The Road That Leads to Life

(Repentance and Faith at the Heart of the Gospel)

Scripture Reference: Acts 20:21– Mark 1:15

“I have declared to both Jews and Greeks that they must turn to God in repentance and have faith in our Lord Jesus.”

“The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.”

Introduction – Where the Narrow Path Begins

There are verses in Scripture that serve as doorways—small openings that invite us into vast rooms of truth. Acts 20:21 is one of those verses. Only a short sentence, yet containing the full heartbeat of Christianity, the very pulse of the gospel that Paul preached with tears in his eyes, courage in his bones, and eternity burning in his words. “I have declared to both Jews and Greeks that they must turn to God in repentance and have faith in our Lord Jesus.”

With these few words, Paul compresses two thousand years of redemptive history into the clearest summary of saving grace: turning and trusting. Repenting and believing. Leaving the old road and walking onto the narrow road of life. This verse is not simply a doctrinal sentence; it is the story of every man who has ever been saved.

To feel the weight of Acts 20:21, we must imagine the setting behind it. Picture a weathered apostle, scarred from shipwrecks, lashings, imprisonments, and rejection, standing on the shoreline at Miletus. His beard gray, his back bent slightly, his hands rough with labor, his eyes tired yet burning with spiritual fire. He calls for the Ephesian elders—men he had discipled, prayed over, trained, and wept with—and he opens his heart to them.

He reminds them of his ministry, warns them of wolves who will rise up, and tells them of his coming suffering. And at the center of that message he places one shining diamond: repentance toward God and faith in Jesus Christ.

This one verse explodes with meaning. Repentance is not simply saying “I’m sorry.” It is not behavior modification or self-improvement. It is a 180-degree turn—a change of mind so deep that it changes the direction of a man’s life. For the Jew in Paul’s day, repentance meant turning from the belief that the law could save. For the Gentile, it meant turning from idols, culture, and false gods. And for us today, it means turning from sin, pride, self-reliance, and every false hope that has ever lied to us. Repentance is the doorway through which every saint must pass.

Faith, on the other hand, is not a vague hope or religious feeling. It is not merely believing that Jesus existed. Faith is persuasion—deep conviction about who Christ is and what He has done. It is entrusting your life to Jesus as Lord. It is stepping off the throne of your own life and letting Him sit where He belongs. Faith moves the heart, the hands, the choices, the entire direction of life. It is not passive; it is active. It is not intellectual alone; it is transformational.

Paul preached repentance and faith to everyone—Jews and Greeks. Learned scholars and uneducated fishermen. Rich merchants and poor beggars. City leaders and prisoners. Captains of ships and slaves on those ships. Because the gospel levels every man. It exposes our sin, demolishes our pride, and presents one unchanging truth: no one is saved without repentance; no one is saved without faith. Both are gifts of grace, yet both are required doors through which we must walk.

Why is this verse so especially powerful for a prison setting? Because Acts 20:21 speaks directly into the realities that many men face behind bars. Prison is a place of turning—turning from old life patterns, turning from destructive behaviors, turning from addictions, violence, bitterness, anger, and hopelessness. Prison forces a man to confront the consequences of his choices, but only the Holy Spirit can change the direction of his heart.

And it is in cells, dayrooms, yards, and bunks where the gospel often shines most brightly. Many prisoners know the misery of dead-end roads. They have traveled paths that always end in pain. But the gospel proclaims a new road—a road that begins with repentance and continues with faith in Christ, leading ultimately to eternal life.

In this devotional we will walk slowly through Acts 20:21, letting every phrase breathe. We will examine repentance with depth, explore the meaning of faith in Christ, understand why these two cannot be separated, and discover why Paul emphasized this message so passionately. And in each section, we will connect it to prison life today, offering hope, clarity, and direction for every man seeking true change.

The gospel is not merely information; it is transformation. And Acts 20:21 is its heartbeat. It is the message that has rescued murderers, thieves, adulterers, liars, and religious hypocrites. It has rescued kings and beggars, scholars and fishermen, men in palaces and men in prison cells. It is the message that turned Saul into Paul, John Newton into a preacher of grace, Augustine into a saint, and countless prisoners throughout history into free men in Christ though still confined behind bars.

This verse is your verse. Your story is written in its words. If you have turned from sin and trusted in Christ, Acts 20:21 is your testimony. And if you have not yet turned, this devotional is your invitation. Repentance is the turning of the wheel. Faith is the shifting of the path. Together, they place your feet on the narrow road that leads to life.

Main Point 1: Repentance — A Change of Mind That Changes Everything

Repentance is one of the most misunderstood words in Christianity. Many think it means feeling guilty, trying harder, cleaning up your act, or doing more good than bad. But biblical repentance, “metanoia”—does not begin with feelings or behavior. It begins with the mind. It means “a change of mind,” – a change of direction;  but in Scripture this change of mind is so profound that it changes the direction of a person’s entire life.

Repentance is not simply regretting sin. Judas regretted his sin, but he did not repent. Repentance is not crying over consequences. Pharaoh cried over consequences every time the plagues hit, but his heart never changed. Repentance is not promising to do better next time. Repentance is seeing sin for what it truly is: rebellion against a holy God, a poison that kills, a chain that enslaves, a path that destroys.

When the Holy Spirit opens a man’s eyes to his sin, he begins to see the ugliness of what he once loved. He sees the emptiness of sin’s promises. He sees the offense his sin has caused against God. And then, by grace, he turns. He pivots. His internal compass changes direction.

Biblical repentance includes:

1. A new understanding of God. For the first time a man realizes that God is not distant, not indulgent, not easily dismissed. He is holy, righteous, sovereign, and merciful. Repentance awakens reverence.

2. A new understanding of self. Repentance brings a man to confession: “I am the problem. I am sinful. I am guilty. I am broken. I cannot save myself.” This humility is the gateway to grace.

3. A new understanding of sin. Sin no longer appears attractive. It is no longer a game. It becomes repulsive. A repentant heart grieves sin because it grieves God.

4. A genuine turning. Repentance does not simply reject sin—it moves toward obedience. A repenting man chooses new steps, new thoughts, new patterns.

Paul emphasized repentance because there is no salvation without it. Jesus’ first sermon was “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Matthew 4:17). John the Baptist preached repentance. Peter preached repentance. The Old Testament prophets thundered repentance. And Paul preached repentance to every group he addressed.

Repentance is not a one-time event; it becomes a lifestyle. Every day we turn again. We turn from pride. We turn from lust. We turn from anger. We turn from unbelief. We turn from self. Repentance becomes a rhythm—turning from sin and turning toward God.

For prisoners, repentance often begins in a moment of crisis—loss of freedom, a breaking point, the collapse of old illusions. But true repentance goes deeper. It is not merely sorrow over being caught; it is sorrow that one has offended God. It is not a temporary change to gain privileges; it is a permanent change because the heart has been touched by grace.

Repentance does not mean perfection. It means direction. And once the direction changes, everything changes.

Main Point 2: Faith — Entrusting Your Whole Life to the Lord Jesus

If repentance is turning, faith is trusting. It is not enough to walk away from sin; one must walk toward Christ. The gospel does not merely call us to stop doing wrong; it calls us to rely fully on the Lord Jesus as Savior and King.

The New Testament word for faith, ,”pistis” means conviction, persuasion, trust. It is not wishful thinking or blind belief. It is confidence in Christ’s person, His power, His promises, and His finished work on the cross. Faith is leaning your whole weight on Jesus—your eternity, your future, your guilt, your past, your identity, your struggles, everything.

True faith includes:

1. Believing who Jesus is. Faith acknowledges Jesus as Lord—God in the flesh, sovereign, risen, reigning, and returning. It accepts Him as King, not merely as helper.

2. Believing what He has done. Faith rests in the finished work of Christ on the cross—His death in our place, His resurrection for our justification, His ascension for our intercession.

3. Believing His promises. Faith takes God at His Word. When Jesus says He forgives, faith believes. When He says He will never leave us, faith clings. When He says He will return, faith waits.

4. Following Him. Faith is not passive. It walks. It obeys. It submits. It changes decisions and behavior. Faith without works is dead—not because works save, but because real faith can’t help producing them.

Faith is central because Christ is central. Repentance turns us away from what kills, but faith connects us to the One who gives life. Repentance removes the poison; faith receives the cure. Repentance empties the hands; faith fills them with Christ.

Paul preached “faith in our Lord Jesus” because faith must have an object. Faith in faith accomplishes nothing. Faith in positive thinking is powerless. Faith in self-improvement fails. But faith in Christ saves to the uttermost.

For prisoners, faith becomes an anchor. In an environment marked by unpredictability, injustice, violence, temptation, boredom, and despair, faith keeps a man stable. Faith teaches him to walk by sight of what God says, not by sight of what surrounds him. Faith makes the unseen more real than the bars.

When a prisoner puts his faith in Christ, he becomes freer in his soul than many who walk the streets. Christ becomes the companion in the cell, the peace in the chaos, the hope in the hopelessness, the comfort in loneliness. Faith places His presence in every tier and every yard.

Faith is not easy. It is a battle. But it is the hand that grabs hold of Christ—and Christ never lets go.                                                        

Main Point 3: Why Repentance and Faith Cannot Be Separated

Paul did not say “repentance” alone or “faith” alone. He preached both. Because repentance without faith leads to despair, and faith without repentance leads to hypocrisy.

Repentance without faith leaves a man crushed under guilt. He sees his sin, feels the weight, acknowledges his failure—but has no Savior to carry it. Many people repent in grief but never come to Christ for forgiveness. Judas is the tragic example of this. He saw the horror of his betrayal but never turned toward Christ.

On the other hand, faith without repentance is false faith. It is the faith of those who say “Lord, Lord” but do not do what Christ commands. It is belief without surrender, religion without transformation. Many claim to believe in Jesus but never turn from their sin. They have mental agreement but no changed life.

Repentance and faith are two sides of the same coin. Like two wings of a bird, take one away and the gospel cannot fly. Like two oars of a boat, use one without the other and the boat spins in circles.

“Repentance is the negative side of conversion—turning from sin. Faith is the positive side—turning to Christ.”

• Repentance clears the ground; faith builds on it.

• Repentance uproots weeds; faith plants seeds.

• Repentance empties the heart of idols; faith fills the heart with Christ.

Paul preached both because salvation requires both. A man cannot cling to Christ while still clinging to sin. And a man cannot let go of sin unless he reaches for Christ.

In prison, this balance becomes crucial. Many men express sorrow for their crimes, their past, their broken families, their consequences. But sorrow is not enough. There must be faith—believing that Christ forgives, restores, renews, rebuilds, and transforms. And many express belief in Christ yet cling to old habits, gangs, violence, manipulation, or lust. But faith without repentance is empty.

Repentance and faith together produce a new man. A man whose direction has changed and whose dependence has changed. A man who walks differently because he now trusts differently. A man whose chains remain on his arms but who is free in his soul.

Main Point 4: The Message for All People — Jews and Greeks, Free and Imprisoned

Paul declared this message “to both Jews and Greeks.” This phrase means everyone. All nations. All classes. All backgrounds. All histories. Because the gospel is universal. The need for repentance and faith is universal. Sin is universal. And Christ’s offer of salvation is universal.

For the Jew, this message challenged their religious pride. They believed their heritage, law, and rituals made them right with God. But Paul told them that repentance—not ancestry—and faith—not law—were necessary for salvation.

For the Greek, this message confronted idolatry, immorality, philosophy, and self-worship. Greeks had many gods, yet none could save. They had wisdom, literature, and art, yet none could cleanse their conscience.

• For the wealthy, the gospel demands humility.

• For the poor, the gospel offers hope.

• For the educated, the gospel shatters intellectual pride.

• For the uneducated, the gospel speaks simply and clearly.

• For the prisoner, the gospel enters the cell.

• For the free, the gospel confronts the illusion of freedom.

The gospel treats every man the same because every man stands equally sinful before God and equally able to be saved by grace. Paul preached repentance and faith to religious leaders, Roman guards, kings, sailors, merchants, criminals, and convicts. He preached it in synagogues, marketplaces, homes, ship decks, courtrooms, and prison cells.

Acts 20:21 is the gospel for every man reading this. Whether your past is religious or rebellious, violent or hidden, educated or street-born, respected or rejected—this message is for you. Repentance and faith are not for a certain type of man; they are God’s command to all men everywhere.

And the ground is level at the foot of the cross.

Prison Application

Prison is one of the most fertile environments for the gospel. When Jesus said He came “to proclaim liberty to the captives,” He was not speaking of physical bars but spiritual ones. Yet physical imprisonment often awakens the soul in ways that freedom never did. In the free world, distractions drown out conviction. But in prison—where routines are fixed, noise is constant yet hollow, and nights are long—a man has no choice but to confront himself.

Acts 20:21 speaks directly into this world.

1. Repentance in prison becomes real. Many prisoners feel regret—regret for being caught, regret for their families’ suffering, regret over wasted years. But regret is not repentance. True repentance begins when a man stops blaming others and owns his sin before God. It is when he stops minimizing his choices, stops excusing his past, stops justifying his decisions, and stands naked before a holy God saying, “Against You and You only have I sinned.”

Prison is often where this honesty begins. A man who once hid behind pride now sees himself clearly. A man who once hardened his heart now feels conviction. A man who once refused correction now longs for change. God often brings men to repentance in prison because they finally slow down long enough to hear His voice.

2. Faith in prison becomes precious. Faith behind bars is refined faith. It is costly faith. It is faith that cannot rely on comfort, convenience, or circumstances. It is faith that believes God in the darkness. Faith that trusts Christ through disappointment. Faith that holds onto promises when hope seems thin.

In prison, faith means trusting God with court dates, with appeals, with parole decisions, with safety, with the behavior of others, with the unpredictability of life. Faith means believing God has not abandoned you, even when you feel forgotten. Faith means believing Christ is with you in the cell, in the tier, on the yard, in the chow hall, and in the loneliness.

Faith turns a prison cell into a sanctuary.

3. Repentance and faith reshape relationships. Many men in prison have broken relationships—children, spouses, parents, siblings, friends. Repentance means humbling yourself, acknowledging your failures, asking for forgiveness where possible, and taking responsibility. Faith means trusting God to rebuild what can be rebuilt and to give peace where restoration is no longer possible.

4. Repentance and faith reshape identity. Prison tries to define men by their worst moment. The world calls men inmates, convicts, felons, criminals. But repentance and faith give a new identity: forgiven, redeemed, adopted, justified, new creation in Christ. A man in Christ is not who he once was. His record may remain in the legal system, but God has expunged it in heaven.

5. Repentance and faith reshape habits. Old habits die hard in prison—violence, anger, lust, manipulation, addictions, gang affiliation. But repentance turns away from these, and faith gives strength to build new patterns: prayer, Scripture reading, patience, kindness, self-control, accountability. Christ becomes the new Master, and His Word becomes the new guide.

6. Repentance and faith reshape hope. Prison can crush hope. Men feel forgotten by the world, by their families, by the system. But the gospel gives living hope. Not false optimism. Not wishful thinking. Real, eternal hope. Hope that Christ accepts them. Hope that God has a purpose for them even inside. Hope that their lives are not wasted. Hope that the story isn’t over.

Acts 20:21 is more than doctrine; it is a roadmap for how a man in prison can start life anew—right where he is.                                        

Final Thought – A Final Word at the Foot of the Cross

When Paul stood in Miletus and summarized his life’s message in Acts 20:21, he gave the church a gift—a crystal-clear summary of the heart of the gospel. This one verse could be preached for a lifetime. It is the doorway to salvation, the foundation of discipleship, and the anchor of Christian growth. Repentance and faith are not merely steps we take at conversion—they are the rhythm of the entire Christian life.

Every morning we repent anew—turning from sin, pride, self-reliance. Every morning we believe anew—trusting Christ, leaning on His promises, surrendering our will. Repentance keeps us humble. Faith keeps us hopeful. Repentance keeps us honest. Faith keeps us courageous. Repentance empties us of sin. Faith fills us with Christ.

For the man in prison, Acts 20:21 becomes a lifeline. Many men behind bars feel defined by their past, but repentance declares that you are not the man you once were. Many feel powerless to change, but faith declares that Christ can change any heart. Many feel ashamed, but repentance brings cleansing. Many feel hopeless, but faith brings promise. Many feel forgotten, but the gospel says God sees, God knows, God forgives, and God transforms.

Paul preached repentance because sin destroys. He preached faith because Christ restores. And he preached both because salvation is a new direction powered by a new dependence.

It does not matter who you were.It matters who Christ is.It does not matter what you have done.It matters what Christ has done.It does not matter how you started.It matters that you turn and trust and begin again.

The gospel can transform a palace or a prison cell. It can reach into a mansion or a maximum-security facility. Christ can take a man who was a destroyer and make him a disciple. He can take a murderer and make him a messenger. He can take a thief and make him a testimony. He can take the deepest sinner and make him a shining saint.

As you meditate on Acts 20:21, hear God’s personal invitation:

Turn...

Turn from your old path.

Turn from the sin that chained you.

Turn from the lies that deceived you.

Turn from the pride that blinded you.

And Trust...

Trust Jesus.

Trust His finished work.

Trust His promise of forgiveness.

Trust His presence in your suffering.

Trust His power to renew your mind and restore your soul.

This verse is the doorway to life. Walk through it. And keep walking. The gospel is not a one-time prayer; it is a lifelong path. And Christ walks it with you—step by step, day by day, trial by trial, victory by victory.

Acts 20:21 is your life verse today. Let it be your anchor, your direction, your hope, and your identity. You may be confined by walls, but your heart can walk freely on the road that leads to life.  

Reflection Questions

1. What does repentance mean in your own life, and how is it different from merely feeling regret?

2. What are specific areas of your life where God is calling you to turn from old patterns?

3. What does placing your faith in Christ look like in your daily prison environment?

4. How have you experienced the difference between sorrow over consequences and true repentance before God?

5. In what ways is your current faith being tested, strengthened, or refined?

6. What practical steps can you take to live out repentance and faith consistently each day in prison?

7. How does Acts 20:21 shape your understanding of your identity, your future, and your walk with Christ?

Closing Prayer

Father in heaven, I lift before You every prisoner who reads these words. You know their hearts, their wounds, their fears, their regrets, their hopes, and their struggles. You know the chains on their bodies and the chains on their souls. And You alone have the power to break both.

Lord, grant them true repentance—a deep turning of the heart that sees sin clearly, grieves it honestly, and turns from it completely. Let Your Spirit shine light into places they have hidden for years. Give them courage to confess, strength to change, and humility to walk a new direction.

And Lord, give them strong faith—faith in Christ as Savior, Redeemer, and Lord. Faith that clings to Your promises in the darkest nights. Faith that holds them steady when fear rises. Faith that comforts them in their loneliness. Faith that transforms their minds and renews their hope. Let them know that Christ walks with them in their cells, sits with them in their sorrow, and strengthens them in their weakness.

Father, remind them that their past is not their identity. That the world may call them inmates, but You call them sons. That the system may label them by their crimes, but You label them by the blood of Christ. Let them feel the freedom of forgiveness, the joy of salvation, and the peace that surpasses all understanding.

Bless every man who turns and trusts. Shape them into new creations. Use them as lights in dark places. And may Acts 20:21 become the anthem of their lives: turning to God in repentance and having faith in the Lord Jesus.

In the mighty name of Jesus Christ - Amen!

From: Fight the Good Fight of Faith / Life Journal: by  Gregg Harris