What Leads to Repentance?

We hear two types of preaching today. One says the fear of God and His wrath will lead you to confess your sins. The other method is to know that the goodness of God leads you to repentance. What does Paul say?

^“Or do you despise the riches of His goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance” (Romans 2:4 NKJV)?

There is the bad news gospel and there is the good news gospel. Yes, there have been many who were dangled over the fires of hell and repented. Some have been given the choice between heaven and hell and have made the right choice.

God wants us to see His goodness. He wants people to see His graciousness toward them. There are wonderful benefits for being a child of God.

If you want people to repent—change their mind (metanoia) then they must see that God is good. Repentance is not changing behavior or performance. It’s changing the mind about how to think about God. The Gospel is good news. It’s glad tidings for the whole world.