NECESSITY OF REPENTANCE.
Repentance is very necessary to salvation in the kingdom of heaven. Those who have been led to exercise faith in the Lord are under great condemnation if they do not repent. They are in rebellion against Him and cannot receive His approbation. Unless they turn from their sins they are not fit subjects for His kingdom. Both John the Baptist and Jesus began their labors in the ministry by calling upon the people to repent.
"In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judea, and saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." (Matthew 3: 1, 2).
"From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." (Matthew 4: 17).
John refused to baptize those who came to him, without repenting, and told them to bring forth "fruits meet for repentance." (Matthew 3: 7, 8).
Neither faith nor baptism will benefit a person unless he repents also. The object of the Gospel is to bring mankind back to God. Through sin they are separated from Him.
"Your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you." (Isaiah 59: 2).
To return to Him it is necessary to put away sin—to repent of it.
"Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God?" (I Corinthians 6: 9).
"Except ye repent, ye shall likewise perish." (Luke 13: 3).
It is only upon certain conditions that the blood of Christ cleanseth from all sin:
"If we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin." (I John 1: 7).
In order to "walk in the light" we must turn away from the dark paths of sin.