Repentance
Repentance is a hatred of sin, a turning from sin, and a determination, in the strength of God, to forsake it. It is possible for a man to repent without any terrific display of the terrors of the law, without having heard the trumpet sounds of Sinai, without having heard more than a distant rumble of its thunder. He may repent entirely through the power of the voice of mercy.
Who has thought upon, and taken a view of the cross, who has not found that it begat repentance and faith? We look at Jesus Christ if we would be saved, and we then say, “Amazing sacrifice! Jesus thus died to save sinners.” If you want repentance, he gives it; if you want everlasting life, he gives it liberally. He can cause you to repent by the sight of Calvary’s cross, and the sound of the greatest, deepest death-shriek, “Eloi! Eloi! lama sabachthani 1” “My God! my God! why hast thou forsaken me?” That will beget repentance.
“Repentance unto life” brings with it spiritual life, or, rather, is the first consequence thereof. There are repentances which are not signs of life, except of natural life, because they are only effected by the power of the conscience and the voice of nature speaking in men; but true repentance is produced by the Author of life, and, when it comes, begets such life in the soul, that he who was “dead in trespasses and sins” is quickened together with Christ; he who slumbered in the very centre of corruption receives power to become one of the sons of God, and to be near his throne.
Repentance is a grace. Some people preach it as a condition of salvation. There are no conditions of salvation. God gives the salvation himself; and he only gives it to those to whom he will. If, then, God has given you the least repentance, if it be sincere repentance, praise him for it, and expect that repentance will grow deeper and deeper as you go further on.
No man ever repents of sin without having some kind of sorrow with it. More or less intense it may be, according to the way in which God calls him, and his previous manner of life; but there must be some sorrow, or it is not the repentance of the Christian.
Repentance is the gift of God. It is one of those spiritual favours which ensure eternal life. It is the marvel of Divine mercy that it not only provides the way of salvation, that it not only invites men to receive grace, but that it positively makes men willing to be saved.
There are degrees of faith, and yet the least faith saves; so there are degrees of repentance, and the least repentance will save the soul, if it is sincere. The Bible says, “He that believeth shall be saved; * and when it says that it includes the very smallest degree of faith. So, when it says, “Bepent and be saved,” it includes the man who has the lowest degree of real repentance. Repentance, moreover, is never perfect in any man in this mortal state.
“Repentance unto life” is the actual salvation of the soul, the germ which contains all the essentials of salvation, which secures them to us and prepares us for them.
Repentance is a continual, life-long act. It will grow continually. I believe a Christian on his death-bed will more bitterly repent than ever he did before. Sinning and repenting — sinning and repenting, make up a Christian’s life. Repenting and believing in Jesus make up the consummation of his happiness. You must not expect that you will be perfect in repentance before you are saved.
“Behold the Man!” is the lesson for penitents.
Men put dark colours into the picture to make the lights more apparent; and God useth our black griefs to heighten the brightness of his mercies. The weeping of the penitent is the sowing of jewels of joy.
You may have repentance, but not sincere repentance. You may not only tremble, but feel a complacency towards the word of God, and yet, after all, not have “repentance unto life. n You may sink down into the pit that is bottomless, and hear it said, “Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels.”
If we have never shed the tear of penitence, we must not expect to sing the song of acceptance.
Spiritual sorrow is the architect of the temple of praise; or, at least, like Hiram, it floateth on its seas the cedars for the pillars of the beautiful house.
Many people think they must feel such a deal of repentance before they may hope Christ will receive them. I know every child of God will repent; but we are not all brought to the cross by the terrors of the rod.
Weeping on account of transgression is the first dawning of spiritual renewal Christ loves thee; Christ has shed his blood for thee; Christ will have thee, beyond all doubt. Christ loves thee, not because thou art guilty, but because thou confessest that thou art so.