Why Did Jesus Come To Call Sinners To Repentance.

When the scribes and Pharisees saw Jesus eating with the tax collectors and sinners, they said, “How is it that He eats and drinks with tax collectors and sinners?” When Jesus heard it, he said, “Those who are well don’t need a physician, but those who are sick. I didn’t come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance. Matthew 9 verses 11-13.

Jesus Christ openly proclaimed the manifold purposes of His coming into the world throughout His earthly ministry. In the discourse recorded in Matthew’s Gospel, Jesus declares to the Pharisees that one of the aspects of His ministry was to call sinners unto Repentance.

What does Repentance mean? Unfortunately, most of the time, people only refer to Repentance as having a change of thinking or a change of mind, but scripturally Repentance covers a whole range of aspects. The parable of the Prodigal son taught by Jesus is an example of Repentance regarding the Gospel of the Kingdom.

And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger! I will arise and go to my father, and I will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. Luke 15 verses 17-18.

The prodigal son changed his mind; he looked at how far he had strayed and turned his thoughts back to his Father. Repentance involves a change of direction; instead of running away from his Father, the prodigal returned to his home.

And I am no more worthy of being called your son: make me as one of your hired servants. And he arose and came to his father.  But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him. And the son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in your sight, and I am no more worthy of being called your son. Luke 15 verses 19-21.

True Repentance brings a sense of humility; it will produce an awareness of being unworthy to receive any good given to you; a penitent person will not seek any means of justifying their action. Regarding the prodigal, he had the consciousness that his sin and rebellion were an offence, firstly against Almighty God and then his Father.

While meditating on this article, the Spirit of the Lord has led me to look into the encounter between Jesus and Zacchaeus recorded in the gospel of Luke, and again there are further aspects of importance involving a person coming to repentance.

When Jesus entered and passed through Jericho, behold, there was a man named Zacchaeus, who was the chief among the publicans, and he was rich.

And he sought to see Jesus who he was, and could not for the press because he was little of stature. And he ran before and climbed up into a sycomore tree to see Jesus: for He was to pass that way.

And when Jesus came to the place, He looked up, and saw him, and said unto him, Zacchaeus, make haste, and come down; for today I must abide at your house. And he made haste, and came down, and received Jesus joyfully.

And when they saw it, they all murmured, saying, That Jesus was gone to be a guest with a man that is a sinner. And Zacchaeus stood and said unto the Lord; Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have taken anything from any man by false accusation, I restore him fourfold.

And Jesus said unto him, This day is salvation come to this house, for as much as he also is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man is come to seek and to save that which was lost. Luke 19 vs 1-10.

True Gospel Repentance involves a confession of guilt of wrongdoing; there has to be a spirit of humility, involved in this sense of guilt there was evident in Zacchaeus the desire for restitution, he said Lord if I have taken from any man through false accusation I will restore to him fourfold, this was an apparent admission of guilt, why else would he make this confession?

A few years ago, I received a word from the Lord in which He said, “Repentance is a word that has gone missing in My body, but the Spirit of repentance is alive, and when the Spirit of repentance draws you, then you have to leave everything aside, turn around and come back to Me.”

You may not be affected by your own experience, but you must be aware of the many voices that say, “Repentance is not an important issue in salvation, but we are instructed to heed the Words Of The Father. We as believers must be on our guard when we sit under any minister; we must always check everything we hear with the revelation of the words that Jesus taught, for His word has the approval of His Father, who declared, “this is My Son in Whom I am well pleased, hear you Him.”

Throughout the Gospels, Jesus preached Repentance; if it was good for Him, we should follow His lead; after all, we are called to be His Disciples. When Jesus began His public ministry, what did He preach?

 From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. Matthew 4 verse 17.

In the parable of the two sons that Jesus brought in the hearing of the Pharisees, the core of the teaching was the subject of the need for Repentance. Again, Jesus emphasised Repentance and its priority concerning living in the Kingdom of God.

A certain man had two sons, and he came to the first, and said, Son, go work today in my vineyard. He answered and said, I will not: but afterwards, he repented and went. And he came to the second and said likewise. And he answered and said, I  will go, sir: but he never went. But what do you think? Which of the two did the will of their father?

They said unto Him, The first. Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That the publicans and the harlots go into the Kingdom of God before you. For John came unto you in the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him: but the publicans and the harlots believed him: and you, when you had seen it, repented not afterwards, that you might believe him. Matthew 21 verses 28-32.

When Jesus was with the disciple just before His ascension, what instructions did He give to the disciples?

And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day: And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. And you are witnesses of these things. And, behold, I send the Promise of My Father upon you: but tarry you in the city of Jerusalem, until you are endued with power from on high. Luke 24 verses 46-49.

In conclusion, if Jesus thought it was essential to preach Repentance and commissioned His disciples to preach it, then why can we not preach Repentance in our day? Final thought the only person that does not want Repentance preached and practised is the enemy of our Father, for he is aware of this scripture.

I say unto you that likewise, joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance. Luke 15 verse 7.