Chapter Three
The Blessings of Repentance
“Wells of Living Water” is about those doctrines and teachings of the church that, over time, have been blocked by Satan, the enemy of our faith. As a result the church has been digging all these so called “new wells” trying to be relevant, only to find these wells, these new teachings dry or containing poisonous water.
What the church needs to do, instead of trying to reinvent itself, is go back to the old wells, the doctrines that have brought life and revival to millions in the past.
In this chapter I’d like to talk about the well of repentance, a doctrine so important it can’t be stressed enough. I feel like the Apostle Peter who said, “For this reason I will not be negligent to remind you always of these things, though you know and are established in the present truth.” (2 Peter 1:12)
While the word repentance is frequently mentioned, there really isn’t a lot of teaching or preaching about what it really means.
In reviewing ten books and booklets for new believers, I found only three talking about repentance. Its treatment there was anemic at best. One had it in its glossary of terms. Another said, “Repent: Be willing to turn from your sin.” Finally, in a 200 page book for new believers, repentance was only mentioned once with a one-sentence definition.
Some within the church have gone so far as to say all someone needs to do is believe, but that makes salvation a mental exercise, an intellectual belief. When the knowledge of what Jesus provided through His death upon the cross makes its way down into a person’s heart, however, making it into a heart belief is when true repentance takes place. That’s when people turn away from their sins and the ways of the world, and turn toward Jesus Christ to become His fully devoted followers.
A major problem, however, is that people fail to understand the true meaning of repentance.
Some people think it’s being sorry for our sins. But repentance means much more than being sorry. It means being sorry enough to quit.
Others believe repentance is merely turning away from doing what’s wrong, turning away from sin. But repentance means not only turning away from sin, but also turning toward God.
Repentance is more than merely a mental exercise. It means not only a change of mind, but also a change of will and emotions.
Repentance is a key element in our relationship with God. Its importance cannot be emphasized enough. It’s prevalent throughout both the Old and New testaments.
In the Old Testament, the Lord makes it clear of the need to repent and turn away from evil ways.
“The Lord testified against Israel and against Judah, by all of His prophets, every seer, saying, ‘Turn from your evil ways, and keep My commandments and My statutes, according to all the law which I commanded your fathers, and which I sent to you by My servants the prophets.’” (2 Kings 17:13)
“‘Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, every one according to his ways’ says the Lord God. ‘Repent, and turn from all your transgressions, so that iniquity will not be your ruin.’” (Ezekiel 18:30)
The preaching of repentance was also key in the mission of John the Baptist, Jesus, and the disciples.
“In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea, and saying, ‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!’” (Matthew 3:1-3)
“From that time Jesus began to preach and to say, ‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand’ … ‘For I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance’ … (and) ‘unless you repent you will all likewise perish.’” (Matthew 4:17; 9:13; Luke 13:3)
In the first sermon Peter ever preached, he said, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” (Acts 2:38)
The importance of repentance, therefore, cannot be over emphasized.
What is repentance? It’s making an about face, or U-turn.
There are two words in the Hebrew language, “naham” and “shub,” that are translated as repentance. They mean a change of mind or purpose, to be sorry, and to turn, or return. In the Greek language the word is “metanoia,” which means a change of mind.
Wayne Grudem in his book on systematic theology probably gives the best definition for repentance.
“A heartfelt sorrow for sin, a renouncing of it, and a sincere commitment to forsake it and walk in obedience to Christ.”[1]
The need for repentance is found throughout the Bible and it always speaks of the need for change, specifically a turning away from sin and a turning to God for salvation. This is significant because repentance is more than merely turning away from sin. People can turn from their sin to a religion. People can turn from their sin and throw themselves into work, or something else.
Jesus, however, connects repentance with belief.
“The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel.” (Mark 1:15)
Jesus calls for us to repent and believe, but we’re not to believe in just anything. We are to believe in the gospel, the good news about Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection, and that those who believe in Him will have their sins forgiven along with eternal life in heaven.
Repentance is our need to turn away from our sins and back to God. The Apostle Paul reveals the process of repentance when he praised the example of the believers in Thessalonica.
“You became examples to all in Macedonia and Achaia who believe. For from you the word of the Lord has sounded forth, not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place. Your faith toward God has gone out, so that we do not need to say anything. For they themselves declare concerning us what manner of entry we had to you, and how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God, and to wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead, even Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come.” (1 Thessalonians 1:7-10)
Here they turned from their sin of idolatry to God and began to serve Him. The change was so evident that it was talked about throughout the entire region.
From their example we see that repentance is more than merely a mental exercise. Repentance involves an intellectual acceptance of our sinfulness, an emotional response of heartfelt sorrow, and a purposeful change of direction and purpose.
An intellectual acceptance
Repentance begins with the recognition that we have sinned. It’s the understanding we are sinners.
“For all have sinned; all fall short of God’s glorious standard.” (Romans 3:23 NLT)
To say this another way, “We’ve all have sinned and fallen short of God’s holy and righteous standards for life.”
It’s more than simply knowing we’ve blown it, however. It’s also recognizing that our sin is against God. While we have sinned against others, ultimately our sin is against God and His righteous standards.
This is how King David saw it after his adulterous affair with Bathsheba followed by the murder of her husband.
“I acknowledge my transgressions, and my sin is always before me. Against You, You only, have I sinned, and done this evil in Your sight.” (Psalm 51:3-4a)
The intellectual side of repentance is more than recognizing and understanding our sins, and seeing our sin the way God sees it. Repentance also includes recognizing our need to be forgiven and cleansed by God.
In this same Psalm David said, “Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.” (Psalm 51:7)
To purge means to take something away. David is praying for God to remove the guilt and stain of his sin.
Taking something away with hyssop takes us back to the first Passover when Jews put the blood of the Lamb on the doorposts of their homes with the hyssop bush so the angel of death would pass over, Exodus 12:22.
Repentance is coming to the acknowledgement that ultimately our sins are against God, and the only way they can be forgiven is through the blood of the Lamb, Jesus Christ. This takes place when we believe in what Jesus did for us upon the cross, as He took our place and died the death we deserve, to forgive our sins and make us clean.
An emotional response
Repentance also involves our emotions as we experience an overwhelming heartfelt sorrow over our sin. It’s more than merely being sorry, however, as Paul explains.
“Now I rejoice, not that you were made sorry, but that your sorrow led to repentance. For you were made sorry in a godly manner, that you might suffer loss from us in nothing. For godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, not to be regretted; but the sorrow of the world produces death. For observe this very thing, that you sorrowed in a godly manner: What diligence it produced in you, what clearing of yourselves, what indignation, what fear, what vehement desire, what zeal, what vindication! In all things you proved yourselves to be clear in this matter.” (2 Corinthians 7:9-11)
What’s the difference between being sorry and having a heartfelt or godly sorrow?
Being sorry is being ashamed that we were caught, but not changing or turning toward God; as Judas’ story demonstrates.
“Then Judas, His betrayer, seeing that He had been condemned, was remorseful and brought back the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders, saying, ‘I have sinned by betraying innocent blood.’ And they said, ‘What is that to us? You see to it!’ Then he threw down the pieces of silver in the temple and departed, and went and hanged himself.” (Matthew 27:3-5)
Judas was remorseful, even to the point of acknowledging his sin, an intellectual acceptance. He was also remorseful to the point of restitution, giving back the money he took for betraying Jesus. But he never turned to God asking for His forgiveness.
We see the same thing with the rich young man who wanted to know what it took to get right with God. Upon finding out it meant giving up what he had, he went away sorrowful but unchanged, Matthew 19:22.
Godly sorrow that leads to repentance is a heartfelt sorrow over our sinfulness. This was the sorrow felt by David when his sin with Bathsheba was exposed.
“You do not desire sacrifice, or else I would give it; You do not delight in burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, a broken and a contrite heart — these, O God, You will not despise.” (Psalm 51:16-17)
A heartfelt sorrow is a deep sorrow over what we’ve done, which is then followed by our last point.
A purposeful change
A purposeful change of direction is at the heart what repentance means. It’s a sincere commitment on our part to forsake our sins and purposefully walk in obedience with God’s Word.
It was such a purposeful change of direction that John the Baptist promoted it to those coming to be baptized.
“Then tax collectors also came to be baptized, and said to him, ‘Teacher, what shall we do?’ And he said to them, ‘Collect no more than what is appointed for you.’ Likewise the soldiers asked him, saying, ‘And what shall we do?’ So he said to them, ‘Do not intimidate anyone or accuse falsely, and be content with your wages.’” (Luke 3:12-14)
Those who repent will exhibit a sincere desire to stop doing evil and start living righteously in accordance to God’s Word.
“Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the Lord, and He will have mercy on him; and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon.” (Isaiah 55:7)
Charles Spurgeon said, “Another proof of the conquest of a soul for Christ will be found in a real change of life. If the man does not live differently from what he did before, both at home and abroad, his repentance needs to be repented of and his conversion is a fiction.”[2]
And so repentance begins with our minds, acknowledging our sins, understanding that it’s against the Lord and Him alone we have sinned. It then needs to go from our head into our hearts where there’s an emotional heartfelt sorrow over our sinfulness. Repentance is then a decision on our part to forsake our sins and turn to God and His mercy.
The blessings of repentance
Repentance is often looked upon as a positive, but with a price. In reality, however, it’s a blessing to all those who truly turn from their sin. It is a positive because it brings with it the blessings of refreshment, renewal, and restitution.
Repentance brings refreshing
“Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord.” (Acts 3:19)
When we compare what Peter said with what he said in his first sermon, these times of refreshing refer to the coming presence of the Holy Spirit within the life of a believer.
“Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” (Acts 2:38)
In both accounts we see repentance, the forgiveness of sins, and in Acts 2:38 when Peter said to “receive the gift of the Holy Spirit,” he compares it to “times of refreshing” from the Lord in Acts 3:19.
There is no better refreshment than the Holy Spirit.
Some of the benefits available through the Holy Spirit include.
This was also King David’s prayer when he blew it with Bathsheba.
“Do not cast me away from Your presence, and do not take Your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of Your salvation, and uphold me by Your generous Spirit.” (Psalm 51:11-12)
And so repentance brings the refreshing presence of the Holy Spirit.
Repentance brings renewal
“Observe this very thing, that you sorrowed in a godly manner: What diligence it produced in you, what clearing of yourselves, what indignation, what fear, what vehement desire, what zeal, what vindication! In all things you proved yourselves to be clear in this matter.” (2 Corinthians 7:11)
Everything Paul says here is a direct result of the renewal that comes when true repentance is not only sought after, but also achieved.
David understood this once he repented.
“Do good in Your good pleasure to Zion; build the walls of Jerusalem. Then You shall be pleased with the sacrifices of righteousness, with burnt offering and whole burnt offering.” (Psalms 51:18-19a)
David needed to be renewed, but it didn’t happen until he acknowledged his sin before God, becoming genuinely sorry over the hurts and agony his sins caused God and others, and then purposefully changing the course of his life.
And so repentance renews our hearts and lives and brings us back into that right relationship with God.
Repentance brings restitution
Restitution is a key element found not only in God’s law, but also in the lives of those who truly repent of their sins.
When John the Baptist preached repentance, he said to the Pharisees and Sadducees that there needed to be some physical sign that repentance had indeed taken place.
“Therefore bear fruits worthy of repentance.” (Matthew 3:8)
John the Baptist was saying, “Prove to me by the way you live that you really have turned away from your sins and turned towards God.”
One such example is the tax collector, Zacchaeus. When Jesus called him down from the sycamore tree and told him he was going to spend the afternoon with him, Zacchaeus said he would restore what he had taken.
“‘Look, Lord, I give half of my goods to the poor; and if I have taken anything from anyone by false accusation, I restore fourfold.’ And Jesus said to him, ‘Today salvation has come to this house.’” (Luke 19:8-9a)
The positive blessing that comes with restitution is salvation.
Conclusion
Repentance involves our mental acceptance of the fact that we have sinned and our sins have not only affected others, but have hurt and wounded God. This should produce within us a deep heartfelt sorrow over what we have done, where it literally breaks our hearts when we think about it.
But it cannot stop there. This must be followed by a definite course of action where we turn away from our sin, directly to the Lord God who forgives our sin and cleanses us from all our iniquities, 1 John 1:9.
Repentance is nothing short of God’s gracious gift of goodness. Paul said those who judge others are in truth judging themselves and hardening their hearts by not allowing God’s sanctifying work to be done within them. He says that it is the goodness of God that leads to repentance, Romans 2:4.
Repentance is vital to a believer’s walk and relationship with God. None of us should hesitate when convicted by the Holy Spirit to repent. Jesus said that when the Holy Spirit comes He will convict of world (you and me) of sin, righteousness, and of the judgment to come, John 16:8.
God’s desire is for His people to repent and turn to Him.
“The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.” (2 Peter 3:9)
Repentance is all about preparing the way for Jesus to come into our hearts. Jesus is also longsuffering, not wanting any to miss out on His blessing of heaven.
There’s a story about a student who came up to a Rabbi and asked, “Rabbi, when should a man repent?”
The rabbi responded, “You need to make sure you repent on the last day of your life.”
The student asked how could anyone ever know when that is because no one is ever sure when their last day will be.
The Rabbi replied saying, “The answer is simple. Repent now!”
Listen to the Holy Spirit when He tells us of our sin and of our need to repent and turn back to God. Don’t wait until tomorrow; do it today.
Repent, and believe in the gospel.
[1] Grudem, Wayne, Systematic Theology: An Introduction to Biblical Doctrine (Leicester: Inter-Varsity Press, 1994), 713
[2] “Charles Spurgeon Quotes on Conversion,” http://www.godwithyou.org
