by Rev. James McRobbie ©Pillar of Fire, International |
In repentance,
"we choose to change our mind, give up the course of this evil world, and
seek the more satisfying ways of God and eternal life." |
Learn more about the power of the Holy Spirit for personal holiness
through Sanctification
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Living Word] [Back: Chapter 5] [Next:
Chapter 7] [Index]
Chapter 6 Contents: [What It Means]
[Repentance Must Precede Faith]
[Fruits of Repentance] [Samples
of Repentance]
[What the Bible Teaches refers to numerous
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the Bible and this study. All quotations in What the Bible Teaches
are from the King James Version [KJV] unless otherwise specified.]
Chapter 6: What the Bible Teaches ABOUT
REPENTANCE
Repentance is foundational
and fundamental in the Christian life, for there is no way to be saved
without it. In Hebrews 6:1 we are reminded of "laying again the foundation
of repentance." It is the word by which our Lord initiated His ministry
[Matthew 4:17]; it constituted the theme of the Baptist's message [Matthew
3:2]; it is conspicuous in apostolic teaching [Acts 2:38; 5:31]; it is
in the epistles [Romans 2:4, etc.]; it is found in Revelation [2:5, etc.].
What it Means
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The Greek word
for "repentance" is metanoia, from meta,
"to change," and nos, the "mind." It signifies, therefore, a change
of mind. In our unregenerate state we follow the course of this evil world
[Ephesians 2:2], fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, but
being convinced of the folly of this course, we choose to change our mind,
give this up, and seek the more satisfying ways of God and eternal life.
The Old Testament
word for evangelical repentance is "return" [Ezekiel 33:11; Malachi 3:7].
It signifies a turning about, a retracing of the steps through a voluntary
decision of the mind.
There are at
least three things which constitute repentance:
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(1) Conviction. No one
can repent or be saved or come to God without conviction. It may come through
fear, an accusing conscience, a dream, a vision, a sermon, the reading
of the Bible, or as a consequence of sin; but it comes chiefly through
the working of the Holy Spirit. "When he is come," said Jesus in John [John
16:8], "he will reprove [marg. "convince"] the world of sin, and of righteousness,
and of judgment." The unction of the Holy Spirit in the preaching of a
full gospel -- in declaring the law of God as well as the love of God --
will lead to repentance. The incessant "goodness of God" through all one's
life is purposely ordained in order that the sinner may
form some concept of the gracious
and beneficent Creator who sustains and provides for His creatures, and
be led to recognize Him.
"Despisest thou the riches of his goodness
and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God
leadeth thee to repentance?" [Romans 2:4].
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[Down]
(2) Godly sorrow. There may be "godly sorrow" without
repentance but there can be no repentance without "godly sorrow." This
comes as a consequence of conviction, when one comes to himself as the
prodigal did -- when one awakens to the realization of how he has grieved
God, perhaps in the meantime injuring himself and his fellows, bringing
ruin and desolation to his life. "Godly sorrow worketh repentance" [2 Corinthians
7:10], or as Weymouth puts it, "Produces repentance leading to salvation."
In contradiction to this is the "sorrow of the world" -- a sorrow which
"worketh death," a good example of which may be seen in Judas Iscariot.
It is said in Matthew 27:3 that Judas "repented," but if he had he would
have been saved. The word in this instance is not metanoia,
but metamelomai, meaning "to be seized with remorse." It did not
lead to salvation, as all true repentance does, but to "death."
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(3) Renunciation. In true repentance there
will be a radical turning away from the old life: a definite ceasing from
sin. He who does not so renounce his old sinful ways so that he hates them
and gives them up forever, is not repentant. Let the wicked "forsake his
way," and the unrighteous man "his thoughts"; let him "confess and forsake"
his sins and God will have mercy and will abundantly save. John the Baptist's
withering attacks on the supercilious multitudes bore emphasis on this
point. He said, "Bring forth therefore fruits worth of repentance" [Luke
3:8]. John called the people to righteousness, to right living, a right-ness
which gives three feet to the yard and sixteen ounces to the pound [and
a full thousand grams to the kilogram. --ed.] The prodigal [Luke
15:11-32] was led to the renunciation of his ways when he betook himself
to reflection. He thought of his father's house and even the hired servants
who had "bread enough and to spare," while he perished with hunger. This
reflection led to a noble resolve and "change of mind," which enabled him
to say: "I will arise," etc.
Repentance
Must Precede Faith
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We should
always remember where to look for that verse of St. Paul's that sums up
the epitome of his preaching: "Testifying," says he, "both to the Jews,
and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord
Jesus Christ. [Acts 20:21]. Here are the two indispensable steps that lead
up to the "holy place" of the tabernacle of God. Where either of these
is lacking it is impossible to be saved. They reveal the human side of
salvation. The Philippian jailer asked, "What must I do to be saved?" The
answer was, "Believe." This man was on believing ground for his attitude
revealed the state of his heart -- true contrition.
In Acts 2:38
repentance is said to precede "remission of sins." In Acts 3:19 repentance
is seen to be a condition of conversion, leading to the experience in which
sins are "blotted out."
Jesus, like
St. Paul, put repentance before faith: "Repent ye, and believe the gospel"
[Mark 1:15], He said. He also added, "Except ye repent, ye shall all likewise
perish" [Luke 13:3]. This reveals how final and authoritative repentance
was in our Lord's ministry. He emphatically enjoined repentance upon all
as the sole condition by which eternal life is gained.
Repentance is
imperative; it is God's irrevocable command. Said Paul in his notable
address to the Athenians, "The times of this ignorance God winked at; but
now commandeth all men everywhere to repent" [Acts 17:30], and this, because
"he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness"
[Acts 17:31].
Fruits of Repentance
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True, genuine repentance will always
bring forth "worthy" fruits -- fruits that are beautiful to behold, and
which are also wholesome and sustaining to the penitent.
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(1) Restitution. Zaccheus is a good example
of one who puts his repentance into practice. He said, "Behold, Lord, the
half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have taken any thing from
any man by false accusation, I restore him fourfold" [Luke 19:8]. The law
of restitution was given at Sinai [Exodus 22:1]. Wherever there is true
repentance, all wrongs will be righted as much as it is possible to do
so. The stolen spade will be returned; crooked financial dealings will,
as far as possible, be straightened.
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(2) Confession. Salvation is conditional.
"If we confess," says the Word, God "is faithful and just to forgive."
The word in Proverbs 28:13 is, "Whoso confesseth and forsaketh" his sins,
"shall have mercy." Confession is humiliating, but he who hides his sins
under a cloak of superficial profession will not be the happy recipient
of God's pardon. It is natural for the penitent to confess to the one he
has wronged, and this is right; he may put his confidence in a trustworthy
Christian worker and desire to tell this one of his wrong doing. He will
confess to God. The prodigal confessed when he said, "I have sinned against
heaven, and before thee, and am no more worthy to be called thy son."
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(3) Contrition. God sees and knows the broken
and contrite spirit. He also knows the proud "afar off." Sin is against
God. David declared, "Against thee, thee only, have I sinned" [Psalm 51:4].
That sin has been committed against a merciful and gracious Creator breaks
the heart of the penitent.
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(4) Faith. Repentance leads to faith in that it puts one
on believing ground. God draws night to the one who draws near to Him.
The weeping, confessing, brokenhearted penitent will find it easy to take
the Lord Jesus as his personal Savior. There and then the assurance of
salvation is obtained, the witness of the Spirit is given, and the joy
of sins forgiven will fill the heart.
Samples of Repentance
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When you think of giving an illustration
or example of repentance what comes to your mind? What is the chapter in
the New Testament that gives three illustrations of repentance? When the
lost sheep was found the owner called his neighbors to rejoice with him.
"Likewise," said Jesus, "joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth,
more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance"
[Luke 15:7]. When the woman found the piece of silver there was great rejoicing,
and so, adds Jesus, "There is joy in the presence of the angels of God
over one sinner that repenteth" [Luke 15:10]. The next story in this chapter
is the parable of the prodigal son which shows repentance in action.
Another outstanding New Testament
story that teaches repentance is found in Luke 18:13. The publican humbled
himself before God, confessed his unworthiness, deplored the wickedness
of his heart by smiting his breast, and was thereby exalted -- "went down
to his house justified."
There are three conspicuous examples
of repentance in the Old Testament. First of all there is David's confession
and humiliation of spirit, of which we are given a full-size portrait in
his incomparable penitential Psalm [51].
In Jonah 3:5-8 is the story of how
the people of Nineveh "believed God," how they turned every one from his
"evil way," and how they cried "mightily unto God." As is always the case
where there is true repentance, God "saw their works, . . . and God repented
of the evil, that he had said that he would do unto them; and he did it
not" [verse 10].
Manassah, the king of Judah, furnishes
a further Old Testament example of repentance. He was the most wicked king
that Judah had, yet in his trouble he humbled himself, repented of his
evil ways, turned to God and found mercy and divine favor [2 Chronicles
33].
These things are written "for our
admonition" [1 Corinthians 10:11]. They are to teach us that irrespective
of how long one has sinned, or how grievously one may have sinned, or how
seriously one may have sinned, with the exception of the sin against the
Holy Ghost, all manner of sin will be forgiven.
The mercy and goodness and longsuffering
of God towards sinning and rebellious men reveals the intense love of the
great Father-heart of the Creator, and shows us why He is "not willing
that any should perish," but that
"All should come to repentance."
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