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Bible Knowledge Church Bible Study
Teacher: The Holy Spirit of God (John 14:26)
Topic: What is the meaning of Repentance?
REPENTANCE
Godly sorrow worketh a repentance to salvation not to be repented of.
(2 Cor. 7:10).
The first thought to be impressed upon our minds as we study this subject is that repentance is a primary Gospel requirement which none should lightly esteem. It was the opening message in the ministry of John the Baptist (Matt. 3:2), in the ministry of Christ (Matt. 4:17), in the ministry of the Spirit (Acts 2:38), and occupied a prominent place in the teaching of the disciples--all in harmony with this declaration in the ministry to the Gentiles: “God . . . now commandeth all men every where to repent” (Acts 17:30). Our study of the subject of repentance will be conducted under four heads: What it is, what it is not, how brought about, other facts.
WHAT REPENTANCE IS
The essential elements of repentance may be stated in four words: Conviction, contrition, confession, restitution. In other words, it includes a consciousness of guilt, a godly sorrow for sin, a desire to forsake sin, a confession of sin, and a willingness to make restitution for sin. At this point it might be well to note that while the Bible speaks of God as repenting, [“grieved”], (Gen. 6:6; I Sam. 15:11), in none of these cases did He repent in the sense that man repents, for “God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man that he should repent” (Num. 23:19); and being perfect in every respect He is subject neither to error nor to sin. And while God at times represents Himself as man (Gen. 18:2, 8, 16, 22, 33) and speaks as man (as He did to Abraham-- Gen. 22:12), and in this sense meets changed conditions in the semblance of repentance, yet we should not forget that with Him “is no variableness, neither shadow of turning” (Jas. 1:17).
But now lets answer the question: What takes place when one repents?
1. Conviction.--This is the first step in repentance. Because of things seen and heard, the conviction grows upon us that we have done wrong. The two powerful factors in bringing about conviction are the Holy Spirit (John 16:8), and the conscience (Rom. 2:15).
2. Godly Sorrow.--Let us notice that not all sorrow can be classed as “godly sorrow.” People convicted of crime often weep and mourn as though their hearts would break; but it is grief over their dilemma of being caught, rather than penitence for sin. Judas Iscariot was sorrowful enough to go and hang himself, yet that did not move him to come back to Christ for restitution and for pardon. Paul in (2 Cor. 7:10), speaks of a “godly sorrow” and a “sorrow of the world.” The first “worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of;” the second, “worketh death.” No man has ever truly repented of any sin without a deep feeling of sorrow because of it. Penitence without sorrow is unheard of in the experience of any penitent sinner; but it is grief for having sinned against God or man, a smitten conscience and consequent contrition, and not grief over being found out.
3. Confession.--A sense of shame and humiliation usually accompanies true penitence for sin, but this should not keep back the sinner from confessing his sins to God. True penitence invariably prompts confession to God of the things repented of. The truth be known, the greater the reluctance in confessing to God, the less penitence there is in the heart because of sins committed. “with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.” (Rom. 10:10).
4. Forsaking Sin.--The truly penitent not only confess their sins to God but they also forsake them. “How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein” (Rom. 6:2)?
5. Restitution.--Restitution belongs to true penitence. This includes making wrongs right with both God and man.
6. A Change of Heart.--A man may change his mind and quit his bad habits, but still be an unforgiven sinner. He may be very sorry for what he has done (because he is found out), “but the sorrow of the world worketh death.” He may, for policy’s sake, even make restitution and live the life of a respectable man, and still his righteousness be as “filthy rags.” While all the things so far named are essential elements of repentance, it takes a changed heart to complete the experience. In every case of true repentance there is a change of mind, a change of feelings, a change of attitude toward sin and righteousness, and a change of heart.
Repentance is bound up with faith and inseparable from it, since without some measure of faith no one can truly repent, and repentance never attains to its deepest character till the sinner realizes through saving faith how great is the grace of God against whom he has sinned. On the other hand, there can be no saving faith without true repentance. Repentance, it is thus to be seen, is the gift of God (Acts 5:31; 11:18; Rom. 2:4). But as with faith so with repentance--it is left with men to make the decision.
WHAT REPENTANCEIS NOT
1. A mere change of mind is not repentance.--Not, Have you changed your mind? but, Why have you changed your mind? is the vital question.
2. It is not merely being sorry because sins have been committed.--The only sorrow for sin that belongs to repentance is the kind that grips the soul, impels the penitent sinner to come to God for pardon, to forsake his sins, to make his wrongs right.
3. It is not joining some church.--Some people actually join some church that it may be easier to keep on sinning without getting into ill repute. Joining the Church is right, provided the applicant is joining the Church for the right reason and not as a substitute for repentance.
4. It is not merely confessing sin.--There is no special virtue in confessing sins--unless it is prompted by godly sorrow for sin.
5. It is not mere reform.--True repentance brings genuine reform, in all things where the light of the Gospel makes the penitent sinner conscious of his wrong-doing; but a man may give up all his bad habits, and still cherish them in his heart. A reform, to be recognized in heaven, must be from the heart.
WHAT BRINGS ABOUT REPENTANCE
1. The goodness of God.--As I have already revealed, repentance itself is a gift from God (2 Tim. 2:25). While repentance is man’s part in God’s plan of salvation, no man can claim any credit for it, since it is the goodness of God that leads us to repentance (Rom. 2:4). Yes, it is the GOODNESS OF GOD that leads us to repentance. So, let us reverently acknowledge His grace and show by a penitent life that we appreciate this goodness.
2. Hearing the truth.--“faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (Rom. 10:17). How can a man believe himself a sinner without having a knowledge of that fact? The preaching of God’s Word in its fullness is a very necessary work on bringing sinners to repentance.
3. Convicting power of the Spirit.--To “reprove the world of sin” (John 16:8) is one of the principal missions of the Holy Spirit. What we call “conviction” on the part of the penitent sinner is but the result of the operation of the Spirit upon his heart and conscience.
4. A knowledge of sin.--Until the sinner is conscious of his sinful condition there can be no repentance for sin. True, there may be a prodding on the part of the Spirit, so that there is a consciousness that something is wrong, as is the case of the troubled heathen longing after--something; but he must first be shown wherein he is wrong before he can be led to repent of whatever wrong exists.
5. Abhorrence of sin.--People seldom turn away from sin so long as it tastes sweet. The sinner who feels himself “down and out” and like Job abhors himself and repents “in dust and ashes” (Job 42:6), is much more easily reached than is the sinner who is blinded to his condition through love of sin. It is when people “abhor that which is evil” that they are ready to “cleave to that which is good.”
6. Faith in God.--You believe that God is your Friend, loving and true. He tells you of your awful condition and of sin’s awful results. Knowledge of sin deepens into conviction, and conviction into contrition; your heart is crushed and your soul cries out to God. This takes place only when people believe in God, for people are never moved by any warning which they believe to be untrue.
7. Rewards and penalties.--This should not be our motive in serving God, but there is no denying the fact that it exerts a powerful influence in bringing sinners to their senses. The growing tendency to sneer at the idea of preaching about hell to awaken sinners to their dangers ahead is responsible to a large extent for the rising tide of crime. Why has hell so little terror for the sinner? It is not generally preached; too few people believe that there is such a place. Hell is a place that really exists! The cause of salvation suffers, and sinners die in their sins, because preachers, and “priest” especially, are to faint-hearted and not willing to warn sinners to flee from the terrible wrath to come. But, I have warned all through my work on the "Foresight Through Knowledge Ministry" Website, and other works written.
FUNDAMENTAL FACTS CONCERNING REPENTANCE
1. Repentance is commanded.--God (Acts 17:30), Christ (Matt. 4:17), John the Baptist (Matt. 3:2), the apostles (Mark 6:12; Acts 2:38; 20:21), all commanded it in unmistakable terms. It is divinely commanded to be taught “among all nations” (Luke 24:47), God commanding “all men every where to repent.”
2. It is essential to salvation.--“except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish” (Luke 13:3, 5). It is remarkable that the first and last recorded public utterances of Christ (Matt. 4:17; Luke 24:47) on earth were on the subject of repentance. Since “the soul that sinneth, it shall die,” it follows that one sin in the soul unrepented of means eternal death. “Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out.”
3. It is coupled with remission of sins.--Christ died and rose again, to the end “that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations.” God is ready to blot out our sins as fast as we repent of them. (Acts 3:19). There is no promise of remission, except upon condition of repentance.
4. It precedes every act of divine grace and every Christian ordinance.--As for ordinances, repentance precedes the first among them, baptism. (Acts 2:38). Unrepented people can not be baptized and you can not be forgiven of sins you have not repented of.
5. Beyond repentance.--Important!!! Please read (Heb. 6:4-6; 1 John 5:16).
Minister George Condry
(Jeremiah 3:15)
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