“Ways and Paths – True Repentance”

Ways and Paths – What is repentance?

Matthew 3

1 In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea, 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.

4 And the same John had his raiment of camel’s hair, and a leathern girdle about his loins; and his meat was locusts and wild honey. 5 Then went out to him Jerusalem, and all Judaea, and all the region round about Jordan, 6 And were baptized of him in Jordan, confessing their sins.

7 But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism, he said unto them, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come?

8 Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance: 9 And think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham.

“In those days” signifies the timing of the Lord. God’s time for Christ to appear was at hand. We find Malachi 3:1-3 this prophetic prediction. John the Baptist was indeed the “messenger who will prepare the way before” coming of the Lord.

What was John’s message? Repentance! The reason? “The kingdom of heaven is near.” When God draws near we must meet Him with repentance, a turning from our sinful ways. Repentance means a “change of mind”, a new way of thinking.

Some approach the things of God with no intention to leave their sinful ways. Such people only meet with the wrath of God. Thus, John spoke of such hypocrites as a “brood of vipers.” There must be the fruit of repentance, a turning away from sin towards God. “He who confesses and forsakes his sin shall obtain mercy”.

Verse 3 speaks about “preparing the way for the Lord.” One thinks of a way as being open, obvious and public, like the autobahn in Germany. All the hills and valleys have been levelled for cars to travel freely along these highways. Ways are often open sins which are obvious to all such as drunkenness and promiscuity. All and sundry know the character of these sins because they are so open and visible. However, “paths” represent the little tracks which are not so obvious. When a hound gets the smell of an animal it barks and follows the track, even though it is invisible to our sight. Secret sins must be repented of. Those “ways” which are devious and hidden from the sight of others must be exposed and repented of.

Do not flee which the Lord draws nigh for He is willing to forgive and make new. Jesus Himself cleanses His children “as a refiner” with His refining fire. He will refine His children as “silver and gold”.

In Acts 17: 30 the Lord says that He “overlooked times of ignorance, but now He commands all people everywhere to repent.”