Repentance

“In those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the Desert of Judea and saying, ‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near.’” Matthew 3:1-2
As we know, John the Baptist had a very special ministry – one that had been prophesied about in Isa. 40:3. He was the herald for the Messiah. It’s interesting to note that his message was not about baptism! – rather, it was about repentance.
Repentance is and always has been the first step to salvation. Without it, we cannot be saved. Repentance is more than just feeling sorry about our sin: it is a conscious decision to turn away from it. While none of us are able to completely turn away from sin, and never sin again, that decision to turn away from sin and turn towards God is the first step towards spiritual life, where our spirit, guided by the Holy Spirit, has the power to overcome sin. However, if we refuse to repent and turn from that sin in the first place, it will always be our master. God won’t violate your free will, so if you persist in it, He will leave you to it.
Repentance requires humility. Humility is required for us to come before God: when we realise just how unworthy and unrighteous we are according to God’s standards, and we need the righteousness of Christ to clothe us instead.
Repentance was also the first message that Jesus preached (Matt. 4:17). And it’s a message that is still as relevant for us today as it was back then. The way that we are to approach God has not changed. And even once we become a Christian, we need to repent of our sins on an ongoing basis. It’s not a one-time action, but a lifelong thing: a course correction, if you like. Is there anything you need to repent of today? I would encourage you to do so, and ensure that your life is on track with the Lord.