After Solomon completed his prayer at the dedication of the temple, God audibly spoke in response, saying: “If my people, who are called by My name, will humble themselves and pray, and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and will heal their land” (2 Chronicles 7:14).

This verse is a great command from God to repent. There is no doubt that today our land greatly needs healing. It needs to repent of its wickedness. We are overrun with pornography and blasphemy and ungodliness and immorality of every kind—perversion of every sort.

Repentance is an understanding in our minds of our unworthiness and a realization of our need to turn from the way we have been going and to turn unto God. Repentance is pivotal for our salvation. It is central to the message of salvation that God has given to us. Have you truly repented?

Jesus Christ planned from all eternity what He would say when He came into this world. He had forever to think about it, and after eons of billions of centuries, He came. He came into Galilee proclaiming that the kingdom of God was at hand. Then He issued His first words to those who would be His followers—“Repent, for the king­dom of heaven is at hand” (Matthew 3:2). Christ began his ministry with repentance. He continued it with repentance, and He said, “. . . But unless you repent, you will all likewise perish (Luke 13:3). Have you repented? Repentance means turning from all of our sins and turning unto God.

Christ began His ministry with that demand. He continued it. He ended with it. In the seven letters to the seven churches in Revelation, the last words from Christ (eight times to those seven churches), He tells them to repent. When Peter gave the first sermon in the Christian era at Pente­cost, the people were pricked in their hearts and they said, “Brothers, what shall we do?” and Peter said, “Repent.” Paul said that Christ came so that repentance and faith might be preached unto the Gentiles. Repent. Repent. Repent!

We live in a nation awash in sin of every kind. Some of you are up to your ankles in the same sins. The Westminster Confession tells us that we are to repent of particular sins particularly. What is your sin?

Paul said, “Our old man has been crucified with Him, so that the body of sin might be destroyed, and we should no longer be slaves to sin” (Romans 6:6). Are you still a slave to sin? Then turn from that if you would be saved. We cannot live in sin here below and then live eternally in Heaven up above. “Unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.”

As we turn from our wicked ways, God will bless and heal our land. May it start in you and in me, and may it be right now.