One of Jesus’ main ministry messages was “Repent! For the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” To many, that phrase conjures up an image of a zealot in the 1980s with an A-frame sign around his shoulders declaring the end of the world. To others, it may produce and image of an fiery and angry preacher yelling it into a microphone. But do we really take the time to understand what it means to “repent”? One could come away with the impression that “repent” means to admit your sins/faults/wrong living. “Repent” could give the impression of falling on one’s knees at the realization of their ineptness to get themselves into heaven. There are different concepts that occur in people’s minds about repentance.
But what is “repent”? What is this word that Jesus preached 2000 years ago? The word for repent literally means “Change your mind/change your thinking.” Worded that way, it sounds as innocuous as going to an ice cream parlor wanting a hot fudge sundae, but when you get there you decide you want a banana split instead. But that makes me think, “These are the words of Jesus. Surely his meaning must be deeper than a change in preference between two ice cream options.” However, that ice cream analogy contains everything we need to understand Jesus’ message. When Jesus said “Repent,” it was a call to change our thoughts, which in turn affects our decisions. The concept of changing my thoughts from a sundae to a banana split is simple, with a simple result. I alter my behavior, verbalize my decision to the cashier, and pay the different amount of money. When I repented at the ice cream parlor, I performed the action that Jesus exhorts us to do in terms of heaven.
What we believe affects our thoughts and attitudes. Those thoughts and attitudes affect the decisions we make. The decisions we make affect the direction of our lives and the kind of character we develop. Following Jesus’ teaching to “Repent,” is an instruction of constant action, constant growth, constant sanctification. Every part we have to play in the our role of redemption is a verb. The three that are directly connected to this message from Jesus is: Doing, Thinking, and Being/Becoming. Those three must happen in faith in order to maintain right relationship with God and people for eternity. Note: Doing, Thinking, and Becoming can all be accomplished on earth in many humanistic ways. However, self-sufficient change can only affect what is temporary, thus falls short of the “Right relationship with God” aspect, which is the source of all true love and life.
Thinking
Thinking is the beginning of all life’s progress. As Des Cartes said during the Enlightenment, “I think, therefore, I am.” Our thoughts, emotional reactions, beliefs, and responses are all conditioned by one source or another. Most get their first behavioral and thinking impressions from their parents and nearby family and friends. There is a value system/ethos in the familial and neighborhood unit that helps determine some of the base ways of operating.
In the world, the tendency is toward tribalism, where I do what benefits my tribe, or my group. Much of our thinking is molded by our community. So it is in repentance for the kingdom of heaven. Changing our thinking has a great deal to do with where we place our priorities, closest relationships, and personal ethical code. When a non-believer becomes a Christian, they almost always need to reach out to a Christian community to learn from, since everything is a completely different way of thinking. When I became a Christian, people didn’t know what to think. Many of my friends stopped hanging out. My dad freaked out when I went on my first fast. The way I was learning to think was increasingly incompatible with my old social groups and their way of thinking. It is this change in thought that is at the heart of repentance. It comes from an encounter with God which drives us to change the way we think as we learn more and more.
Thinking is just the beginning. This is where the power of the Holy Spirit starts the transformation process. It starts here because our thinking is intimately connected with our will. We think and act based on what we will to do. When we repent, we change the way we think, which in turn changes the way we act. Even though this part doesn’t always exhibit a large degree of external affects, developing a godly way of thinking is a very time and energy absorbing action.
Doing
In the Bible, any time we hear the words “Listen,” “Hear,” “Believe in,” or “Have Faith,” it means to do so with our actions. Faithfulness and belief are proved in actions. That is why James issues the challenge, “So me your faith without works, and I will show you my faith by my works. To “Listen to what the Spirit has to say,” means to live it out with our actions. We “Do” the life of the kingdom. Whether it’s praying every morning, or feeding the hungry on Fridays, doing is the evidence of right belief. If I truly believe the Gospel, then I will “Do” what is in line with it.
Is it easy for someone to fake being a Christian and “do” the externals without a real inner change of thought? Yes. However, they will soon discover they don’t have staying power to consistently do well for the sake of the kingdom.
Jesus said, “On that day, many will say to me, “Lord, Lord. Didn’t we cast out demons in your name?” Jesus reply will be “Depart from me, I never knew you.” That is because their actions (though seemingly faithful), were driven by personal motives, not heavenly motives.
When we think in terms of the kingdom of heaven, we begin to act on those thoughts, which is the path to righteousness and faithfulness to God. Doing is a major aspect of our redemption and sanctification, as it drives our thinking (step 1) to our becoming (step 3).
Becoming
Scripture says when we are baptized in Jesus, we become a new creature. The old has passed away and, behold, now things will come. When we consistently think the things of heaven (reading scripture and actively processing what it means in our lives and how to live it out), it will direct our actions and attitudes. We will begin to “Do” the work of the kingdom as well as enjoy co-laboring with Christ.
Our consistent thoughts of heavenly things affects our actions. Our consistent actions of belief/faith build habits in our lives. Soon we are naturally thinking more in terms of the laws of heaven and living them out in our daily interactions. We are in the process of “becoming” saints. We are “becoming” what God has called us to be.
So what does all this have to do with ice cream? When I go into the parlor and decide on a different option, it directs my words, my actions, my money, and more. When I gave my life to Christ, it changed the way I thought, the books I read, the things I did for entertainment, the career I pursued, the woman I married, and much much more. The lifelong process of thinking, doing, becoming is what we call sanctification. And just like the switch from a sundae to a Banana Split changed an outcome, so my “repentance” toward the kingdom of heaven will change the outcome of my relationships, attitudes, words, way of treating and understanding people, and way of working.
There is a reason the message of repentance was among the first of Jesus’ messages. Without it, we cannot be empowered by the Holy Spirit to effect change on this earth as co-heirs with Christ. That is the power of a Spirit driven repentance.
Was this message insightful? Were you inspired or convicted? Let me know in the comments below.