.  ““The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!” (Mark 1)