In Bare Roots 17.3 we saw that John the Baptist proclaimed the coming Kingdom or "Kingship" of God. However, there was more to his message. John also called for a particular response to God's Kingship. Matthew writes:

In those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the Desert of Judea and saying, "Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is near" (Matt 3:1-2, NIV).

In the Old Testament, "repentance" comes from the Hebrew word shuv, which means to "turn" or "change direction."

When Matthew expresses that concept in Greek, he uses the term metanoia. This word combines the Greek preposition meta, which means "change," with the Greek noun nous, which refers to one's "mind" or "thinking." So metanoia literally means "a change of mind" or "a change in thinking."

New Testament writers tend to use the Greek term to express the Old Testament idea, so we may define biblical repentance as "a change in thinking that leads to a change in behavior."

Many think of "repentance" as "sorrow for sin," but that's an inadequate definition. Just being sorry for our sins doesn't necessarily imply changing our direction. Being sorry for sins may only mean that we're sorry we got caught!

In biblical repentance, the change in thinking often does take the form of sorrow for past behavior, but it doesn't stop there. Biblical repentance is a sorrow for sins -- a change in thinking -- that also leads to changing our behavior.

Jesus invited the rich young ruler to make discipleship his first priority, rather than wealth. The young man went away sad, but he did not change. He did not repent (see Matt 19:16-24).

In contrast, when Zacchaeus the tax collector heard Jesus' message, he changed both his thinking and his way of life. He said,

Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount" (see Luke 19:1-10).

Likewise, John challenged his listeners to change their ways, to "produce fruit in keeping with repentance."

"What should we do then?" the crowd asked. John answered, "The man with two tunics should share with him who has none, and the one who has food should do the same."

Tax collectors also came to be baptized. "Teacher," they asked, "what should we do?" "Don't collect any more than you are required to," he told them.

Then some soldiers asked him, "And what should we do?" He replied, "Don't extort money and don't accuse people falsely -- be content with your pay." (Luke 3:8a, 10-14; compare Acts 26:20; 2 Cor 7:10)

Far too often today, Christian leaders dismiss a concern for right living as "works righteousness" (a misunderstanding discussed in Bare Roots 15.1). Jesus, however, calls it "repentance" and "discipleship."

A lack of repentance hinders God's forgiveness because the offense remains. Scripture offers little hope to those who persist in intentional, high-handed sin, while stubbornly refusing to repent (see, for example, Luke 17:3; Heb 10:26-31; Rev 2:5).

Whether we like it or not, God plans to destroy evil and establish His Kingship over all the earth. Whether we like it or not, the Kingdom of God is the shape of the future. Persisting in sin amounts to willful rebellion, a rejection of God's Lordship over our lives. John calls us to "repent, for the Kingdom of God is near."

Reflect...

1. An old prayer song asks, "Jesus, be the Lord of all the kingdoms of my heart!" Which strongholds in our hearts have not yet surrendered to Him? From what thoughts or attitudes or actions is it time to turn away and repent? How do we more fully embrace God's Kingship over our lives?
   
   
2. Repentance is more than turning away from sin. For example, reordering our priorities -- turning from a good thing to an even better thing -- is another form of "repentance." How have you practiced "repentance" over the years? What changes in thinking have led to new directions in your life?
   
   

Christopher A. Davis, Ph.D.
Professor of New Testament
Hope International University
Fullerton, California

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