True Repentance Is A Significant Journey

Repentance: Partnering with G-d for the Kingdom to Come

You have declared today that the L-rd is your G-d, and that you will walk in his ways, and keep his statutes and his commandments and his rules and will obey his voice. And the L-rd has declared today that you are a people for his treasured possession, as he has promised you, and that you are to keep all his commandments, and that he will set you in praise and in fame and in honor high above all nations that he has made, and that you shall be a people holy to the L-rd your G-d, as he promised.” Deuteronomy 26:17-19

 This discussion will highlight the act of repentance as more than a fleeting moment of regret; it is a spiritual transformation that shapes the heart to be in sync with G-d’s purpose, leading to true righteousness. As Deuteronomy 26:17-19 emphasizes, to declare G-d as L-rd is to commit wholeheartedly to His ways, aligning with His commandments and seeking to embody His holiness. This journey isn’t merely about following rules but about becoming a treasured possession to G-d, rising to honor through obedience. Yeshua illuminates this in Matthew 5:17-20, which states,

“Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished. Therefore, whoever relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.”

These scriptures affirm that Yeshua did not come to dismiss the law but to fulfill it entirely, setting an example for His followers to live by. He raises the bar of righteousness, encouraging His followers to surpass the surface-level obedience of the Scribes and Pharisees and cultivate a genuine commitment to G-d's commands.

In Matthew 19:16-17 Yeshua teaches the key to eternal life in contrast to good deeds – “And behold, a man came up to him, saying, 'Teacher, what good deed must I do to have eternal life?' And he said to him, 'Why do you ask me about what is good? There is only one who is good. If you would enter life, keep the commandments.” Additionally, John 14:21 says,"Whoever has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me. And he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him." Thus, Yeshua teaches that a true love for G-d inspires a sincere commitment to obey His commandments, which ultimately births a deeper manifestation of G-d’s presence in your life.

Maimonides (the Rambam) offers insight into the power of repentance. In his influential work, the Mishneh Torah, specifically in Hilchot Teshuvah (Laws of Repentance), Chapter 7, Halacha 4, Rambam speaks about the elevated status of those who repent and the profound impact of true repentance.

"Let not the penitent imagine that he is distant from the high level of the righteous because of the sins and transgressions he has committed. This is not so. He is beloved and desirable before the Creator, as if he had never sinned. Moreover, his reward is great, for he has tasted sin and separated from it, conquering his [evil] inclination. Our Sages declared: ‘In the place where penitents stand, even the wholly righteous cannot stand.’ This means that the level of penitents surpasses that of those who never sinned, because they have conquered their inclination more than them."

The Rambam boldly claims that the truly penitent person, who has struggled with sin and overcome it, holds a place even greater than the righteous who never stumbled. The sages view the repentant as awe-inspiring, for they’ve experienced sin’s weight and consciously chosen G-d’s path. In their courage to change, they display a strength that those untested by temptation cannot fully grasp. This teaching reshapes how we view repentance, not as a fallback but as a transformative victory.

The narrative of Levi, found in Luke 5:27-32, is a powerful example of this principle. Yeshua calls Levi, a tax collector and an outcast in Jewish society, inviting him to leave his life behind and follow Him. This moment reflects the heart of Yeshua’s mission: He didn’t come for the self-righteous but for those humble enough to acknowledge their need for a savior. In Luke 15:7—Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance—the parable of the lost sheep reveals the joy in heaven over a single sinner who repents, reinforcing that G-d values and seeks out those who are lost. Repentance brings joy not only to the person but to the heavens.

If a repentant heart brings joy to the heavens, we can conclude that the message of repentance is closely connected to the concept of the Kingdom of God, which Yeshua tirelessly proclaimed (e.g. Matthew 4:23, Matthew 9:35). This gospel, or good news, of the Kingdom is both a call to personal transformation and a reminder of G-d’s larger plan. Yeshua preached not only forgiveness and healing but also the hope of a future Kingdom where G-d's rule will be fully realized. This perspective reorients repentance from mere personal renewal to participating in G-d's Kingdom, preparing our hearts for a time when the world itself will be under His just reign.

Yet, there’s a missing urgency in modern interpretations of repentance and the Kingdom. The expectation of the Mashiach’s return and the establishment of His earthly reign is often overshadowed, in the believing community, by a focus on personal salvation that prepares you for life after death. But in Jewish understanding, as well as in early Messianic teaching, the anticipation of G-d’s reign on earth was central. Each generation should live in hope and readiness for the coming of the Mashiach, the ultimate return of the King (Melech David), to the Earth, who will judge with righteousness, as foretold in Isaiah 11:1-10. Here, G-d’s justice and peace will be so thorough that even nature will be transformed by the King’s presence.

Psalms 119 reminds us of the beauty of walking in G-d's ways, a walk made easier by repentance and a sincere heart. Repentance isn’t just a means to an end but a way to draw nearer to G-d, where obedience flows from a place of love and respect for His law. In keeping G-d’s precepts, we cleanse our ways and prepare for the day when the Mashiach returns.

Blessed are the undefiled in the way, who walk in the law of the L-RD. Blessed are they that keep his testimonies, and that seek him with the whole heart. They also do no iniquity: they walk in his ways. Thou hast commanded us to keep thy precepts diligently. O that my ways were directed to keep thy statutes! Then shall I not be ashamed, when I have respect unto all thy commandments. I will praise thee with uprightness of heart, when I shall have learned thy righteous judgments. I will keep thy statutes: O forsake me not utterly. Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word. With my whole heart have I sought thee: O let me not wander from thy commandments. Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee. Blessed art thou, O L-RD: teach me thy statutes. With my lips have I declared all the judgments of thy mouth. I have rejoiced in the way of thy testimonies, as much as in all riches. I will meditate in thy precepts, and have respect unto thy ways. I will delight myself in thy statutes: I will not forget thy word. Tehillim 119

Ezekiel 2 further reminds us that calling people to repentance is a challenging task, often met with resistance. But a repentant heart, like that of a prophet, is resilient, nourished by G-d's word and ready to stand firm.

True repentance is a significant journey. It prepares us for the Messianic Kingdom to come, a Kingdom that’s more than personal salvation; it’s a world remade under the Mashiach Yeshua’s rule. In living lives of repentance, we don’t just restore our hearts but open ourselves to the greater story—G-d’s plan to bring heaven to earth.