Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven Is at Hand

Revelation 9:20-21 “The rest of mankind, who were not killed by these plagues, did not repent of the works of their hands nor give up worshiping demons and idols of gold and silver and bronze and stone and wood, which cannot see or hear or walk, nor did they repent of their murders or their sorceries or their sexual immorality or their thefts.”

God’s word to the peoples of the world is not only an offer of grace, nor even less simply a call to live rightly, nor even less still a promise to make all our dreams come true if we just have faith. We have not heard all that God wants to say to us unless we have heard his command to repent.

Ezekiel said “Repent and turn from your transgressions” (Ezek. 18:30).  John the Baptist said “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Matt. 3:2).  Jesus said “Repent and believe in the gospel” (Mark 1:15).  Peter said “Repent and be baptized” (Acts 2:38).  And Paul said God “commands all people everywhere to repent” (Acts 17:30).

Repentance has never been easy. No one likes to be told “Die to yourself.  Kill that in you.  Admit you are wrong and change.”  That’s never been an easy sell. It’s much easier to get a crowd by leaving out the repentance part of faith, but it’s not faithful. It’s not even Christianity. Of course, there is a whole lot more to following Jesus than repentance, but it’s certainly not less.  “Repent,” Jesus said, or “you will all likewise perish” (Luke 13:5).    Continue at Kevin De Young