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God commands everyone to repent for the kingdom (Matt. 3:2; 4:17; Acts 17:30):
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To repent means that originally we were rebellious and against God, but now we turn back to the Lord in submission (Matt. 3:2; 4:17).
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To repent is to have a change of mind issuing in regret, to have a turn in purpose (Luke 3:3, 8; 5:32; 17:3; Acts 17:30-31).
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Repentance is mainly for us to enter into the kingdom of God; unless we repent— that is, have a change of concept—we cannot enter into the kingdom (Mark 1:15; Matt. 3:2; 4:17).
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The gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole inhabited earth for a testimony to all the nations before the end of this age (24:14):
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This preaching, signified by the white horse of the first seal in Revelation 6:1-2, will be a sign of the consummation of this age.
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The gospel of the kingdom must be brought to the whole inhabited earth through the churches in the Lord's recovery (Matt. 24:14; 1 Thes. 1:8).
Morning Nourishment
Matt. 3:2 And saying, Repent, for the kingdom of the heavens has drawn near.Mark 1:15 And saying, The time is fulfilled and the kingdom of God has drawn near. Repent and believe in the gospel.
To repent is to have a change of mind issuing in regret, to have a turn in purpose. (Matt. 3:2, footnote 1)
In John the Baptist's preaching, repentance, as the opening of God's New Testament economy, involved making a turn for the kingdom of the heavens. This indicates that God's New Testament economy is focused on His kingdom. For this we should repent, change our mind, make a turn in our life-pursuit. The goal of our pursuing has been other things; now our pursuing must turn toward God and His kingdom, which in Matthew (cf. Mark 1:15) is specifically and purposefully called “the kingdom of the heavens” [Matt. 3:2]. According to the Gospel of Matthew as a whole, the kingdom of the heavens is different from the Messianic kingdom. The Messianic kingdom will be the restored kingdom of David (the rebuilt tabernacle of David—Acts 15:16), made up of the children of Israel, and will be earthly and physical in nature, whereas the kingdom of the heavens is constituted of regenerated believers and is heavenly and spiritual. (Matt. 3:2, footnote 2)
Today's Reading
The Greek word [translated “repent” in Mark 1:15] means “have a change of mind.” To repent is to have a change of mind with regret for the past and a turn for the future. On the negative side, to repent before God is not only to repent of sins and wrongdoings but also to repent of the world and its corruption, which usurp and corrupt people whom God created for Himself, and to repent of our God-forsaking life in the past. On the positive side, it is to turn to God in every way and in everything for the fulfillment of His purpose in creating man. It is a “repentance unto God,” and is to “repent and turn to God” (Acts 20:21; 26:20). (Mark 1:15, footnote 2)The first thing mentioned concerning the gospel is the need to repent (Matt. 3:2; 4:17). What does it mean to repent? To repent means that originally we were rebellious and against God, but then a voice of love asked us to return, to turn back, to God. Hence, to repent is to turn back in submission to the Lord and receive Him as our Savior. When we receive Him as our Savior, He comes into us. He enters into us not only in the status of a Savior but also in the status of the King of kings. Today He is no longer the Christ nailed to the cross; He is the King on the throne. When we repent, turn to Him, and receive Him as our Savior, He is the King on the throne. Therefore, we have received not only the Savior but also the King of kings, the Lord of lords. When the King of kings comes into us, His throne simultaneously comes into us. His desire is to establish His kingdom in us in order to make us rebellious ones His kingdom.
Revelation 1 and 5 reveal that the Lord has purchased us with His blood to make us His kingdom (1:5-6; 5:9-10). What is His purpose in making us His kingdom? His purpose is to rule, to reign, to accomplish His will on earth, and to gain a group of people on earth to be under His authority. This is the result that has been produced by the gospel during the last two thousand years. (CWWL, 1957, vol. 2, “What the Kingdom Is to the Believers,” pp. 457-458)
The gospel of the kingdom, which includes the gospel of grace (Acts 20:24), brings people not only into God's salvation but also into the kingdom of the heavens (Rev. 1:9). The gospel of grace emphasizes forgiveness of sin, God's redemption, and eternal life, whereas the gospel of the kingdom emphasizes the heavenly ruling of God and the authority of the Lord. This gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole earth for a testimony to all the nations before the end of this age. Hence, that preaching, signified by the white horse of the first seal in Revelation 6:1-2, will be a sign of the consummation of this age. (Matt. 24:14, footnote 1)
Further Reading: CWWL, 1972, vol. 2, “The Kingdom,” chs. 1, 3; CWWL, 1957, vol. 2, “What the Kingdom Is to the Believers,” ch. 5; CWWL, 1957, vol. 3, “The Kingdom and the Church,” ch. 1