Repentance and Evangelism

While reading through the Scriptures, I was struck by the simplicity and power of Mark 6:12, “So they went out and preached that people should repent.” When Jesus sent out HIs Apostles to evangelize, the Holy Spirit primarily characterized their message as repentance on this occasion, but this message of repentance is not uniquely and exclusively characteristic of this one commission only. Rather, whenever Christ’s ministers declared the Gospel truth, repentance was a primary part of their message: Matthew 3:2; Matthew 4:17; Acts 2:38; Acts 3:19; etc. Has human nature changed since then? Should not the teaching and preaching of repentance, then, characterize our evangelism? How can a person turn to the Lord Jesus by faith and love Him, if he continues to cling to his sins? If you would embrace Jesus, you must turn from your sins. If you would know the saving and cleansing mercy of Jesus, you must turn away from your sins to Him. This is central to the Gospel message. “Repent and believe in the Gospel” (Mark 1:15)!