The Bible speaks about repentance unto remission of
sin. We are called in a universal sense
to repent of every known sin particularly.
There is no sin that we should leave uncovered in terms of
repentance. There is no doubt that sin
will be in the lives of God’s people as long as there is a sinful nature. However, this should not give us permission
to sin against God and His holy character.
We will be glorified and we will not need to repent. Glorification means creaturely
sinlessness.
There is true and false repentance. False repentance is asking for forgiveness
because of fear of punishment. True
repentance is asking for forgiveness because we have offended God and grieved
His tender heart. If someone repents,
that person should repent through Christ
crucified. Let us look at the
doctrine of repentance in the New Testament.
Let us start off with the Gospel of Matthew:
Repentance and the Gospel of Matthew:
Matthew
4:17 KJV
From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.
From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.
We see that we should repent of our sins because the kingdom
of heaven is at hand. That means that
kingdom of heaven is upon you. Jesus
came casting out devils and raising the dead and healing all manner of
sickness.
We ought to bear fruit that is for repentance. I think one of the fruits of repentance is
abstaining from that particular sin you always commit or doing good deeds that
have something to do with your repentance.
Matthew
3:11 KJV
I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance. but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire:
I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance. but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire:
John the Baptist called the people to repent and he
conducted water baptism. He wanted the
people to live better lives unto good deeds and repent of their sins.
Matthew
9:13 KJV
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.
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.
Jesus did not call good people to repentance but he called
sinners to repentance. There are small
and great sinners alike. Everyone is a
sinner in need of a Savior.
Matthew
11:20 KJV
Then began he to upbraid the cities wherein most of his mighty works were done, because they repented not:
Then began he to upbraid the cities wherein most of his mighty works were done, because they repented not:
They should have repented because of the mighty deeds done
in their cities, but they did not repent. We ought to repent of all our sins.
Matthew
11:21 KJV
Woe unto thee, Chorazin! woe unto thee, Bethsaida! for if the mighty works, which were done in you, had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes.
Woe unto thee, Chorazin! woe unto thee, Bethsaida! for if the mighty works, which were done in you, had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes.
Tyre and Sidon
would have repented long ago if the works done in them were done in Chorazin
and Bethsaida. Repentance carries with it a concept of
sackcloth and ashes. It is to experience
humiliation and surrender to God with no more rebellion.
Matthew
12:41 KJV
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.
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.
They preached at the preaching of Jonah in Nineveh
but Jesus is greater than Jonah. Jesus
is God Incarnate and Jonah is a mere human being.
Repentance is always a sign of loyalty to God against
sin. We ought to repent and do the right
thing. Repentance can cover a multitude
of sins. It is the essence of practical
righteousness over sinfulness. Repentance
means a turning away from our sin to God and doing right things that
demonstrate our faith. If something
cannot be done for any reason, we ought to pray.
Matthew
21:32 KJV
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.
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.
No repentance is a bad thing and a great sin before
God. We ought to repent of our sins and
believe Jesus. God requires us to repent
in progressive sanctification where we are made holy. No repentance is a violation of God’s
command.
Matthew
27:3 KJV
Then Judas, which had betrayed him, when he saw that he was condemned, repented himself, and brought again the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders,
Then Judas, which had betrayed him, when he saw that he was condemned, repented himself, and brought again the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders,
Judas repented unto attrition. He
repented unto a fear of punishment. We
would like to think he repented unto contrition. There
is no evidence of that here. We can
learn from Judas and always repented because we have offended God and grieved
His tender heart. This would be wise
counsel in light of the alleged ‘repentance’ of Judas. Someone must always repent through the shed
blood of Christ. God will always accept someone’s
repentance if its through His dear Son.
