Repentance is one of the foundation stones
of Christianity. Sixty
Repentance is a thorough
change of man's natural heart upon the subject of sin. We are all born
in sin.
We naturally love sin. We take to sin, as soon as we can act and think,
as the
bird takes to flying, and the fish takes to swimming. There never was a
child
that required schooling or education in order to learn deceitfulness,
sensuality, passion, self-will, gluttony, pride, and foolishness. These
things
are not picked up from bad companions, or gradually learned by a long
course of
tedious instruction. They spring up of themselves, even when boys and
girls are
brought fip alone. The seeds of them are evidently the natural product
of the
heart. The aptitude of all children to these things is an unanswerable
proof of
the corruption and fall of man. Now when this heart of ours is changed
by the
Holy Ghost, when this natural love of sin is cast out, then takes place
that
change which the Word of God calls "repentance." The man in whom the
change is wrought is said to "repent". He may be called, in one word,
a "penitent" man.
(a) True repentance begins
with knowledge of sin. The eyes of the penitent man are
opened. He sees
with dismay and confusion the length and breadth of God's holy law, and
the
extent, the enormous extent, of his own transgressions. He discovers,
to his
surprise, that in thinking himself a "good sort of man," and a man
with a "good heart," he has been under a huge delusion. He finds out
that, in reality, he is wicked, and guilty, and corrupt, and bad in
God's
sight. His pride breaks.down. His high thoughts melt away. He sees that
he is
neither more nor less than a great sinner. This is the first step in
true
repentance.
(b) True repentance goes
on
to work sorrow for sin. The heart of a penitent man is touched
with deep
remorse because of his past transgressions. He is cut to the heart to
think
that he should have lived so madly and so wickedly. He mourns over time
wasted,
over talents misspent, over God dishonored, over his own soul injured.
The
remembrance of these things is grievous to him. The burden of these
(c) True repentance proceeds, further, to
produce in a
man confession of sin. The tongue of a penitent man is loosed.
He feels
he must speak to that God against whom he has sinned. Something within
him
tells him he must cry to God, and pray to God, and talk to God, about
the state
of his own soul. He must pour out his heart, and acknowledge his
iniquities, at
the throne of grace. They are a heavy burden within him, and he can no
longer
keep silence. He can keep nothing back. He will not hide anything. He
goes
before God, pleading nothing for himself, and willing to say, "I have
sinned against heaven and before Thee: my iniquity is great. God be
merciful to
me, a sinner!" When a man goes thus to God in confession, you have the
third step in true repentance.
(d) True repentance, furthermore, shows
itself before
the world in a thorough breaking off from sin. This life of a
penitent
man is altered. The course of his daily conduct is entirely changed. A
new King
reigns within his heart. He puts off the old man. What God commands he
now
desires to practice; and what God forbids he now desires to avoid. He
strives
in all ways to keep clear of sin, to fight with sin, to war with sin,
to get
the victory over sin. He ceases to do evil. He learns to do well. He
breaks off
sharply from bad ways and bad companions. He labors, however feebly, to
live a
new life. When a man does this, you have the fourth step in true
repentance.
(e) True repentance, in the last place, shows
itself
by producing in the heart a settled habit of deep hatred of all
sin. The
mind of a penitent man becomes a mind habitually holy. He abhors that
which is
evil, and cleaves to that which is good. He delights in the law of God.
He
comes short of his own desires not unfrequently. He finds in himself an
evil
principle warring against the Spirit of God. He finds himself cold when
he
would be hot, backward when he would be forward, heavy when he would be
lively
in God's service. He is deeply conscious of his own infirmities. He
groans
under a sense of indwelling corruption. But still, for all that, the
general
bias of his heart is towards God, and away from evil. He can say with
David,
"I esteem all Thy precepts concerning all things to be right, and I
hate
every false way" (Psalm 119:128). When a man can say this, y<?u have
the fifth, or crowning step of true repentance.
But now, is the picture of repentance
complete? Can I
leave the subject here, and go on? I cannot do it. There remains yet
one thing
behind which ought never to be forgotten. Were I not to mention this
one thing,
I might make hearts sad that God would not have made sad, and raise
seeming
barriers between men's souls and heaven.
True repentance, such as I
have just described, is never alone in the
heart of any man. It always has a companion-a blessed companion. It is
always accompanied by lively faith in our Lord and Saviour Jesus
Christ. Wherever faith is, there is repentance; wherever repentance is,
there
is always faith. I do not decide which comes first-whether repentance
comes
before faith, or faith before repentance. But I am bold to say that the
two
graces are never found separate, one from the other. Just as you cannot
have
the sun without light, or ice without cold, or fire without heat, or
water
without moisture-so long you will never find true faith without true
repentance, and you will never find true repentance without lively
faith. The
two things will always go side by side.
Do you ask me what you ought to do? Go, I
tell you,
and cry to the Lord Jesus Christ this very day. Go and pour out your
heart
before Him. Go and tell Him what you are, and tell Him what you desire.
Tell
Him you are a sinner: He will not be ashamed of you. Tell Him you want
to be
saved: He will hear you. Tell Him you are a poor weak creature: He will
listen
to you. Tell Him you do not know what to do or how to repent: He will
give you
His grace. He will pour out His Spirit upon you. He will hear you. He
will
grant your prayer. He will save your soul. There is enough in Christ,
and to
spare, for all the wants of all the world-for all the wants of every
heart that
is unconverted, unsanctified, unbelieving, impenitent, and unrenewed.
"What is your hope?" said a man to a poor Welsh boy, who could not
speak much English, and was found dying in
"Jesus Christ is
plenty for everybody! Jesus Christ is plenty for everybody!" There was
a
mine of truth in those words.
Those in our day who are saying that
they preach only
Christ are not actually preaching Christ. Unless we preach the full
meaning of
Christ crucified, we are not really preaching Christ. The message of
the cross
of
-
E. W. Johnson