Repent
John the Baptist came saying, “Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven has come near”.
Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, warm wishes and greetings in the priceless name of Lord Jesus Christ!
The word “Repentance” is presented and called for throughout the Bible. According to Old Testament Hebrew, the idea of repentance is represented by two verbs meaning “to return” and “to feel sorrow“. While in New Testament Greek, it is “metanoia” which means “after/behind one’s mind“. By applying both the OT and NT meanings, we can try to understand more clearly of the word and nature of repentance.
Repent and turn to God
In a larger sense repentance is turning to or returning to God by an act of absolute and unconditional surrender to God. As put by an eminent servant of God, it is not an emotion, rather it is a willful surrender to God. Repentance is not something that lasts for a certain time as emotions do. But repentance is an ultimate decision which is made for once for all. Yes it is an invariable choice where an individual makes for himself. Therefore repent first and fully turn to God. The following verse clearly seconds what has been said before:
Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord,
Acts 3:19
Repent and have faith in our Lord Jesus
Our Lord Jesus asked everyone to repent first and also He sent out his disciples to proclaim people to repent. The message was clear to one and all that without repentance nobody can really come to God. An unrepentant heart only accumulates extreme anger against itself for the day of God’s wrath. The warning is very clear from the below verse:
But because of your stubbornness and your unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath against yourself for the day of God’s wrath, when his righteous judgment will be revealed.
Romans 2:5
Kingdom of heaven is at hand
Truly, the Kingdom of heaven is very near to all who in faith have accepted Jesus Christ as their Lord. Therefore brethren, let us fully submit to our Lord and do the will of the living God. As the below verses says, those who are cleansed by His blood are made to be a kingdom.
And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood, and has made us to be a kingdom and priests to serve his God and Father—to him be glory and power for ever and ever! Amen.
Revelation 1:5-6
In Jesus matchless name. Amen.