[b]What Is True Repentance?
By Brent Barnett
“I have listened and heard, They have spoken what is not right; No man repented of his wickedness, Saying, ‘What have I done?’ Everyone turned to his course, Like a horse charging into the battle.”
Jeremiah 8:6
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\tTo humble oneself is a great challenge considering our desire to be self-made and self-deserving. To pray is an act of boldness and courage for it requires us to believe that it all depends upon God. To seek God’s face is a step in the right direction as we seek truth to apply. But to repent is the culminating issue. All has been for naught if we do not let the Spirit of God change us. For revival to occur, repentance must happen. Without repentance there is no salvation or sanctification. Repentance is the stepping stone of growth. God will show us where we come up short, but then we must by faith choose to change and accept His grace at work. This is why I have told people that revival starts with them. It is all up to them. Of course God must do the reviving work, but the time comes for them to make a choice. They must decide, “Do I follow myself or do I now follow God as He is leading me?” At this point, they now know what step they ought to take. To not take it is sin. To take it is a step of personal revival. In that sense, it is all up to us. We must decide if we will repent or not. This is the crisis point for faith.
\t2 Chronicles 7:14 describes repentance in a very insightful way. It doesn’t even use the word “repentance.” It says that we must turn from our wicked ways. Repentance requires that we disown, destroy, and get rid of whatever was sinful. It also requires that we turn toward God. It is a U-turn on the spiritual road of life. It is not good enough to just stop the car from continuing on in the wrong direction. The car must be spun around and begin heading toward God’s direction. If we had usurped the driver’s seat, which we did if we were in sin, we must let God take His rightful place of control. Repentance is a complete 180 degree turn.
\tThe sad part about repentance is that is doesn’t get talked about much these days. We talk of asking for forgiveness and accepting Christ, but rarely is repentance used a part of the gospel message. That is downright wrong and dangerous. Mark 1:14-15 records what Jesus preached as He began His ministry: “Now after John had been taken into custody, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of God, and saying, ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.’” It says that Jesus preached the gospel which was to repent and believe that Christ was the Messiah which had come to save the world. We have no problem with the believing part. We struggle when it comes to repentance. It is an “ouch” word, a word that we are afraid will turn people off or scare them away. But it was Christ’s word, and it is a necessary component of saving faith. Can there be saving faith apart from a genuine repentance? Luke 13:5 says, “I tell you, no, but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.” The message is clear. Unless there is repentance of sin and wicked ways, salvation cannot and will not occur.
\tPeter, when preaching at Pentecost at the advent of the Holy Spirit, says in Acts 2:37-38: “Now when they heard this, they were pierced to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, ‘Brethren, what shall we do?’ Peter said to them, ‘Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.’” These people had heard the gospel message, and they wanted to respond. Should they raise their hand? Should they come forward to the front of the church? Should they kneel in their place? One thing was for sure. They needed to repent. Upon repenting they would be baptized immediately as a public declaration of their faith in Christ and of the washing away of their sins through His blood. They didn’t want to wait to show their allegiance. They wanted God’s blessing of their obedience and to be welcomed into fellowship with the other believers. Their repentance was what opened their heart to receive the Holy Spirit. The key for the three thousand to be saved was that they repent and turn from their wicked ways and false beliefs to the one true God. Interestingly, the first thing they did was an act of obedience in being baptized. The obedience was a sign of true repentance.
\tJesus says in Matthew 3:8, “Therefore bear fruit in keeping with repentance.” Repentance has continued outward signs of its reality. Repentance has fruit. Obedience follows a turning from sin. It is not genuine repentance to run a repeated cycle of choosing to sin and praying for forgiveness of sin. The system cannot be beat. God sees the heart. Such a person wants to be spared the consequences of sin, but he does not want to be forgiven because to be forgiven requires that he realize the seriousness of what he did. It was so serious that it cost Christ His life. This person is making light of Christ’s sacrifice and is not genuinely repenting. This happens far too often.
Godly Sorrow Leads to Repentance
What happens before genuine repentance happens? Is it a regret over the consequences of sin or a regret over sin itself? Is it God’s wrath or His kindness that leads us to repent? Let’s see what Scripture says to our hearts about genuine repentance. Remember, this is key because without true repentance no revival can happen. 2 Corinthians 7:8-11 says,
“For though I caused you sorrow by my letter, I do not regret it; though I did regret it--for I see that that letter caused you sorrow, though only for a while-- I now rejoice, not that you were made sorrowful, but that you were made sorrowful to the point of repentance; for you were made sorrowful according to the will of God, so that you might not suffer loss in anything through us. For the sorrow that is according to the will of God produces a repentance without regret, leading to salvation, but the sorrow of the world produces death. For behold what earnestness this very thing, this godly sorrow, has produced in you: what vindication of yourselves, what indignation, what fear, what longing, what zeal, what avenging of wrong! In everything you demonstrated yourselves to be innocent in the matter.”
This passage clearly teaches that godly sorrow leads to repentance. Paul had rebuked the Corinthians for various sin issues in his earlier letter. He knows that they had been sorrowful over what they read. This is a good thing, he says, because it is a sign of genuine repentance. It is not a sorrow because of the consequences or pain of the sin because such sorrow is worldly and leads to death. They do not regret what they did because they got caught. They regret what they did because of genuine repentance. What is one way to know if a person has experienced genuine repentance? They must ask themselves if they regret what they have done, not merely what happened to them because of it. Would they not have done whatever sin they had committed if they could have done it over? That is regret and a sign of true repentance.
\tThe exciting thing about true repentance is that it produces in us anger at the sin that we fell into, and so it burdens us to not go back that way any more. It also motivates us to encourage others to avoid the same pitfall. It produces a healthy fear of God and a fear of the consequences of sin. It also makes us passionate to do right because we see perhaps more obviously and zealously that God’s ways are the best ways. To not do God’s ways becomes obvious hurt. To do God’s ways becomes obvious joy. Life becomes more black and white, and serving God becomes more of a delight. Such passion and zeal to do what is right is also a sign of a changed heart.
God’s Kindness Leads to Repentance
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\tYet there is another reality that we need to understand about what leads to repentance. Godly sorrow leads to repentance as the Holy Spirit grieves our heart as He is grieved. But what about the kindness of God? Does that enable sin or bring repentance? Here is what God’s Word says in Romans 2:4, “Or do you think lightly of the riches of His kindness and tolerance and patience, not knowing that the kindness of God leads you to repentance?” Clearly, the Biblical teaching is that it is when God manifests kindness, grace, and love to us that we are moved to change. There is nothing like a free gift to reveal pride and self-sufficiency, the archenemies of sanctification. Pride wants to earn God’s blessings. God wants to give them freely. Pride wants to discipline and beat self-will out of the soul. God wants to grant it by faith. What did God do to move us to a restored relationship with Him? Romans 5:8 says, “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” God made the first move and loved us, demonstrating kindness by giving up His own Son for our salvation. This kindness shows us our pride and moves some to repent and others to harden themselves in their own self-sufficiency. But it is kindness that leads us to repent and turn from our wicked ways, in sanctification just as in salvation. This is why God tells us to show kindness to our enemies and love those that persecute us. Our retaliation is exactly what they are trying to provoke so they can know that we are no different and that Christ did not change us. This is why Christ says to turn the other cheek. It means that we show kindness in the face of insult. This is what can move an individual to repent, not our fighting words or actions. God will defend Himself.
\tI wondered still if God’s wrath ever moves a person to repent. After all, it is a fear of Him that leads to knowledge. Could the same be true about repentance? Psalm 7:12 says, “If a man does not repent, He will sharpen His sword; He has bent His bow and made it ready.” God gives us at least one chance to repent when it comes to salvation. In the Christian life, we know that we are grateful that He gives us all kinds of chances to repent. But if a person hardens himself against God’s call to salvation in his life, God will get ready to pour out His wrath. If He does not do it on earth, it will happen in the judgment. Each man will get his due. God draws a person with kindness. When he hardens himself to a point that God only knows where he will not repent, wrath will be the result. For the Christian, we can expect discipline from God if we are stubborn and rebellious. Discipline, however, is a sign of love and not enmity, as wrath would be. For the Christian, even God’s discipline is kind. Therefore, even God’s discipline can lead us to repentance. But God will gear up His wrath for the unsaved person who remains hard and blasphemes the Holy Spirit. So the answer to my musings is, “No, God does not lead us to repent via His wrath.” The unsaved person gets wrath because they did not respond to God’s kindness. As a Christian we will not face God’s wrath because it was all poured out on Christ. So repentance for us will always be when we see God’s kindness to us. Of course this does not mean that we do not share about the reality of God’s wrath to the sinner. They need the bad news before the good news, otherwise the good news does not appear as kind as it actually is. Yet in the Christian life, we are not drawn to repent by a knowledge of God’s wrath but by an understanding of His kindness. How loving is God that He does not force us to worship Him. He draws us with His love, causing us to see the vanity in our sinful ways and the abundance of His ways. We regret what we have done, repent, and gladly follow His desires.
\tRepentance says, “What have I done?” It realizes that a serious mistake has been made and bad consequences are sure to result. It chooses to be different and follow God. Will we repent of where we have fallen short and ask God to revive us according to His lovingkindness (Psalm 119:88)? It only makes sense that the same kindness that leads us to repent leads us to revival.
If only we could see God’s kindness in a new and wonderful light. If only we could see how much of a joy it is to follow Him with all of our heart. If only we could see how much of an honor it is to suffer for Him. If only we could rest in Him for His finished work on the cross. If only we could trust Him to live in victory over sin. If only we could see how much He loves us. Ephesians 3:17-19 says, “So that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; and that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God.” God wants us to spiritually comprehend by faith that His love is boundless and unfathomably great. We can’t intellectually process how great God’s love and kindness is toward us. It must be received by faith, extrapolating from the love shown by the giving up of His one and only Son. If only God’s people could see His great love.
\tIn America, we think of the here and now and about all the possessions we can get our hands on. It is about what will make us happy. God must give us what we want and cooperate with our plans, or so we think. When He doesn’t or when bad things happen, we get angry with Him for not cooperating with our master plans. He gives good and perfect gifts (James 1:17). He knows how to give good gifts to His children (Luke 11:13). If only we believed this. Suffering and loss can be a gift. It teaches us, increases our faith, and strengthens our hope. We more greatly appreciate what is coming our way in eternity. We realize that life as it ought to be is not yet here, and the fullness of the promise of our inheritance is not yet received in full. We have not yet seen face to face. When will we make God our source of joy and not what He can give us, do for us, or what we can do for Him? God is a jealous God, wanting praise and worship alone. The fullness of joy is found only in Him. This is the end to which we must come. Let us repent until God is our joy because He is God.