Verse: Mark 1:4

Quote:

4          John did baptize in the wilderness, and preach the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins.

Subject Repenting, not repenting, etc.:       Those being baptized by John

Object of that repentance:    Not expressly stated.  Since repentance means "a change of mind," we can only inferentially determine the object of repentance by determining the concepts or propositions about which men are invited to change their mind.  In Mark 1:7, the only thing we are told that John specifically preached was:

"There cometh one mightier than I after me, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to stoop down and unloose."  This is the only suggestion in the context of what might have been the object of repentance preached by John.  And that object was not sin, it was Jesus Christ.

Consequence of lack of repentance:            The remission of sins.

As noted in conjunction with Matthew 9:2-6 and 12-13, Jesus use of the word "remission" throughout the gospels is probably more akin to justification than to restoration of fellowship.  To interpret the message of John the Baptist to a message of restored fellowship is to make the cross of our redemption an afterthought in the mind of John the Baptist.  This is an unthinkable absurdity.  We conclude two things from this passage.  Repentance is a requirement for salvation, and saving repentance is not directed at sin.  It is directed at Jesus Christ.

Repentance in Mark 1:4