3. Repentance is a Saving Grace

WSC 87. What is repentance unto life? A. Repentance unto life is a saving grace, whereby a sinner, out of a true sense of his sin, and apprehension of the mercy of God in Christ, doth, with grief and hatred of his sin, turn from it unto God, with full purpose of, and endeavor after, new obedience.

Regeneration is inseparable from its effects. In our last lesson, we learned about the distinguishing marks of saving faith. Today’s lesson is about repentance unto life.

Defining Repentance

Repentance is a “saving grace,” meaning it is necessary for salvation (Luke 13:3; 24:46-47; Acts 2:38; Is. 30:15) and a gift that we receive from God (2 Tim. 2:25; Acts 11:18; Jer. 31:18-19). At its root, biblical repentance signifies a change of mind that leads to a change of life. It is a turning away from sin towards God (Eze. 18:30-32), evidenced by distinguishable deeds (Acts 26:20; Lk. 3:8-14).¹

The Source of Repentance

Realizing the danger of sin is insufficient for repentance. Fear of punishment (i.e., hell) does not constitute repentance either. For true repentance to be present, not only must we be truly sorry for our sin, and lament the miseries that sin brings, but we must also turn from sin to God because we fundamentally realize that sin is wrong. This can only be accomplished by God’s power. True repentance is brought about in the heart of a sinner by the Holy Spirit and the Word of God (Zech. 12:10; Acts 11:18-21).² Both the Holy Spirit and Word of God need to be operative, such that the Holy Spirit works repentance where the Word has been proclaimed and is known.³

It can also be said that repentance springs forth from faith. Being persuaded of God’s love for us (by faith), we respond with love for Him (1 Jn. 4:19), and sincerely seek to please Him (in repentance). In this way, faith comes first and repentance follows.⁴

Faith and Repentance as Twin Graces

The catechism identifies a twofold aspect to repentance. First, repentance involves turning away from sin. It is impossible to be saved without recognizing the evil of sin (Eze. 36:31; Isa. 30:22), hating it with our whole soul (2 Cor. 7:11), and earnestly desiring to be delivered not only from its guilt but also from its power (Acts 26:18; Eze. 14:6; 1 Ki. 8:47-48). Second, repentance is a turning towards God (Joel 2:12-13).⁵ In view of God’s mercy in Christ, we seek after godliness, holiness, and new obedience (Ps. 119:6, 59, 128; Lk. 1:6; 2 Ki. 23:25).⁶

Faith and repentance are called twin graces and described as two sides of the same coin. Repentance primarily describes the turning away from sin, and faith the turning towards God. In these actions, repentance and faith are coupled together.⁷ The command to repent and believe (Acts 3:19) bids a sinner to come to Jesus as Lord and Savior (in faith) and to leave sin behind (in repentance).⁸ Faith and repentance are thus inseparable. True faith is a penitent faith; true repentance is a believing repentance.⁹ Accordingly, the life of every Christian must be marked by both (e.g., 1 Thess. 1:9). Together, faith in Jesus Christ and repentance unto life constitute conversion.¹⁰

Distinguishing Between True and False Repentance

Just as there can be a false faith where some people believe in vain (1 Cor. 15:2), there is similarly a false repentance that produces death (2 Cor. 7:8-11). This is why the catechism speaks of “repentance unto life” as distinguished from worldly sorrow (Mt. 27:3-5; 2 Cor. 7:10). Consider Judas and Simon Peter, two disciples of Jesus Christ. Both betrayed their Master on the night He was arrested (Mt. 26:14-16; 26:69-75), yet one was driven to death in remorse (Mt. 27:1-10),¹¹ but the other was restored and made a shepherd of the sheep (Jn. 21:15-17). One had a worldly sorrow that could not save, but the other was granted repentance unto life.

False repentance is not born of saving faith, but is instead grounded on worldly sorrow; it only produces regret and guilt, never joy and hope. With false repentance, a person expresses remorse because of the punishment or consequences of being caught in sin, but not principally because he/she has offended God. A person may be temporarily brought to his senses with plans to amend his life (cf. Matt. 13:20-21) and even experience a form of external sanctification that looks convincingly real (Heb. 6:4-5). Yet, despite all this, this person will eventually fall away and return to the world again (1 Jn. 2:19; 1 Tim. 1:19-20).¹² False repentance can sometimes be identified by sorrow over the consequences of sin rather than the sin itself (e.g., Cain lamented his punishment rather than his brother’s death, Gen. 4:13; Saul was more concerned about losing his kingdom than his disobedience, 1 Sam. 15:22-30, 35); blame-shifting (e.g., Adam implicated Eve and even God [!] as culpable in his transgression, Gen. 3:12); terror without apprehending God’s mercy (e.g., Felix trembled at the prospect of the coming judgment but never embraced Christ, Acts 24:24-27); superficial religion (e.g., the Pharisees prided themselves for not being outwardly wicked and for performing outward acts of piety, Lk. 18:11-12); and selective repentance (e.g., turning from one particular sin, but not others, Mt. 12:43-45; Lk. 11:24-26). False repentance is characteristic of people who try to set their lives in order before coming to God. Though a life may be moralized by a false repentance, the sinful nature remains unmortified and the latter condition is made worse than the first.¹³

True repentance, on the other hand, is not superficial but involves a complete transformation inside and out, such that a person sincerely turns from sin and towards God. It is expressed by the heart (emotions) and mind (will). It involves a complete change in our attitudes towards God, self, and sin; and, more than that, true repentance involves an earnest desire to live righteously with resulting action. It produces fruit that pleases God (e.g., Lk 7:37-47), marked by a radical abandonment of sin with an apprehension of God’s mercy.¹⁴ True repentance is not just an effort of self-improvement, but a reversal in a person’s way of life, a turning from evil to righteousness. It always involves a heartfelt sorrow over sin and a sincere love for God.¹⁵ Resting upon the promises of God to forgive and save, a sinner draws close to Him in humility, with sorrow and grief over sin, endeavoring to forsake his old way of life. Finally, true repentance continues for believers all the days of their lives.¹⁶

We cannot rely on feelings alone to test the genuineness of our repentance. True repentance is rooted in the acknowledgment of God’s goodness, the realization of sin’s profanity, and confirmed by fruits of obedience.¹⁷ Here are some probing questions to consider:

Where are our affections? Unrepentant men do not see the true value of Jesus Christ, nor acknowledge His infinite worthiness. As Dr. John Piper has phrased it, “We measure the worth of a treasure by what we will gladly give up to have it (Phil. 3:7-8; Mt. 13:44).”¹⁸ The gospel demands that those who pursue Christ must forsake everything (Lk. 14:25-33; Mt 16:24; Mk 10:28-31), not even looking back (Lk 9:62).¹⁹

How far are we willing to go to purge sin from our lives? The impenitent do not see the evil of their sin, but only treat their sin lightly. However, when a man finally recognizes his sin to be as vile as it truly is, he responds with horror and disgust: “Repentance is the vomit of the soul.”²⁰ A justified soul rejects sin violently. Just as it is often shameful and difficult for the body to vomit, so the same is true for repentance. Returning to sin is just as sickly as returning to our vomit (2 Pet. 2:22).²¹

Whereas an unrepentant sinner may hold to an outward conformity to the law believing it to be sufficient for God, with true repentance, a sinner recognizes the folly of his/her efforts and forsakes all confidence in his/her own righteousness. A truly repentant person realizes that his/her sins are principally against God (Ps. 51:4). But God is able and willing to abundantly pardon all those that forsake wickedness and come to Him (Isa. 55:7). If we claim to believe Christ, we will love Him (1 Jn. 5:1), and if we love Him, we will obey Him (Jn. 14:15).

Footnotes

1
“Repentance consists in a man’s humbling himself before God, and sorrowing and grieving for offending Him by his sins, and in turning from them all to the Lord.” Further, “the word rendered repent, is, ‘To change one’s mind, and to lay aside false opinions.’” Fisher, Edward, and Thomas Boston. The Marrow of Modern Divinity. Ross-shire, Scotland: Christian Focus Publications, 2009, pp. 162-163.
2
WLC Q76: What is repentance unto life? A: Repentance unto life is a saving grace, wrought in the heart of a sinner by the Spirit and word of God, whereby, out of the sight and sense, not only of the danger, but also of the filthiness and odiousness of his sins, and upon the apprehension of God’s mercy in Christ to such as are penitent, he so grieves for and hates his sins, as that he turns from them all to God, purposing and endeavoring constantly to walk with him in all the ways of new obedience.
3
Here, the term “Word of God” refers not only to the Bible, but the saving truth contained in the Bible, as we read and hear it. Vos, Johannes Geerhardus. The Westminster Larger Catechism: A Commentary. P&R Publishing, 2002, p. 171.
4
Before we are made alive in Christ, we cannot do anything but sin (Rom. 3:10-19; Titus 1:15; Eph. 2:3,5), thereby precluding any true repentance before faith. Although genuine faith precedes repentance in logical order, the actual timing may be indistinguishable. “The repentance which is here commanded is the result of faith; it is born at the same time with faith—they are twins.” Charles Spurgeon, sermon 460, delivered on July 13th, 1862.
5
A sinner naturally flees from the presence of God because of fear of divine judgment (cf. Jn. 3:19-20); but when persuaded of God’s favor and mercy, he embraces Jesus Christ. Repentance is not a turning away from sin unto our own goodness, but solely towards God (Is. 19:22; Hos. 14:1) through faith in Christ (Acts 20:21; Heb 11:6; cf. Jn. 14:6; 15:5; Heb. 7:25). God’s love induces the forgiven sinner to love Him back (1 Jn. 4:10,19). True love for God is not grounded upon a desire for only His benefits, but rather for who He is. This love prevails over fear and expels it (1 Jn. 4:18; 2 Tim. 1:7), opening the way to God Himself.
6
By the renewing work of the Holy Spirit, a regenerated person begins to hate the sin he/she once loved, and to love the righteousness that he/she once hated. Whereas there was a love for sin before, now there is a felt sorrow for sin and hatred of it. The previous attraction for sin has been transformed into a love for God instead.
7
Dr. Norman Geisler has said, “Faith and repentance are inseparable in the same way that the command to come here cannot be fulfilled without leaving there.”
8
In order for someone to turn towards Christ in faith for salvation, a person must (of necessity) also be turning away from sin in repentance at the same time. After all, sin is the opposite of good. God is the chief Good, so sin is the complete opposite of God. Departing from sin is to go towards God in Christ. Burroughs, Jeremiah. The Evil of Evils, or the Exceeding Sinfulness of Sin. Soli Deo Gloria Publications, 2008, pp. 19, 27-29.
9
“The faith that is unto salvation is a penitent faith and the repentance that is unto life is a believing repentance… It is impossible to disentangle faith and repentance. Saving faith is permeated with repentance and repentance is permeated with faith.” Murray, John. Redemption, Accomplished and Applied. Grand Rapids, MI: W.B. Eerdmans Pub., 1955, p. 113.
10
It is true that repentance is preeminently expressed at the time of conversion when a person first believes in Jesus Christ and turns to God. But true repentance is not a one-time event, but rather something that is exercised day-by-day throughout our entire lives. Vos, Johannes Geerhardus. The Westminster Larger Catechism: A Commentary. P&R Publishing, 2002, p. 172.
11
Judas showed a false repentance (Mt. 27:3-5). In the NASB (and NIV), the word is translated “felt remorse”; it is rendered “changed his mind” in the ESV; and, it is “repented” in the KJV. Although Judas confessed his sin and acknowledged the innocence of Christ, his repentance lacked the element of faith.
12
Bavinck, Herman. Reformed Dogmatics, Vol. 4: Holy Spirit, Church, and New Creation. Baker Academic, 2008, p. 138.
13
Consider Mt. 12:43-45 (and its parallel in Lk. 11:24-26). A person can moralize his life, by removing socially-unacceptable sins, but without radical transformation by God, he remains controlled by darkness.
14
In Luke 18:9-14, Jesus recounted that there was a tax-collector who, recognizing his lowly condition before God, was unable to even lift up his eyes and beat himself (a visible fruit of repentance), but cast himself upon the mercy of God (as a sign of internal faith).
15
Watson, Thomas. The Ten Commandments. Banner of Truth Trust, 1999, pp. 207-208.
16
The first of Martin Luther’s 95 theses was, “When the Lord and Master Jesus Christ said ‘Repent,’ He intended that the entire life of believers should be repentance.” Nichols, Stephen J. (ed). Martin Luther’s Ninety-Five Theses. P&R Pub., 2002, p. 23.
17
It is difficult to distinguish true and false conversion early-on. We must be careful not to quickly and haphazardly label someone as “true” or “false” because none of us are able to discern the heart. We need to remember that there many ways that people are converted. Some are converted through organic growth without distinct and dramatic conversion experiences, whereas others may tell stories of powerful turnarounds. “All we can say is that true conversion always consists both in hating sin and fleeing from sin, and in a sincere love for God and his service.” Bavinck, Herman. Reformed Dogmatics, Vol. 4: Holy Spirit, Church, and New Creation. Baker Academic, 2008, pp. 157-158.
18
Tweeted by Dr. John Piper on October 4, 2011. From: https://twitter.com/JohnPiper/status/121268535229026304.
19
Remember Lot’s wife (Lk. 17:32; Gen 19:17, 26).
20
Brooks, Thomas. Precious Remedies against Satan’s Devices. Banner of Truth Trust, 2000, p. 63.
21
Jonathan Edwards graphically describes how sin must be rooted out when there is heartfelt repentance: “Bad wounds must be searched to the bottom; and oftentimes when they are very deep they must be lanced, and the core laid open, though it be very painful to endure, before they can have a good cure. The surgeon may skin them over, so that it may look like a cure without this, without much hurting the patient, but it will not do the patient much good. He does but deceive him for the present, but it will be no lasting benefit to him; the sore will break out again. This figures forth to us the case of our spiritual wound. The plague of our hearts, which is great and deep and must be searched, must be lanced by painful conviction. The core must be laid open. We must be made to see that fountain of sin and corruption there is, and what a dreadful state we are in by nature, in order to a thorough and saving cure. Jeremiah 8:11.” Chamberlain, Ava (ed). Works of Jonathan Edwards, Volume 18, The Miscellanies. New Haven, Yale University Press, 1957, p. 161.

Footnotes

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