Repentance

The Lord isn’t really being slow about his promise, as some people think. No, he is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent. [2 Peter 3.9]

God's love causes Him to be patient because He knows how severe His justice is. For that reason, He lovingly desires that everyone repent to avoid His justice.

God's character is a worthy pursuit to understand. I am certain that no human on earth will every fully understand it, but that there are indeed treasures of knowledge for those who attempt to.

God's Word reveals His character. Jesus reveals God's character. The Holy Spirit works in confirmation of God's character. In fact, Christians, at least by definition, should reveal God's character as they are in Christ and Christ is in them.

God's character has been on display since the beginning. The Psalmist said this:

He revealed his character to Moses and his deeds to the people of Israel. The Lord is compassionate and merciful, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love. He will not constantly accuse us, nor remain angry forever. He does not punish us for all our sins; he does not deal harshly with us, as we deserve. For his unfailing love toward those who fear him is as great as the height of the heavens above the earth. He has removed our sins as far from us as the east is from the west. The Lord is like a father to his children, tender and compassionate to those who fear him. For he knows how weak we are; he remembers we are only dust. Our days on earth are like grass; like wildflowers, we bloom and die. The wind blows, and we are gone—as though we had never been here. But the love of the Lord remains forever with those who fear him. His salvation extends to the children’s children of those who are faithful to his covenant, of those who obey his commandments! [Psalm 103.7-18]

But the words of 2 Peter cannot be overlooked... God is not undecided about sin - everyone must repent. 

Jesus was not unclear about this either in Luke's version of the Great Commission:

It was also written that this message would be proclaimed in the authority of his name to all the nations, beginning in Jerusalem: ‘There is forgiveness of sins for all who repent.’ [Luke 24.47]

Repentance is a foundational principle of the Church today. Without it, it's all pretty much just dead, albeit elaborate, religion. 

To present the Gospel without repentance is purely false religion. For this reason, "repentance" should be a very common topic in every gathering of believers and especially in any circumstance where unbelievers hear the Gospel.

Father, help Your people lose their fear of presenting the idea of repentance to the world. Help them to see that their fear of addressing repentance is an indicator of their ignorance of Your character themselves. May Your people know Your character through Your Word, Your Son and Your Holy Spirit! So be it.