The Nature and Necessity of True Repentance # 1

The Nature and Necessity of True Repentance # 1

"And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commands all men everywhere to repent!" (Acts 17:30).

We here fine Paul in as learned an assembly as, perhaps, he ever appeared in. We find him in Athens, a city of Greece, famous all over the world for learning. We find him in the famous Court of Areopagus, or Mars-Hill, where the wisest men and best philosophers of this wise and philosophical city were met together.

And how does the apostle conduct himself in these critical circumstances? Why, instead of amusing them with a learned harangue; instead of confirming them in their idolatry, and vindicating himself by publicly professing that he worshiped the gods of the country, and sacrificed at the established altars; instead of this, the apostle boldly, though in a very wise and kind manner, exposes their superstitions, calls them off from their idols - to the worship of the one true God, the Maker and Ruler of heaven and earth! And, having asserted these fundamental articles of natural religion, he introduces the glorious peculiarities of Scripture revelation, and preached Jesus Christ to them as the Saviour and Judge of the world.

He inculcates the great gospel duty of repentance as binding upon all mankind, as well as in the most barbarous countries of the world.

"The times of this ignorance God winked at." By the times of ignorance, he means the times previous to the propagation of the gospel in the heathen world, who for many ages were sunk in the most gross ignorance of the true God, and in the most absurd and impious superstition and idolatry, notwithstanding the loud remonstrances of the light of reason, and the various lessons of the book of creation, so legible to all.

When it is said that God winked at these times of ignorance, it may mean, as our translators seem to think, that God seemed to "overlook", so as to send his prophets to them for their reformation. But now the case is altered! Now he has introduced a glorious day, and he plainly and loudly calls and commands all men everywhere to repent; and therefore, if you now continue impenitent, then you are utterly inexcusable.

REPENTANCE is indeed a duty enjoined by our natural reason, and strongly enforced by the Jewish religion; but it is the gospel that affords the strongest motives and allurements, and the best helps and advantages for repentance. The gospel was first introduced by a loud call to repentance: "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!" was the united cry of John the Baptist. And Paul sums up the substance of his preaching in these two articles, "Repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ." (Acts 20:21).

Repentance is universally acknowledged to be an essential ingredient in the religion of a sinner. Those who deny the Christian religion, and particularly the necessity of Christ's death to make atonement for sin, deny it upon this supposition, that the light of nature teaches us the necessity of repentance, and that alone is a sufficient atonement for one's sins. Thus, even infidels, Jews, Pagens, and Muhammadans, agree in asserting the necessity of repentance. It is this grand, universal, unconverted duty, and not the little disputable peculiarity of one party, that I am now about to inculcate upon you; and he who has an ear to hear let him hear.

But here, I hope you are ready to request me, "Please let us know what repentance is, before you exhort us to it. How may we know what it is to repent, and whether we have truly repented or not?

Now it is evident, both from Scripture and common sense, that every pang of sorrow for sin, and every instance of reformation, is not that repentance which we have now under consideration. True evangelical repentance has the following distinguishing characteristics; by which I request you to examine yourselves.

1. It extends to the heart - as well as to the practice. Every true penitent, indeed, has as affecting sense of the many sins and guilty imperfections of his life; but then his repentance does not stop there - but he looks into the horrid arcade of sin in his heart - the secrets of wickedness within. He traces up these corrupt streams - to the corrupt fountain in his heart from which they flow. A blind mind; a corrupt heart, a heart disaffected to God - which could live content for months, for years, without loving God; a heart dead to His service, a heart insensible to eternal things, a heart excessively set upon earthly trifles; a hardened conscience;  a stubborn, ungovernable will - these, to the true penitent, appear the greatest crimes, while, by a thoughtless world, they are hardly noticed as slight imperfections.

The proof of this is so evident, that I need hardly mention it. Can you suppose that it will satisfy a true lover of God and holiness, just to have a clean outside - while his heart is a mere mass of corruption? Will it content such a one, that he performs all the outward duties of religion - if there be no life or spirit in them? Will God account that man truly penitent, who thinks it enough that he is not guilty of open acts of wickedness, though he indulges it, and loves it in his heart? No! Such repentance is a shallow, superficial thing, and is good for nothing! 

2. In evangelical repentance, there is a deep sense of the intrinsic evil of sin, and a hearty sorrow for it as done against God Himself. Many who think they repent of sin - have no proper sorrow upon the account of sin against God - but only on account of the punishment it is likely to bring upon themselves. It is not sin they hate - but hell. Were it possible for them to enjoy their sins - and yet be happy forever, they would never think of repenting; and hence repentance is really a hardship in their view. Need I tell you that such a servile, forced repentance - is good for nothing? 

True repentance is a more kindly sincere thing; it proceeds from an affecting sense of the baseness and malignity of sin in itself.
The true repentant is also deeply sorry for sin - as against God, or as contrary to Him. He is also deeply sorry for sin - as against God's authority, as as contrariety to His holiness, as an opposition to His will and pleasure, as a most base, ungrateful return for all His goodness. He is also deeply sorry for all the agonies of the blessed Jesus! He hates it; he mourns over it with sincere and kindly relentings of heart. Sin wounds him more to offend a sin-pardoning than a sin-punishing God! 

~Samuel Davies~

(continued with # 2)