From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. Matthew 4:17
Want to think for a moment about God’s gift of repentance to us.
When I was in the Boys’ Brigade, I was up the mountains a lot and had the opportunity to complete the Duke of Edinburgh Awards. While doing my Silver Award expedition, we camped in the wrong place. I mean, 2-3 miles from where we should have camped. I have to take the blame as I was in charge of the map and navigation at that stage.
The day before, we had gotten off track slightly and interpreted the bearings incorrectly. We then walked to the wrong place and camped beside the wrong lake. It wasn’t until the next morning, after the six of us had packed up our tent and gear, that we realised we had a problem. As we set out for another day’s hike, we opened out of the folded map and, with much panic, realised we were not where we should have been. Upon seeing our mistake, we ran to our next checkpoint, where the supervisors met us, and we confessed all.
Repentance is a little bit like the experience I have just described. It is a realisation that we have been camping in the wrong place, are way off track, and need to turn back. However, repentance is also a heartfelt sorrow for sin, a renouncing of it, and a sincere commitment to forsake it and walk in obedience to Christ and His word.
In Psalm 51, David was sorrowful over his sin when he said: Make me hear joy and gladness, That the bones You have broken may rejoice. Hide Your face from my sins, And blot out all my iniquities. (Psalm 51:8-9 NKJ)
Paul said to the Corinthians: the kind of sorrow God wants us to experience leads us away from sin and results in salvation. There’s no regret for that kind of sorrow. But worldly sorrow, which lacks repentance, results in spiritual death. (2 Corinthians 7:10 NLT)
There is a godly sorrow and conviction that comes from God, but it is a gift because it points us to Christ as the only answer and the only One who can bring true, lasting and deep cleansing, forgiveness and freedom to us. Repentance is a mercy God grants us, not a stick He strikes us with. Repentance is an incredible opportunity to know the God of grace and the grace of God.
Jesus’ message was one of repentance. But repentance and faith in Christ are the gateway to God’s promises, riches, and love. We want to see His Kingdom come, have joy, love, the presence of God, revival, and healing. We want to see it all, and we can have it in Christ – but the way to position ourselves to receive these blessings from God is through genuine repentance.
Do you need to repent today?
Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. Point out anything in me that offends You, and lead me along the path of everlasting life. Amen. (Psalm 139 23-24 NLT)