Repent or Perish

From the Original Baptist Observer, September 2014 Issue

Many people are hearing messages being preached that tickle their ears, or that do not offend their life style. This message today is not that type. It is as old as man himself. Many people today say that prostitution is as old as man. We can see a growth in this immoral act, but when it comes to repentance, we see a decline and even an almost inexistence. Why is it that an immoral act rises and a Godly one declines as time goes by? I believe we can see the problem in a few verses.

Judges 2:1-3 says, “And an angel of the LORD came up from Gilgal to Bochim, and said, I made you to go up out of Egypt, and have brought you unto the land which I sware unto your fathers; and I said, I will never break my covenant with you. And ye shall make no league with the inhabitants of this land; ye shall throw down their altars: but ye have not obeyed my voice: why have ye done this? Wherefore I also said, I will not drive them out from before you; but they shall be as thorns in your sides, and their gods shall be a snare unto you.”

God places Israel in His land for a purpose. God told them to be separate. God let Israel live, but it was troublesome because of their disobedience. Repentance in the Bible requires more than belief and fast words. (i.e. “I’m sorry”) It takes self-examination. It takes knowing what sin is, acknowledging it and asking God to cleanse it. Then it takes despising sin.

Let’s consider some things about repentance. God demands it. (Luke 13:3) John the Baptist preached repentance and believed it strong enough not to baptize those who did not show fruits of repentance. (Matthew 3:7-10) Christ knew the importance of repentance in a sinner. (Luke 5:32)

Yes, God demands repentance, but it is also one of the easiest things to avoid. We use the doctrine of the two natures of man as our excuse. Romans 6:1-2 says, “God forbid,” that we would use that excuse to sin.

True repentance has an intellectual element. We might say that repentance is a change of mind. This change of mind does not mean that one says, “I have sinned.” This change of mind causes the sinner to see God in an altogether different light. He sees himself as the filthy rags that God describes even our “righteousnesses” as in Isaiah 64:6.

True repentance has an emotional element. This is a person having a real heart change of their feelings. They become sorry for their sins and realize it is against God’s will for them to continue in this act of sin. Bro. Gillentine in his book, Baptist Doctrine, makes this statement:

“True repentance does not think of consequences, it does not think of other men and wonder what they are going to do. It does not plead hereditary as an excuse, but it thinks of sin as transgression against God. It thinks of personal guilt and defilement of the innermost being.”

True repentance has a voluntary element. There is a voluntary, inward turning from sin and a desire to be pardoned. This is probably the one John the Baptist was looking for when the Pharisees and Sadducees came to be baptized in the third chapter of Matthew. This is what we see in Luke 15:18-19, “I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven and before thee. And I am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants.”

The primary result of repentance is pardon. To be pardoned means to be forgiven which takes place the moment the sinner acknowledges his sin and cries unto God for forgiveness. (Ephesians 1:7) The secondary result of repentance is refreshing from God. We feel like we have just taken a shower with “Zest”! Acts 3:19, “Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord;” The ultimate result of repentance is of course a closer walk with God. There is also a future motive in Revelation 21:7, “He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son.”

Who should repent? All men everywhere should repent according to Acts 17:30. It should be very clear that it is no shame to repent, but in fact it is obedience to God’s love and His desire for us. True repentance is not just a turning from sin, but a self-examination. It is a change of mind, feelings, and direction toward God.

For the saved, repentance is a need in all of God’s people at different times inwardly in order to get close to God. Isaiah 59:1-2 says, “Behold, the Lord’s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear: But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear.” For the lost, the saving of one’s soul only comes by repentance of sin and faith in God. (Acts 20:21)