John the Baptist preached repentance, urging his hearers to repent because the kingdom of God was "at hand." John's preaching prepared the world for Jesus' public ministry by leading people to repentance.

Jesus began His ministry on the same note that John sounded: "From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand" (Matthew 3:17). His dynamic ministry of healing the sick, raising the dead and enunciating the forgiveness of sin accentuated His teaching — and brought the people close to God.

His preaching and parables are full of the assurance that while God hates sin, He loves sinners and has provided for our salvation, forgiveness and victory.

Jesus also vindicated the Father by proving that people can obey and that God indeed is just. Obedience is not an impossibility. And repentance was a big part of it. In fact, on the day of Pentecost, Peter, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit proclaimed, "Repent, ... and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out" (Acts 3:19).

We don't hear too much about repentance these days, almost as if it is passé to repent. Or maybe some of the preachers (self included) have forgotten to include it in our sermonic offerings.

Repentance is not just being sorry about sin, but turning away from it. Paul wrote that focusing on the goodness of God brings us to repentance, a desire to turn away from sin fully and completely (see Romans 2:4).

"For thus says the High and Lofty One Who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: ‘I dwell in the high and holy place, With him who has a contrite and humble spirit, To revive the spirit of the humble, And to revive the heart of the contrite ones'" (Isaiah 57:15, emphasis added).

God says He will live with us and revive us when we are humble and contrite or deeply sorrowful before Him. It's amazing that as we humble ourselves before Him and experience deep sorrow for sin, He comes close to us.

When Peter and the other apostles were brought before the council for preaching Christ, Peter responded by saying, "The God of our fathers raised Jesus from the dead — whom you had killed by hanging him on a tree. God exalted him to his own right hand as Prince and Saviour that he might give repentance and forgiveness of sins to Israel" (Acts 5:30-31).

"Repentance cannot be experienced without Christ, for it is the repentance of which He is the author that is the ground upon which we may apply for pardon. It is through the work of the Holy Spirit that men are led to repentance. It is from Christ that the grace of contrition comes, as well as the gift of pardon, and repentance as well as forgiveness of sins is procured only through the atoning blood of Christ. Those whom God pardons He first makes penitent" (Ellen White, That I May Know Him, pg. 109).

Reflecting on the undeserved, unmerited favor of God — His goodness to us overwhelms us. It humbles us and makes us want to live a better life, a surrendered life, and a life of repentance and obedience.

What a wonderful God who leads us to Himself through repentance. I want to praise Him for His mercy, loving kindness and grace.

What would happen if the gift of repentance were received throughout the Pacific Union? For all I know, at this very moment, it is.