<p>11:18 <i>And when they heard these things, they held their peace, and glorified God, saying: Then to the Gentiles also has God granted repentance to life</i>- This shows that He is active in developing our desire to repent; &quot;the goodness of God leads you to repentance&quot; (Rom. 2:4). The same words were used by the apostles when teaching that God had &quot;granted repentance to Israel&quot; (5:31). That statement was not untrue, but now they recognized that they had only seen and preached a partial picture; for the gift of repentance was now rightly perceived as being to the Gentiles too.</p><p>God clearly works, potentially, on the hearts of people. In our moments of repentance, both at baptism and on the many subsequent occasions, it is hard to believe that in prospect God's enormous Spirit power has really prepared a way for us to be totally spiritual. Israel on Carmel with Elijah were in a similar position; thus Elijah prayed &quot;Hear me, O Lord... that this people may know... that You have turned their heart back again&quot; (1 Kings 18:37). He meant: 'They don't realize that you are so willing for them to repent, that in prospect you have touched their hearts and made them do it; answering my prayer dramatically may motivate them to make the necessary freewill response in repenting, so that the spiritual help you have made available in prospect, can be theirs in reality'. Even the frankest comparison of ourselves with that motley crew of hardened apostates should inspire afresh the belief within us that God is willing that all His people should continually come to repentance.</p><p>The road to eternal life involves repentance. Recognition of personal sin is utterly fundamental to salvation.</p>