Repentance is not works, it is grace!
CHAPTER 15: Of Repentance Unto Life and Salvation
(Parts One through Three)
When any person is converted, he or she is given the gift, not only of faith to believe (Ephesians 2:8-9), but also the gift of repentance to turn from sin to follow Christ (Acts 11:18, 2 Timothy 2:25). Whether a child (who has committed no great sins) is converted, or an older person (who has lived riotously) is converted, both are given the gift of repentance. Repentance is every bit as important to salvation as is faith. Faith and repentance are like two sides of the same coin. If either side is blank, the coin is altogether counterfeit, no matter how perfect the one may appear.
Repentance is not a meritorious work by which one earns or contributes anything to his salvation (Ephesians 2:8-9). Repentance, like faith, is a gracious gift from God. Both are gifts that are given with the change of heart when one is born again by the Holy Spirit. The gift of faith is not merely the ability to believe, but a change of affection to want to believe. Likewise, the gift of repentance is not only the ability to repent, but a change of affection to want to repent.
Those who are truly born again desire not only what Christ can do for them, but they likewise desire Christ Himself. Those who are truly born again desire not only deliverance from the consequence of sin, they likewise desire deliverance from sin itself.
(Part Two)
We would not make the mistake of thinking that God’s grace is reason to sin, or that sin does not matter (Romans 6:1). Nevertheless, we do affirm that when a child of God sins, no matter how grievously, the gracious forgiveness of God, purchased by the shed blood of the Son of God, is more than sufficient to cover any and all sins committed by every child of God (Ephesians 1:7).
We are forgiven because of what Christ has done. The passion of our confession and the determination of our repentance add nothing to what Christ has done. Sincerity in confession and repentance do not persuade the Father to forgive us. Jesus secured our Father’s forgiveness while on the cross.
Nevertheless, we do affirm that the Bible teaches that we must confess our sins (1 John 1:8-9) and repent of them (Proverbs 28:13, Matthew 3:8) if we are to experience the fullest benefit and joy of God’s forgiveness.
How odd that God is more willing to forgive our sins than we are to confess and repent of them.
(Part Three)
Believers repent when we sin because the Holy Spirit moves us to repent, working godly sorrow into our hearts (2 Corinthians 7:10). Godly sorrow is not a worldly sorrow that is merely sorry for having been caught, or for the consequences of sin. Rather, it is sorrow for having sinned against God. Godly sorrow produces repentance as the saint, convicted of his sin, is humbled, hates his sin and himself for having sinned. He prays not only for pardon but for grace to turn from sin and to resist temptation, that he may live to please God in all things (Proverbs 28:13).
While repentance is an essential component of initial conversion, believers live lives of continuing repentance whenever beset by sin. The life of repentance is not merely a general desire to turn from sin generally, but to turn from particular known sins particularly.
Although there is no sin so small that it does not deserve damnation, neither is there any sin so great that it will result in the damnation of those who truly repent. This makes constant preaching of repentance necessary to believers and non-believers alike.
Let us rejoice that God grants saving faith to we who were dead in sin, and let us take full advantage of the teaching on repentance found in God’s Word that we may grow in grace.
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