Exploring Repentance, Faithfulness, and the Kingdom Message of Jesus
In His ministry, Jesus called people to more than just belief—He called them to follow, repent, and commit to a life aligned with His kingdom. Yet, understanding what it truly means to become a disciple can sometimes be overshadowed by modern understandings of faith that focus on belief alone. At the core of Jesus’ teachings is the call to discipleship: a life marked by repentance, genuine faith, and an unyielding commitment to His reign as King.
In this post, we’ll examine what Jesus taught about discipleship, exploring how the gospel message defines the path to becoming His follower. We’ll uncover why repentance, faithfulness, and submission are essential, showing that discipleship is more than a title—it’s a transformed life grounded in relationship with Jesus. As we dive into this journey, we’ll see that the gospel isn’t merely a set of beliefs; it’s a call to live under the authority and love of Christ, embodying a faith that reshapes everything. �
The Heart of the Message
While this space is insufficient to plumb the depths of soteriology, God’s foreknowledge and man’s responsibility, it is satisfactory to note there is both a call – by Jesus – and a response from the disciples. In Matthew 4:19, Jesus says, “Follow me” and they left their nets and followed him. This call and response is by no means unique to the original twelve disciples. Mark tells us that when Jesus came into Galilee at the beginning of his ministry, he did so “proclaiming the gospel of God, 15�and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel (Mark 1:14-15).”
It’s worth noting four things about Jesus’ message.
4 Marks Of Jesus’ Announcement
- First, Jesus’ call requires repentance.Repentance, in the full context of Scripture, is a change in heart that leads to a change in action (see David in Psalm 51; Peter’s Sermon in Acts 2:38). It is an ownership of sins committed and a 180 degree turn to the Lord. I John tells us if we confess our sins, He will forgive us, but if we continue in our rebellion, claiming to be without sin, we make God out to be a liar. Relationship with Jesus and friendship with sin are incompatible (James 4:4-5). You can have one of the other, but never both.
- Second, the message requires us to believe the gospel. The word, “gospel”, is so often trafficked in Christian circles it can sometimes be difficult to nail down a definition. Even in the Bible, it has been used in various ways. When Christians today talk about the gospel, we are often referring to some message relating to sin and righteousness. All have sinned and we need a redeemer. Some of us may be familiar with its use in the titles of our first four books of the New Testament. Those who have been immersed in deep bible teaching for a long time may even recognize the gospel as rooted in the Greek word, εὐαγγέλιον (euangelion), meaning, “good news.” The apostles use this word to refer to their own testimony (1 Cor 4:3, 11:7), and we know there can be “false gospels” (Gal 1:6). The original audience, however, would have recognized this Greek word as being appropriated from the gentiles. In the secular literature, the word gospel is “glad tidings”, but often tidings of a battle won and sacrifices are usually involved as a result. Consider these two examples:
Antiochus who was nicknamed the Hawk was warring against his brother Seleucus for the kingdom. But when Seleucus, vanquished by the Galatians, could nowhere be found, but, to all appearances, had been cut down in battle, Antiochus laid aside his purple and assumed a dark robe. But after a little time, learning that his brother was safe and sound, he offered sacrifices to the gods to celebrate the good tidings, and made the people in the cities under him to wear garlands.[1]
A separate text gives another example:
His letters made known a victory of one of the generals serving under Sertorius, and a great slaughter of the enemy. At this Sertorius was overjoyed and offered a sacrifice of glad tidings, during which Perpenna proposed a banquet for him and his friends who were present (and these were of the conspiracy), and after much entreaty persuaded him to come.[2]
In both of these secular examples of good tidings (gospel), the context is sacrifices made after news of a great victory being won. While it’s not hard to imagine why the writers of the gospel chose this word based on its secular context, it was also chosen because of its ties back to the Old Testament. Isaiah prophecies in Isaiah 40:9, “Go on up to a high mountain, O Zion, herald of good news; lift up your voice with strength, O Jerusalem, herald of good news; lift it up, fear not; say to the cities of Judah, “Behold your God!””. “Behold your God, this was the content of the message. Likewise, in Is 52:7, Isaiah says, “How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news, who publishes peace, who brings good news of happiness, who publishes salvation, who says to Zion, “Your God reigns.””
This, then, is the content of the message being proclaimed, “Behold! Your God reigns.” The full gospel message that both Jesus and the disciples were proclaiming was that Jesus has come, returning to re-establish His Kingdom and effecting the long-awaited return and reign of God himself. A full embrace of Jesus and his kingdom, therefore, requires repentance. All have sinned, all have turned aside to their own ways (Rom 3:23; Is 53:6). Repentance required a turning away from sin and self to Jesus and his kingdom.
- Third, this discipleship requires submitting to Jesus Christ as King. The very word “Christ” is a title. It marks him as the anointed one, the Messiah, the one who reigns as King over all. True discipleship requires acknowledging His authority and living in faithful obedience to Him as our King. This understanding of faith goes beyond mere belief; it calls for a life of loyalty and devotion to Jesus. As disciples, we are called to align our lives with His values and His Kingdom.
- Fourth, and finally, mere acknowledgement is not enough. Mental assent will not get anyone into the kingdom. The Greek word “pistus” encompasses both faith and faithfulness. True faith in Jesus is not merely intellectual assent but involves a deep, abiding trust that manifests in faithful living. Only in modern Christianity have we divorced faith from faithfulness. There is no other context in which you can be said to have “faith” in something and yet somehow be unfaithful to them. Faithfulness to Jesus as the Anointed King means consistently aligning our actions, decisions, and priorities with His will. This faithfulness is a hallmark of genuine discipleship, demonstrating our loyalty and commitment to Christ.
Conclusion
Becoming a disciple is a journey that begins with a call and a response, a call that demands not just belief but a transformed life. Jesus invites us into true discipleship, which requires repentance—a turning away from our former ways—and belief in the gospel, the good news of His kingdom. To follow Jesus is to submit to His authority as King, to trust in Him completely, and to live in faithful obedience to His teachings. This commitment is the foundation of a disciple’s life, shaping every action, priority, and choice.
Yet, in our world, discipleship can sometimes be diluted, reduced to a checklist of beliefs without the depth of commitment Jesus calls for. In the next post, we’ll explore this trend of “Cheap Grace” and the challenges it brings to authentic discipleship. We’ll uncover how true grace, while free, calls us to a costly devotion—a life fully surrendered to Christ.
[1] Regum et imperatorum apophthegmata (English) (Section 1)
[2] Sertorius (English) (Chapter 26)