Repentance, I. The Importance of the Subject
(1) Matt. 3:2 — “And saying, REPENT ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”
4: 17 — “From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, REPENT: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”
Mark 6: 12 — “And they went out and preached that men should REPENT.”
Acts 2: 38 — “Then Peter said unto them, REPENT, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.”
FIRST PROPOSITION: The keynote of the preaching of John the Baptist, Jesus, the Disciples on their first missionary tour and Peter at Pentecost, was “Repent.”
(2) Acts 20: 21 — “Testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.”
26: 20 — “But shewed first unto them of Damascus, and at Jerusalem, and throughout all the coasts of Judea, and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, and do works meet for repentance.”
SECOND PROPOSITION: The sum and substance of Paul’s testimony to Jew and to Gentile was repentance toward God and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.
(3) Luke 24: 47, R.V. — “And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name unto all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem.”
THIRD PROPOSITION: The heart of Christ’s parting commission to the twelve was that” Repentance and Remission of Sins” should be preached unto all the nations.
(4) 2 Pet. 3: 9, R.V. — “The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some count slackness; but is longsuffering to you-ward, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.”
FOURTH PROPOSITION: The Lords supreme desire concerning all men is that they should come to repentance.
(5) Acts 17:30 — “And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men everywhere to repent.”
FIFTH PROPOSITION: God s one command to all men every
where is ll Repent.”
(6) Luke 13: 3, 5 — “I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish. ... I tell you, Nay: but except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.”
SIXTH PROPOSITION; The only door of escape from perdition Jor any man is repentance.
NOTE. — The universal call of Old Testament prophets was repent. There surely is not the emphasis laid upon repentance in modern preaching that there is in the Bible.
II. What Is Repentance!
(1) THE ETYMOLOGY OF THE WORDS USED:
The primary thought of the Hebrew word translated “repent” in the Old Testament is, to pant, to sigh, to groan, and so to lament, to grieve, to grieve about one’s doing. This Hebrew word occurs frequently in the Old Testament in the active form in the sense to comfort — e. g., Ps. 23: 4 — “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.” The Greek word in the New Testament translated “repent” means “to change one’s mind.”
The same Greek word is used in the LXX for the Hebrew word mentioned above. So its New Testament meaning is to be determined by this Old Testament usage. There is another Greek word used in the New Testament five times and translated u repent.” This word means u it is a care to one afterwards,” — i. e., it “repents one.” This word is also used in the LXX to translate the Hebrew word mentioned above. The thought of both sorrow and change of purpose is in the words.
(2) USAGE or THE WORDS IN THE BIBLE:
Jer. 8: 6 — “I hearkened and heard, but they spake not aright: no man repented him of his wickedness, saying, What have I done? every one turned to his course, as the horse rusheth into the battle.”
Jer. 18: 8 — “If that nation, against whom I have pronounced, turn from their evil, I will repent of the evil that I thought to do unto them.”
Jer. 26: 3 — “If so be they will hearken, and turn every man from his evil way, that I may repent me of the evil, which I proposed to do unto them because of the evil of their doings.”
Jer. 42: 10 — “If ye will still abide in this land, then will I build you, and not pull you down; and I will plant you, and not pluck you up: for I repent me of the evil that I have done unto you.”
Ezek. 24: 14 — “I the LORD have spoken it: it shall come to pass, and I will do it; I will not go back, neither will I spare, neither will I repent; according to thy ways, and according to thy doings, shall they judge thee, saith the LORD God.”
Joel 2: 13, 14 — “And rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the LORD your God: for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth him of the evil.”
Am. 7: 1-3, 4-6 — “Thus hath the Lord GOD shewed unto me; and behold, he formed grasshoppers in the beginning of the shooting up of the latter growth after the king’s mowings. And it came to pass, that when they had made an end of eating the grass of the land, then I said, O Lord GOD, forgive I beseech thee: by whom shall Jacob arise? for he is small. The LORD repented for this: It shall not fa; saith the LORD. Thus hath the Lord GOD shewed unto me: and, behold, the LORD God called to contend by fire, and it devoured the great deep, and did eat up a part. Then said I, O Lord GOD, cease, I beseech thee: by whom shall Jacob arise? for he is small. The LORD repented for this: This also shall not be, saith the Lord GOD.”
Jonah 3: 9, 10 — “Who can tell if God will turn and repent, and turn away from his fierce anger, that we perish not? And God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way; and God repented of the evil, that he had said that he would do unto them; and he did it not.”
Matt. 12: 41 — “The men of Nineveh shall rise in judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: because they repented ilt the preaching of Jonas; and, behold, a greater than Jonas is here.” (Compare Jon. 3: 8-10 — “But let man and beast be covered with sackcloth, and cry mightily unto God: yea, let them turn every one from his evil way, and from the violence that is in their hands. Who can telj if God will turn and repent, and turn away from his fierce anger, that we perish not? And God saw their works, that they turned from their evil ways; and God repented of the evil, that he had said that he would do unto them; and he did it not.”)
In the usage of the words the thought of regret, and the thought of change of purpose and action, are both found; but the emphasis is upon the change of purpose and action, especially in the first New Testament word mentioned above. In our day there is danger of underestimating the importance of sorrow for sin. Sorrow for sin is not repentance, but it is an element in repentance. What the repentance or change of mind is about must always be determined by the context. Repentance of sin is such a sorrow for sin or abhorrence of sin, such a change of mind about it, as leads the sinner to turn away from it with all his heart.
III. How Repentance Is Manifested.
(1) Luke 10: 13 —” Woe unto thee Chorazin! woe unto thee, Bethsaida! for if the mighty works had been done in Tyre and Sidon, which have been done in you, they had a great while ago repented sitting in sackcloth and ashes.’11
Joel 2: 12, 13 — “Therefore also now, saith the LORD, turn ye even to me with all your heart, and ‘with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning: And rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the LORD your God: for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth him of the evil.”
Job 42: 5, 6 — “I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear; but now mine eye seeth thee: Wherefore / abhor myself and repent in dust and ashes.”
FIRST PR 0 POSITION: Repentance is manifested in deep sorrow for sin and in self -humiliation and in self-abhorrence.
(Compare Luke 18: 13 — “And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast saying, God be merciful to me a sinner.”)
There is not enough made of this manifestation of Repentance in these days.
(2) Hosea 14: i, 2 — “O Israel, return unto the LORD thy God; for thou hast fallen by thine iniquity. Take with you words, and turn to the LORD: say unto him, Take away all iniquity, and receive us graciously: so will we render the calves of our lips.”
Luke 18: 13, 14 — “And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner. I tell you this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.”
SECOND PROPOSITION: Repentance is manifested in confersion of sin and prayer to God for mercy.
(3) Matt. 12: 41 — “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.”
(Compare Jon. 3: 5-8 — “So the people of Nineveh believed God, and proclaimed a fast, and put on sackcloth, from the greatest of them even to the least of them. For the word came unto the king of Nineveh, and he arose from his throne, and he laid his robe from him, and covered him with sackcloth, and sat in ashes. And he caused it to be proclaimed and published through Nineveh by the decree of the king and his nobles, saying, Let neither man nor beast, herd nor flock, taste any thing: let them not feed nor drink water: but let man and beast be covered with sackcloth, and cry mightily unto God: Yea, let them turn every one from his evil way and from the violence that is in their hands.
Ezek. 18: 30 — “Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, every one according to his ways, saith the Lord GOD. Repent andturnyourselves from all your transgressions; so iniquity shall not be your ruin.”
14: 6 — “Therefore say unto the house of Israel, thus saith the Lord GOD; Repent, and turn yourselves from your idols; and turn away your faces from all your abominations.”
Is. 55:7 — “Let the wicked forsake his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.”
THIRD PROPOSITION: Repentance is manifested by the sinner turning away from his evil way — -from all his transgressions, his idols and his abominations and his thoughts.
This is the most important and decisive manifestation of repentance, the one upon which the Bible lays the most emphasis. Note the frequency and urgency of the use of the word “turn” in the Bible. See also Acts 3: 19, R.V — “Repent ye therefore, and turn again, that your sins may be blotted out, that so there may come seasons of refreshing from the presence of the Lord.” Conversion is the outward proof of the inward Repentance. (Compare 1 Thess. 1:9.)
(4) Acts 26:20, R.V. — “But declare both to them of Damascus first, and at Jerusalem, and throughout all the country of Judsea, and also to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to 6W, doing works worthy of repentance.”
i Sam. 7: 3 — “And Samuel spake unto all the house of Israel, saying, If ye do return unto the LORD with all your hearts, then put away the strange gods and Ashtaroth from among you% and prepare yout hearts unto the Lord, and serve him only: and he will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines.”
Matt. 3:8, R.V. — “Bring forth therefore fruit worthy of repentance.”
FO UR TH PR 0 POSITION: Repentance is manifested by:
(a) Turning to God to trust and serve Him.
There are two sides to Repentance — turning from and turning to. 1 Thess. 1: 9 — “For they themselves shew of us what manner of entering in we had unto you, and how ye turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God.”
(b) By bringing forth fruit, or doing works, worthy of repentance.
Not merely abstinence from evil, but performance of good. Compare Luke 3: 10-14 — “And the people asked him, saying, What shall we do then? He arts were th and saith unto them, He that hath two coats, let him impart to him that hath none; and he that hath meat, let him do likewise. Then came also publicans to be baptized, and said unto him, Master, what shall we do? And he said unto them, Exact no more than that which is appointed you. And the soldiers likewise demanded of him, saying, And what shall we do? And he said unto them, Do violence to no man, neither accuse any falsely; and be content with your wages.”
(5) Mark i: 4 — “John did baptize in the wilderness, and preach the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins.”
Acts 13: 24 — “When John had first preached before his coming the baptism oj repentance to all the people of Israel.”
Acts 2: 38 — “Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.”
FIFTH PROPOSITION: Repentance is manifested by baptism. This is God’s appointed and deeply significant way of publicly professing our repentance. What right have we to substitute some other?
IT. The Results of Repentance.
(i) Luke 15: 7, 10 — “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.... Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth.”
FIRST PROPOSITION: There is joy in heaven, in the presence of the Angels of God, over one sinner that repenteth.
This is the supreme result of repentance. We should work for the repentance of sinners more because of the joy it brings to God and Christ than because of the blessings it brings to men.
(2) Is. 55:7 — “Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.”
Luke 24: 47 — “And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.”
Mark i: 4, R.V. — “John came, who baptized in the wilderness and preached the baptism of repentance unto remission of sins.”
Acts 2: 38, R.V. — “And Peter said unto them, Repent ye, and be baptized every cue of you in the name of Jesus Christ unto the remission of your sins; and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.”
Acts 3: 19 (first clause) — “Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out.”
SECOND PROPOSITION: Repentance results in pardon, remission of sins, the blotting out of sins.
This remission is “in the name of Jesus Christ” — i. e., on the ground of His work. Repentance is the condition upon which the remission secured by the death of Jesus Christ is made our own.
(3) Acts 2:38, R.V. — “And Peter said unto them, Repent ye, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ unto the remission of your sins; and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.”
THIRD PROPOSITION: Repentance is one of the primary conditions for receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost.
The gift of the Holy Ghost is for all those who repent and are baptized in the name of Jesus Christ unto the remission of sins. It is for them to “take” (the exact force of the word rendered” receive” ).
(4) Acts 3: 19, 20, 21, R.V. —” Repent ye therefore, and turn again, that your sins may be blotted out, that so there may come seasons of refreshing from the presence of the Lord; and that he mav send the Christ
who hath been appointed for you, even Jesus: whom the heaven must receive until the times of restoration of all things, whereof God spake by the mouth of his holy prophets which have been since the world began.”
FO LTR TH PR OPOSITION: The Repentance of God’ s people will reault in times of refreshing from the presence of the Lord and thj sending of the Messiah.
These words were spoken to the Israelites and the implication is that the repentance of Israel will result in the coming of the Christ who has been appointed for them, even Jesus.
V. How Repentance Is Effected.
(1) Acts n: 18 — “When they heard these things, they held their peace, and glorified God, saying, Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life.”
(The word rendered “granted” in this verse is the word ordinarily translated” given. “)
FIRST PROPOSITION: Repentance unto life is Gods gift.
(2) Acts 5: 30, 31, R.V. — “The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom ye slew, hanging him on a tree. Him did God exalt with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and remission of sins.” See also 3: 26 — “Unto you first God, having raised up his servant, sent him- to bless you, in turning away every one of you from your iniquities.”
SE COND PR 0 POSITION: Jesus, once crucified but now exalted, gives repentance.
(3) Acts 2: 37, 38, 41 — “Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do? Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.... Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls.”
By the verses that precede we see that what they heard was the word of God, preached by men “filled with the Holy Ghost.”
THIRD PROPOSITION: Repentance is effected through the preaching of the Word by men filled with the Holy Ghost.
(Compare i Thess. i: 5, 6, 9, 10 — “For our gospel came not unto you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance; as ye know what manner of men we were among you for your sake.... For they themselves shew of us what manner of entering in we had unto you, and how ye turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God; and to wait for his son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come.”
The Word of God is the means used for the bestowal of the gift of repentance.
(4) Jonah 3: 5-10 — “So the people of Nineveh believed 6W, and proclaimed a fast, and put on sackcloth, from the greatest of them even to the least of them. For word came unto the king of Nineveh, and he arose from his throne, and he laid his robe from him, and covered him with sackcloth, and sat in ashes. And he caused it to be proclaimed and published through Nineveh by the decree of the king and his nobles, saying, Let neither man nor beast, herd nor flock, taste any thing: let them not feed, nor drink water: But let man and beast be covered with sackcloth, and cry mightily unto God: yea, let them turn every one from his evil way, and from the violence that is in their hands. Who can tell if God will turn and repent, and turn away from his fierce anger, that we perish not? And God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way: and God repented of the evil, that he had said that he would do unto them; and he did it not.”
FO UR TH PR OPOSITION: Repentance results when men believe God’s Word.
(5) Rom. 2: 4 — “Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?”
FIFTH PROPOSITION: The goodness of God leadeth men to
Repentance.
The word here rendered ‘“goodness” is an adjective meaning ordinarily in the New Testament usage “kind” (Luke 6: 35; Eph. 4: 32), or “gracious” (1 Pet. 2: 3). It is the kindness and patience and forbearance of God that leads men to repentance.
(Compare 2 Pet. 3: 9 — “The Lord is not slack concerning his promises, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.”)
(6) Rev. 3: 19 — “As many as I love, / rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.”
Heb. 12: 6, 10, n — “For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.,.. For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness. Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless, afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.”
SIXTH PROPOSITION: Repentance is effected through God’s loving reproof and chastisement.
(Compare Ps. 1 19: 67 — “Before I was afflicted I went astray: but now have I kept thy word.”)
(7) 2 Tim. 2:24,25, R.V. — “And the Lord’s servant must not strive, but be gentle towards all, apt to teach, forbearing, in meekness correcting them that oppose themselves; if peradventure God may give them repentance unto the knowledge of the truth.”
SEVENTH PROPOSITION: Repentance is effected through the meek and gentle correction administered by the servant of the Lord.
(8) 2 Cor. 7: 8-1 1, R.V. — “For though I made you sorry with my epistle, I do not regret it, though I did regret; for I see that that epistle made you sorry, though but for a season. Now I rejoice, not that ye were made sorry, but that ye were made sorry unto repentance: for ye were made sorry after a godly sort, that ye might suffer loss by us in nothing. For godly sorrow worketh repentance unto salvation, a repentance which bringeth no regret: but the sorrow of the world worketh death. For behold, this selfsame thing, that ye were made sorry after a godly sort, what earnest care it wrought in you, yea, what cleansing of yourselves, yea, what indignation, yea, what fear, yea, what longing, yea, what zeal, yea, what avenging! In every thing ye approved yourselves to be pure in the matter.”
EIGHTH PROPOSITION: Godly sorrow worketh repentance.
The godly sorrow in this case was itself wrought by the correction administered by the Lord’s servant.
(9) Job 42: 5, 6 — “I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear; but now mine eye seeth thee: Wherefore I abhor myself and repent in dust and ashes.”
$INTH PROPOSITION: The sight of God causes repentance,
Nothing is so calculated to impress sinful man with a hatred of sin, and abhorrence of self as a sinner, as a real view of God. If then we wish to bring men to repentance, let us bring them face to face with God. This can be effected by showing them God as revealed in His Word. But it must be done in the power of the Holy Spirit.