The Red Letters, Day 22
“Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” Matthew 4:17
As Jesus begins his public ministry, he takes up the same message as John the Baptist (Matthew 3:2) — repent. Let’s take a closer look at this word.
Repent in Greek (the language of the New Testament) is metanoeite, meaning to think differently or reconsider. Repent in Hebrew (the language of the Old Testament) is shub, meaning to turn back or return. Both languages help us understand what John and Jesus was preaching. Repentance can be pictured as a one traveling down a road, recognizing he is going the wrong way, and turning around in the opposite direction. The message of Jesus, and John, and for us as well is a like a signpost in the road: “Turn around! You are going the wrong way!”
The truth is, we are all going to wrong way, walking away from God instead of toward him. Even the most upstanding citizen, who has never broken the law, the sweetest person you know, that “wouldn’t hurt a fly” is on their way to hell. Since the fall of mankind in the Garden of Eden, we are all born into sin, and we continue in sin. As the old saying goes, “No one is perfect” …but God. That is why it took a sinless God to die for the sin of mankind to restore our relationship with our Creator God. When Jesus spoke on the cross, “It is finished,” he declared that he had done all that was necessary to redeem us from our sinful nature. “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” Romans 6:23
So, what is our part in getting right with God? Repentance. God loves us too much to let us wander away from him, so he shows us through his Holy Spirit the true condition of our own spirit, and then we admit that we are sinners, that we are going the wrong way, and we turn around and head back to the Father who loves us and welcomes us home. “But when he was still a great way off, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him.” Luke 15:20
So, what are you waiting for, wanderer. Turn to him today. “Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.” 2 Corinthians 6:2