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1. REPENTANCE  John the Baptist called men to repentance, “Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Matt 3:2). Christ’s first message was, “REPENT: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand” 

(Matt. 4:17). Again Jesus emphasized repentance as is recorded in Luke 13:2-5: “Suppose ye that these Galileans were sinners above all Galileans because they suffered such things? I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent ye shall all likewise perish.  Or those eighteen, upon whom the tower in Siloam fell, and slew them, think ye that they were sinners above all men that dwell in Jerusalem? I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.”
On the day of Pentecost, by Holy Spirit guidance, Peter preached repentance. As the people cried out, “Men and brethren, what shall we do: Then Peter said unto them, REPENT.” 

(Acts 2:37, 38) Paul declared to the Athenians “And the times of this ignorance (referring to their worship of idols) God winked at; but now commandeth all men everywhere to REPENT.” 

(Acts 17:30) How may we define Repentance? Sorrow for sin? Some are sorry about sin but have no repentance.  Repentance is taking God’s side against sin, repentance implies being sorry enough for sin to quit the sinful life and to begin serving God. “Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.  For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord.” 

(Isa.55:7-8) 

2.  BELIEVE“  For God so loved the world, He gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life. He that believeth on Him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.” 

(John 3:16, 18)  Let no man think that he can improve on the teachings of Christ on this question of salvation.  His Word is final. But some say, “I cannot believe. There are so many things I do not understand.”  Christ knew all about those things, and he goes right on to talk about the one difficulty in the way of faith in Him.  

There is one and only one. Remember the direct teaching of the world’s only Savior.  He shows that the reason men cannot believe on Him is not complicated. “And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their evil hateth the light, because their deeds were evil. For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. But he that doeth truth cometh to the light that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.” 

(John 3:19-21) God knows that man has sinned. Man also knows it, but even after the light has come, man chooses his sin and the way of darkness rather than the Savior and the way of God’s light. Only the sin of unbelief stands in the way of man’s salvation. Only refusing to believe God can keep the heart out of fellowship with God.  We cannot believe except we repent. We cannot help believing when we repent. 

Let’s face facts!  “If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine.” (John 7:17) “This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners.” 

(I Tim. 1:15) “But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name.” 

(John 1:12) God will reveal the truth of His Word to willing hearts. Christ came with one purpose – to save sinners. God will make any who believe to be His children. He that believes is a child of God. 

3.  CONFESS  “If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.  For with the heart, man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth, confession is made unto salvation.  For the scripture saith, whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.” 

(Rom. 10:9-11) Saving faith produces a desire to make profession of salvation.  A heart touched by a living faith will desire and demand the expression of telling others.  A confession of that salvation is a way to promised blessing, for Jesus said: “Whosoever, therefore, shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in Heaven.  But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in Heaven.” (Matt. 10:32, 33) 

4.  ASSURANCE  God does not want His child to be in doubt about his position or relationship with God.  The whole book of First John was written that the believer may KNOW; for John wrote in the last chapter. “And this is the record that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in His Son.  He that hath the Son hath life, and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.  These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.” 

(I John 5:11-13). The believer has that which is better than a birth certificate to guarantee his relationship with God and better than a warrantee deed to assure his position.  He has many statements of the Word of God. That assurance is for eternity and is unchangeable for it is written: “All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.” 

(John 6:37) “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: and I give unto them eternal life: and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.  My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand.” 

(John 10:27-29) “For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.” (II Tim. 1:12) That we may be saved for eternity, God would have us accept salvation. That we may enjoy that salvation, God would have His every child possess positive assurance.