Repent! - Matthew 3-4

Matthew 3:8 (ESV)

Bear fruit in keeping with repentance.

There are three other times in this section where the word repent is used, besides the above verse. Two of them are by John the Baptist and one is my Jesus:

Matthew 3:2 (ESV)

“Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

Matthew 3:11 (ESV)

“I baptize you with water for repentance, but he who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.

Matthew 4:17 (ESV)

From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

The word repent (Greek: metanoeō) means to change one’s mind about something. It literally means, in this context, to change your mind about your sin and agree with God about it, that is sin (failing to hit the mark God has for us of holiness).  It is used in some very powerful ways in Scripture.   

Jesus tells the religious leaders how important repentance is here:

Luke 10:13 (ESV)

“Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty works done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes.

Peter’s first words after he preached at Pentecost were:

Acts 2:38 (ESV)

And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

Paul warns the spiritually carnal Christian’s at Corinth to repent:

2 Corinthians 12:21 (ESV)

I fear that when I come again my God may humble me before you, and I may have to mourn over many of those who sinned earlier and have not repented of the impurity, sexual immorality, and sensuality that they have practiced.

And, finally, in one of the most powerful uses of the word, Jesus warns five of the seven churches in the book of The Revelation to reprint:

Revelation 2:5 (ESV)

Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent, and do the works you did at first. If not, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you repent.

Revelation 2:16 (ESV)

Therefore repent. If not, I will come to you soon and war against them with the sword of my mouth.

Revelation 2:21 (ESV)

I gave her time to repent, but she refuses to repent of her sexual immorality.

Revelation 3:3 (ESV)

Remember, then, what you received and heard. Keep it, and repent. If you will not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what hour I will come against you.

Revelation 3:19 (ESV)

Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline, so be zealous and repent.

God wants us to agree with Him about sin in our lives.   We can’t ignore sin.  We can’t sugarcoat it.  We can’t marginalize it.   When we sin, God is expecting us to repent of it.