02.05. REPENTANCE.
5. REPENTANCE.
"As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent." Revelation 3:19 The Redeemer himself speaks to us in these affecting words. He informs us, that as the administrator of their affairs, he is often pleased to rebuke and chasten his people, and thus teaches them to ascribe all their afflictions to his hand. He represents these afflictions as rebukes and chastisements, which presuppose guilt or declension on their part, and which imply vigilant inspection, and even some measure of holy displeasure on his. While, at the same time, he declares that they proceed from love, such love as seeks to secure their ultimate and eternal welfare, though it should be by means of present discipline of a very painful kind. And he represents these two considerations as reasons why they should be zealous and repent.
Hence, the general lesson which we derive from these words, and which we propose to illustrate and apply, is, that affliction, as it is here described, includes in it the two grand motives to evangelical repentance, and is both designed and fitted to produce a broken and a contrite spirit.
Repentance is used, in Scripture, sometimes in a wider sense, and sometimes in a more restricted sense. In its largest acceptance, it signifies a change of mind and heart — a thorough, radical, and permanent renovation of our moral nature. And in this sense, it is synonymous with that change which is called regeneration, and described as "a new birth." In this way it seems to be used by our Lord, when he said, "Repent and believe the Gospel;" and by the apostles, when they said, "Repent and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out." In these and similar passages, the whole change which takes place on the mind and heart of a sinner when he is renewed or born again, seems to be denoted by repentance. But it is also used in a more limited sense, to denote the views which he then begins to entertain respecting one special subject, namely, the demerit of sin in general, and the exceeding sinfulness of his own sins in particular.
1. The two principal motives to evangelical repentance which the Bible presses on our attention are these:
the evil and odious nature of sin, and
the love and mercy of God towards the sinner.
There can be no true repentance without a correct scriptural apprehension of the evil of sin. It presupposes a work of conviction, such as in some respects may be common, indeed, to many, who are not converted — but which must be experienced by every sinner before he can be brought to the Savior. Many a convinced sinner may fall short of conversion; but every converted sinner must have passed through the stage of conviction. The experience of all is not, indeed, the same — it may differ in the circumstantials of time, of degree, of duration. But in substance it is the same, inasmuch as we cannot even conceive of a sinner coming in good earnest to the Savior, until he has been brought under convictions of guilt. A man may hear of a celebrated physician, and may believe that he has effected many wonderful cures — but until he feels that he is himself diseased and in danger — he will not apply to him for his own relief. Just so, the name of the Savior may be on the lips of many a careless sinner, and his grace and power may be admitted. But until he knows his own guilt and danger, however he may speak about Christ, he will not come to Christ in good earnest for pardon and salvation. The first beneficial effect of the preaching of the Gospel, and the first hopeful symptom on the part of any hearer, is a deep conviction of sin — a conviction which may at first consist chiefly in a sense of personal guilt, in a vivid apprehension of danger, and a fear of impending judgment. The sinner begins to see that God is not to be trifled with; that he is a just lawgiver and righteous judge, whose wrath is dreadful, and his power omnipotent, and that his own personal guilt is a sad reality which he cannot deny, and for which no excuse or apology can be devised.
He may have thought of God before, and of guilt too, and of the eternity that lay before him; but he never realized them — he never laid them to heart as he does now. Then he was careless — now he is deeply concerned, and the language of his heart is, "what must I do to be saved?" But while some such convictions are presupposed in the case of every penitent, we must carefully guard against the delusion of confounding them with that contrition which the Gospel describes.
There may be much conviction where there is no contrition. There may be many fears, and much remorse, where there is no gospel repentance. Many a man may tremble at Hell, who has no hatred of sin. He may be sorry for his sins on no other account than this, that they threaten to involve him in suffering. There is a false and a true repentance. "Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret — but worldly sorrow brings death." (2 Corinthians 7:10
There are many points of difference between the two; but the grand specific difference, and that on which all the others depend, consists in this: that while true repentance presupposes conviction of sin, it implies also a sense of God’s forgiving love, or "an apprehension of the mercy of God in Christ." The goodness of God leads to repentance, not only by giving space and opportunity to repent — but because it is one of the motives by which we are melted and subdued into a contrite frame of mind. So long as the sinner, under conviction of guilt, thinks only of the terrors of the Lord, he may tremble — but he will not repent. His heart is hardened rather than subdued by the fearful looking for of judgment. He resembles a slave or a criminal under the frown of a powerful master or judge — rather than a child, whose heart swells at the thought of having offended a father. The devils believe and tremble — but they do not repent. An apprehension of God’s love and mercy is needful to melt our stubborn hearts — and that will subdue those whom terror will only exasperate. "So I will establish my covenant with you, and you will know that I am the LORD. Then, when I make atonement for you for all you have done — you will remember and be ashamed and never again open your mouth because of your humiliation, declares the Sovereign LORD." Ezekiel 16:62-63 This beautiful principle is confirmed by the universal experience of God’s people. Before they knew the grace of God in truth, they may have been under deep convictions of conscience — they may have trembled at God’s wrath — but still their hearts were disposed rather to resist God than to submit to him. Their hearts were full of desperate enmity against him — until that enmity was slain by the manifestation of his love. But so soon as they clearly discerned the riches of his forgiving mercy, they relented. They said, what are we that we should be at variance with him who has loved us? Oh! how could we rebel against such a Being, or why should we continue to rebel, when his mercy is so freely proclaimed, and we are so affectionately invited to return? The prodigal son was wretched, very wretched, when he wandered in a strange land — and it was not until he thought of his kind-hearted father, and his father’s house, that he repented and said, "I will go unto my father, and say unto him, Father, I have sinned!" Nor is it difficult to account for the effect of God’s mercy in subduing the heart and producing penitence. For besides the influence of kindness, to which no human mind is altogether insensible — it is clear, that so long as the sinner knows nothing of God’s grace, and has no hope of forgiveness, it is his interest, and it will be his endeavor to think as little, and to make as light, of his sins as he can. He is forced by sheer terror either to devise plausible excuses for them — or to question the justice of God in punishing them. For if he saw them in all their heinousness, and had no hope of escape, he would be driven to absolute despair. But when he obtains a realizing sense of God’s mercy in Christ — he is no longer under the necessity of hiding his guilt, or seeking to extenuate it. He can look on it in all its length and breadth without dismay. I truly believe that then, for the first time, does the sinner see his whole sinfulness, when, being freed from terror, he can entertain the subject with dispassionate impartiality, and sound the very lowest depths of his guilt, in the full assurance that God’s love can deliver him out of it all.
We have seen that the two principal motives to evangelical repentance are, the evil nature of sin on the one hand, and the love and mercy of God to the sinner on the other hand.
Now, unquestionably, the chief source and spring of these motives is, the cross of Christ. A believing apprehension of the truths which are displayed in Christ’s cross, is the proper root of evangelical repentance. For there we behold such a manifestation, both of the evil nature of sin, and of God’s love to the sinner — as cannot fail, when duly apprehended, at once to convince and impress the conscience, and to melt and subdue the heart. There we see how true it is that, in the bosom of our Supreme Governor and Judge, there may exist at one and the same time, a sentiment of righteous displeasure — and yet a sentiment of divine compassion; nay, even a purpose of saving grace and mercy! Such displeasure, as implies in it no hatred; yet such love, as consists with the most inflexible adherence to righteousness and truth. For when we consider Christ, God’s only begotten and well-beloved Son in whom he was well pleased, subjected on the cross to the most painful sufferings, and that, too, after he had repeatedly and with great earnestness offered up the earnest prayer, "Father! if it is possible, let this cup pass from me!" And when we farther consider, that the cup of divine wrath was nevertheless put into his hands; that the same God of whom it is written, that "he afflicts not willingly, nor grieves the children of men," "was pleased to bruise him, and to put him to grief" — and this, too, because he, who knew no sin, had been made sin for us; that" he was wounded for our transgressions and bruised for our iniquities" — how can we fail to see in Christ’s cross a most impressive manifestation of the evil nature and desert of sin, and a most instructive commentary both on the certainty and the nature of God’s displeasure on account of it. The reality of God’s displeasure against sin, and his righteous and inflexible determination to punish it, cannot be questioned, without virtually incurring the guilt of either denying the reality and severity of Christ’s sufferings — or imputing to God the capricious and cruel infliction of suffering, without any adequate reason, on the person of his beloved Son. The reality of God’s displeasure against sin being thus established by the fact of the Redeemer’s crucifixion — Oh! what a flood of light does that one fact of his crucifixion throw upon the nature of this displeasure — for here he suffered for sin, of whom it is written that he was, notwithstanding, God’s Well-beloved Son! He, with whom God was in all other respects well pleased, was made a curse for us; nay, the very Son of God, who testified, saying, "Therefore does my Father love me, because I lay down my life for the sheep" — thereby representing his death itself as acceptable to God — did nevertheless exclaim in the garden, "My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death!" — and on the cross, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me!" And who does not see that God’s displeasure against sin, however real and however severe, is the calm sentiment of a righteous Governor and Judge; that it implies, indeed, a supreme regard to his own glory, and an unchangeable determination to assert the majesty and to vindicate the honor of his law, even though it should be by the infliction of suffering. Yet it implies nothing like human hatred, cruelty, or revenge. And that while the cross of Christ does address a most solemn warning — a warning all the more solemn and impressive, by reason of the absence of every indication of human passion on the part of God — to those who make light of sin, or trifle with God’s eternal justice — it does at the same time afford a lesson of encouragement and consolation to every penitent sinner.
For, besides the illustration which it affords of the nature of God’s judicial displeasure — the cross of Christ affords the most amazing proof of the riches of his love. For that sacrifice of Christ, in which we read the most solemn proof of the exceeding sinfulness of sin, and of the wrath with which God regards — is itself the most affecting pledge of his love to the sinner. He who, on looking to the cross, beholds God’s justice there — may also, by looking to the cross, behold God’s mercy too! Calvary speaks out more impressively than ever Sinai spoke, of the terrors of the Lord. But amidst the darkness which enveloped the cross, amidst the rending of the rocks, and the opening of the graves, and all the sublime mysteries of that unparalleled scene — we hear the still small voice proclaiming "glory to God on the highest, peace on earth, and good will to men." For "God so loved the world as to give his only begotten Son, that whoever believes in him might not perish — but might have eternal life." The cross of Christ, then, is the chief source of the two great motives to evangelical repentance, because it exhibits such a manifestation of God’s character, as is fitted to awaken in our minds:
first, a penetrating sense of our own sinfulness,
secondly, a lively apprehension of the mercy of God in Christ. But affliction is also, and for the same reason, a secondary source of the same motives to repentance. For it is very remarkable that in the text, our blessed Lord represents the afflictions of his people as manifestations at once of his displeasure and of his love — and urges this consideration as a reason for repentance: "As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten; be zealous, therefore, and repent."
It is unquestionably to the cross of Christ that we must look for the most impressive manifestation of the divine perfections, and especially of the sentiments with which he regards the transgression of his law. For without understanding the doctrine of the cross, we cannot enter into the mystery of the afflictions of his people. But every disciple who has been enabled clearly to apprehend the justice and the love of God, as they are displayed in the cross of Christ, and who has felt the power of these evangelical motives to repentance — will be at no loss to understand how it is that the sufferings of believers contribute to the same result, seeing that they manifest the same divine perfections, although, in some respects, and these of great importance, they differ widely from the sufferings of Christ. Not only did his sufferings differ from theirs in degree, as being unspeakably more severe — but also in their general character and design, as being . . .
the sole and all-sufficient atonement,
the full legal payment of the penalty of sin,
the complete judicial satisfaction to divine justice, and
the only and entire vindication and fulfillment of the divine law.
Hence we are carefully to guard against the error of supposing that the sufferings of his people are, in any sense, or to any extent, expiatory of their guilt, or satisfactory to God’s justice. But while this is unquestionably the doctrine of Scripture, it is equally true, on the other hand, that in the sufferings of believers we see another and a different manifestation of the same divine perfections which are displayed in the sufferings of Christ. They manifest at once God’s holy displeasure against sin — and his love towards his people. And by reason of this resemblance between the two cases, the sufferings of believers are called their cross. For thus said Jesus to his disciples, "If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross and follow me." (Matthew 16:24.) "Whoever does not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple." (Luke 14:27.)
We read, then, not of one cross — but of two: the cross of Christ, and the cross of every believer; and these differ the one from the other in some respects of great importance, while in others they agree. The cross of Christ differs from the believer’s cross, not only in respect to the peculiar kind of suffering which he endured — but also, and principally, in respect to the end which it fulfilled, as an atonement for sin. It was by Christ’s cross, and not by the cross of any believer, that God was reconciled, "for having made peace by the blood of his cross," it pleased the Father, "by him to reconcile all things to himself," (Colossians 1:20,) "that he might reconcile both Jews and Gentiles unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby." (Ephesians 2:16.) It was by Christ’s cross that the law was magnified and fulfilled; for the "handwriting of ordinances that was against us, he took out of our way, nailing it to his cross." (Colossians 2:14.) It is Christ’s cross that is the believer’s chief glory, "God forbid that I should glory save in the cross of the Lord Jesus Christ." (Galatians 6:14.) It is Christ’s cross by which the believer is crucified: "The cross of the Lord Jesus Christ by which the world is crucified unto me and I unto the world." The cross of Christ was the chief subject of apostolic preaching, and is still the most powerful means of conversion. "The preaching of the cross is to those who perish, foolishness; but unto us who are saved, it is the power of God!" (1 Corinthians 1:18.)
There is thus a super-eminent value in the cross of Christ, as being the sole reason of our pardon and justification, and also the principal means of our progressive sanctification — the most illustrious manifestation of God’s character, and the chief source and fountain of all the motives which tend to the renewal and improvement of our own. But this does not hinder the legitimate use of another cross — I mean the cross which every believer is appointed to bear. The cross of the believer differs from the cross of Christ. The believer’s cross implies no atonement, offers no satisfaction to divine justice, and affords no ground of pardon or acceptance with God. The believer’s cross is laid upon him — but he is not nailed to it as Christ was. There is the same difference between the believer and his Divine Master in this respect, as there was between Jesus who was nailed to the accursed tree, and Simon of Cyrene, whom they compelled to bear his cross, (Matthew 27:32,) and who was seen drawing near to Calvary with that cross on his shoulders, on which he was not to be suspended, and the torments of which were reserved for the Son of God. But still the believer has a cross to bear; and that cross resembles, in some respects, the cross of his Lord. For not only are the sufferings of the Christian expressly called his cross, and not only is every believer required to take up his cross and follow Christ; but these sufferings are spoken of as the sufferings of Christ. "For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also abounds by Christ." (2 Corinthians 1:5) — that we may know "the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death." (Php 2:10.) "Rejoice, inasmuch as you are partakers of Christ’s sufferings, that when his glory shall be revealed, you may be glad also with exceeding joy." (1 Peter 4:13.)
These expressions intimate, not merely that the believer virtually suffered with Christ on the cross, and died with him there — but that the believer has sufferings of his own, which, although they are not to the slightest extent, expiatory of sin, or satisfactory to divine justice — they do, nevertheless, bear some resemblance to those of his glorified Master, and are, on account of that resemblance, described as his cross.
Now, the believer’s cross resembles the cross of Christ in this important particular — that it is a secondary source of the same motives to evangelical repentance, of which the cross of Christ is the chief spring and fountain. The sufferings of every believer afford a manifestation at once of the justice and the love of God — and they ought to be improved for the twofold use of deepening our convictions of the exceeding sinfulness and demerit of sin, and of strengthening our apprehensions of God’s paternal goodness.
"As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten."
Here, mark
We are too apt to fall into one extreme or other, in considering this subject. Sometimes the believer looks only on the dark side of his cross, and can see nothing in it but a terrible token of God’s displeasure; and then no wonder that his heart quails, and his spirit is overwhelmed within him. At other times, he looks only to the bright side of it, and, rejoicing in the assurance that his very sufferings are the fruit and token of a Father’s love, he forgets or fails suitably to improve the solemn consideration, that the cross he wears is really a rebuke and chastisement — a proof that he needs correction, and a token of God’s displeasure.
Nay, so little accustomed are too many professing Christians to entertain the comprehensive fullness of Gospel truth on this subject, that not a few may be ready to exclaim: How can we consider our afflictions as tokens of God’s displeasure — when we read that they are tokens of his love? This is a mystery to them; but why should it be so, if they can at all enter into the mystery of Christ’s cross? There both justice and mercy, both love and displeasure, both severity and grace — are displayed, not as conflicting or antagonist principles — but in unison and harmony, concurring in the same design, and cooperating for the same result. And so is it also in the believer’s cross. That cross is a fruit of love — and yet it is also a token of God’s displeasure. And surely it cannot be difficult to reconcile these two ideas, when we can so easily conceive of an affectionate Father being displeased. But were it more difficult than it is to form a correct conception of such a state of mind on the part of God, there can be no difficulty in seeing, and there ought to be no reluctance to acknowledge — that everywhere in Scripture, affliction is represented as a manifestation both of love and displeasure.
"For a brief moment I abandoned you, but with deep compassion I will bring you back. In a surge of anger I hid my face from you for a moment, but with everlasting kindness I will have compassion on you," says the LORD your Redeemer." (Isaiah 54:7-8.) "For this is what the high and lofty One says — he who lives forever, whose name is holy: "I live in a high and holy place, but also with him who is contrite and lowly in spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly and to revive the heart of the contrite. I will not accuse forever, nor will I always be angry, for then the spirit of man would grow faint before me — the breath of man that I have created. I was enraged by his sinful greed; I punished him, and hid my face in anger, yet he kept on in his willful ways. I have seen his ways, but I will heal him; I will guide him and restore comfort to him!" (Isaiah 57:15-18.) "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." (Isaiah 59:1.) "If his sons forsake my law and do not follow my statutes, if they violate my decrees and fail to keep my commands, I will punish their sin with the rod, their iniquity with flogging; but I will not take my love from him, nor will I ever betray my faithfulness." (Psalms 89:30-33) And so in the text, "As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten, be zealous therefore and repent." Viewed in this light, the believer’s cross is a call to evangelical repentance. It matters not what that cross may be; it may be heavier or lighter, it may consist of many trials or few, still it is a cross which he must bear, and which is designed at once to impress his mind with a sense of his own unworthiness, and to fill it with profound fear of God’s justice, and a lively apprehension of his paternal kindness. Every believer should consider his cross in this light — and then he will know experimentally both its sanctifying virtue, and its consoling power.