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The Gospel According to Jesus: What Is Authentic Faith? by John F. MacArthur is a thorough and refreshing look at how the Bible teaches that truly trusting in Jesus means following him as Lord and Savior.  We don't really trust Him if we don't trust Him enough to obey His commands.  MacArthur goes through passage after passage to demonstrate the overwhelming fact that Christianity is not just a ticket to heaven, but rather a radical life change in which we submit to Lord Jesus each day.  We cannot have Jesus as our Savior if will not repent and have Him as our Lord.

"Matthew 4:17 records the dawning of Christ’s public ministry: “From that time [the imprisonment of John the Baptist] Jesus began to preach and say, ‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.’"

"Repentance is not a one-time act. The repentance that takes place at conversion begins a progressive, lifelong process of confession (1 John 1:9). This active, continuous attitude of repentance produces the poverty of spirit, mourning, and meekness Jesus spoke of in the Beatitudes (Matt. 5:3 – 6). It is a mark of every true believer."

"“You turned to God from idols to serve a living and true God” (1 Thess. 1:9). Note three elements of repentance: a turning to God, a turning from evil, and the intent to serve God. No change of mind can be called true repentance if it does not include all three elements."

"When Peter gave the gospel invitation at Pentecost, in the first public evangelism of the postresurrection era, repentance was at the heart of it: “Repent, and let each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins” (Acts 2:38). No message that eliminates repentance can properly be called the gospel, for sinners cannot come to Jesus Christ apart from a radical change of heart, mind, and will."

"He is Lord, and those who refuse Him as Lord cannot use Him as Savior. Everyone who receives Him must surrender to His authority, for to say we receive Christ when in fact we reject His right to reign over us is utter absurdity. It is a futile attempt to hold on to sin with one hand and take Jesus with the other. What kind of salvation is it if we are left in bondage to sin?"

The Gospel According to Jesus is a great resource to help you think deeply about how the Gospel changes lives.  It is a must read for the serious student of the Word.