Matthew 4:17

From that time Jesus began to preach this message: “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near.”

Repentance is at the core of our salvation experience with Jesus. The dictionary definition of repentance is, "to feel such sorrow for sin or fault as to be disposed to change one's life for the better". The sorrow comes from having realized that our sin offends and costs our holy, perfect, and righteous God. We don't wallow in this sorrow, we allow it to catapult us into a love relationship with Jesus who willingly sacrificed Himself for our sins. Repentance is understanding that we fall short, and in receiving God's gift of salvation His power begins to enact change throughout our lives.