[CYM] 1.0 Repent

Repentance is a foundational command in Yeshua’s ministry, emphasized in the Books of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, also known as Gospels. In Matthew, Yeshua begins His public ministry with a clear call:

Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. (Matthew 4:17).

This invitation signals that entering God’s kingdom requires turning away from sin and changing one’s heart and life. Matthew also highlights John the Baptist’s call to bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance (Matthew 3:8), reinforcing the idea that true repentance results in changed behavior.

In Mark, Yeshua similarly commands,

The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel. (Mark 1:15).

This concise, urgent message underscores repentance as the necessary response to God’s kingdom breaking into the world through Yeshua. Repentance and faith go hand in hand, calling for a decisive turn from sin toward trust in God.

Luke presents repentance as central to Yeshua’s mission: I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance. (Luke 5:32). Yeshua stresses the seriousness of repentance by warning, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish (Luke 13:3,5). Through parables like the Lost Sheep and the Prodigal Son (Luke 15), Luke shows God’s joy when sinners repent, emphasizing God’s mercy and the personal transformation repentance brings.

The book of John does not explicitly use the word “repent,” but the call to change is clear. Yeshua tells a healed man, sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee (John 5:14) and urges a woman caught in adultery to go, and sin no more (John 8:11). He also teaches about being born again (John 3:3,7), signaling a radical spiritual renewal synonymous with repentance.

Across all four books i.e. books of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, repentance involves a heartfelt turning from sin toward God, essential for entering His kingdom and experiencing new life.