FOUNDATIONS
The principles of the doctrine of Christ.
Part 2 - Repentance
This is part 2 in a series of posts intended to examine the elementary, foundational doctrines of Christianity. Part 1 introduced these doctrines and offered a two-fold motivation for studying them. First, because lack of knowledge characterizes us as weak and immature Believers. Second, because lack of growth suggests lack of life, and we must either go on, or go back.The first of the foundational doctrines is Repentance. Wherever the gospel is preached, the message is “Repent!”. (1) John the Baptist declared this from the beginning of his ministry. And when he had prepared the way for the Lord and Savior, and was put into prison, Jesus came and spoke that message himself.
Matthew 3:1-2 KJV
In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea, (2) And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.
Matthew 4:17 KJV
From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.
All men must repent because all men have rebelled and sinned against GOD. GOD is the Creator of heaven, earth, and mankind. As the Creator, and the King of HIS creation, HE is entitled to our worship and our obedience. HE has a double claim upon our lives; HE created us, and HE daily sustains us. If this duty were not enough to compel us to worship and obey GOD, we also know that HE is worthy of our worship and obedience.
Psalm 29:2 KJV
“Give unto the LORD the glory due unto his name; worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness.”
The horror of the fall, and our own sin, is not only that we rebelled against our rightful King, but that there was never a King who was more deserving of our allegiance. The holiness of GOD makes our sin so utterly evil. This is just a glimpse of the wretched fallen state we are in.
Romans 3:23 KJV
“For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of GOD;”
This is why it is right for men to repent. All men must repent because all men have sinned.
1. CONVICTION AND SORROW
Repentance is preceded by conviction and sorrow over our own sin.
2 Corinthians 7:10 KJV
For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation …
Until the SPIRIT of GOD convicts us of our sin, we cannot begin to change our thinking. On our own, we will never realize that we are sinful and we will never feel sorrow for our sinful actions. It is the work of the HOLY SPIRIT to convict us of our sin.
John 16:8 KJV
And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:
Conviction and sorrow over sin includes personally acknowledging the following:
- I have a duty to obey GOD, HE is the Ruler and King over all creation
- I have not obeyed; I have rebelled against HIM, therefore I am a sinner
- my sin is a great evil; I need to be washed and cleaned from the filthiness of my sin
This is a fundamental change in thinking; our pride must be broken and we must feel true remorse. Sorrow over sin includes awareness of judgment, and recognition that our sin is infinitely beyond our ability to atone for it.
Psalms 38:3-4 KJV
There is no soundness in my flesh because of thine anger; neither is there any rest in my bones because of my sin. (4) For mine iniquities are gone over mine head: as an heavy burden they are too heavy for me.
2. REPENTANCE DEFINED
Repentance is the opposite of rebellion. To repent means to change our actions; our lifestyle will move farther from sin and worldliness, while moving closer to GOD and holiness. Without a change in our actions, we have not begun to repent.
Acts 26:20
"..they should repent and turn to God, and do works meet for repentance."
Our works (actions, behavior, lifestyle) must be the evidence of our repentance. Our works must be meet (suitable, expected, proper, complementary) for someone who claims to have repented. If there is no change in our actions and lifestyle, then we are not repentant. When our actions change we know GOD has granted us repentance. True repentance will always continue; the Christian life is a life of repentance.
3. REFUSING TO REPENT
We are commanded to repent. Refusing to repent is a greater affront and further rebellion against GOD; it only adds to our sin against HIM.
Revelation 16:8-9 KJV
And the fourth angel poured out his vial upon the sun; and power was given unto him to scorch men with fire. (9) And men were scorched with great heat, and blasphemed the name of God, which hath power over these plagues: and they repented not to give him glory.
The pride and stubbornness in our refusal to repent denies GOD's glory; we are denying HIS sovereignty, and we are denying our own sinfulness. This makes GOD out to be a liar. But, GOD is glorified when we repent because we are declaring that HE is King, HE is sovereign.
1 John 2:4 KJV
He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.
If we refuse to repent, and we continue to break GOD’s commandments, then we are denying HIS glory and making HIM out to be a liar. This shows that we ourselves are liars, and the truth is not in us. We do not know HIM.
CONCLUSION
Matthew Henry has summarized repentance in the following way; he said we must "lament and forsake our sins…give glory to our Creator whom we have offended" (2). Lamenting our sins refers to sorrow over sin. This is a change in our thinking, which is the result of conviction by the HOLY SPIRIT. Forsaking our sins means that we actually leave them. This is a change in our actions, we now stop doing the sin we once loved. Giving glory to our Creator is the result of lamenting and forsaking our sins.
James 4:8 KJV
Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.
REFERENCES
(1) Repentance preached in the Gospels; see:
- Matthew 3:2
- Matthew 4:17
- Mark 1:4
- Mark 1:15
- Mark 6:12
- Luke 3:3
- Luke 13:1-5
- Luke 24:46-49
(2) Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible, Mar 1:14-22