I came across a word in my Bible reading last week that is hardly ever heard today in ordinary conversation. In fact, I cannot recall ever hearing it used, or seeing it written outside religious context, although it is not an intrinsically religious word.

It is, however, a key word in the Christian message of good news, and one of the three essentials for the Christian life, as expressed in the Sacrament of Baptism which we celebrate today.

The term I refer to is "repentance", or its verb form "repent". This is the first of the three promises required in our Prayer Book Service of Baptism from the candidate seeking admission into the Christian Faith. It is also the message from Peter's first sermon on the Day of Pentecost which is quoted at the beginning of the Baptism Service. However, its origins go back before that, for the very first message that Jesus was recorded as preaching was "Repent and believe the good news". (Mark 1:15)

I believe that one of the reasons why many of the young families who seek baptism for their children seem to take that commitment lightly is that they do not understand the words that are used in the Service. That, of course, is at least in part our fault for using (without explanation) terms that are no longer in common use. It is also due to the fact that our post-modern society claims to have moved on from concepts of sin, personal guilt, and hence repentance.

The great debate about Aboriginal reconciliation seemed to focus on the importance of saying "Sorry", but without any legal liability. Even this last week, in discusing the crisis that has arisen over doctor's liability insurance, some suggestions were made that there should be a way for doctors to say "Sorry " without incurring legal liability. Nobody today seems willing to admit that they have made a mistake, or worse, have actually committed a sin.

I read also this week a comment by Dr Kim Hawtrey, a former Chief Economist with the State Bank, He said that "Our Society has taken the amazing step of abolishing sin. The post-Christian West now alleges that salvation has become irrelevant, that notions such as 'hell' and 'divine judgment' and 'eternal life' have become marginal for modern people."

Dr Hawtrey goes on to say, "Attempting to abolish sin by defining it away is nothing but a breathtaking display of arrogance by our world. In the end, it will fail." Similarly, failure to take responsibility for our personal failure, while it may avoid legal entanglement today, will ultimately not hold up when we stand in the courts of God's unbiased justice.

Jesus calls us to repent. Peter says "Repent". The Apostle Paul said God "commands all people everywhere to repent". (Acts 17:30) The Prayer Book requires repentance as a condition of baptism and also requires us, when we come to Communion, to affirm that "We earnestly repent, and are heartily sorry for all our misdoings." On the basis of this, the minister proclaims the Lord's "forgiveness of sins to all who with hearty repentance and true faith turn to him." Repentance is not optional for a Christian, it is an absolute necessity.

The word "repent" in the Bible translates a Greek word that means "to change one's mind, and hence, one's actions." It is "to heartily amend with abhorrence of one's past sins." This is far more than being "sorry" which has rather to do with one's feelings.

I can be sorry for something that has happend without being personally responsible. I can be sorry that someone is injured in a car accident that I heard about on the radio. I can even be sorry for the bad affects of something I have done, without having any real change of mind about the action itself, or even acception of personal responsibility for it. Adam was sorry about the consequences of his sin, but tried to blame his wife.

The great barrier of repentance is pride. But, if we are to avoid the terrible consequences of God's "wrath and anger" on the day of judgement, and enter now into the fullness of His forgiveness and blessing, we must surrender our pride and humble ourselves in repentance. There is no other way that we can enter into salvation that Jesus won for us on the cross.

"Repentance" may be an uncommon term in today's vocabulary, but it is an absolute necessity for a right relationship with God.

John Davies
28 April 2002