Change Your Hearts to Meet the King (Matthew 3:1-12) - Overseer Sung-Hyun Kim

God
is true.
He
gave His grace to save sinful human beings,
and He first commanded them to repent (Zech 13:1-2).
John the Baptist gave a baptism for repentance
and cried out, “Repent” (Mt 3:11).
The aim was to know God immediately (Mt 3:7-9).
He asked them to fix their misunderstandings about God,
for they were hopelessly chained to the Law (Gal 3:18-19).
Repentance does not mean you just unconditionally say,
“I am a sinner” (Gal 3:23-25).
You must understand why you are a sinner (Ps 51:1-5).
Your filthiness troubles your conscience,
but sinning against God is about unbelief (Ps 51:16-17).
It is unbelief in God’s commands (Jn 12:47-50)
and unbelief in God’s love.
When God tells us to do something, this is our life (Mt 17:5).
When He tells us not to do something,
it is to protect us (Gen 2:16-17).
John the Baptist told the Jews under the Law to repent,
and urged them to realize that the Law cannot save (Rom 5:20-21).
◎ John the Baptist made them repent
so that they could acknowledge they are sinners under the Law.
The baptism he gave confirmed their sins.
◎ Jesus came to save those who are under the Law.
All those who are under the Law are sinners.
There is no one righteous.
◎ Jesus took up the sins of every sinner,
fulfilled the Law by dying on the cross,
and overcame death by His resurrection (Gal 3:27).
※ This is our faith, and we witness to it by baptism.
Jesus saved us from the power of the Law and death
by giving baptism in His name.