Repentance. Bible doctrine 5.

BIBLE DOCTRINE 5: REPENTANCE

God’s Word teaches:
That Repentance is a complete turning away from all sins and its deceitful pleasures and that it is required from every sinner before he can truly and effectively believe in Jesus with saving faith –

 Proverbs 28:13; Isaiah 55:7; Ezekiel 18:21-23; Mark 1:15; Luke 24:46,47; Acts 2:38; 3:19; 20:20,21; 2 Corinthians 7:10; Hebrews 6:1-3.

Proverbs  28:13 He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.

Isaiah  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.

Ezekiel  18:21 But if the wicked will turn from all his sins that he hath committed, and keep all my statutes, and do that which is lawful and right, he shall surely live, he shall not die.  18:22 All his transgressions that he hath committed, they shall not be mentioned unto him: in his righteousness that he hath done he shall live.  18:23 Have I any pleasure at all that the wicked should die? saith the Lord GOD: and not that he should return from his ways, and live?

Mark  1:15 And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.

Acts 3:19 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  20:20 And how I kept back nothing that was profitable unto you, but have shewed you, and have taught you publickly, and from house to house,  20:21 Testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.

Repentance is a conscious turning away from evil, disobedience, sin or idolatry.

 It is also turning from Satan unto the living God (Jonah 3:8-10; Proverbs 28:13; Matthew 12:41).

Matthew  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.

 Repentance evokes a change of one’s mind and purpose in life and changes all past actions. 

It elicits a form of godly sorrow (2 Corinthians 7:10), which makes an erstwhile sinner regard sin with utter revulsion. 

2 Corinthians  7:10 For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death.

Godly sorrow makes the sinner or backslider to turn away from sin.

 It also causes an abhorrence or hatred for sin. 

The need for repentance is the heartache of a deeply compassionate God (2 Peter 3:9).

2 Peter  3:9 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.

 Repentance is the genesis of the process of restoration for backsliders and sinners.

 It differs from tearful remorse, which is merely an expression of sorrow over an embarrassing outcome of sin (2 Chronicles 7:14; 2 Corinthians 7:10).

 It is a universal command by God to all people (Ezekiel 14:6; 18:30; Acts 17:30)

Acts  17:30 And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent:

Repentance is the central theme of the gospel. 

The doctrine and teaching of repentance is fundamental to the propagation of the gospel. 

It is a foundation stone in the cardinal doctrines of the New Testament Church.

Its vital place in scripture, particularly in the New Testament, is underscored by the regularity of its usage. 

Repentance, repent or repenting occurs over sixty times in the New Testament alone. 

It was the keynote of Christ’s preaching as well as the sum and substance of the evangelistic apostolic message. 

He repeatedly emphasized that His mission was to provide repentance for the sinner (Matthew 9:13; Mark 2:17; Luke 5:32; Acts 3:18,19,26; 11:18). 

Matthew  9:13 But go ye and learn what that meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.

Luke  5:32 I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.

Also, John the Baptist, the forerunner of the Lord anchored his fiery messages in the wilderness on repentance (Luke 3:3-8).

Luke  3:3 And he came into all the country about Jordan, preaching the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins;  3:4 As it is written in the book of the words of Esaias the prophet, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.  3:5 Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be brought low; and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough ways shall be made smooth;  3:6 And all flesh shall see the salvation of God.  3:7 Then said he to the multitude that came forth to be baptized of him, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come?  3:8 Bring forth therefore fruits worthy of repentance, and begin not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, That God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham.

 At the beginning of His ministry, Jesus preached repentance (Matthew 4:17).

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

 His valedictory message to His disciples shortly before He was taken to heaven was hinged upon repentance (Luke 24:45-47). 

Luke  24:45 Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures,  24:46 And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day:  24:47 And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.

This was principally because repentance is cardinal to the sinner’s reconciliation with God.

 From His eminent position in glory, the Lord yet admonished the backslidden church to repent (Revelation 2:4,5; 3:3).

Revelation  2:4 Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love.  2:5 Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.

Revelation  3:3 Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee.l

 Peter and the other Apostles took a cue from the Lord and made the doctrine of repentance the fundamental theme of their gospel homilies (Acts 2:38; 17:30). 

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.

Acts 3:19 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;

Paul the Apostle sent to preach to the Gentiles did not differ with either the Lord or the other Apostles on the necessity of repentance for the sinner or backslider to gain the mercy of God.

Acts  17:30 And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent:

 Repentance must therefore be preached to all men in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ (Luke 24:47).

Luke  24:47 And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.

 Sinners and backsliders must be made to know that no one is excluded from the challenge of the gospel to repent, for it is only through repentance that the manifold blessings, arising from the remission of sins, could be appropriated.

Repentance, however, does not exist in isolation of faith. 

Saving faith is taken as implying the change of mind, which is repentance (Hebrews 11:9; Zechariah 8:14; Acts 20:21). 

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

Both are a response to grace, creating a completely different orientation for the penitent sinner.

 Works do not elicit repentance (2 Timothy 1:9; Romans 3:27,28; 4:1-8; 6:23; Ephesians 2:8). 

2 Timothy  1:9 Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began,

Paradoxically, repentance must necessarily produce works otherwise it is unreal (James 2:14-26; Ephesians 2:9,10; Titus 2:5-8).

Ephesians  2:9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.  2:10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

 True repentance manifests in a proper attitude towards sin (2 Corinthians 7:10,11; Psalm 38:18; 51:17; 2 Samuel 12:13). 

Psalms  38:18 For I will declare mine iniquity; I will be sorry for my sin.

Psalms  51:17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.

The repentant heart henceforth treats sin with disdain. 

No sinner or backslider can be said to have genuinely repented if he still condones sin. 

This is because essentially sin is exceedingly abominable.

Consequently, the need for repentance by the sinner must be the pivot around which the redemption message must be woven.

Repentance opens the way and makes us to receive the grace of God.

 It provides pardon and remission of sins (Isaiah 55:7; Proverbs 28:13; Luke 24:47; Acts 2:38; 3:19).

Isaiah  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.

Proverbs  28:13 He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.

 Through it sinners receive justification and acceptance (John 1:12,13; Galatians 3:8; 2:16; Romans 8:1; 5:12). 

John  1:12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:  1:13 Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

Romans  8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

Above all, there is joy in heaven, joy to God, Christ, and heavenly hosts when a sinner repents (Luke 15:7,10-24). 

Luke  15:7 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.

Repentance is a profitable doctrine that makes inward change of life a reality while activating a life of faith.

The practical side of repentance is restitution, which is the act of correcting all past wrongs and having a conscience void of offence towards God and man. 

God expects the repentant sinner or backslider to correct every wrong committed against others.

 Restitution is incontrovertibly an integral part of true repentance (Genesis 20:1-18; Numbers 5:6-8; 2 Kings 8:1-6; Ezekiel 33:14-16; Matthew 5:23,24; Acts 24:16).

Numbers  5:6 Speak unto the children of Israel, When a man or woman shall commit any sin that men commit, to do a trespass against the LORD, and that person be guilty;  5:7 Then they shall confess their sin which they have done: and he shall recompense his trespass with the principal thereof, and add unto it the fifth part thereof, and give it unto him against whom he hath trespassed.  5:8 But if the man have no kinsman to recompense the trespass unto, let the trespass be recompensed unto the LORD, even to the priest; beside the ram of the atonement, whereby an atonement shall be made for him.

Ezekiel  33:14 Again, when I say unto the wicked, Thou shalt surely die; if he turn from his sin, and do that which is lawful and right;  33:15 If the wicked restore the pledge, give again that he had robbed, walk in the statutes of life, without committing iniquity; he shall surely live, he shall not die.  33:16 None of his sins that he hath committed shall be mentioned unto him: he hath done that which is lawful and right; he shall surely live.

Acts  24:16 And herein do I exercise myself, to have always a conscience void of offence toward God, and toward men.

 Through repentance, self-centredness gives way to God- or Christ-centeredness. 

The forgiveness of sin is available only to those who repent, for they alone are worthy of God’s mercy.

Isaiah  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.

Proverbs  28:13 He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.

Let us pray.