Thursday: The Gospel and Repentance
“Despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?” (Rom. 2:4). What message is here for us in regard to the whole question of repentance?
Image © Lars Justinen from GoodSalt.com
We should notice that God’s goodness leads, not forces, sinners to repentance. God uses no coercion. He is infinitely patient and seeks to draw all people by His love. A forced repentance would destroy the whole purpose of repentance, would it not? If God forced repentance, then would not everyone be saved, for why would He force some to repent and not others? Repentance must be an act of the free will, responding to the movement of the Holy Spirit in our lives. Yes, repentance is a gift from God, but we have to be ready and open to receive it, a choice that we alone can make for ourselves.
What comes to those who resist God’s love, refuse to repent, and remain in disobedience? Rom. 2:5-10.
In Romans 2:5-10, and frequently throughout the book of Romans, Paul emphasizes the place of good works. Justification by faith without the deeds of the law must never be construed to mean that good works have no place in the Christian life. For instance, in Romans 2:7 salvation is described as coming to those who seek for it “by patient continuance in well doing.” Although human effort can’t bring salvation, it is part of the whole experience of salvation. It’s hard to see how anyone can read the Bible and come away with the idea that works and deeds don’t matter at all. True repentance, the kind that comes willingly from the heart, always will be followed by a determination to overcome and put away the things that we need to repent over.
| How often are you in an attitude of repentance? Is it sincere, or do you tend just to brush off your faults, shortcomings, and sins? If the latter, how can you change? Why must you change? |
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Repentance, how important is it? 2Peter 3:9 tells us. What influences or desires are needed to accomplish the kind of repentance that God is willing for us to have? I have referred to a book by EGW several times on this venue, called "A New Life, ( Revival And Beyond" , Page 20 ). Just a few notations.( While it is true that repentance must precede forgiveness, for it is only the broken and contrite heart that is acceptable to God, yet the sinner cannot bring himself to repentance, or prepare himself to come to Christ)---- Acts5:31. "Repentance is no less the gift of God than or pardon and justification." I have omitted some of the lines in this article in the interest of space. It is the most encouraging information about repentance that I have read, a number of times.
There is frequently a misunderstanding of “human effort,” and “our works and deeds” such that this could color our view of our part to play in our salvation.
In some sense, we have to move in response to the prompting of the Holy Spirit, and that “move” is considered by some to be “our work.”
God’s work of repentance in our hearts begins with God. He is the one who “leads” us to repentance - Rom 2:4. He is the one who “gives” us repentance - Acts 5:31; Acts 11:18. With every command from God, there is the power to obey the command. When we yield to God’s conviction that we repent, God gives the power to move towards repentance. When we repent, we are exercising faith that God will accept our repentance and will forgive. Even with our “work” the power to accomplish even the moving to God, is from God Himself.
We like to quote Phil 2:12 which admonishes us to “work” out our salvation with fear and trembling. But we should read the next connecting verse – Phil 2:13 - "for it is GOD WHO WORKS in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose."
Paul said a similar thing again in Gal 2:20 – “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but CHRIST LIVES in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”
Paul recognized that even though he lives, his “works” are really Christ living and working through him.
The lesson to me, is that when I start attributing any part of the repentance and walking process to myself, I am in danger of exalting my part above God’s part; my placing some value on my part. Actually, my action is really a small sub-part of God’s greater action.
“Repentance must be an act of the free will, responding to the movement of the Holy Spirit in our lives. Yes, repentance is a gift from God, but we have to be ready and open to receive it, a choice that we alone can make for ourselves.”
The will is a faculty related to the mind. Since the fall the human mind is naturally opposed to God, and the things of God, spiritual things: “A natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually examined”(1 Cor 2:14).“For we know that the Law is spiritual, but I am of flesh, sold into bondage to sin”(Rom 7:14). “For the mind of the flesh is death, but the mind of the spirit is life and peace; because the mind of the flesh is hostile toward God; for it does not subject itself to the Law of God, for it is not even able to do so, and those who are in the flesh cannot please God”(Rom 8:6,7).
If it is this “free will” of the natural mind that repented, it had to be FORCED; because, it cannot nor does not subject itself to the things of God. If Adam with the perfect natural mind and will, perfectly innocent, with a bent towards good, chose to believe the serpent rather than God...
But we know it is a new mind, created by God, that repents. God brings to life the dead spirit received from Adam, associated with the carnal mind and its will, and through His Spirit leads His people to repentance not to be recanted 2 Cor 7:9,10. He opens the deaf “ear” to “hear” and understand like with Lydia (Acts 16:14,15); the thief on the cross; the Emmaus disciples (Luke 24)... God does not leave salvation to anyone’s choice. Repentance to salvation is God’s domain, His choice.
Kenny, amen! I've observed over the years that Christendom's understanding --including Adventism's--is quite conflicted on the issue of God's employment of force specifically in regards to human salvation. There appears to be a reluctance to accept and repeat God's view of the matter. I believe it is largely because we have not consistently framed the human condition correctly--a condition that necessitated God's intervention at a truly high cost (Rm 5:8; 1 Pt 3:18).
For example the above post made the following statement:"God uses no coercion. He is infinitely patient and seeks to draw all people by His love. A forced repentance would destroy the whole purpose of repentance, would it not? If God forced repentance, then would not everyone be saved, for why would He force some to repent and not others?". We understand "coercion" to be morally objectionable, therefore a righteous God would NEVER "coerce according to OUR UNDERSTANDING. However, would it be a fair summary of the single text in question (Rm 2:4) that God is the CAUSE of repentance? Would that be some, most or all manifestations of repentance? How would that single text's summary compare with the teaching of God's ultimate Messenger (Heb 1:1-2; Jn 3:2)? Christ's instruction of this religious sinner left no doubt regarding His teaching. If salvation = the kingdom of God--the place where God rules--then it (the kingdom/salvation) CANNOT be SEEN (Jn 3:3) or ENTERED (Jn 3:5) unless an impossible imperative He compares to BIRTH (Jn 3:7) PRECEDES sight or entry. Christ's teaching accords with the summary of Rm 2:4, that God, and Him alone, IS the CAUSE of THIS BIRTH (Jn 3:6; 1:12-13).
There may be "conflicted" understanding of Adventist teachings, but Adventist teaching is quite clear on the matter of free will, as is all of Christianity excepting churches based on Calvinism. (For a better understanding, please study thoroughly some of the posts published on this site that go a little deeper. These posts mention Calvinism and shed light on the subject.)
On this blog, our purpose is to have a conversation on subjects related to the lesson. Thus teachings arising outside of Adventism will come up. However, just advocating for another teaching does not fall within the purpose of our blog. Please engage with others who comment. For instance, you mention,
But you fail to acknowledge the thrust of that quote, "If God forced repentance, then would not everyone be saved, for why would He force some to repent and not others?"
What is your answer to that question?
Combining your suggestion [of coercion] with the fact that God wants all to repent (2 Peter 3:9) results in the teaching of universalism - that everyone will be saved and end up in heaven. (The problems with this teaching are beyond the scope of this reply.)
As suggested in other comments, the Bible teaches that repentance is a gift, just like justification is a gift. A gift that is rejected/not accepted does the intended recipient no good. Each person has the opportunity to accept or reject the gift of repentance which is included in the gift of salvation.
It seems to me that idea that repentance is forced is a terrible misunderstanding of the character of God. The Apostle John tells us that "God is Love," (1 John 4:8) and there can be no use of force in love.
If God forces repentance, why did He not force Lucifer to repent and thus prevent this terrible experiment of evil? Why does He not force everyone to repent and thus prevent eternal annihilation? Where is His love demonstrated?
Any suggestion that God's primary characteristic is power that it is arbitrarily exercised -- as in forcing some to repent but not others -- must surely originate with the evil adversary of God. It has ever been Satan's objective to ascribe to God his own characteristics.
Rather, repentance is a gift. Acts 5:31, 2 Tim 2:25. This repentance is freely offered to all who choose to respond to the Holy Spirit working on their hearts. After all, Jesus told us through John that He is the Light that enlightens everyone born on this planet. (See John 1:1-9)
It is true that without divine intervention, the natural heart has no free will and no capacity to repent. That is why Christ died. He died to purchase this freedom of will for every person. He is the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world (Rev 13:8) and every person from Adam to the last sinner who repents before the close of probation has benefited from that sacrifice that purchased their freedom of choice. It is a gift to *all* mankind, and it allows all to accept the gift of repentance and of salvation.
Please watch for a new post by Marcos Torres that explores this topic further.
I wrote that if it is the natural mind, which is said to have or be possessed of/with "free will, of which God says it cannot, will not subject itself to God's law (1 Cor 2:14; Rom 8:6,7); if *that mind* repents, which is impossible according to God, then it must have some how been forced.
It is the *new mind* that repents. God draws us by His love, just as the prodigal was drawn back by his fathers providence. God enlightens us as to our condition by first opening our ears, we are stoned deaf, dead, to spiritual things. It's the new mind not the old dead to spiritual things mind.
The "natural mind" responds to the Spirit's wooing. The only compulsion that is used is the compulsive power of love. Once a soul mired in sin responds even the slightest to the Spirit's wooing, the same Spirit provides the willingness and the power to repent.
The way you present things, Kenny, God must arbitrarily give a "new mind" to some and not to others. That is not like the God I know.
Christ died for all to ensure that all would have the option of free choice which was forfeited by our first parents. All could be saved if they chose to respond to Christ's powerful love. Free choice is ours, before we repent, thanks to Christ's death on Calvary. And if free will is ours before we repent, it should go without saying that free will is ours before we have the "new mind."
Christ died to save beings definitely not to give options
Kenny, without Christ's death, there would be no option to choose eternal life. So, yes, Christ's death insures free will for every created being. And all who choose to accept Christ's salvation will be saved from sin here and live with Him eternally.
You see, God's whole government is based on love, and there can be no love without free will. If you doubt it, consider if a well-programmed robot would be a good stand-in for a spouse or a close friend.
It is not hard to repent and be forgiven. Every morning He facilitates me to repent and be forgiven as I come to Him in prayer and ask I believe He has and go about my daily life with peace as promised in:: Philippians 4:7. And assurance found in:: Romans 8:1. Now I am comfortable to walk upto Christ and be cleansed. No big drawn out process of waiting for the will to kick in. Just do it.
Speak more on this...
Through my simple act of beliving God, the Holy Spirit has begun a new life in my heart. I am as a child born into the family of God, and am loved as His Son is loved. That is good news, I am happy.
A sorrow for sin. Repentance.
We must learn to forgive ourselves after God has forgiven us, and walk in that forgiveness and grace.
If we stay in that place of where we went wrong the devil will continue to torment us.
True repentance,go to God and turn away from our sin.
Kenny
We were born with Adam's fallen sin nature. With that nature, it would appear that we have no "choice" but to sin. We cannot change that fact, like an Ethiopian cannot change her skin our a leopard her stripes. How can we do good if we are born in, and accustomed to evil? Jer 13:23.
"But God." Those famous and precious words found in Rom 5:8 give us the hope in that while were yet sinners, with Adam's fallen nature, Christ died for us, breaking the hold of the sin nature. The old man of sin, the sin nature, was crucified with Him, such that we are no longer slaves to sin, that we may walk in newness of life, and in the new Christ-born nature. Rom 6:4-11.
That is how the natural man is freed from the hold of his own sin nature. Christ's death now gives us the availability and ability to choose. Christ's death absolutely gives us options which were not available without His death. Remember Christ is the Lamb slain from the foundation for the world - Rev 13:8, so before we even received the inherited sin nature, Jesus provided the opportunity to choose.
He draws us to Himself, shows us His character, makes His Divine nature available to us, then bids us to come and partake, freely, without price. Isa 55:1-3.