“Your refuge from the avenger of blood” (Joshua 20:3)

It appears from their locations, the Cities of Refuge could be reached within a half-day’s journey from any place in Israel to minimize revenge killings. Murderers could claim refuge from immediate prosecution by telling the priest they accidently killed someone, and when it was later determined at the trial, the killing was intentional, they were executed. Fast forward to John the Baptist, who was concerned he was baptizing sinners who falsely claimed they repented of sin 

 “But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, "Brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Therefore bear fruits worthy of repentance” (Matthew 3:5-8). The Greek word translated “worthy” is “axios”, which is where we get the word “axiom”, which means “self-evident proof”. John was saying, come back after you’ve proved by your behavior you’ve repented. And you can’t just be sorry for your sin, which was the repentance of Judas, it has to be Saving Repentance with Saving Faith, otherwise, it’s a mockery, because unless God gives you the power to stop sinning, you won’t. 

 If someone makes a “decision for Christ”, and doesn’t axiomatically bear fruit worthy of repentance, he’s like the prisoner waiting for a trial at a City of Refuge. Unless he savingly repents, he’ll be executed. Those who are truly saved, “repent and turn to God and prove (axios) their repentance by their deeds” (Acts 26:20 NIV). “In this the children of God and the children of the devil are manifest: Whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God” (1 John 3:10). Saving repentance doesn’t diminish saving faith and saving grace, it validates and explains how saving faith and saving grace are axiomatically proved. “He who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy (axios) of Me” (Matthew 10:38). “Faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead” (James 2:17). If you’re saved, you are “His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that you should walk in them” (Ephesians 2:10).

 "A little genuine grace ensures The death of all our sins." 

 So make sure your repentance is saving repentance, for when the Avenger of Blood catches you, you’ll be judged.