Jesus preached to Call People to Repentance: Jesus inaugurated his public ministry after he was baptized by John and was tempted by Satan in the wilderness for forty days. This short version of mark is amplified by Matthew by saying that Jesus fasted for forty days and nights after which he was tempted by the devil. Both agree that it was the Holy Spirit that sent him to the wilderness to be tempted there at the end of which angels came and served him by waiting on him (See Mark, 1: 12-13; Matthew, 4: 1-11). However, Mark's longer version of the Gospel proclamation is curtailed by Matthew after narrating the 3 temptations of the devil, also seen in Luke, and specifying that he settled at Capernaum on the Sea of Galilee. "After John had been arrested, Jesus came into Galilee proclaiming the Gospel of God: 'The time has come; the Kingdom of God is upon you; repent , and believe the Gospel'" (Mark, 1: 14-15). "From that day Jesus began to proclaim the message: 'Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is upon you' " (Matthew, 4: 17).
The Nature of Repentance: The theme of the Gospel proclamation of Jesus was twofold: the arrival of God's Kingdom and the necessity of repentance as a consequence of the same. The nature of God's Kingdom that was in the process of arrival was intrinsically connected to the necessity of repentance. The Kingdom expected by the Jews of the time of Jesus was materialistic and too much externalized, whereas the one proclaimed by Jesus was spiritual and to be internalized. This perspective on the Kingdom should explain why there was so much misunderstanding and revolt against the preaching of Jesus. The all-important condition for us to be a part of God's Kingdom was, in Jesus' view, to be ready for repentance. The repentance demanded by Jesus was a total revolution of our world-view, patterns of thinking, form of worship, understanding of God and His Word and our whole self in order to be reborn as a new creature of God. It was not acceptable to the Jews as it would have upset their traditions and their whole way of thinking. They refused to become new and preferred to remain in their old ways, thinking in good faith that they were on the right path. Repentance and Baptism: For a people steeped in tradition and the way of their fore-fathers, it was not easy to to take in the real meaning of repentance. That is why God Himself sent a fore-runner to Jesus, John the Baptist, to prepare the people for his preaching. Jesus had quite a few things to teach which, although they were in the best traditions of Moses and the Patriarchs of Israel, seemed out of the way for the Jews of his time. They misinterpreted traditions to suit their own understanding of the Word of God resulting in the rejection of the interpretation given by Jesus. That is why Moses himself will be their accuser at the Father's tribunal as they have not really believed even Moses (See John, 5: 45-47)."And so it was that John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness proclaiming a baptism in token of repentance, for the forgiveness of sins; and they flocked to him from the whole Judaean countryside and the city of Jerusalem, and were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins" (Mark, 1: 4-5). Forgiveness of sins was intimately related to repentance of which John's baptism was a mere token. As they confessed their sins with repentance, their sins were forgiven, although John's baptism was not fit for remission of sins as it was only with water and not with the Holy Spirit. It was a mere symbol of the internal transformation taking place as a result of repentance. Since the Holy Spirit was not given before the glorification of Jesus (See John, 7: 39), only the baptism administered by the Church after the day of Pentecost could connect with the Holy Spirit. Even here the connection was not understood as automatic and magical as we have seen in an earlier Post on 'The Work of the Holy Spirit'. Therefore, the baptism administered by the Apostles themselves in the presence of Jesus, who never baptized anybody, was in the order of John's baptism for repentance (See John, 4: 1-2). Faith is what is required for Christian baptism, which is supported by the faith of the Church clearly manifest in the practice of child baptism. It is effective not because of the merits of the candidate's repentance, but because of faith in the merits earned by Jesus Christ through his death and resurrection.
Repentance and Kingdom of God: If so, what is the relevance of repentance to enter into the Kingdom of God as preached by Jesus? In the time of preparation for the oncoming Kingdom of God repentance was the only means for remission of sins. With the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, it was time for giving out the Holy Spirit with the simultaneous remission of sins. Faith in Jesus Christ clamors for external manifestation of the new state achieved through baptism and the reception of the Holy Spirit. Repentance and renewal of life are constant daily requirements consequent upon the reception of baptism as we are transposed to a new world order through baptism. Baptism is our way of dying and rising with Christ while we still live in this world (See Romans, 6: 3-4). The true wisdom that liberates us teaches that since our life lies hidden with Christ in God, we should seek after things belonging to that realm above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God (See Colosians, 3: 1-4). In order to achieve this we need to renew ourselves daily with a view to becoming new creatures of God for which the Holy Spirit has been sent into our hearts. The values of the Kingdom of God should invade our lives so that we are able to think as God thinks as opposed to the thinking of the humans (See Matthew, 16: 23). (To be Contd).
The Nature of Repentance: The theme of the Gospel proclamation of Jesus was twofold: the arrival of God's Kingdom and the necessity of repentance as a consequence of the same. The nature of God's Kingdom that was in the process of arrival was intrinsically connected to the necessity of repentance. The Kingdom expected by the Jews of the time of Jesus was materialistic and too much externalized, whereas the one proclaimed by Jesus was spiritual and to be internalized. This perspective on the Kingdom should explain why there was so much misunderstanding and revolt against the preaching of Jesus. The all-important condition for us to be a part of God's Kingdom was, in Jesus' view, to be ready for repentance. The repentance demanded by Jesus was a total revolution of our world-view, patterns of thinking, form of worship, understanding of God and His Word and our whole self in order to be reborn as a new creature of God. It was not acceptable to the Jews as it would have upset their traditions and their whole way of thinking. They refused to become new and preferred to remain in their old ways, thinking in good faith that they were on the right path. Repentance and Baptism: For a people steeped in tradition and the way of their fore-fathers, it was not easy to to take in the real meaning of repentance. That is why God Himself sent a fore-runner to Jesus, John the Baptist, to prepare the people for his preaching. Jesus had quite a few things to teach which, although they were in the best traditions of Moses and the Patriarchs of Israel, seemed out of the way for the Jews of his time. They misinterpreted traditions to suit their own understanding of the Word of God resulting in the rejection of the interpretation given by Jesus. That is why Moses himself will be their accuser at the Father's tribunal as they have not really believed even Moses (See John, 5: 45-47)."And so it was that John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness proclaiming a baptism in token of repentance, for the forgiveness of sins; and they flocked to him from the whole Judaean countryside and the city of Jerusalem, and were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins" (Mark, 1: 4-5). Forgiveness of sins was intimately related to repentance of which John's baptism was a mere token. As they confessed their sins with repentance, their sins were forgiven, although John's baptism was not fit for remission of sins as it was only with water and not with the Holy Spirit. It was a mere symbol of the internal transformation taking place as a result of repentance. Since the Holy Spirit was not given before the glorification of Jesus (See John, 7: 39), only the baptism administered by the Church after the day of Pentecost could connect with the Holy Spirit. Even here the connection was not understood as automatic and magical as we have seen in an earlier Post on 'The Work of the Holy Spirit'. Therefore, the baptism administered by the Apostles themselves in the presence of Jesus, who never baptized anybody, was in the order of John's baptism for repentance (See John, 4: 1-2). Faith is what is required for Christian baptism, which is supported by the faith of the Church clearly manifest in the practice of child baptism. It is effective not because of the merits of the candidate's repentance, but because of faith in the merits earned by Jesus Christ through his death and resurrection.
Repentance and Kingdom of God: If so, what is the relevance of repentance to enter into the Kingdom of God as preached by Jesus? In the time of preparation for the oncoming Kingdom of God repentance was the only means for remission of sins. With the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, it was time for giving out the Holy Spirit with the simultaneous remission of sins. Faith in Jesus Christ clamors for external manifestation of the new state achieved through baptism and the reception of the Holy Spirit. Repentance and renewal of life are constant daily requirements consequent upon the reception of baptism as we are transposed to a new world order through baptism. Baptism is our way of dying and rising with Christ while we still live in this world (See Romans, 6: 3-4). The true wisdom that liberates us teaches that since our life lies hidden with Christ in God, we should seek after things belonging to that realm above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God (See Colosians, 3: 1-4). In order to achieve this we need to renew ourselves daily with a view to becoming new creatures of God for which the Holy Spirit has been sent into our hearts. The values of the Kingdom of God should invade our lives so that we are able to think as God thinks as opposed to the thinking of the humans (See Matthew, 16: 23). (To be Contd).
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