Matthew 4:17

AMP – From that time Jesus began to preach and say, “Repent [change your inner self – your old way of thinking, regret past sins, live your life in a way that proves repentance, seek God’s purpose for your life], for the kingdom of heaven is at hand

NRSVUE – From that time Jesus began to proclaim, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.”

VOICE – From that time on, preaching was part of Jesus work. JESUS: Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.

Turning Away

Jesus went out to share God’s message through His authority, teaching the crowds, healing the sick, and calling the disciples to follow Him. Jesus calls us to turn away from sin, self-righteousness, and empty religious and turn to a wholehearted faith and obedience toward God. God’s saving power has come close to the people through the presence and ministry of Jesus. God is establishing His righteous leadership over other through the teachings and ministry of Jesus.

REFLECTION CHECKPOINT: Repentance turns us away from our self-fulfilling ways and turn towards a life of faith and love. What can you repent from to grow closer to God?

Changing Your Ways

Repentance involves changing both your mind and your heart. This change is shown as a needed step to receive God’s forgiveness and being in a right relationship with Him. In the Old Testament, repentance connected to the prophet’s call to return to God. They wanted the people to turn away from the rampant idolatry of the time and turn to back to the covenantal relationship with God. The New Testament continued this mindset with John the Baptist, introducing baptism as a method of repentance in order to forgive sins. Jesus started His ministry with a call to repent. Peter called on the crowd during Pentecost to be baptized. Paul declared that God commands all of us to repent.

Repentance doesn’t focus on our emotions or feeling the remorse from our past. It involves turning away from our sinful behaviors. We claim these behaviors are no longer who we are nor are what will drive us to be better. We decide we are changing our ways and will commit to behaviors, mindsets, and relationship that are grounding in God’s ways – lead by truth, compassion, and mercy. We’re not dismissing our past at the same time. We are working towards recognizing the need for God’s grace and mercy. We find this through the transformation that comes in our relationship with God. The more we adopt Jesus’s way of living, the more we’ll find love and forgiveness. The transformation comes from how we adopt the fruits of the Spirit in our lives and move past how we used to be in to a place that aligns with God’s plan for the world.

REFLECTION CHECKPOINT: Repentance is about changing our minds about our behaviors, moving away from sin, and moving towards God’s love and mercy. John introduces baptism as a way to find repentance. How do you understand baptism? What was your baptism like?

Importance of Baptism

Let’s look at Peter’s call to the church to see how it impacted the brand-new church at the time in Acts 2:38.

AMP – And Peter said to them, “Repent [change your old way of thinking, turn from your sinful ways, accept and follow Jesus as the Messiah] and be baptized, each of you, in the name of Jesus Christ because of the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

NRSVUE – Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ so that your sins may be forgiven, and you will receive the gift of Holy Spirit.

VOICE – PETER: Reconsider your lives; change your direction. Participate in the ceremonial washing of baptism in the name of Jesus God’s Anointed, the Liberating King. Then your sins will be forgiven, and the gift of the Holy Spirit will be yours.

Peter was the chief spokesman for the apostle, speaking to the crowd during Pentecost. He explained to them and testified about everything relating to the death, resurrection, and exaltation of Jesus. Peter’s word carries authority. The crowd wrestled with the guilt in rejecting Jesus, but Peter offered forgiveness instead of despair, anger, and judgment. Baptism was the primary way to make a public response to those who believed Peter’s message. It identified those who believed in Jesus, His death for sin, His burial, and His resurrection. Baptism confessed before others that Jesus was the promised Messiah – not the religious leaders.

God’s call reaches all of us individually, creating both a personal and communal relationship with other believers. Baptism under Jesus’ name was how they declared their allegiance and submission, for salvation rests in Jesus only. Forgiveness for our sins was secured through Jesus’s death and received by believers. God removed the guilt through Jesus’ death, and presented us a new relationship with a full pardon and transformation into a child of God.

REFLECTION CHECKPOINT: Baptism was a public way to find repentance. Would you be baptized to share that you are ready to follow God?

Differences in Baptism

Did you know that baptisms vary across denominations? From when you are baptized to how you are baptized, to why you should be baptized. Denominations can only agree that baptism represents your new relationship with Jesus Christ.

Denominations differ in whether people should be baptized as an infant or when you decide to become a believer. Roman Catholics, Eastern Orthodox members, Lutherans, and Methodists practice infant baptism under the belief that infants are born with the original sin. This requires that they are baptism for salvation to find true spiritual cleansing. It also represents the importance of grace and community in the Christian life. Baptisms, Pentecostals, and others practice believer’s baptism, where believer’s are baptized when they reach an age of accountability and can express their faith on their own.

Denominations differ how you should be baptized, either through immersion, affusion, and aspersion. Baptists tend to be ones who practice immersion, believing that it’s the closest representation of Jesus’ baptism. Immersion is believed by baptists to be vital acknowledging Christ’s death (going under the water), burial (being submerged under the water), and resurrection (coming out of the water). Catholics and many Protestant churches use affusion, where water is poured over the believer’s head. Affusion is often used with infant baptism. Aspersion is a method involving the sprinkling of water on the individual.

Why is Baptism important? Catholics and orthodox traditions believe baptism to be a sacrament – an outward sign instituted by Christ that shows God’s love. It’s viewed necessary for salvation. Baptists view this as an ordinance – a commandment to be followed from Jesus himself. Baptists say that baptism is essential for obedience and publicly proclaiming our faith, but it doesn’t lead to salvation.

However you view baptism, in whatever way you were baptized, your sins were forgiven. You were made new through the waters of baptism, cleansed of the earthly sinful desires and set forth on a path that’s led by God himself. Whether this is when you were an infant, or yesterday – you are forgiven of your past.

(Information used and paraphrased from: https://www.biblen3rd.com/post/understanding-baptism-across-christian-denominations

REFLECTION CHECKPOINT: What versions of baptism make sense to you? Why?

A Final Turn

Repentance and faith are connected. Repentance involves turning away from sin. Faith involves turing toward God and trusting in Jesus for salvation. Repentance is not a one-time event, but a life-long process. It’s all focused on constant reflection, recognizing and acknowledging where we’ve fallen short of God’s guidance. We bring those shortfalls to God humbly and asked for both forgiveness, and the strength and wisdom of God will guide us in to a direction that aligns with God’s will for us.

Repentance leads us to a changed mind and changed heart. It recognizes the hardships we faced, acknowledges our role in those hardships, and works in our hearts to change our paths. Whether our situations that we’re in were intentional or not, God shows up. God forgives us of our past mistakes, our past decisions, our past relationships and gives us a new start. One that doesn’t dismiss our past, but one that grows something beautiful out of it. One that works to guide us through the consequences of our path into a place of love, light, and justice.

REFLECTION CHECKPOINT: After our conversation today about repentance, what is one thing that came to mind that you would like your mind and heart changed on? How can God guide you away from that path onto the path that He created for you?