Grace and Repentance
Grace and repentance are at the very heart of the gospel.
For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.
- Ephesians 2:8-9 (KJV)
For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works [of repentance] is dead also.
- James 2:26 (KJV)
Once we realize how much God hates sin, we naturally stop sinning (repentance).
Repentance therefore is not just a one-off thing, but it's a complete change of heart.
Repentance includes sorrow for sin and a turning away from it. We shall not renounce sin unless we see its sinfulness; until we turn away from it in heart, there will be no real change in the life.
- Ellen White, Steps to Christ, p. 23