The Message Every Preacher Must Preach: Repentance

In those days John the Baptist came preaching in  the wilderness of Judea, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” (Matthew 3:1-2).

John the Baptist is an interesting biblical character. He can be considered an Old Testament prophet so to speak whose life was recorded in the New Testament. He is the bridge connecting the Old and New

He was a preacher (Matthew 3:1).
He proclaimed repentance (Matthew 3:2)
He proclaimed the Kngdom of God (Matthew 3:2)
He was a forerunner of Christ or He heralded the coming of Christ (Matthew 3:3)
He was a humble man (v.4)

All these must be true of a preacher today. They must preach repentance and the kingdom of God. Every preacher must herald the coming of Jesus Christ. John The Baptist Heralded the first advent  of Christ and every preacher must herald the parousia.

In Romans 10, Paul records some instructive thoughts about the connection between preaching and repentance.

How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how shall shall they believe in him of whom they have of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear with a preacher?

And how shall they preach, except they be sent (Romans 10:14-15).

There is a link between coming to faith and preaching. Preaching is important to the salvation of souls and so preachers must preach repentance.

The Call To Repentance

“REPENT”: John The Baptist is here calling his audience to repentance. Now the call to repentance is a central theme of the Christian message. Throughout the Scriptures we hear this call constantly. And in this Chapter, we see the call to repentance in three different verses (vv. 2;8;11). Of course we are a rebellious people since Adam who have drifted away from God and need to be called back.

Jesus’ first words he preached was “Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” (Matthew 4:17). When he sent out his disciples, he sent them out with the same message “And as ye go, preach, saying the kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Matthew 10:7). On the day of Pentecost, when Peter had preached a message and the heart of the people have been broken, they asked what shall they do. And Peter’s answer was “Repent” (Acts 2:38). In Acts 17:30, Paul says God has commanded people everywhere to repent. If a preacher doesn’t preach repentance, he is not heralding the good news.

We have not heard all that God wants to say to us unless we have heard his command to repent. There are few things more important in life than repentance. So important, that Revelation, and the gospels, and the epistles, and the Old Testament make clear that you don’t go to heaven without it (Kevin DeYoung).

What Is Repentance?

A Turning Away From Sin

Repentance is simply a “change of mind.” In the biblical context,  a change of mind about sin. Some have described repentance as a 360० turn around. A complete change of mind and turning away from sin. Scripture judges human beings as naturally sinful separated from God. And to be reconciled to God therefore, we must turn away from sin. Repentance occurs when we turn away and forsake sin. To repent is not just feeling sorry or guilty about our sins. It is to acknowledge and forsake those sins. (v.6).

Repentance Is Turning To God

Repentance is not only a turning away from sin. It is further a turning away from sin, to God. When we turn from our sins, we must turn to righteousness. The change of mind in repentance requires a change of attitude towards sin and towards Christ. How do we turn to God? In repentance, we turn to God through faith in Jesus Christ. The ministry of John the Baptist was to prepare the way for the Lord, who is Jesus Christ (v.3). It therefore meant John’s proclamation of repentance includes pointing people to Christ. The Scriptures clearly teaches that repentance from sin must lead to a turning to God through faith in Christ  (Acts 26:19-20, 1 Peter 2:25).

The Necessity Of Repentance

Why did John preach repentance? In fact,  “Why must we repent?” Can’t we just go though life normal, afterall we are humans and none of us is perfect. As it is said, to err is human. So let’s just live. No we can’t just do that because we are answerable to a divine judge. We must repent because

1. It is A Command (Acts 17:30).

When the bible calls us to repent, it is not sharing an opinion or offering a suggestion. In fact, Scripture doesn’t offer suggestions or opinions. Scripture issues divine commands which we must obey. What Scripture tells us to do, God has commanded. If we don’t repent from our sins, and turn to God through faith in Christ, then it is rebellion to God because he commands repentance.

2. The Kingdom of Heaven Is Near/At Hand

The Kingdom of heaven is the rule of God in the hearts and lives of his people. Of course God is sovereign over all the earth. But he rules speacifically in the lives of his people. And Jesus Christ is the exalted king of this KIngdom.

The KIngdom of heaven is with us now and is also a future reality we await. In the Old Testamnt, they expected the coming of the KIngdom of God on earth because God has promised an everlasting kingdom through the seed of David. And Jesus Christ is that promised seed. So Christ inaugurated the expected Kingdom. See how Matthew introduces Christ as the seed of David (1:1). For his Jewish audience, this will click and they will understand what he is talking about.

The NT indicates that the Kingdom of God is both present and future. There is an “already” and a “not yet” to the kingdom. Both aspects must be understood and embraced by Christians. To view the Kingdom either as already totally realised or as totally futuristic is to do violence to the message of the NT. We serve a King who has already been enthroned. Yet we await His triumphal return in glory when every knee will bow before him (R.C. Sproul)

Now repentance is necessary because without it, we cannot enter the KIngdom of God. This was the point of Jesus’ conversation with Nicodemus in John 3:3; 5. If one doesn’t repent, they are barred from entering the Kingdom of God. They are enemies of the KIngdom and judgements awaits them.

A Coming Judgement

We’re to repent because a day of judgement is coming where God will judge all unrigtheousness and unrepentant souls. John the Baptist clearly proclaimed a coming judgement. He spoke of a coming wrath (v.7; 10;12).

And his audience being Jewish are conversant with a coming judgement (Psalm 96:13; Malachi 3:2).

Jesus died on the cross bearing the judgement of our sin on our behalf. So he calls on sinners to repent and put their trust in him. If we do not repent, judgement awaits us. And every preacher must preach this.