NATURE OF TRUE REPENTANCE

THE NATURE OF TRUE REPENTANCE

             The essence of Repentance is "Change of Mind".

                           Not merely a change of opinion, but of the mind itself. A change in its texture of thinking; a revolution in its philosophy.

                      This goes to the heart

                                  - Negatively, it is away from sin (not merely about)

                                    Grk. prep.  ek in Rev. 9:21      "out of"  The statement in this verse is an appalling revelation of the fearful nature of evil, and a vindication of those awful methods by which, and by which alone, God can deal with it so as to deliver men from its power.

                                    Grk. prep. apo in Heb. 6:1      "away from"  The Hebrew needed to repent of his thinking that he might keep the Law as the method of salvation instead of faith in the fact that Jesus Christ kept it perfectly for his salvation. Away from a dead work to a living faith in Christ.

                                  + Positively, it is toward God.
                          Grk. prep. eis in Acts 20:21 "repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord." Both repentance and faith were essential components of the message of Paul to non-Christians, whether Jews or Gentiles, and so should they be of our witness today. Repentance toward God and faith in Christ are like two sides of the same coin. They are distinct, yet neither true repentance nor true faith exists without the other.

              . This change of mind is preceded by a knowledge which is convincing,

                            This precedes

                                  Matt. 11:21 "For if the mighty works...done in you." Knowledge came by mighty works. This brought conviction of divine authority.

                        Note: But such knowledge does not always result in Repentance. The worst thing about the Jews in these verses were that they had not "repented" in preparation for the Kingdom at hand. This in spite of the fact that they had witnessed the "mighty works," foretold in Old Testament prophecy, which had infallibly both identified the Messianic King and confirmed His announcement of the Kingdom (Matt. 11:20). So impressive and convincing had been these indubitable signs of the Kingdom that if they had been done in Tyre and Sidon, or even in Sodom, there would have been a turning to God in repentance (Matt. 11:21-23).

                        Luke 16:30-31 Conviction comes when sin is seen in the light of God's holiness.

                        cf. Job. 42:5-6;            Psa. 51:3-4 This Psalm gives us a working of the mind of the sinner. David had a relentless conviction and was incapable of successfully dealing with it.

                       This change of mind is accompanied by godly sorrow for sin. 

                             - This accompanies

                        Matt. 11:21     Sackcloth and ashes equal sorrow

                        2 Cor. 7:9        Sorrow and repentance are linked together. Two kinds of guilt. Godly and worldly spoken of in this verse. One produces forgiveness and produces forgetfulness of those sins while worldly never produces this forgetfulness. False guilt never lets you forget those sins. As a man thinketh, so is he. Those things have been forgiven and needs no other sacrifice.

                                     Note: Not mere regret, shame, fear, or remorse. (Illus.) This was the situation with Judas, also with Esau.

                       This change of mind produces a genuine change of life in the abandonment of  sin and doing right.

                     - This is the result

                        Matt. 3:8 "Bring forth therefore fruits worthy for repentance."

                        Acts 26:20 "That they should repent and turn to God, and do works meet for repentance."

                    Note: see 2 Cor. 7:8-11 for knowledge, sorrow, and change.

                        "Godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of."
                         "Carefulness it wrought in you."

            5. It is a change of mind given by God, yet it is spoken of as man's act.

                        Acts 5:31, 11:18,        

                        2 Tim. 2:25 - the gift of God.

                        Luke 13:3 and many other texts - man's act.

                                 Note: Repentance is man's own act performed under the influence of and by the power of  God.
                                         Matt. 11:21 Christ had asked them to change their conceptions which would automatically change their thinking which would change their conduct.
                                         Matt. 3:8  God can cause life to come to the spiritually dead.
                                         Luke 13:3 They were blind to God's justice and judgment and needed to have their eyes opened.