Repentance is absolutely essential to one’s salvation (Acts 2:38; II Peter 3:9). It is universal in its import (Luke 13:3, 5). Without doubt, however, the hardest command to obey in becoming a child of God is the command to repent of one’s sins. Human beings as a rule do not like to be told that they are wrong about anything, especially when it comes to their moral conduct. To be criticized about anything seems to “cut against the grain” in our mental make-up. Yet, it is precisely the humbling of ourselves- -so as to recognize we are wrong when we are wrong--that lies at the very heart of genuine, heart-felt, and life-changing repentance. It is the lowering of ourselves in our own eyes, not only to acknowledge with both mind and lips “I am wrong,” --but the steeled determination to do something about it, regardless of what may be required by the Lord, that is the essence of true repentance. Repentance is produced by “godly sorrow,” but it is more than this (II Corinthians 7:10). While it recognizes the fact of wrongdoing and creates in the human heart genuine sorrow “after a godly sort,” it proceeds to motivate the penitent to do something about the wrong—to try in some fashion to correct it or, at the very least, to change his behavior about it. Where restitution is possible, it seeks to make it. It is a change of life itself, produced by a change of mind! Repentance is beautifully illustrated in the parable of the two sons in Matthew 21:28-32. The first son refused to go into his father’s vineyard to work, but then “afterward he repented, and went” (v. 29). It is also demonstrated in the wonderful account of the conversion of Saul of Tarsus, who went on to preach the faith which he once destroyed.
Some years ago, I was studying the Word of God with a young man. He soon came to understand God’s plan of salvation. When it came time to press the matter and call upon him to obey what he now knew to be true, he backed away from the Gospel by claiming that he simply could not bring himself to stop doing certain things, such as drinking alcoholic beverages, dancing in the nightclubs, et. al. He ultimately rejected the Gospel because it demanded more of him than he was willing to do! Invariably when people reject God’s plan of salvation, the key point is repentance.
I am convinced that more people get hung up on that command far more even than the command to be baptized for the remission of sins. In fact, if the truth be known – in all cases where the latter is rejected, the former has never begun really to take place! True faith and repentance demand nothing less than full compliance with God’s Word in becoming a Christian. The biggest obstacle is not getting into the water to get into Christ, it is getting out of self so that the other can occur! The first requirement of discipleship is a denial of self (Mat.16:24).
Repentance is the proper expression of such radical change in one’s focus in life.
Daniel Denham