Repentance--- what a powerful yet chilling word conveyed by many morally indignant voices as well as by many folks who use it in religious speak . In fact, it's full of spoken and unspoken expectations for someone to be contrite and promise to straighten up and get squared away.
It is deeply associated with religious overtones steeped in confessions and promises to make a change for the better, all according to our Western world that is. It's a word that has been loaded down with holy freight... 'repent or else', is most often how we decipher that language. It is a scary proposition used by many a fearmongering Christian.
We invoke tha word over the morally deviant as a condition upon which we will give them any respect. We want the Ponzi schemers, Wallstreet connivers, sports figures who sleep with too many woman or gamble on dog fighting, etc.-- to 'repent' in order to return them to some social acceptance.
We apply the same condition on matters of God too. Of course-- we can look back to some Jonah, and the story of Nineveh for handing down that sort of viewpoint. Question: do we let Jonah speak louder or more authoritative than Jesus? Many ill informed Christians do. Christians ignore the voice from Heaven declaring over Jesus, "This is My Son, listen to Him." Christians simply place all the godly biblical characters on the same plain... giving all equal voice. In doing so, Jesus is reduced to just one of many voices in the Bible, and from God.
What matters to many Christians is what the Bible says to us, rather than Jesus, the Word made flesh--- think of how many times well known and unknown teachers and Christian leaders say, "The Bible says---". And Jesus is left in the dust in preference to say Daniel when interpreting the last days... or Jesus is ignored when talking about the 10 Commandments (truly, Jesus gives us the present truth on them when He declares, "You have heard it said but I say unto you..." and Jesus obliterates the Mosaic injunctions, however Christians still love to insist that the 10 Commandments are binding on all.)
So, let's allow Jesus to interpret for us what Repentance is-- after all, He is the Truth and clearest Voice/Word of our Father to us. What did Jesus demand of the thief on the Cross in order to obtain Paradise? Nothing. The guy simply asked Jesus to remember him-- and Jesus said, "Sure thing." That was a sterling example of repentance. It had nothing to do with feeling bad or bad enough. It wasn't framed in the Thief making a promise to change (that guy had no good days behind him or any ahead-- all he could do was trust in Jesus). That thief did not say some 'sinners prayer'. It was a request that Jesus remember him, too. That's repentance. Trust in Mercy from Jesus-- is it. The guy trusted in Jesus or hoped in Jesus is the better way of framing this.
Of course we can look at all the cases in which Jesus healed the sick or fed the thousands-- please, go and search those references and take out your best magnifying glass to find a speck of what we fondly call 'repentance'... in order for Jesus to heal, or feed them.
Think of that dead man Lazarus, how did he repent in order to be raised? He didn't. He was dead. Jesus just called out Laz's name... and Laz responded to the Voice that speaks life.
Now, for my money-- responding to the Voice of Life is repentance.... for it is hearing and trusting that Voice. It is not pledging to be better or kinder or saying I'm so sorry and wallowing in remorse--- it's trusting in a Good and Happy Word (Jesus). This Jesus, who has drawn all people into His death and Resurrection--- and repentance is simply trusting in that. It's trusting in a Life not our own to make us fit for Heaven.... It's trusting not in our act of religious piety of 'forgive me.... forgive me... forgive me...' but in Jesus last words on the cross--- "Father forgive them".
He does the forgiving before we even ask. He does the raising of us while we are 'dead in sins'. He does it all for us. All we can do is put our meager little mustard seed of faith in the great and kind Promise Keeper.
So, let's put away this childish form of religiosity called 'repentance', for the Western world has imbibed it until we are totally drunk with it. We talk silliness because we are inebriated with the religion of 'repentance'. Instead, let's grow up in trust in Christ--- knowing He holds all things lovely and reconciled in His resurrection. It's a matter of trust... plus nothing.
Okay, now that we trust in Him, we also follow. Our following doesn't give us life, or make us New-- it just helps us enjoy what we have in Him
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