When Jesus began to preach, the first thing he preached was: "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." (Matthew 4:17 - KJV)
Repent of your sins.
We repent from our sins andwrong ways when we enter into the kingdom of God, but we also need an on-going repentance whenever we miss the mark.
When Jesus was washing the disciples' feet in the upper room, Peter refused at first to let Jesus wash his feet. Peter told Jesus that if He was going to wash his feet, then to wash his hands and head too. Jesus replied that one who is washed is clean and only needs to wash their feet. Wearing sandals, their feet became dirty and dusty as they daily walked the dusty roads. As we walk daily through life's dirty, sin-ladened paths, we, too, need to have our feet washed. If we are saved, like Peter, we don't need a bath, but we need to continually take care of those little things that arise on a daily basis. We do this through continued repentance.
Checklist 3
Have I turned from all known sin in my life?
Am I willing to repent freely and promptly in my daily walk when I have been made aware that I missed God's best? Or do I try to justify myself and rationalize the shortcoming? This includes my thought life, attitudes, spoken words, responses, deeds and sins of omission and commission, even when they might seem minor.
