See With New Eyes

Mark 1:14-15

“The time has come,” he said. “The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!” (Mark 1:15, NIV)

“REPENT AND BELIEVE.” On the surface, these instructions seem simple enough. But repentance is a word freighted with centuries of baggage, and belief has come to mean a variety of things—from mild opinion to zealous conviction. The Hebraic interpretations of these words^a would have emphasized behavioral change, while the Greek interpretations would have emphasized a transformation of the mind. So which did Jesus and the Spirit really mean? What should repenting and believing look like in our lives?

Repentance and belief certainly have behavioral implications, but the gospel would never begin with an instruction to behave better. As seen in the Old Testament and our own experience, laws and standards of behavior are not enough to transform our lives; that’s why Jesus came. But if we learn to see differently—if our vision of God, ourselves, our world, and our situation changes—then our lives begin to change from the inside out. Outward transformation does not last unless it is the natural consequence of a genuine inner transformation. When Jesus told his hearers to repent and believe because the Kingdom was coming, he surely meant to imply a complete reorientation in every area of life. But most fundamental in that reorientation is a new set of eyes and ears, a new way of perceiving, a different sense of expectation, and a vision for what God is doing in the world. For the Kingdom to be received, people need to have a Kingdom mind-set.

If you want to change the world, you will have to change the way you see—to lift your vision beyond the personal focus with which so many Christians limit themselves. His Kingdom includes immeasurable vistas of love and restoration, full of unexpected mercies and creative strategies for entering people’s hearts. You are becoming a partner in his mission. Let your mind be stretched, your heart be opened, and your faith be expanded. Reorient yourself and step into the newness of his Kingdom.

{Jesus, help me make whatever adjustments I need to make to see your Kingdom come in my life and in the lives of those around me. Give me new eyes to see and new ears to hear. Amen.