太三2　你们要悔改，因为诸天的国已经临近了。

　　可一15　时期满了，神的国已经临近了。你们要悔改，相信福音。

　　悔改就是心思改变，生出懊悔而转移目标（圣经恢复本，太三2注1）。

　　施浸者约翰所传的悔改，开启神新约的经纶，是为着诸天的国有一个转变。这指明神新约的经纶，是以祂的国为中心。为此，我们应当悔改，改变我们的心思，转移我们人生的追求。我们追求的目标，向来是别的事物，现今我们必须转向神和神的国；这国在马太福音里，特别并特意的称为诸天的国（三2，参可一15）。照着整本马太福音的经文看，诸天的国和弥赛亚国不同。弥赛亚国将是大卫复兴的国（大卫重新建造的帐幕—徒十五16），由以色列人所组成，性质是属地并属物质的；而诸天的国是由重生的信徒所组成，是属天并属灵的（太三2注2）。

　　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)

　　〔马可一章十五节的“悔改”〕原文意，心思改变。悔改就是心思改变，懊悔已往，为着将来而转变。在消极方面，在神面前悔改，不仅是为着罪与过犯悔改，也是为着世界及其败坏悔改（这世界及其败坏，霸占并败坏神为祂自己所造的人）；并且是为着我们已往弃绝神的生活悔改。在积极方面，悔改乃是在每一面、每一事上转向神，为着要完成神造人的目的。这就是“悔改归向神”，“悔改转向神”（徒二十21，二六20）（圣经恢复本，可一15注2）。

　　关于福音，头一件提起的事就是悔改（太三2，四17）。什么叫作悔改？悔改的意思是，我原本是背叛的，是顶撞神的，现在神有一个慈爱的声音，要我回头，要我转回。所以，悔改就是转回归顺祂，接受祂作救主。当我接受祂作救主时，祂就进到我里面。祂不只是以救主的身分，更是以万王之王的身分，进到我里面。这时，祂不再是钉在十字架上的基督了，而是在宝座上的君王。当你悔改归向祂，接受祂作救主时，祂乃是在宝座上的君王。所以，你不只是接受一位救主，更是接受一位万王之王，万主之主。因此，当这位万王之王进到你里面时，祂的宝座同时进到你里面。祂的心意就是要在你里面，设立祂的国度，把你这个背叛的人作成祂的国度。

　　启示录一章和五章都说，主用血买了我们，要使我们成为祂的国度（一6，五9~10）。使我们成为祂的国度是为着什么？乃是为着让祂掌权，为着让祂作王，为着让祂在地上通行祂的旨意，让祂在地上得着一班人在祂的权下。这就是二千年来，福音所产生的一个结果（国度之于信徒，八八至八九页）。

　　国度的福音，包括恩典的福音（徒二十24），不仅把人带进神的救恩，也把人带进诸天的国（启一9）。恩典的福音重在罪的赦免、神的救赎和永远的生命；国度的福音重在神属天的管治和主的权柄。在这世代结束之前，国度的福音要传遍天下，对万民作见证，如启示录六章一至二节第一印之白马所表征的。因此，这传扬乃是这世代终结的兆头（圣经恢复本，太二四14注1）。

　　参读：国度，第一、三章；国度之于信徒，第五篇；国度与召会，第一章。

　　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