Repentance is the first aspect of the believer’s experience of salvation, called conversion. It is an essential part of regeneration. Repentance is for the most part, negative and has to do with sin, especially the sin of unbelief.
A. In the early ministries of the New Testament.
1. John the Baptist preached it, Matthew 3:1-2, “In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea, 2And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”
2. Jesus preached it, Matthew 4:17, “From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”
3. The twelve Apostles preached it, Mark 6:12, “And they went out, and preached that men should repent.”
B. In the later New Testament Ministries.
1. Christ commissioned His Church to preach repentance, Luke 24:47, “And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.”
2. We see this doctrine being preached in the book of Acts.
a. Peter preached it, Acts 2:38, “Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.”
b. Paul preached it, Acts 26:20, “But shewed first unto them of Damascus, and at Jerusalem, and throughout all the coasts of Judaea, and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, and do works meet for repentance.”
C. Repentance plays a part in man’s salvation.
1. It is God’s will that a man repent, 2 Peter 3:9, “The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.”
2. It is necessary to salvation, Luke 13:3, “I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.”
A. How it effects the intellect.
1. It is an after-thought, which is the primary meaning of the Greek word, Matthew 21:28-29, “But what think ye? A certain man had two sons; and he came to the first, and said, Son, go work to day in my vineyard. 29He answered and said, I will not: but afterward he repented, and went.”
c. The noun metanoia, is used of true repentance, a change of mind and purpose and life, to which remission of sin is promised.
2. Repentance is also a change of mind, which is the secondary meaning of the word.
B. How repentance affects the emotions.
1. Hatred of sin is one of the essential elements in repentance, Psalm 97:10, “Ye that love the LORD, hate evil: he preserveth the souls of his saints; he delivereth them out of the hand of the wicked.”
a. “Sin,” refers to his depraved nature.
b. “Sins” has reference to the actual transgressions prompted by a sinful nature.
2. Sorrow for sin, 2 Corinthians 7:9, “Now I rejoice, not that ye were made sorry, but that ye sorrowed to repentance: for ye were made sorry after a godly manner, that ye might receive damage by us in nothing.”
a. “This accompanies hatred of sin. He, who repents, hates the sins he is sorry for, and is sorry for the sins he hates.”
b. “Remorse is sorrow for the consequences of sin, but Repentance condemns the sin which brought the consequences.” –E. H. Bancroft
C. How repentance affects the will of man, Luke 15:18-20, “I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee, 19And am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants. 20And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him.” “Repentance is not only a heart broken for sin, but from sin.”
A. In the confession of sin, Psalm 32:3-5, “When I kept silence, my bones waxed old through my roaring all the day long. 4For day and night thy hand was heavy upon me: my moisture is turned into the drought of summer. Selah. 5I acknowledged my sin unto thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid. I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the LORD; and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin.”
B. In forsaking sin, Proverbs 28:13, “He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.”
A. Joy in heaven, Luke 15:7, 10, “I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance. 10Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth.”
B. Pardon and forgiveness, Isaiah 55:7, “Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.”
C. The reception of the Holy Spirit, Acts 2:38, “Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.”
Repentance is what is missing in many so-called conversions. There does not seem to be remorse for sin in the life of many professing Christians today.
The truly repentant sinner makes heaven glad, receives forgiveness and the seal of the Holy Spirit. His life manifest a radical change based on 2 Corinthians 5:17, “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.”