Page 181


    Read David's and Daniel's repentances recorded in Psalm 51 and Daniel 9.

    Psalm 51:1-3,7

    Have mercy upon me, O God, according to Thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of Thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions.

    Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin.

    For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me.

    Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.

    Daniel 9:3-5

    And I set my face unto the LORD God, to seek by prayer and supplications, with fasting, and sackcloth, and ashes:

    And I prayed unto the LORD my God, and made my confession, and said, O Lord, the great and dreadful God, keeping the covenant and mercy to them that love Him, and to them that keep His commandments;

    We have sinned, and have committed iniquity, and have done wickedly, and have rebelled, even by departing from Thy precepts and from Thy judgments.

    Can you identify all three elements of true repentance in these examples - a confession of, sorrow for, and turning from, sin to God?

God speaks clearly in His Word of: commands to sinners to repent from their sins, promises to those who do so, and warnings to those who do not. The following chart provides some examples.

How does a proper understanding of repentance do away with the "easy-believism" ideas of simply "making a decision for God" or of "accepting Christ and then all is well"?



SCRIPTURAL COMMANDS, PROMISES, AND WARNINGS REGARDING REPENTANCE

1. Commands to repent

Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, every one according to his ways, saith the Lord GOD. Repent, and turn yourselves from all your transgressions; so iniquity shall not be your ruin. Cast away from you all your transgressions, whereby ye have transgressed; and make you a new heart and a new spirit: for why will ye die, O house of Israel?

- Ezekiel 18:30-31

Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord.

- Acts 3:19

Therefore also now, saith the LORD, turn ye even to Me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning:

And rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the LORD your God.

- Joel 2:12-13a

2. Promises to those who do

The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit.

- Psalm 34:18

Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and He will have mercy upon him: and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon.

- Isaiah 55:7

If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

- John 1:9

3. Warnings to those who do not

He, that being often reproved hardeneth his neck, shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy.

- Proverbs 29:1

But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against teh day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God.

- Romans 2:5

Woe unto thee, Chorazin! woe unto thee, Bethsaida! for if the mighty works had been done in Tyre and Sidon, which have been done in you, they had a great while ago repented, sitting in sackcloth and ashes.

- Luke 10:13


181
Previous PageNext Page