- “In the days John the Baptist came, preaching in the Desert of Judah and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near.” Matthew 3:2
- “From that time on Jesus began to preach, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near.” Matthew 4:23
- “Repent, then, and turn to God…”. – Peter. Acts 3:19
John the Baptist started his ministry with the call to repent. Jesus picked up where John the Baptist (who had been thrown into prison) left off – preaching repentance. The disciples clearly preached the same message having been empowered by the Holy Spirit to be Christ’s witnesses. What happened to that kind of preaching? Has the call to repentance gone defunct? Is it no longer a relevant message? We know this can’t be the case because there is still a whole lot of sin in the world. It is relevant, no doubt.
Why then do preachers not call people to repentance? The word has become offensive, outdated, and for many doesn’t fit the message of the Gospel – you know the “good news”. How does “good” fit with a totally negative message? Why should we appear to be judgmental and call people to “repent”? Someone forgot to tell John, Jesus, and Peter that they should begin with the good news so that later they can lovingly show people what they need to change (repent of) in their lives. According to the current practice this is exactly what preachers are saying and doing. “God has a wonderful plan for you life”, they say, but they leave out that infamous word “repent”. No need to go there. No need to offend. “Better to make friends than enemies” is the mantra of the day.
And so we have “another Gospel”. One without repentance. It’s all good news. It’s all about what God can do for you! Totally ego centric. But the biblical message is quite different. It begins with repentance. It starts with the understanding that you have offended a holy God and are destined for hell if you don’t change your direction in life.
I’m convinced that our message must begin with a call to repentance. If we are to adjust our lives according to the word of God, following the example of Jesus and others then why do we not first call men to repentance? It’s because we have bought into the lie that men can be saved without true repentance. Oh, that’s a work, some say, and we are not saved by works. It’s not a work, it’s a response, and an essential one if we are to follow Jesus.
Perhaps some people don’t understand the word repent. Maybe some just don’t like the word because it’s antiquated. If that’s the case then use the word “change” or “turn” but keep the message intact. Tell men to stop sinning. Tell them that we are all born into sin and we all need to admit our sin to God and stop running away from Him and start running toward Him. You can’t serve God and yourself at the same time. You can’t run after all the stuff of life and run after God. You can’t say yes to God until you say no to self. You can’t say: “Not your will but mind be done.” and call yourself a disciple!
Disciples are born into the kingdom of heaven through the process of the proclamation of the “true” Gospel which begins with calling men to turn from sin. God is holy and “without holiness no one will see the Lord” (Hebrews 12:14). Men must turn from a life without God to a life surrendered to God. Be saved from the wrath of God through belief in His Son, whom He sent to receive the penalty of sin for us. If there is no repentance there is no salvation. People respond to a message void of repentance are most likely turning to “get something” from God – a good life, a happy life, a successful life, etc.
In making the good disciple we must restore the message of repentance to our call.
