21. See appendix 1.
Jesus Explains His Gospel
What a greeting! It was a far cry from saying, "Ladies and gentlemen, here are our esteemed leaders." We do not know why they had come for baptism, but obviously their motives were wrong. Perhaps they were trying to gain favor with the people or be associated with John's popularity. Whatever their reasons, they had not really repented, and John refused their overture. He condemned them instead as religious phonies.
Why was John so harsh? Because these hypocrites were poisoning a whole nation with their fatal deception. Nothing about their behavior indicated that they had truly repented. There is a critical lesson here: If repentance is genuine, we can expect it to produce observable results.
What are the fruits of repentance? That is the question the tax-gatherers asked John the Baptist (Luke 3:10). His answer to them was, "Collect no more than what you have been ordered to" (v. 13). To some soldiers who asked the same question, his response was, "Do not take money from anyone by force, or accuse anyone falsely, and be content with your wages" (v. 14).
In other words, there must be a sincere change in one's lifestyle. A person who has genuinely repented will stop doing evil and begin to live righ teously. Along with a change of mind and attitude, true repentance will begin to produce a change in conduct.
Radical change was also what the apostle Paul considered proof of repentance. Note how he described his ministry to King Agrippa: "I did not prove disobedient to the heavenly vision, but kept declaring . . . to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, performing deeds appropriate to repentance" (Acts 26:19 – 20, emphasis added). That true believers will show their repentance with righ teous behavior was obviously a crucial element of Paul's message.21
The Gospel and Repentance
Repentance has always been the foundation of the New Testament call to salvation. When Peter gave the gospel invitation at Pentecost, in the first public evangelism of the postresurrection era, repentance was at the heart of it: "Repent, and let each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins" (Acts 2:38).
No message that eliminates repentance can properly be called the gospel, for sinners cannot come to Jesus Christ apart from a radical change of heart, mind, and will. That demands a spiritual crisis leading to a complete turnaround and
21. See appendix 1.
The Call to Repentance
ultimately a wholesale transformation. It is the only kind of conversion Scripture recognizes.22
In Matthew 21:28 – 31 Jesus used a parable to illustrate the hypocrisy of a profession of faith without repentance:
"But what do you think? A man had two sons, and he came to the fi rst and said, 'Son, go work today in the vineyard.' And he answered and said, 'I will, sir'; and he did not go. And he came to the second and said the same thing. But he answered and said, 'I will not'; yet he aft erward regretted it and went. Which of the two did the will of his father?"
You may wonder why Jesus did not include a third son who said, "I will" and kept his word. Perhaps it is because this story characterizes humanity, and we all fall short (cf. Rom. 3:23). Thus Jesus could describe only two kinds of religious people: those who pretend to be obedient but are actually rebels, and those who begin as rebels but repent.
Jesus told the parable for the benefit of the Pharisees, who did not view themselves as sinful and disobedient. When He asked them which son did the will of his father, they correctly answered, "The latter" (Matt. 21:31). In admitting that, they condemned themselves for their own hypocrisy.
How Jesus' rebuke must have stung them! "Truly I say to you that the taxgatherers and harlots will get into the kingdom of God before you" (v. 31). The Pharisees lived under the delusion that God approved of them because they made a great show of their religion. The problem was that it was only a show. They were like the son who said he would obey but did not. Their claim that they loved God and kept His law amounted to nothing. Those Pharisees were like many today who say they believe in Jesus but refuse to obey Him. Their profession of faith is hollow. Unless they repent, they will perish.
Tax-gatherers and harlots have an easier time than Pharisees getting into the kingdom because they are more likely to recognize their sin and repent of it. Even the worst of sins will not keep a sinner out of heaven if he or she repents. On the other hand, even the most impressive Pharisee who shelters his sin and refuses to acknowledge or repent of it will find himself shut out of the kingdom. There is no salvation apart from the repentance that renounces sin.
There are many today who hear the truth of Christ and immediately respond as did the son who said he would obey but did not. Their positive
22. "Conversion as Jesus understands it . . . is more than a break with the old nature. . . . It embraces the whole walk of the man who is claimed by the divine lordship. . . . 'To be converted,' embraces all that the dawn of God's kingdom demands of man." Behm, "Metanoia," 4:1003.
Jesus Explains His Gospel
response to Jesus will not save them. The fruit of their lives shows they have never truly repented.
On the other hand, there are many who turn their backs on sin, unbelief, and disobedience, and embrace Christ with a faith that obeys. Theirs is true repentance, manifested by the righ teous ness it produces. They are the truly righ teous (1 Peter 4:18). And that is the ultimate aim of the gospel according to Jesus.