John replied in the words of Isaiah the prophet: “I am a voice of one calling in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way for the Lord.’ John 1:23
Before the Lord began His ministry, God had provided the means by which the people could receive Him. John was prepared in the power of the Spirit of God for the task of cleaning the hearts of the people, so that the people would be able to receive the Messiah (Christ). John was full of the understanding of what his task was to be, and he approached it with courage and great zeal.
He said, “I baptize you with water for repentance, but after me will come One more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.” Matthew 3:11
Every entrance, in truth, of our Lord by the Holy Spirit of Truth, has a harbinger. The harbinger of repentance always accompanies a great move of God, whether it be in the heart of an individual person or a great many people. He makes His home in a clean vessel only.
“His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through the knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence.
Through these He has given us His precious and magnificent promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, now that you have escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.
For this reason, make every effort to add to your faith virtue; and to virtue, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. For if you possess these qualities and continue to grow in them, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But whoever lacks these traits is nearsighted to the point of blindness, having forgotten that he has been cleansed from his past sins.
Therefore, brothers, strive to make your calling and election sure. For if you practice these things you will never stumble, and you will receive a lavish reception into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.” 2 Peter 1:3-11
Repentance is serious business. God means business—-do we? There’s no winking of the eye toward sin with God. He’s the same now as he was yesterday. He says, ‘I’m the Lord, and I change not’. Only we have changed Him with our easy, sleazy doctrines in order to keep ourselves from being frightened by Him. It’s not taking God lightly that produces wisdom. It’s written, ‘the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom’. Was He just joking? There are many interpretations of this ‘fear’ of the Lord. I believe in allowing the Word of God to determine His own meaning, through the evidence He supplies in His own support. He’s His own witness in every case He presents to us, but to see this, we have to become detectives of His Word.
In the book of Genesis, to the son of Abraham, Isaac, was born two sons. They were not of the same nature. One possessed a ‘fear of the Lord’ and a regard, by that fear, for what was precious to God. The other brother took God and what God had given, lightly. The brothers were Esau and Jacob. Though twins, Esau had emerged first and had inherited a birthright by God. We see in Genesis 25: 29-34 a perfect picture of taking God lightly. Jacob had made a stew and Esau came home that day, hungry. Esau wanted a bowl of the stew, and Jacob agreed to give him some, but with the stipulation he give to Jacob the birthright in trade. Esau agrees and the consequences are nothing short of cataclysmic in both their lives. Nothing was ever the same.
Esau went in a way, according to the dictates of his flesh and the ways of the world around him, further and further away from God. Jacob followed the way the Spirit of God directed by God’s Spirit into His promised blessings. Esau’s hatred grew toward Jacob, and though they were brothers, no brotherly attitude of affection was to remain in Esau’s heart.
God wants His children to secure His favor. He wants us to enjoy His marvelous and precious promises—–but all His wanting will not override our decisions against Him. We need Him. He’s given us a way to approach Him that will not ever fail, if performed in Spirit and in Truth. We have to mean business! Repentance opens the door to His Holy Spirit and enables us to experience His mercy of forgiveness and newness of life—–no matter how badly we ourselves or others have judged us. How incredible is His unfathomable willingness to love us. It’s thoroughly beyond our comprehension. But we have His promises, and He’s told us what we need to do to obtain them. It’s time to choose Life, to choose Him and His Word, leaving behind the attitudes and ways of the world that keep us from the blessings He wants us to have.
In Him, Therein.