03.04. The Touchstone of REPENTANCE
04. The Touchstone of REPENTANCE
Repentance is a state of mind which God requires of those whom He receives into His favor. In our last Chapter we considered the subject of Conviction of sin. There must be Conviction of sin, before we repent. Conviction of sin is the first waking up of the slumbering and self-satisfied soul — the first pang which leads to repentance. But how shall I describe what real Repentance is?
It is not mere sorrow. It is true, there can be no repentance without sorrow — but there may be sorrow, great sorrow, without repentance.
Judas, the moment he had betrayed his Lord, suffered the most intense anguish; for he felt that ’he had betrayed the innocent blood’ — and he even went so far as to take back the bribe which he had received, and return it to the chief priests. His however was remorse, and not repentance — it was ’the sorrow of the world that works death.’
Achan too was sorry; but it was merely because his theft was detected, and brought home to him — there was however no contrition in his heart.
Again, repentance is not a mere momentary feeling that we are wrong. A person may be aroused by a striking sermon, or some remark in a religious book — and thoughts of better things may spring up in his mind. But it may be only as a passing cloud, or as the early dew, or as the crackling of thorns under a pot. In a few hours, he may rock his soul to sleep again. A sudden death, for instance, may occur in a family; and this may startle us, and lead us to ask ourselves, ’Am I ready to die?’ Our home is turned into a house of mourning; and this may make us very thoughtful. And yet we may be like a bar of iron heated at the forge — which is no sooner taken out of the furnace, and brought into contact with the outer world, than it begins to grow cold and hard again. But real repentance has certain marks, which are sure to characterize it.
What a mercy then it is, when God arouses us from this deadly sleep — no matter how He does it. It may be by some painful event; it may be by something which causes us great misery for a time — no matter, so long as God in His great mercy arouses us from our spiritual slumber, and stops us in our headlong course — just as a man would feel thankful, if, when walking in his sleep, he were rudely seized and turned back, at the moment when he was on the very brink of danger!
Manasseh’s affliction was severe — but it was a blessing to him. The Prodigal’s destitution in a far country was very painful — but without it he would not have come to himself. When Peter met the Savior’s searching eye, that look made him weep bitterly — but it was the means of saving his soul. David’s sorrow was almost more than he could bear — but he looked back upon it afterwards with great thankfulness, saying, ’It is good for me that I have been afflicted. Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now have I kept Your Word.’
But, secondly, in every case of True Repentance there will not only be a consciousness of sin, but also a desire and determination to put sin away. Its presence will be hateful to us, and we shall long to be freed from it. ’I abhor myself!’ said Job, ’and repent in dust and ashes!’ We shall be grieved and humbled before God, not so much for the punishment which we have deserved — as because He is dishonored by our sin, and our own soul is defiled by it.
It is painful to see how some people trifle with sin, and how lightly they speak of it, as something which perhaps had better be avoided — but not as that which calls down God’s anger, which grievously offends Him, and which made the Savior bleed upon the Cross! It will never be so with a real penitent. He will ever speak of sin with horror — and the thought of it will grieve him to his dying hour.
Thirdly, there will be a drawing near to God, from whom we have been so long estranged. Thus the Prodigal arose, and went to his father. Sin separates us from God, and drives us from Him. But the true penitent feels that he needs a hiding place and a refuge. And how encouraging for him to know that his Father is ready to receive him, and to welcome him back. He comes out to meet him. His arms are open to welcome him. God’s language is, ’Come now, and let us reason together — though your sins are as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall be as wool!’ He has sent His Son to be our atoning sacrifice — through Him there is acceptance, and for His sake we are sure of a gracious reception. The case of the Penitent Thief is often quoted, and used as an encouragement to those who have deferred their repentance until a death-bed. But we should bear in mind that, although true repentance is never too late — a late repentance is seldom, very seldom, true. The thief’s repentance was certainly a late repentance; but one can hardly suppose that it was a deferred repentance — for he had probably never seen, or even heard of the Savior, until that awful, but most blessed, meeting at the Cross.
I might describe many more characteristics of True Repentance; but I will mention only one more, and that is an earnest desire to be holy. For this, the true penitent sighs. This is what he most longs for — to be holy; not only to be forgiven — but to serve God by a holy life. Thus in Psalms 51, David not only entreats God to blot out his sins, but he further prays, ’Create in me a clean heart, and renew a right spirit within me.’ And now bearing these four characteristics in mind, we shall be able to ascertain, if we desire it — whether we are real penitents or not.
1. Do I feel conscious of past guilt, and of indwelling sin?
2. Is it the desire of my heart to put away sin, and never more to let it have dominion over me?
3. Have I drawn near to God, as a sinner, and found acceptance for my soul through the blood of Christ?
4. Is holiness my aim, and do I long to be conformed to His image? May God give us grace honestly to examine ourselves, and not to rest content unless we have good reason to believe that ours is an earnest and true repentance, and that God has accepted us.
We can well understand that there is a thrill of joy among the hosts of Heaven, when a penitent returns to God! For repentance is . . .
the first stepping-stone to salvation,
the first rung in the Ladder of Life,
the first tear from the eye of faith. And as the shepherd, while he rejoices greatly over the flock which is feeding securely under his daily care, feels even greater joy when one that has strayed away, and has for years perhaps been given up as lost, is found, and brought home to the fold — so there is great rejoicing in Heaven when a lost sinner is brought back. May God give us something of this joyous, thankful feeling, whenever a soul is brought to Christ; and enable us to take our humble part in leading others, either by our words or by our example, into His safe and happy fold!