“2 And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. 3 For this is he that was spoken of by the prophet Esaias, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.” – Matthew 3: 2&3
Long ago, before the age of pavement and motor cars. When horse, carriage, and walking were the only form of land transportation; kings and royalty would send servants ahead of them to “prepare the way.” The highways that these aristocrats would be traveling were not like ours today (although some roads in South Carolina might draw comparisons). These highways in ancient days were rough, rocky, bumpy, blocked, and treacherous. So, to make the journey more pleasant, the servants would go along ahead and remove the rocks, grade out the bumps, and clean the path. They would do anything and everything they could to make the way passable for the coming of the king.
John the Baptist was the voice crying in the wilderness; preaching repentance for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. Through his preaching, he was to prepare the hearts of men and women for the coming of the Lord. John’s message went out then, and it still must go out today. The message of repentance, the need for: recognition of wrong, confession, and resolve to follow righteousness. It is a turning of heart, a turning of mind, and a turning of spirit from your sinful ways to the ways of righteousness. This was John’s baptism, the baptism of repentance. As he preached, the people roundabout would flock to him by banks of the Jordan River, and they would come to be baptized in its muddy waters. Like the Jewish Mikveh, the water was to symbolize washing, cleansing, purity, and pardon. However, without a sincere heart of faith, they would only leave a wet sinner, but if they confessed and turned, God would grant them pardon and they would then be a prepared vessel for the coming of the Lord. Repentance is as much a necessity to salvation as sanctification. A complete preparation for the coming of Jesus into your heart. In the real-estate trade (to borrow an analogy from a much-respected preacher I know), when a home is bought, it is then: furnished, swept, and cleaned. Why is this done? It is done in preparation for the homeowner. The heart needs the same in preparation for the Master. When we are in sin, we are unfit for the Holy Spirit’s habitation, we are unworthy for the coming of the Lord (which is the indwelling of the Holy Spirit). We are unfit because he is Holy and we are not, we are unfit because He wants to lead us to righteousness, and we want our own way; we cannot serve two masters. Therefore, preparation is needed. The house must be first cleaned up, sins of the past washed away, and a resolute desire to serve him instilled. Then, and only then, can it be a ready and prepared vessel for the habitation of Jesus through the coming of the Holy Ghost.
Repentance is that preparation, it is that cleaning; it is the remission and pardon for sins past, coupled with the resolve and determination to pursue righteousness. The desire for Jesus in one’s life. When you repent, God forgives, and in that act of grace through faith God ready’s your heart for the habitation of the Lord. It is not for your glory, but for His. He ready’s you for the Holy Ghost to come and live inside you, keeping your house: clean, pure, happy, and holy. Thereby making you a sanctified vessel, meet for the Master’s use.
