Repentance: The Most Difficult Command
by Jim Dearman & Rod Rutherford
The word “repent” in its various forms occurs more than 100 times in the Bible. This shows the great importance of repentance. Nearly every church it quires repentance from sin of those who wish to be members. However, repentance is a greatly misunderstood command of God. It is also a very difficult command. Some have said it is the most difficult command in all the Bible.
What is Repentance?
Sometimes the best way to learn the
meaning of a word is first to look at what it is not before looking at what it
is. Many people think repentance is just
being sorry for one’s sins. This is not
what repentance is! The apostle Paul
wrote: “For godly sorrow produces
repentance leading to salvation, not to be regretted; but the sorrow of the
world produces death” (2
Corinthians
If repentance is not being sorry
for one’s sins, then what is repentance? According to all the teaching of the
Bible, repentance is a change of one’s mind toward sin. It is produced by godly sorrow for one’s
sins. The result of this change of mind
toward sin will be a change of will. A
good example of what is involved in repentance is a parable that Jesus told: “But what do you think? A man had two sons, and
he came to the first and said, ‘Son, go, work today in my vineyard’ He answered
and said, ‘I will not,’ but afterward he regretted it and went” (Matthew
Repentance involves restitution. “Restitution” means that we will make right the things we have done wrong in so far as possible. If one has murdered another person, he can not restore that person back to life. He can, however, help the widow and children of the man he has killed. If one has stolen money from another person, when he repents, he must return the money he has stolen. John the Baptist told the Pharisees and Sadducees to “Therefore bear fruits worthy of repentance” (Matthew 3:8).
Who Should Repent
Those who are not Christians must
repent of their sins in order to be saved.
Jesus commanded that “and that
repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name to all nations,
beginning at
Christians who have sinned also
need to repent. When Philip preached in
Why Should One Repent?
We have already learned that godly
sorrow produces repentance (2
Corinthians
One will also repent of his sins
because the Day of Judgment is coming. Paul told the idolaters in
“Truly,
these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to
repent, because He has appointed a day on which He will judge the world in
righteousness by the Man whom He has ordained, He has given assurance of this
to all by raising Him from the dead” (Acts 17:30, 31). Christ is now ruling from the right hand of
God in Heaven, but one day He will come again to raise the dead and judge the
whole world (Acts 1:9-11; John 5:28, 29). Everyone who is living and who has ever lived
will be judged (Romans
When Should One Repent?
The Jews on Pentecost repented the
same day they heard the gospel. They were then baptized for the remission of
their sins (Acts
Dear reader, what about you? Have you repented of your sins? Have you been baptized for the remission of your sins? If not, please do so today so that you will be prepared to meet the Lord.
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