Repentance to Life

Turn and Live

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When the believers in Jerusalem heard Peter’s story, they said, “Then God has also granted to the Gentiles repentance to life” (Acts 11:18). What is repentance, and why does it lead to life?

Turning around. Repentance means turning from sin to God. It is like walking the wrong way, then turning around to walk toward God.

More than sorry. Feeling sorry is a start, but repentance is a real change. “For godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation” (2 Corinthians 7:10).

God calls. Long ago God spoke through Ezekiel: “Repent, and turn from all your transgressions, so that iniquity will not be your ruin” (Ezekiel 18:30). Transgressions and iniquity are words for sin.

A new heart. “Cast away from you all the transgressions which you have committed, and get yourselves a new heart and a new spirit” (Ezekiel 18:31).

Only God can. Nobody can make a new heart by trying harder. God gives a new heart to everyone who turns to Him and trusts Jesus.

Why should you die? God asked, “For why should you die, O house of Israel?” (Ezekiel 18:31). Sin leads to death, and God did not want His people to die.

Turn and live! “For I have no pleasure in the death of one who dies,” says the Lord God. “Therefore turn and live!” (Ezekiel 18:32).

God’s heart. God said it again: “I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live” (Ezekiel 33:11). God is not happy when people are lost.

Jesus preached it. Jesus said, “Repent, and believe in the gospel” (Mark 1:15). Turning from sin and trusting Jesus go together.

Life. Repentance leads to life, real life with God that never ends. Sin may look good for a while, but it leads to death. Turning to God leads to joy.

A gift. The believers said God had granted repentance. Granted means given. Even the turning is something God helps us do.

For the Gentiles too. The door to God was open to people from every nation, not only Israel.

Why it works. Jesus died on the cross to pay for our sins, and He rose again. Because of Him, turning to God brings forgiveness and life. “The gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23).

What we learn. God loves to see people turn to Him. He does not want anyone to stay in sin.

What to do. If there is a sin you need to turn from, tell God today and trust Jesus to forgive you.

“Then God has also granted to the Gentiles repentance to life” (Acts 11:18). The believers in Jerusalem summed up the whole story of Cornelius’ house in one sentence.

Repentance. Repentance is a change of mind that turns the whole person from sin to God. It is more than regret: “godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation” (2 Corinthians 7:10).

Life. The life in 11:18 is real life from God that never ends. Repentance does not lead to a gloomy life but to real life.

Ezekiel 18:30. “Repent, and turn from all your transgressions, so that iniquity will not be your ruin.” God called each person in Israel to answer for his own ways and to turn.

A new heart (18:31). “Cast away from you all the transgressions which you have committed, and get yourselves a new heart and a new spirit. For why should you die, O house of Israel?” Only God can give a new heart, so the command sends a person running to Him.

Command and promise. Here God commands, “get yourselves a new heart.” Later in Ezekiel He promises to give His people a new heart. Repentance is the turning; the new heart is His gift.

Turn and live (18:32). “For I have no pleasure in the death of one who dies,” says the Lord God. “Therefore turn and live!”

Said again. God repeated it in Ezekiel 33:11: “I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live.”

Jesus’ first message. “Repent, and believe in the gospel” (Mark 1:15). Repentance and faith are two sides of one turning: away from sin and toward Christ.

Granted. The church in Jerusalem said God had granted it. The turning begins with God, who opens hearts and gives His Spirit, as He did in Caesarea (Acts 11:15-17).

To the Gentiles. Ezekiel’s call went to Israel. Now Jewish believers saw that the same call to turn and live had gone out to the nations.

The ground of life. Repentance does not pay for sin. Christ paid for it. “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23).

The cross. Christ died for our sins and rose again. Because He lives, everyone who turns to God through Him receives life.

Application. Repentance is not only for the first day you trust Jesus. Keep turning to God whenever He shows you sin, and expect life, not shame.

Let All the Peoples Praise You

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When the believers heard about Cornelius’ house, “they became silent; and they glorified God” (Acts 11:18). To glorify God means to praise Him and show how great He is.

An old song. Long before, a short psalm called the Gentiles to praise God: “Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles! Laud Him, all you peoples!” (Psalm 117:1). Laud means praise.

Why praise? “For His merciful kindness is great toward us, And the truth of the Lord endures forever. Praise the Lord!” (Psalm 117:2).

Merciful kindness. Merciful kindness is God’s faithful love that never lets go of His people.

The shortest psalm. Psalm 117 is the shortest chapter in the Bible, but it reaches the whole world.

A prayer for blessing. Another psalm prays, “God be merciful to us and bless us, And cause His face to shine upon us” (Psalm 67:1).

Blessed for a reason. Why? “That Your way may be known on earth, Your salvation among all nations” (Psalm 67:2). God blessed Israel so that the whole world could know Him.

All the peoples. “Let the peoples praise You, O God; Let all the peoples praise You” (Psalm 67:3).

Glad nations. “Oh, let the nations be glad and sing for joy!” (Psalm 67:4).

Coming true. In Cornelius’ house, Gentiles praised God. In Jerusalem, Jewish believers praised God for it. The psalms were coming true.

A light. God said of His Servant, “I will also give You as a light to the Gentiles” (Isaiah 49:6). Jesus is that light.

Many languages. Today people praise Jesus in many languages all around the world. The psalms are still coming true.

The reason. All nations can praise God because Jesus died on the cross for our sins and rose again on the third day.

Your part. When you praise God with believers from other places, you are joining the same song.

What we learn. God wants praise from every nation. When someone new comes to Jesus, praise God with them.

What to do. Pray this week for one country that needs to hear about Jesus, and praise God for His love.

“When they heard these things they became silent; and they glorified God” (Acts 11:18). Jewish believers praised God for saving Gentiles.

Hesuchazo. Became silent translates hesuchazo (say: hay-soo-KHAD-zoh), to be quiet, to stop. Their objections ended, and praise took their place.

Glorified. To glorify God is to praise Him for who He is and what He has done. They praised Him for granting life to the Gentiles.

Psalm 117:1. “Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles! Laud Him, all you peoples!” Israel’s own songbook called the nations to worship Israel’s God.

The reason (117:2). “For His merciful kindness is great toward us, And the truth of the Lord endures forever. Praise the Lord!” God’s faithful love to Israel became a reason for the nations to praise.

Psalm 67:1-2. “God be merciful to us and bless us, And cause His face to shine upon us.” The reason follows: “That Your way may be known on earth, Your salvation among all nations.” Verses 1 and 4 end with Selah, most likely a pause in the song, a moment to stop and think.

Blessed for a purpose. God’s blessing on Israel was meant to make His salvation known among the nations.

Psalm 67:3-4. “Let the peoples praise You, O God; Let all the peoples praise You. Oh, let the nations be glad and sing for joy!” The psalm repeats its call so that no people is left out.

In Acts. In Caesarea, Gentiles praised God (Acts 10:46). In Jerusalem, Jewish believers glorified God for it (11:18). The hope of the psalm was coming true.

A light to the Gentiles. “I will also give You as a light to the Gentiles, That You should be My salvation to the ends of the earth” (Isaiah 49:6).

The cross. Christ died for our sins and rose again the third day (1 Corinthians 15:3-4). His salvation is the reason every people can praise.

One song. Believers from every nation now sing the same praise to the same Lord.

Application. When God saves someone you did not expect, do not argue; glorify God. Pray for the nations that have not yet heard about Jesus.

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Complete all sections to finish!

Read each section and answer the questions correctly.