Turn

“From that time on Jesus began to preach, “Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is near.”

Matthew 4:17

 

 

It is important, I think, to note that the word ‘repent’ is actually the first word spoken by Jesus as recorded in Matthews’ gospel as Jesus begins His public ministry.

Let’s give it the emphasis it deserves!

Someone once defined the word ‘repent’ like this:

“changing your mind to the degree that it changes your behavior.”

I think that is a good way to define it.

After all, we change our minds a lot –

some might say we change are minds far more than we change our clothes!

As a matter of fact, if we change our minds in such a way that our behavior changes 180 degrees (in other words, to the extent that we are now heading in a direction completely opposite of where we were heading before) it is not at all uncommon for us to change our minds again and reverse the amended direction back t the original.

That is not true repentance.

True repentance causes us to turn from that behavior not to return to it.

While we all fail from time to time, that is not what we are talking about here.

Rather, it is the willful, deliberate and sustained return to our old habits.

That return to our sin would certainly not be the mark of true repentance.

Have you repented?

Have you turned from your old ways?

Have you turned to Christ who gives us the victory over sin?

He’s waiting.

He is longing for you to turn to Him today.

Will you?