In Matthew 3:2, John the Baptist says "Repent". In Matthew 4:17 Jesus says "Repent".
The definition of the Greek word (spelled in English) "metanoeo" (translated "repent"), as given in the Greek dictionary of the Strong's Concordance is "TO THINK DIFFERENTLY", ex. "RECONSIDER".
Imagine the difficulty of the Jew (or anyone in any other religious organization/church with a long history) in Jesus' Day. They had a history of over 1,500 years in which they had been taught to obey 613 laws in order to be "right with God." Worship in the temple; offer animal sacrifices, live separate from Gentiles, eat this...don't eat that. Now John the Baptist is sent of God. Jesus is sent of God. Paul is sent of God. Classic confrontation: God tells Peter "Kill and eat.", Acts 10:9-16. This flies in the face of what the Jews had been taught for 1500 years.
John, Jesus, Paul all taught the Jews repentance, "TO THINK DIFFERENTLY" than they had for 1500 years. That is not easy for anyone to do, without coming to an understanding of why. Much of the New Testament is dedicated to answering that question, but if some don't read the N.T. or understand the N.T. they will see no reason TO THINK DIFFERENTLY. The Jewish religious leaders, in general, did not repent, thought there were exceptions like Nicodemus, Joseph of Arimathea, and those mentioned in Acts 7:6. Jesus gave the terribly serious warning in Luke 13:3-5 "Except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish." That word "perish" is also in John 3:16. "Repent" can also be rendered "to change one's mind" or "to change the direction that your life is headed". Within the "Sermon on the Mount" in Mt 5-7, Jesus says in Matthew 7:13-14 "Enter ye in at the strait (narrow) gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in there at: Because strait (narrow) is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it." "Religion" has been defined by some as "Doing good in order to please one's God and be accepted by that God.", in other words being (or doing) good enough to go to (Heaven). This may be what some religions and churches teach, but this is not what the Bible teaches. The Bible teaches "There is none good", Pro 14:3; 15:3; Ecc 7:20; Romans 3:12. The Bible teaches all our righteousnessess (good works) are as filthy rags, Isaiah 64:6. The Bible teaches we need a Savior...to save us...not our good works...but His atoning work upon the cross in paying for our sins by shedding His blood. The sinner then needs to call upon Him in order to be saved, Romans 10:9-10; Romans 10:13; Acts 2:21, and invite Him to come into their life (application of Revelation 3:20), receiving Him (John 1:12-13). How would the Philippian jailor be saved? Paul told him "Believe (put your faith and trust in) in the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved.", Acts 16:31. Not everyone, (in fact not even the majority according to Mt 7:13,14) will do what Jesus tells them to do in order to be saved, Mark 10:17-22; John 5:39-40; John 6:28-66.
So it is nothing new for religious people to reject the word of God. It is nothing new for them to remain set in their ways, ways that have lasted hundreds of years. It is nothing new for people not to heed the cry from God to "Repent." It is nothing new for people who are thought of a good, loving, full of good works, to miss that narrow gate, and stay on the wide road with so many others like them, on the way to destruction. It is nothing new for people to remain in their spiritual blindness, in their spiritual darkness. "But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost; in who the god of this world (Satan, 2 Corinthians 4:4; Ephesians 2:1-2) hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.", 2 Corinthians 4:3,4.
The definition of the Greek word (spelled in English) "metanoeo" (translated "repent"), as given in the Greek dictionary of the Strong's Concordance is "TO THINK DIFFERENTLY", ex. "RECONSIDER".
Imagine the difficulty of the Jew (or anyone in any other religious organization/church with a long history) in Jesus' Day. They had a history of over 1,500 years in which they had been taught to obey 613 laws in order to be "right with God." Worship in the temple; offer animal sacrifices, live separate from Gentiles, eat this...don't eat that. Now John the Baptist is sent of God. Jesus is sent of God. Paul is sent of God. Classic confrontation: God tells Peter "Kill and eat.", Acts 10:9-16. This flies in the face of what the Jews had been taught for 1500 years.
John, Jesus, Paul all taught the Jews repentance, "TO THINK DIFFERENTLY" than they had for 1500 years. That is not easy for anyone to do, without coming to an understanding of why. Much of the New Testament is dedicated to answering that question, but if some don't read the N.T. or understand the N.T. they will see no reason TO THINK DIFFERENTLY. The Jewish religious leaders, in general, did not repent, thought there were exceptions like Nicodemus, Joseph of Arimathea, and those mentioned in Acts 7:6. Jesus gave the terribly serious warning in Luke 13:3-5 "Except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish." That word "perish" is also in John 3:16. "Repent" can also be rendered "to change one's mind" or "to change the direction that your life is headed". Within the "Sermon on the Mount" in Mt 5-7, Jesus says in Matthew 7:13-14 "Enter ye in at the strait (narrow) gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in there at: Because strait (narrow) is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it." "Religion" has been defined by some as "Doing good in order to please one's God and be accepted by that God.", in other words being (or doing) good enough to go to (Heaven). This may be what some religions and churches teach, but this is not what the Bible teaches. The Bible teaches "There is none good", Pro 14:3; 15:3; Ecc 7:20; Romans 3:12. The Bible teaches all our righteousnessess (good works) are as filthy rags, Isaiah 64:6. The Bible teaches we need a Savior...to save us...not our good works...but His atoning work upon the cross in paying for our sins by shedding His blood. The sinner then needs to call upon Him in order to be saved, Romans 10:9-10; Romans 10:13; Acts 2:21, and invite Him to come into their life (application of Revelation 3:20), receiving Him (John 1:12-13). How would the Philippian jailor be saved? Paul told him "Believe (put your faith and trust in) in the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved.", Acts 16:31. Not everyone, (in fact not even the majority according to Mt 7:13,14) will do what Jesus tells them to do in order to be saved, Mark 10:17-22; John 5:39-40; John 6:28-66.
So it is nothing new for religious people to reject the word of God. It is nothing new for them to remain set in their ways, ways that have lasted hundreds of years. It is nothing new for people not to heed the cry from God to "Repent." It is nothing new for people who are thought of a good, loving, full of good works, to miss that narrow gate, and stay on the wide road with so many others like them, on the way to destruction. It is nothing new for people to remain in their spiritual blindness, in their spiritual darkness. "But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost; in who the god of this world (Satan, 2 Corinthians 4:4; Ephesians 2:1-2) hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.", 2 Corinthians 4:3,4.
