Repent and believe

Repent and Believe the Gospel
After THE Baptism, that is Jesus baptism where He identifies with us sinners by getting into the waters – here the Word (Jesus) is added to the waters to purify them and all who enter. Sins washed away, cleansed by the holy One of God. After THE Temptation of Jesus by the ancient serpent (the deceiver, the father of lies, Satan himself); Jesus does what Adam (son of God) and Eve could not do; what the children of Israel (sons of God) could not do; what you and I cannot do – He defeats the devil by not falling into temptation. Mark now records for us what Jesus says about repentance and belief:    
 
Mark 1:14 Now after John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of God, 15 and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.”
 
“The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand” – The Kingdom of God is here with Jesus presence. The promised One of the Old Testament is found in Jesus fulfilling. The Kingdom is here and we are living in the End Times right now in His coming (but that is for a longer discussion at another time).
 
Christian Repentance
Christian repentance is not merely feeling bad about our sins (as Judas). Instead, Christian repentance involves:
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• First a recognition that however I may have sinned against other human beings, my offense is first and foremost against a righteous God. There is appropriate sorrow and regret.
• Second, I seek and trust in the full forgiveness which I have because of Christ’s life, death, and resurrection.

 
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Where is this written? St. Paul writes in Romans chapter six: “We were therefore buried with Him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.” (Rom. 6:4) [Small Catechism, Baptism, Fourth Part]
 
Rising to new life in Christ through Baptism involves two major issues.

• First, I embrace the new life I have received in Baptism. That is, I flee from sin and instead devote my time and energies to the good works to which all Christians are called. This change in behavior is neither to diminish the wickedness of my sin nor to earn God’s forgiveness. Rather, I live righteously because that is who I am (or more to the point, who God has made me in Baptism).
• Second, as a baptized Christian, I also live in the certainty of forgiveness and eternal life. I have certainty because my Baptism is not based on my merits or behavior but rather on God and His promises found in His Word. Baptism is the source of ever-present grace each day and the joyful anticipation of Christ’s return and life eternal with Him.

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