|
REPENTANCE, WHAT IS IT? It is Not Penance By HERB EVANS, Ltt.D. 157 PATTIES PLACE PORTERSVILLE, PENNSYLVANIA 16051 E-Mail: herbevans@juno.com And it came to pass, when Pharaoh had let people go, that God led them not through the way of the land of the Philistines, although that was near; for God said, Lest peradventure the people REPENT when they see war, and they return to Egypt . . . -- Exo. 13:17 As in their underlying words, the English word "REPENT" has a wide latitude of definition, depending on the context in which it finds itself. It ranges from changing one's mind or attitude to being sorry or to regret or to admit/realize or to become GUILTY before God or confess one's sin or lost condition or to apologize or to repent of certain sins. Still, God, when He repents, does not repent from sins nor relinquish sins nor sorrow for sins, nor admit sins, nor apologize nor become guilty for sins, although He does repent according to the multitude of His mercies (Psa. 106:45). So the word need not mean all things in every place in which it is used. Our Text explains wrong or bad "repentance," a repentance that is not pleasing to God. This, like Judas’ repentance, was not the kind of repentance that God wanted. The attempt of SOME Repentance Bullies to force a "one size to fits all" repentance definition into every "repent" passage has resulted in a semantical, doctrinal dispute of no small proportions, which is promoted by SOME "repentance bullies" and "Lordship salvationists," who have embraced the Roman Catholic idea of PENANCE as a substitute for repentance! On the other hand, the NO REPENTANCE crowd is really out in left field. Just Persons Do Not Need Repentance 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 Our text suggests that there are some just folks, which need NO repentance. Just persons do not need a certain kind of repentance, although they sin. This could not be the case, if turning from sin or relinquishing sin, being sorry, demonstrating sorrow, doing fruits meet for repentance for sins, or doing penance for sins to get salvation was in view (Papist way of looking at it). Christians should and do repent in a certain fashion but have no need of repentance regarding their already secure salvation. Still, there are times, when prayed up, 'fessed up Christians need NO repentance. Repentance Enables Belief And Conversion 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. -- Matt. 21:32 And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: REPENT ye, and BELIEVE the gospel. -- Mark 1:15 REPENT ye therefore, and BE CONVERTED, that your sins may be blotted out . . . -- Acts 3:19 Testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, REPENTANCE toward God, and FAITH toward our Lord Jesus Christ. -- Acts 20:21 Repentance does not save. Grace and mercy saves, plus nothing minus nothing. Still, repent- ance does pave the way for salvation to be received freely by Grace. If a man trusts and receives Christ, he has repented, despite how narrowly or strictly or weakly some try to define the word. Call it easy believism if you want, but since when are we instructed to make it as hard as we can for a sinner to be saved. There are plenty enough instances in the scriptures, where some sinners are not instructed to repent. In these instances, it seems that a bad/wrong attitude is NOT perceived or anticipated by the soul winner or preacher, where the sinner is merely instructed to believe on or trust in the Lord Jesus Christ. Still, mark it down, NO ONE gets to heaven without repentance, whether told to do so or not. God Gives, Grants, And Commands Repentance And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent: -- Acts 17:30 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 Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the GOODNESS of God LEADETH thee to repentance? -- Rom. 2:4 REPENT therefore of this thy wickedness, and PRAY GOD, IF PERHAPS the THOUGHT of thine heart MAY BE forgiven thee. -- Acts 8:22 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 In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will GIVE them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth; -- 2 Tim. 2:25 God grants and gives men the space to repent or change their mind and/or attitude, but they do not always RECEIVE it nor avail themselves of it. God does not give repentance the way that the TULIP Calvinists view it, rather the way that all Israel and Jezebel of Revelation was granted and given space to repent. Still, the repentance God gives in regard to salvation is the opportunity to acknowledge and believe the truth. To do this, man’s mind and/or attitude must be changed (his heart) to acknowledge the truth. This is the way that almost all Baptist expositors have viewed repentance in the past. The advent of Charles Finney and John MacArthur have changed things, but we are not Nazarenes, Charismatics, nor bloodless salvationists. We are old enough and mature enough and past trying to grow up to be somebody to get on every band wagon that comes along (and wise enough not to try to outdo the brethren in being the strictest kid on the block by wearing an "I’m the strongest doctor of doctrine" badge). Repentance Is A Drastic Change Of Mind Or Attitude Yet if they shall bethink themselves in the land whither they were carried captives, and REPENT, and make supplication unto thee in the land of them that carried them captives, saying, WE HAVE SINNED, and have done perversely, we have committed wickedness . . . THEN HEAR thou their prayer . . . And FORGIVE thy people that have sinned . . . -- 1 Ki. 8:47 I hearkened and heard, but they spake not aright: no man REPENTED him of his wickedness, saying, What have I done? -- Jer. 8:6 Wherefore I abhor myself, and REPENT in dust and ashes. -- Job 42:6 Man must repent or change his mind about himself and sin by admitting and realizing that he is a lost sinner, and that his sin is truly sin, offensive to God. Those, who do not think that they are lost nor have done anything wrong nor think that they have not sinned, deceive themselves and the truth is not in them. If they do not become guilty before God nor have any remorse. They have no reason to want to believe to be saved. When a man's ATTITUDE changes under conviction of Holy Spirit, he is fertile soil for gospel seed. The fallow ground must be broken up until he changes his mind or attitude about God, himself, and sin. He must become lost before he can be saved, or why should he need salvation? He must view himself headed for hell, or why should he try to escape it? He must change his mind about God’s letting him off the hook and God’s holiness. He must change his mind about sin, for that is what is causing him to be lost and on his way to hell. Moreover, he must view himself guilty but HELPLESS to change his situation (a missing ingredient in some Repentance Police’s views of repentance). He does not turn from his sins until God frees him, except in the sense that he turns to God to have his sins relinquished and get salvation (for without the Holy Spirit, he is helpless to do anything but trust the Lord). Still, he MUST admit he is on his way to hell and that he cannot do anything by himself to avoid it and thereby throws himself at feet of the Lord Jesus Christ in utter helplessness for God's grace and mercy through belief in the Lord Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour. Repentance, A 180-Degree Change Of Mind He answered and said, I WILL NOT: but afterward he REPENTED, and went. -- Matt. 21:29 We have had members of our church, who vowed never to set foot in our church. Then they repented of their vow and came to our church, heard the gospel and were saved. Until they heard and believed gospel, they were still unsaved. They relinquished no sin; they turned from no sin. After they were saved, they were turned (Repent and be CONVERTED) and began to grow and serve the Lord. What they were not was a SAVED NEW CREATION with the indwelling Holy Spirit until they BELIEVED. Repentance is an inner attitude not an outward action. Repentance, As An Apology Take heed to yourselves: If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him; and IF HE REPENT, forgive him. -- Luke 17:3 And if he trespass against thee seven times in a day, and seven times in a day turn again to thee, saying, I REPENT; thou shalt forgive him. -- Luke 17:4 This fellow certainly did not relinquish or turn from any sins (that were over and done with against the other), but the recipient of the offense was instructed to forgive the offender, if he REPENT and only then. And the frequency of forgiveness was quite high—as many times as he repented or apologized. Salvation is not in view here at all.
Repentance Versus Impenitence Versus Grace And Mercy BELIEVE on Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved. -- Acts 16:31 NOT BY WORKS of righteousness which we have done, but according to his MERCY he saved us . . . -- Titus 3:5 Or despisest thou riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that GOODNESS of God LEADETH thee to repentance? But after thy hardness and IMPENITENT HEART [case in point—Pharaoh hardened his heart] treasurest up unto thyself wrath against day of wrath and revelation of righteous judgment of God; -- Rom. 2:4, 5 There you have it; the root of it all is an IMPENITENT HEART. Since it is the goodness of God that leads a man to repentance, the only reason that a man will not believe is because his heart remains HARD and IMPENITENT, not having any remorse nor GUILT before a holy God. Once that fallow ground is broken up and softened by the convicting power of Holy Spirit, who rebukes the world of sin, righteousness, and judgement so the man can believe to be saved. Many have come to this repentant condition, holding on to the pew with white knuckles and yet not believing—only to leave and put it out of their minds and die and go to hell lost, just as Judas, who repented HIMSELF but did not truly repent to God and believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. Some may believe that the lost can be saved without repentance; they must have more than their share of "TARES." If some say that a man can believe without repenting, they are contradicting the scriptures that plainly indicate that repentance is necessary to believe and that believing is that which is necessary for salvation. Is it true that if a man truly believes on the Lord Jesus Christ, he shall be saved? Is it true that it is according to His mercy that he saved us? If it is true, do not trouble us, for we are secure in His grace and mercy? If you do not think it is true, let us die in our felicity that we are saved by trusting the Lord Jesus Christ and Him alone for our salvation and not our own works nor actions. Still, if we have done that, it is equally true that we have repented, for no man can do the one without the other. Regardless, we do not advocate one—two—three, repeat after me, now you are saved--easy believism. Repentance is NOT Roman Catholic PENANCE!
WILLIAM BOOTH And OTHERS On REPENTANCE About 100 years ago William Booth, founder of the Salvation Army said, "The chief danger of the 20th century will be: RELIGION WITHOUT THE HOLY GHOST, FORGIVENESS WITHOUT REPENTANCE, SALVATION WITHOUT REGENERATION, & HEAVEN WITHOUT HELL." Now, I am sure that Booth was no prophet but his prediction has certainly come to pass!" — William Booth "If a Savior leaves you as you are and where you are, from what has He saved you?" --Rev. Denny Brake "Repentance means that I estimate exactly what I am in God's sight and I am sorry for it, and on the basis of the Redemption I become the opposite." – Oswald Chambers "How can a man be born of the Holy Spirit (John 3:8) while at the very moment of his conversion he is quenching the Holy Spirit by justifying and hanging onto his sins? Does the Holy Spirit say, "Look, I know you have no intention of cleaning up and living for me. I know you'll never go to church, pray, or read your Bible, but I'm going to give you the new birth anyway?" Is that how it works? Chapter and verse please? How can the Holy Spirit be "holy" if He has no standards?" – James L. Melton "It's been said that I should apply to the United States for a pardon, but repentance must precede the right of pardon, and I have not repented."-- CSA President Jefferson Davis "God convicts sinners because repentance from sin is necessary for salvation." -- Joe Henry Hankins "Salvation is not a cafeteria where you take what you want and leave the rest. You cannot take Christ as Saviour and refuse Him as Lord and be saved." – Vance Havner "Repentance without faith leads to despair; Faith without repentance from sin becomes presumption." -- D. Edmond Hiebert "The word repent means a change of mind. It is not merely a change of viewpoint. Repentance is a change of mind, which results in a complete change of attitude." -- H. A. Ironside "If your sorrow does not make you turn your back on your sins, it does not amount to anything." -- Bob Jones Sr. "Repentance is this; I am sorry for my meanness and I won't do it anymore." -- Sam Jones "It was sin that Jesus met, not sins. Sin is character; sins are conduct. Sin is the cause; sins are the effect. Sin is the root; sins are the fruit." – Roy Laurin "The confession, which is ‘unto salvation,’ comes from the heart that loves, not merely from a head that perceives. Jesus accepts nothing else." – Alexander Maclaren "Man is born with his back toward God. When he truly repents, he turns right around and faces God. Repentance is a change of mind, a change of heart, and it results in a change of action." – D. L. Moody "A man is not prepared to believe or receive the Gospel unless he is ready to repent of my sins." – D. L. Moody "What do I mean by repent? I mean turn your heart from your sin." – D. L. Moody "The man whose little sermon is ‘repent’ sets himself against this age, and will for the time being be battered mercilessly by the age whose moral tone he challenges. There is but one end for such a man—‘off with his head!’ You had better not try to preach repentance until you have pledged your head to heaven." – Joseph Parker "The Bible offers no salvation that is not accompanied by repentance by the guilty sinner." – J. K. Mayes "There is something that keeps you from the arms of Jesus. You must give it up. You've got to turn from it." – Billy Sunday "I don't care if it's your self-righteousness. I don't care if it's your false doctrine. I don't care if it's your love of sin. I don't care if it’s your unbelief. Whatever it is, your going to have to turn from it to Him. Do you know why Holy Spirit conviction causes us to do that? Because conviction turns the light on. It removes the scales from your eyes." -- Dennis Corle commenting on Billy Sunday's quote. "A man who loves his sin doesn't have an attitude that is conducive to trusting Christ for deliverance from sin and its penalty . . . Sin nailed the Son of God to Calvary. Don't tell me how much you love Him while you embrace the sin that put Him there." -- Dennis Corle "Repentance of sin is such 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." – R. A. Torrey "God will take nine steps toward us, but He will not take the tenth. He will incline us to repent, but He will not do our repenting for us." – A. W. Tozer "Repentance with man is the changing of his will; repentance with God’s the willing of a change." – John Trapp "REPENTANCE" Jesus came to change our natures!" – A. W. Tozer "To a sinner it is a great mercy to have another day of grace, another opportunity for repentance, a little more time in which to escape from hell and fly to heaven, a new reprieve to from death. Ah soul, suppose that you had never seen the light of another rising sun, but had heard instead the dreadful sentence, ‘Depart, cursed one, into the darkness that will never be pierced by a ray of light!’ What a mercy that you have been spared!" – Charles H. Spurgeon "To many men, thinking is an unusual employment . . . by it conviction and conversion may come . . ." -- Charles H. Spurgeon "Together with undivided faith in Jesus Christ there must also be an unfeigned repentance of sin." – Charles H. Spurgeon "Conversion is a change of masters. We will not do as much for our new master, the Lord Jesus as we once did for our old tyrant lust?" – Charles H. Spurgeon "Repentance is a heart broken for sin and from sin." – Charles H. Spurgeon "Christ and we will never be one until we and our sin are two." – Charles H. Spurgeon "Sin and hell are married unless repentance proclaims the divorce." – Charles H. Spurgeon – Copied from unsourced E mail |
|
|
|