It has become popular again (everything happens again, as Solomon said in Ecclesiastes 1:9) to say that repentance is not a requirement to be saved. That's not what the Bible actually says, though. If you would like to see why I believe that, please feel free to read my article on Layout for Today. I can't say for sure, but it seems to me that the problem is a misunderstanding of what it is to believe. It's one thing to SAY we believe, but if we REALLY believe God is who He says He is, that He sees and knows everything, then we won't play games with Him. We'll care about what He cares about in light of the unfathomably great cost of our freedom from eternal damnation, won't we?
Maybe it's just me, but all of a sudden one day it just clicked--God is AMAZING--look at all He has done! And what a miracle that He could love even me--enough to give His only begotten Son to save me. Jesus' suffering began (mentally) at the time Judas left the Last Supper and continued (in every imaginable way) without a break until He gave up His Spirit on the cross, having endured excruciating physical and mental pain and humiliation for OUR sin. This is not a small thing, to be taken lightly, is it? I don't see how anyone could possibly think so. My thought process when I consider how profound the salvation our great God has offered to those who believe usually progresses something like this: "I'm sorry, please forgive me, thank you, I love you, please make me worthy." How about you?
If we ask God to make us worthy, I hope we mean it and cooperate with Him as He does so, no matter the cost. After all, He spared no cost to make us His own; and He is worthy of anything and everything we can give back--because we ARE saved. Our desire to obey God is not an effort to earn salvation or repay what could never be repaid, but because He loved us first before we even knew Him, and we love Him. Right? I can't answer for everyone, but for me the answer is YES, I DO.
