16 10. What Man Must Do to Become Such As Should Be Saved (Pt 2)
10. What Man Must Do to Become Such As Should Be Saved (Pt 2)
What Man Must Do to Become Such As Should Be Saved
(Part 2)
INTRODUCTION
We learned in our preceding lesson that it is "the obedience of faith" that saves; hence, it is a faith that includes repentance, the lesson before us now for study. Remember, we are still studying how to become members of the church. We have learned that Christ adds to the church daily "such as should be saved." We have also learned that there are certain things that we must do to become "such as should be saved." Is repentance one of the things we must do?
WE MUST REPENT In Luke 13:3-5 Christ twice declares: "Except ye repent, ye shall . . . perish."
Repentance was the burden of the preaching of John the Baptist. "And in those days cometh John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judea, saying, Repent ye; for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." (Matthew 3:1-2; see also Luke 3:3.)
Repentance was the message of the first proclamation of Jesus after his baptism. "From that time began Jesus to preach, and to say, Repent ye; for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." (Matthew 4:17.) When the apostles were sent out by Jesus under the first commission, they were instructed to make the burden of their message "that men should repent." ( Mark 6:12. )
Jesus upbraided the cities where most of his mighty works were done "because they repented not." (Matthew 11:20-24.) And note that the doom of these cities was declared to be greater than that of Sodom. The great commission, given after our Lord’s resurrection and just before he ascended to heaven, and which commission includes all the nations and is to last till Christ comes again, has repentance incorporated in it as one of the great needs of the people of the earth. (Luke 24:46-49.) And note that in the first sermon preached under this commission the people were commanded to repent and be baptized for the remission of their sins. (Acts 2:38.)
And, in closing the list of citations, we listen to Paul on Mars’ Hill in Athens: "But now he commandeth men that they should all everywhere repent: inasmuch as he hath appointed a day in which he will judge the world in righteousness by the man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead." (Acts 17:30-31.) This is not all the proof, but all that space will permit in this division of the lessons.
WHAT IS REPENTANCE?
It has been correctly said that repentance is the most difficult command to obey. This is due to the fact that it is a change of the stubborn will.
It is not sorrow, for "godly sorrow" comes just before repentance and produces it. (See 2 Corinthians 7:10.) In this case "godly sorrow" is the tree and repentance is the fruit of this tree.
It is not areformation of life, for reformation of life comes after repentance and is declared to be the fruit of repentance. Here study closely Luke 3:7-14. In this case repentance becomes the tree and reformation of life the fruit of this tree. Never can we have true repentance without "godly sorrow," nor can we have a real reformation of life without repentance.
What, then, isrepentance’ The answer is easily seen—viz., it is that change in a man’s stubborn will that comes between "godly sorrow" and a reformation of life. The "godly sorrow" produces this change in the stubborn will, and this change in the stubborn will results in a change in our way of living. Jesus gives us an example: "But what think ye? A man had two sons; and he came to the first, and said, Son, go work today in my vineyard. And he answered and said, I will not: but afterward he repented himself, and went." (Matthew 21:28-29.) What change took place in this son between "I will not" and his going? Certainly it was a change in his will from "I will not" to "I will." The going was not repentance, but came as the fruit of it.
Just so it is with the sinner. The stubborn will must be changed from "I will not quit sin and obey God" to "I will quit sin and obey him." This is repentance. It is always preceded by "godly sorrow" and followed by a reformation of life. All need repentance who are consciously refusing to do anything God says do. Our will must be changed into a state of submission to the will of Christ, our King.
HOW REPENTANCE IS BROUGHT ABOUT.
It is spoken of as a gift of God, yet we know it is a command that we must all obey. "He commandeth men that they should all everywhere repent." (Acts 17:30.) It is not always easy to see how a thing can be a gift of God and at the same time something that we must do. But repentance is a gift of God only in the sense that God gives us those things that produce repentance in our hearts, just as food is a gift of God. "Give us this day our daily bread" (Matthew 6:11 ) shows that food is a gift of God, and yet we know that God gives it to us through certain channels or means. Just so repentance is a gift of God.
Repentance is produced by the power of the gospel of Christ. (Read 1 Corinthians 1:18-24; Romans 1:16.) In 2 Corinthians 7:8-10 you will see that Paul produced in the hearts of the Corinthians "godly sorrow" by a letter he wrote them. This "godly sorrow" led them to repent. The gospel contains the power. This gospel presents God as he is—viz., (1) a God of terror and severity toward those who will not recognize his right to rule in their hearts and lives. (Study here 2 Corinthians 5:10-11; Hebrews 10:28-31; 2 Peter 3:7-11; Revelation 20:10-15; Revelation 21:7-8.) But a God of goodness to those who will recognize his right to rule and let him rule them in life. (Study here Romans 2:4; John 3:16; 1 Corinthians 1:18; 2 Corinthians 5:14).
We are commanded to "behold then the goodness and severity of God." (See Romans 11:22.) In connection with these facts, study John 6:44-45. Here we see no man can come to Christ except God draws him, but that this drawing is done by teaching the true God unto the people. Those who hear and learn of God come to Jesus for salvation. And study with these Scriptures Exodus 34:28; Romans 2:4-11.
Watch Christ and his apostles as they endeavored to lead people to repentance. You find them preaching the certainty of a judgment that is to come upon evildoers as a means to this end. (See Matthew 11:20-24; Acts 17:30-31.) Under their preaching such men as Felix trembled. (See Acts 24:25.)
One thing needful. The human heart must come to know: "God is not man, that he should He, neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and will he not do it? or hath he spoken, and will he not make it good?" (Numbers 23:19.) So long as we are believing all the warnings in the Bible as mere jokes, there will be no such thing as repentance.
Consider your own heart. Let God come into your heart just as he is revealed in the Bible, and you will find that stubborn will yielding. But, of course, you can let Satan steal these words from your heart; hence, repentance is not fully produced. How hard Satan these days is trying to make man believe there is no such thing as punishment after death! (Luke 8:11-12.)
TWO KINDS OF SORROW
"Godly sorrow." This sorrow comes as a result of our being taught of God. Those who come to know God as he is can have "godly sorrow." It comes as a result of our seeing his goodness to those who will let him rule in their hearts and his terror for those who will not. "For godly sorrow worketh repentance unto salvation, a repentance which bringeth no regret." (See 2 Corinthians 7:10.) Such repentance never even allows us to suggest an alibi for our sins. We are not found trying to lay the blame on the shoulders of others. Study two cases—Luke 15:18-19 and Psalms 51:1-4. The sorrow of the world. This is sorrow that comes from being caught up with, one who is sorrowing because his sins are known. Such sorrow works death, because you actually He about your sins and try to whitewash and make them less than they are. Study 2 Corinthians 7:10. In verse 11 note that the Corinthians had "godly sorrow," and this led them to clean up their impure lives, correct their wrongs.
People have claimed repentance and made confession, then afterwards expressed regrets for having done so, saying that if they had not admitted it, the people could never have proved it. Such sorrow works death. But "godly sorrow" leads one to turn from all his evil ways, confess them, and, as a result, joy and peace fill the soul. One never regrets repenting if the sorrow is of a godly sort.
It can be seen, then, how repentance is a gift of God and yet how one is responsible for not repenting. God gives the incentives; man can reject them or accept them.