God’s Word teaches that repentance is a complete turning away from all sin and its deceitful pleasures, and that this repentance is required from the sinner before he can truly and effectively believe in Jesus with saving faith (Proverbs 28:13; Isaiah 55:7; Ezekiel 18:21-23; Mark 1:15; Luke 24:46,47; Acts 2:38; 3:19; 20:20,21; II Corinthians 7:10; Hebrews 6:1-3).
The entrance into redemption through Christ is by faith. But faith can only be manifested alongside genuine repentance. God demands repentance from all sinners to avail them of the provision of redemption made in Jesus Christ (Isaiah 53:5-7; Matthew 20:28; 26:28; John 3:14,15; I Corinthians 5:7; John 1:12; 3:28,36).
THE MEANING OF REPENTANCE
Repentance is a conscious turning away from evil, disobedience, sin or idolatry. It is turning away from satan unto the living God (Jonah 3:8-10; Proverbs 28:13; Acts 26:18). Repentance consists in a change of attitude towards sin. It is the deep inward experience which makes the sinner turn from sin to God. It causes an abhorrence or hatred for sin. The need for repentance is the heartache of a deeply compassionate God (II Peter 3:9). Repentance is different from worldly sorrow or remorse, which is merely an expression of sorrow over an embarrassing outcome of sin (II Corinthians 7:10; I Samuel 15:30). As the sinner hears the true Gospel, the Holy Spirit convicts him of his sins. This produces a deep, godly sorrow for his sins. He consequently acknowledges those sins before God, confesses and forsakes them. That is repentance (Acts 2:37; 16:29,30). Repentance opens the way to the exercise of faith on the sacrifice of the Lord Jesus, causes the heart to desire a change, the inward man to pray, and the tongue to confess the Lordship of Jesus. It secures pardon and cleansing from the Lord (Proverbs 28:13; Ezekiel 18:21,22; 33:14-16; I John 1:9).
THE PREACHING OF REPENTANCE
Repentance is the central theme of the Gospel. The doctrine of repentance is fundamental to the propagation of the Gospel. It is a foundation stone in the cardinal doctrines of the New Testament Church. John the Baptist, forerunner of Christ, specialised on repentance (Mark 1:15; Luke 3:3-14). Repentance was also the key note of Christ‟s preaching (Matthew 9:13; Mark 2:17; Luke 5:32; Acts 3:18,19,26; 11:18). At the beginning of His ministry, the Lord preached repentance (Matthew 4:17). Before He left for heaven, He emphasised it again (Luke 24:45-47). And while He was already in heaven, He admonished the backslidden Church to repent (Revelation 2:4,5; 3:4). Repentance was as well as the sum and substance of the apostolic evangelistic message. The twelve made it central in their preaching (Acts 2:37,38; 3:19). Paul, the apostle to the Gentiles, made repentance the core of his message (Acts 17:30; 20:20,21). Repentance must therefore be preached to all men in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ (Luke 24:47). Sinners and backsliders must be made to know that no one is excluded from the challenge of the Gospel to repent, for it is only through it that the manifold blessings of the atonement could be claimed (Acts 3:19).
THE FRUIT OF REPENTANCE
True repentance is coupled with saving faith in the Person of the Lord Jesus Christ (Acts 20:21). Faith is a response to grace. Repentance does not stem from works, rather, repentance produces works of faith (II Timothy 1:9; Romans 3:27,28; 4:1-8; Ephesians 2:8; James 2:14-26; Ephesians 2:9,10; Titus 3:5-8). True repentance disdains sin (II Corinthians 7:10,11; Psalm 38:18; 51:17; II Samuel 12:13). No sinner or backslider can be said to have genuinely repented, who stills condones sin. Another practical, mandatory side of true repentance is restitution. This is an act of correcting all past wrongs, where scriptural, so as to have a conscience void of offence towards God and towards men. God expects the repentant sinner or backslider to correct every wrong committed against fellowmen (Ezekiel 33:14-16; Acts 24:16).
Repentance opens the way and makes us receive the grace of God. It provides pardon and remission of sins (Isaiah 55:7; Luke 24:47). It is through repentance that the sinner receives justification and acceptance (John 1:12,13; Galatians 3:8; 2:16; Romans 8:1; 5:1,2). Above all, there is joy both in heaven and on earth, when a sinner repents (Luke 15:7,10,11-24; Psalm 51:12; Acts 8:8).