El Greco, The Repentant St. Peter, c. 1600-1605
El Greco, The Repentant St. Peter, c. 1600-1605

This is the second article in a four-part series addressing the subject of salvation and what it means to “believe the Gospel”. The first article was entitled  Salvation – the Gospel.

Mark 1:14-15 (KJV) – “Now after that John was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.”

Salvation begins with believing the Gospel of the Kingdom of God. Our believing allows us to enter into a covenant relationship with Jesus Christ. Our believing should naturally lead us to “repent”. Most of the “Jews” of Jesus’ day “believed” on Jesus. However, these same “believers” were responsible for His death. Jesus cautioned them in the 8th chapter of John when he said:

John 8:30-31 (KJV) – “As he spake these words, many believed on him. Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; “

The ministries of both John the Baptist and Jesus began and concluded with a call to (...)