Whatever Happened To Repentance?

9/20/01 | David Wilkerson

[Jerry_M]

"I don't agree with all of the Puritan writers' doctrine, but I love their emphasis on holiness."

Sorry, but you really can't have one without the other. One can only engage in "holy living" when one is born of the supernatural sovereign grace of God that the Puritans held as the core of their doctrine. Only when there is a total focus on the work of God in salvation (driving men to their knees in repentance) is there true holiness.

Men will repent before the face of Almighty God. The problem is that they worship a god of their own imagination rather than the sovereign ruler of the universe.

[aruanan]

No -- this man doesn't know his Greek! The full, literal meaning of the word "repent" in the New Testament is "to feel remorse and self-reproach for one's sins against God; to be contrite, sorry; to want to change direction." The difference in meanings here rests on the word "Want." True repentance includes a desire to change!

Moreover, simply being sorry doesn't constitute repentance. Rather, true sorrow leads to repentance. Paul states, "Godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death" (2 Corinthians 7:10).

I like David Wilkerson, but his analysis isn't exactly the most rigorous. For instance, in the passage above, he defines "repentence" and then in support quotes a verse that shows his earlier definition to be unworkable. To demonstrate this, we simply plug in his definition in place of "repentence":

"Godly sorrow worketh a feeling of sorrow and self-reproach and contrition and a desire to change direction to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death".

Sorrow worketh sorrow. Feelings, whoa, whoa, whoa, feelings... And that's the problem. People tend to substitute feelings and intentions ("a desire to change", New Years resolutions) and talk (Clinton's claiming to have kept campaign promises because they had talked about them after getting into office) for action.

No, the earlier definition of "changing direction" is the better one. The man did know his Greek. Repentence involves an actual change of direction, of behavior, not a "desire to change direction". It's a change of behavior that comes as a result of sorrow over one's sins. This is what Paul was talking about in the verse above about godly sorrow versus sorrow of the world: godly sorrow results in a change of direction, a qualitatively change in behavior. Worldly sorrow is feeling bad but not changing one's behavior. As Paul described a specific instance of repentence with respect to one sin in Ephesians 4:28: "He who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with his own hands, that he may have something to share with those in need." The worldly sorrow version of this would be, "He who has been stealing must desire to steal no longer, but must intend to work, planning to do something useful with his own hands, that he may have something he can really, really want to share with those in need."

Jesus gave another example of the difference between intention and action and the effect it had on salvation in Matthew 21:29-32.

"There was a man who had two sons. He went to the first and said, `Son, go and work today in the vineyard.' "`I will not,' he answered, but later he changed his mind and went. "Then the father went to the other son and said the same thing. He answered, `I will, sir,' but he did not go. "Which of the two did what his father wanted?" "The first," they answered. Jesus said to them, "I tell you the truth, the tax collectors and the prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God ahead of you. For John came to you to show you the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and the prostitutes did. And even after you saw this, you did not repent and believe him."

[shatcher]

Last night my husband read Jude to me. Is this not what this thread is talking about?

Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort [you] that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.

Jud 1:4 For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ.

Jud 1:5 I will therefore put you in remembrance, though ye once knew this, how that the Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed them that believed not.

Jud 1:6 And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day.

Jud 1:7 Even as Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.

Jud 1:8 Likewise also these [filthy] dreamers defile the flesh, despise dominion, and speak evil of dignities.

Jud 1:9 Yet Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil he disputed about the body of Moses, durst not bring against him a railing accusation, but said, The Lord rebuke thee.

Jud 1:10 But these speak evil of those things which they know not: but what they know naturally, as brute beasts, in those things they corrupt themselves.

Jud 1:11 Woe unto them! for they have gone in the way of Cain, and ran greedily after the error of Balaam for reward, and perished in the gainsaying of Core.

Jud 1:12 These are spots in your feasts of charity, when they feast with you, feeding themselves without fear: clouds [they are] without water, carried about of winds; trees whose fruit withereth, without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots;

Jud 1:13 Raging waves of the sea, foaming out their own shame; wandering stars, to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness for ever.

Jud 1:14 And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints,

Jud 1:15 To execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard [speeches] which ungodly sinners have spoken against him.

Jud 1:16 These are murmurers, complainers, walking after their own lusts; and their mouth speaketh great swelling [words], having men's persons in admiration because of advantage.

Jud 1:17 But, beloved, remember ye the words which were spoken before of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ;

Jud 1:18 How that they told you there should be mockers in the last time, who should walk after their own ungodly lusts.

Jud 1:19 These be they who separate themselves, sensual, having not the Spirit.

Jud 1:20 But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost,

Jud 1:21 Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.

Jud 1:22 And of some have compassion, making a difference:

Jud 1:23 And others save with fear, pulling [them] out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh.

Jud 1:24 Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present [you] faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy,

Jud 1:25 To the only wise God our Saviour, [be] glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen.

Praise God.

[aruanan]

Men will repent before the face of Almighty God. The problem is that they worship a god of their own imagination rather than the sovereign ruler of the universe.

Beav, there can be no such thing as repentence in a deterministic world, either the materialist world of B.F. Skinner, or the theological one of John Calvin. And you can't appeal to such similes as "Free will and determinism are like railroad tracks: they don't cross here, but looking off into the distance of eternity, they come together" as used by a speaker from Bob Jones University to illustrate how mutually exclusive concepts could be reconciled. The solution of Jonathan Edwards to just smile and be happy and believe in spite of the intractable problems posed by Calvinist schemes of predestination, is one of the earliest examples of the modern leap of faith that is the antithesis of Biblical faith.

[jude24]

What is repentance? This is the crucial question in order to evalulate whether this guy is accurate or not.

In the Greek New Testament, there are two words translated "repentence" in the King James version. The first is metamellomai, and it is concerned with an emotional change focusing more on particulars, and even implies regret more than remorse. This word is used regarding Judas Iscariout (he "repented himself, and brought again the thirty pieces of silver"). Now it is obvious that the son of perdition's repentance was not effectual to work salvation.

The other word translated "repent" is metanoeo, which implies far more than did metamellomai. This does imply the sincere form of repentance intended by the author of this article. Strongs defines repentance thusly: "To change one's m,ind for the better, heartily to amend with abhorrance of one's past sins."

That's the key- "abhorrance of one's past sins." That doesnt mean we wont sin as believers-- alas, I do far too frequently!!! This instead shows that we have a proper outlook on sin-- God's outlook. God is not some cosmic Santa Claus with a "boys will be boys" philosophy about sin. Sin is rebellion against God-- and it merits damnation. Thanks be to God that in His sovreign mercy he choose to provide a means of salvation! He is able to be "just, and the justifier." (Romans 3:26). The means were drastic, however-- "Being justified freely ... through Christ Jesus, whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation by faith in His blood." (Romans 3:24-25). Sin is so serious, that God in order to justify those whom He would save, He had to kill his Son. His Son had to subject himself to one of the cruelest forms of execution ever imagined-- and it was the Creation that crucified the Creator!!!

I think the author is right-- in the churches today, we have too cavilier an attitude about sin. Moral relativism and the heresies expounded from the pulpits of too many churches are damnable.

[RnMomof7]

I look at the church today and I see it as the ones invited to the wedding...but not wearing the white garment need to attend..

The church is overun with false repentence and feel good confessions..and thus also false salvation

You only know that the repentance was 'true" when the sin is "turned from"..continued confession of the same sin means there was no true repentence

[CCWoody]

Only when there is a total focus on the work of God in salvation (driving men to their knees in repentance) is there true holiness.

Major Bump

The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and a contrite heart, O God, Thou wilt not despise.

There is a wonderful power to those who are on their knees. If we don't think we have need to repent of sin, then we should pray that He will reveal our wicked ways and prepare to be brought low. Out of this will He build a thirsty soul:

I stretch forth my hands unto Thee; my soul thirsteth after Thee, as a thirsty land. Selah Hear me speedily, O LORD; my spirit faileth. Hide not Thy face from me, lest I be like them that go down into the pit. Cause me to hear Thy lovingkindness in the morning, for in Thee do I trust. Cause me to know the way wherein I should walk, for I lift up my soul unto Thee.

[RnMomof7]

The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and a contrite heart, O God, Thou wilt not despise.

A little holiness preach'n Woody? Amen

[George W. Bush]

My guess is it will pass by soon forgotten... Actually, it's already well underway. Once we get our first major military revenge, back to business as usual. Personally, I'm not sure even a nuclear weapon would actually wake this country up.

[CCWoody]

It seems that we are speaking different languages here, so help me out. Why would a "sinless" person need to be on their knees before God in such a repentant broken hearted manner seeking to turn away from the wicked ways in which he walks?

BTW, don't think I'm bristling for a fight because I have noticed your use of filthy rags lately. I am, though, exploring the depth of your apprehension.

[.30Carbine]

Why would a "sinless" person need to be on their knees before God in such a repentant broken hearted manner seeking to turn away from the wicked ways in which he walks?

Even the Saved are not sinless, that's why. Being saved means we do not have the just punishment for our sins (eternal death) to look forward to, but rather, because Jesus Christ came in the flesh, lived a perfect life, died in our place, and rose again, we have Heaven and eternal life with God our Father in store.

It is our choice, once saved, to "walk in the flesh" and sin, or to "walk in the Spirit" and win. We often choose the sin, because so long as we are still on this earth, we have a war raging between the Spirit and the flesh, and we sometimes lose a battle here and there.

BTTT, TigersEye.

[.30Carbine]

...because Jesus Christ came in the flesh, lived a perfect life, died in our place, and rose again...

Sorry, should have added ...and because we have believed these truths, confessed them openly, and they have changed our entire lives around from a focus on pleasing self to pleasing the God Who made us...

Makes a long sentence, though, don't it?! LOL.

[CCWoody]

But a Nazarine does believe that they are "sinless". I am made intimately aware of my nature on a regular basis; especially to things which I am totally ingnorant.

[the_doc]

Wilkerson is certainly not the profoundest theologian in the world, but he is correct in saying that the fellow did not understand NT Greek.

In other words, there are some profound things which Wilkerson does understand.

To render the Greek word for repentance is to commit the exegetical error known as the root fallacy.

The entire Bible teaches us what repentance involves. If you can only mock what Wilkerson is saying in the article, you are mocking the Bible.

What Wilkerson is ultimately suggesting is that much of what passes for saving faith is not saving faith at all. Much of what passes for conversion in our day is just the Satanic stuff of spurious conversion.

The spurious conversion, which is more common than a true conversion, is an artifact of man's Fall in Eden. God's elect experience the real thing, not the Satanic counterfeit devoid of real repentance.

Your position is part of the problem, part of the instrumental reason why spurious conversions are so common. By arguing for an experientially meaningless understanding of the supernatural event of repentance unto life, you are encouraging easy-believism.

(As an aside, I would point out that Wilkerson's crowd is not immune to the counterfeiting, unfortunately. A lot of his adherents don't grasp the other ways in which repentance can be counterfeited. One of these ways entails the decision to be as moral as possible.

That's not repentance, either. Even if you mix in a little sentimental religiosity, it's not repentance.

What Wilkerson needs to notice is that the Puritans approached holiness from an altogether different direction than Wilkerson does. They were predestinarians. That changes everything. And in this area, the Puritans were right an Wilkerson is wrong.)

[Jeremiah Jr]

SHABBAT SHUVAH
5 Tishri 5762, September 22, 2001
Torah portion for The Sabbath of Return

Hosea 14


Israel Restored at Last

¹ O Israel, return to the LORD your God,
        For you have stumbled because of your iniquity;
²Take words with you,
        And return to the LORD.
        Say to Him,
        "Take away all iniquity;
        Receive us graciously,
        For we will offer the sacrifices of our lips.
³Assyria shall not save us,
        We will not ride on horses,
        Nor will we say anymore to the work of our hands, "You are our gods.'
        For in You the fatherless finds mercy."


⁴"I will heal their backsliding,
        I will love them freely,
        For My anger has turned away from him.
⁵I will be like the dew to Israel;
        He shall grow like the lily,
        And lengthen his roots like Lebanon.
⁶His branches shall spread;
        His beauty shall be like an olive tree,
        And his fragrance like Lebanon.
⁷Those who dwell under his shadow shall return;
        They shall be revived like grain,
        And grow like a vine.
        Their scent shall be like the wine of Lebanon.


⁸"Ephraim shall say, "What have I to do anymore with idols?'
        I have heard and observed him.
        I am like a green cypress tree;
        Your fruit is found in Me."


⁹Who is wise?
        Let him understand these things.
        Who is prudent?
        Let him know them.
        For the ways of the LORD are right;
        The righteous walk in them,
        But transgressors stumble in them.

Joel 2

¹⁵Blow the trumpet in Zion,
        Consecrate a fast,
        Call a sacred assembly;
¹⁶Gather the people,
        Sanctify the congregation,
        Assemble the elders,
        Gather the children and nursing babes;
        Let the bridegroom go out from his chamber,
        And the bride from her dressing room.
¹⁷Let the priests, who minister to the LORD,
        Weep between the porch and the altar;
        Let them say, "Spare Your people, O LORD,
        And do not give Your heritage to reproach,
        That the nations should rule over them.
        Why should they say among the peoples,
        "Where is their God?"'




The Land Refreshed
¹⁸ Then the LORD will be zealous for His land,
        And pity His people.
¹⁹The LORD will answer and say to His people,
        "Behold, I will send you grain and new wine and oil,
        And you will be satisfied by them;
        I will no longer make you a reproach among the nations.


²⁰"But I will remove far from you the northern army,
        And will drive him away into a barren and desolate land,
        With his face toward the eastern sea
        And his back toward the western sea;
        His stench will come up,
        And his foul odor will rise,
        Because he has done monstrous things."


²¹Fear not, O land;
        Be glad and rejoice,
        For the LORD has done marvelous things!
²²Do not be afraid, you beasts of the field;
        For the open pastures are springing up,
        And the tree bears its fruit;
        The fig tree and the vine yield their strength.
²³Be glad then, you children of Zion,
        And rejoice in the LORD your God;
        For He has given you the former rain faithfully,
        And He will cause the rain to come down for you--
        The former rain,
        And the latter rain in the first month.
²⁴The threshing floors shall be full of wheat,
        And the vats shall overflow with new wine and oil.


²⁵"So I will restore to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten,
        The crawling locust,
        The consuming locust,
        And the chewing locust,
        My great army which I sent among you.
²⁶You shall eat in plenty and be satisfied,
        And praise the name of the LORD your God,
        Who has dealt wondrously with you;
        And My people shall never be put to shame.
²⁷Then you shall know that I am in the midst of Israel:
        I am the LORD your God
        And there is no other.
        My people shall never be put to shame.

RETURN!

[the_doc]

In my #54, I should have said

To render the Greek word for repentance as merely a change of mind is to commit the exegetical error known as the root fallacy.

Easy-believism is a big problem in our day. The exponents claim to be the spiritual descendents of the Reformers in justification by faith alone, but they are actually at odds with the Reformers on this.

As John Bunyan said, it doesn't take much faith to save, but it takes true faith. And the assensus stuff which the Reformers complained about in Romanism has become a terrible mess in our day (especially in the dispensational and Wesleyan movements, IMO).

[RnMomof7]

Not biting Woody...our church was on its knees Sunday...was yours?

[RnMomof7]

" But a Nazarine does believe that they are "sinless". I am made intimately aware of my nature on a regular basis; especially to things which I am totally ingnorant."

Sounds like woody has gotten his marching orders..right woody?

Weselyans belive that the grace of God makes it possible not that I cannot sin...but that I can NOT sin...

Might be that your God's grace is insufficent to help you not to choose sin..

So while you CHOOSE sin ...I choose Gods grace,I am not a servent of sin..

I will not discuss this with you again Woody

Matthew - 22:1And Jesus answered and spake unto them again by parables, and said,
22:2The kingdom of heaven is like unto a certain king, which made a marriage for his son,
22:3And sent forth his servants to call them that were bidden to the wedding: and they would not come.
22:4Again, he sent forth other servants, saying, Tell them which are bidden, Behold, I have prepared my dinner: my oxen and [my] fatlings [are] killed, and all things [are] ready: come unto the marriage.
22:5But they made light of [it], and went their ways, one to his farm, another to his merchandise:
22:6And the remnant took his servants, and entreated [them] spitefully, and slew [them].
22:7But when the king heard [thereof], he was wroth: and he sent forth his armies, and destroyed those murderers, and burned up their city.
22:8Then saith he to his servants, The wedding is ready, but they which were bidden were not worthy.
22:9Go ye therefore into the highways, and as many as ye shall find, bid to the marriage.
22:10So those servants went out into the highways, and gathered together all as many as they found, both bad and good: and the wedding was furnished with guests.
22:11And when the king came in to see the guests, he saw there a man which had not on a wedding garment:
22:12And he saith unto him, Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment? And he was speechless.
22:13Then said the king to the servants, Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast [him] into outer darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
22:14For many are called, but few [are] chosen.

What color is your garment Woody?

Revelation 7:13 And one of the elders answered, saying unto me, What are these which are arrayed in white robes? and whence came they? Revelation 7:14 And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.

[aruanan]

Your position is part of the problem, part of the instrumental reason why spurious conversions are so common. By arguing for an experientially meaningless understanding of the supernatural event of repentance unto life, you are encouraging easy-believism.

You'll have to actually elaborate since you've explained nothing.

[jude24]

So while you CHOOSE sin ...I choose Gods grace,I am not a servent of sin..

Either you are far superior to me and every Christian I know, or you're mistaken. You're claiming you don't sin anymore??? Uh.... no. The apostle John doesnt allow us that belief: "If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us" (1 John 5:8). This is written to believers, as evidenced by the following verse which promises forgiveness upon confession of sin.

If you don't sin anymore, you are far the superior of the Apostle Paul, who admitted his own struggles with sin as a believer in Romans 7.

Now, regarding the quote of Rev. 7:13-14, that just demonstrates how effectual Christ's propitiatory death was. Because their garments "are washed in the blood," they are white as snow. Similarly, it is because of Christ's death and resurrection(and only because of Christ's death and resurrection) that we are saved. God sees us not as the wretched, vile sinners that we are (even regenerate though we are!!), but rather as saints because He sees us through His Son.