Repentance

"Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord." (Acts 3: 19)

"Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and man's device. And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent: Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead." (Acts 17: 29-31)

The message of repentance is part and parcel of the gospel. Repentance literally means a change of mind, and such that leads to a radical change in life and conduct, or to external reformation. Repentance is chiefly an inner experience of the heart and mind wherein the person becomes essentially different from what he was before. "As a man thinks, so is he (in actual practice)." (Proverbs 23: 7)

Man's false thinking about God and his fallen state before him must be eliminated in repentance. So too is it true that "as a man lives, so are his real inner thoughts known." Actual practice reveals the true thinking of a man. "Actions speak louder than mere words."

"But what think ye? A certain man had two sons; and he came to the first, and said, Son, go work to day in my vineyard. He answered and said, I will not: but afterward he repented, and went. And he came to the second, and said likewise. And he answered and said, I go, sir: and went not. Whether of them twain did the will of his father? They say unto him, The first. Jesus saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That the publicans and the harlots go into the kingdom of God before you. For John came unto you in the way of righteousness, and ye believed him not: but the publicans and the harlots believed him: and ye, when ye had seen it, repented not afterward, that ye might believe him." (Matthew 21: 28-32)

Real repentance is not just saying "I repent," but actually changing one's thinking and conduct.

"In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea, And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." (Matthew 3: 1, 2)

The message of repentance did not start with John the Baptist. All the Old Testament prophets preached that men should repent or "turn" to the Lord. The word "turn" is most often a synonym for "repent." When a man repents of his sins, he turns; he turns away from something, and he turns to something. He turns away from his sin and unbelief, and he turns to the Lord Jesus Christ and to his salvation. It involves a change of course and direction.

John the Baptist preached the message of repentance, but with an added sense of urgency - "for the kingdom of heaven is near." Only those who repent will be privileged to enter the Messiah's eternal kingdom. The Lord Jesus also preached the same message, with the same degree of urgency, but with greater elaboration on what it means to repent, and what will be the fate of those who do not repent, versus the fate of those who do repent, by the grace and power of God.

"From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." (Matthew 4: 17)

"Change your mind and your ways!" I am sure it was uttered as an "urgent appeal," presented as something that must be done, and must be done now, something that must not be postponed any longer.

"Then began he to upbraid the cities wherein most of his mighty works were done, because they repented not: Woe unto thee, Chorazin! woe unto thee, Bethsaida! for if the mighty works, which were done in you, had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. But I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the day of judgment, than for you. And thou, Capernaum, which art exalted unto heaven, shalt be brought down to hell: for if the mighty works, which have been done in thee, had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day. But I say unto you, That it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment, than for thee." (Matthew 11: 20-24)

"The men of Nineveh shall rise in judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: because they repented at the preaching of Jonas; and, behold, a greater than Jonas is here." (Matthew 12: 41)

There are threats and warnings attached to the preaching of the message of repentance. One cannot successfully and fully preach it without mentioning the coming "day of judgment," or the fate of "being brought down to hell," or of "intolerable" pain and suffering.

Man needs the message of repentance because he is a sinner, and sick in his heart and mind, in his thinking about God and the reason of things.

"They that are whole have no need of the physician, but they that are sick: I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance." (Mark 2: 17)

All men need to repent, need to turn away from sin, from themselves, from the world and from the ways of Satan, and turn to the Lord Jesus Christ and to his word, Spirit, and care; however, all do not realize their need or feel convicted of their sins, and such spurn the notion of repentance, as did the Pharisees. A man will never repent until he sees his need to repent.

"There were present at that season some that told him of the Galilaeans, whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. And Jesus answering said unto them, Suppose ye that these Galilaeans were sinners above all the Galilaeans, because they suffered such things? I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish." (Luke 13: 1-3)

Thus, the destiny and doom of those who do not repent is declared - they shall perish or be destoyed, in a far worse suffering than what the Galileans suffered from the hand of Pilate.

While Christ was preaching this message, so too were his commissioned disciples. "And they went out, and preached that men should repent." (Mark 6: 12)

Before the Lord ascended back to heaven, he commanded his disciples to continue to preach this same message of repentance.

"And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behooved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day: And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem." (Luke 24: 46, 47)

It is thus recorded, in the book called "The Acts of the Apostles," that they faithfully executed this command of the risen Lord.

"Peter replied, "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call." (Acts 2: 38 NIV)

"Testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ." (Acts 20: 21)

The command to repent does not imply that fallen sinners have any ability in themselves to repent. Those who try to repent of themselves, in their own strength, and who do not look to the Lord Jesus Christ to give it graciously to them, or to do this work for them and in them, soon find it an impossible task. Fallen man can no more repent and believe the gospel in his own will power and natural strength than he can keep the whole law or create a world.

"Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins." (Acts 5: 31)

"When they heard these things, they held their peace, and glorified God, saying, Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life." (Acts 11: 18)

Repentance is that which only the Lord can give or create. It is a gift, and one freely given to those who do not deserve it, and who could not create it or give it to themselves. Some seek repentance, but do not find it.

"...he (Esau, he who God "hated) found no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears." (Hebrews 12: 17)

"Then Judas, which had betrayed him, when he saw that he was condemned, repented himself, and brought again the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders." (Matthew 27: 3)

Thus, the words of Paul are most pertinent:

"And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient, In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth; And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will." (II Timothy 2: 24-26)

We can only preach the gospel, announce the command, but only God can give repentance. Why do some repent and others do not? God gives to some what he withholds from others. "I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy." (Romans 9: 15)

What are the effects and fruits of repentance?

"Yet now I am happy, not because you were made sorry, but because your sorrow led you to repentance. For you became sorrowful as God intended and so were not harmed in any way by us. Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death. See what this godly sorrow has produced in you: what earnestness, what eagerness to clear yourselves, what indignation, what alarm, what longing, what concern, what readiness to see justice done." (II Corinthians 7: 9-11 NIV)

Witnessing and experiencing repentance is news worth reporting. Heaven and the angels certainly take notice of it.

"I say unto you, that likewise 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)

"The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance." (II Peter 3: 9)

"Or 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)

Friend, how would you answer that question? Are you also, like so many others, stubbornly refusing to repent? Are you finding it impossible, as Esau and Judas, to find real repentance? I urge you to look to the Lord to give you repentance, to ask him to do for you what you cannot do for yourself.