The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is long suffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.  2 Peter 3:9

If you are not a Christian, if you have not repented, then you are not in God’s will.  

What does it mean to repent?  To repent means to change one’s mind; to change one’s mind about your sin (sin separates one from God); to change one’s mind about who Jesus is (He is God); to change one’s mind about what He did for you (He died in your place); to believe in His death, burial and resurrection (not yourself);  to change one’s mind about trying to earn salvation (it is a gift); to change one’s mind about who to trust for salvation (trust Jesus Christ and His merit alone).  Changing one’s mind results in a change of direction.

Many years ago, I conducted religious surveys in several rural towns in our area.  The survey was composed of seven questions.  The first five questions were general information questions concerning current religious affiliation, religious background, etc.  The fifth question was a yes or no answer about whether or not one would go to heaven.  The last and most important question was:  If you died today and stood before God and He asked you why He should let you into heaven, what would you say?  

Eighty percent of the answers received to the last question fell within two categories.   God would let me into heaven: 1)  because of who I am, and 2) because of what I’ve done.  The eighty percentile group for these two categories was consistent throughout each community regardless of that community’s religious majority.

Interestingly, those two categories: because of who I am and because of what I’ve done, are the very reasons we cannot enter into God’s presence.  Who are we?  We are sinners, guilty before God.  What have we done?  We have turned each one to our own way and God hath laid on Him (Messiah Jesus) the iniquity of us all.

For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Romans 6:23

And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.  Acts 16:31

Will you submit to His will?