Repent

From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand."
-Matt. 4:17

I have no come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance. -Luke 5:32

The men of Nineveh will rise up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and behold, something greater than Jonah is here. -Matt. 12:41

Unless you repent, you will all likewise perish. -Luke 13:3,5

The Baptist preacher, Charles Spurgeon, called it Christ's first and last subject (referring to Matt 4:17 and Luke 24:47). Repentance. There are subjects in Christian doctrine which, I admit, can be disagreed upon (i.e. baptism, worship practices, eschatology), this is not one of them. To be unrepentant and consider yourself a Christian is contrary to scripture and logic, but more importantly scripture, and will lead to ruin.

We must first understand what repentance is, and I think Piper gives a few good points on this subject. Firstly he looks at the Greek word that we get repent from (μετανοέω, metanoeō), and separates them into their two parts: meta and noeō, noeō referring to the mind, its thoughts, perceptions, etc. and meta referring to change or movement. The first point he is attempting to prove is that repentance is more than just "mere sorrow for sin or mere improvement of behavior" (Piper, pg. 40), but a change of mind and heart.

The problem with most professing Christians, is they believe repentance to be simply changing your outward lifestyle such as not drinking, not cussing, not having sex until marriage, and so on. But this is not the meaning, though external changes will certainly result from internal changes, the focus is on the internal. So then, "we may infer that the basic meaning of repent is to experience a change of mind's perceptions and dispositions and purposes" (Piper, pg. 41), namely, to see God as good and holy and worthy of obedience, and seeing the things we once loved (sin) as evil and corrupt and contrary to the law of God.

Next, Piper gives a passage which points to the meaning just given in Luke 3:8, "Bear fruits in keeping with repentance." There are those who believe that with faith comes no new obedience to the Lord, yet this passage shows that where an inward change occurs outward fruit is brought forth.

"This change leads to the fruits of new behavior. Repentance is not the new deeds, but the inward change that bear the fruit of new deeds. Jesus is demanding that we experience this inward change" (Piper, pg. 41).

But why must we repent? Because we are all sinners, "I have no come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance" (Luke 5:32), in other words he doesn't come to call those who think they are already righteous but those who see their own sin and are in need of repentance. One of the things we must know is that sin is an offense to man in most cases, but that is not our biggest problem, sin is an offense and assault on a holy and righteous God. As the prodigal son says when he returns, "Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you" (Luke 15:13), it is an offense against heaven.

Pastor Piper points to the Lord's prayer where it is said, "Forgive us our debts, for we also forgive everyone who is indebted to us" (Luke 11:4).

"Therefore, Jesus' view of sin is that it dishonors God and puts us in debt to restore the divine honor we had defamed by our God-belittling behavior or attitudes" (Piper, pg. 42).

Jesus has paid this debt yet in order to benefit from that we are commanded to repent, it is an essential part of belief itself.

"Repenting means experiencing a change of mind so that we can see God as true and beautiful and worthy of all our praise and all our obedience. This change of mind also embraces Jesus in the same way" (Piper, pg. 42).

Next Piper proves the universal needs for repentance. But as with most of these commands it is enough to say that they are required of all men as much as belief in Christ is required for salvation.

Piper, then goes into why there is such an urgency for this message of repentance, because of the judgment that is surely coming. "Unless you repent, you will all likewise perish" (Luke 13:3,5). They will perish if they do not repent, "The men of Nineveh will rise up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and behold, something greater than Jonah is here" (Matt. 12:41).

"Jesus, the Son of God, is warning people of the judgment to come and is offering escape if we will repent. If we will not repent, Jesus has one message for us: 'Woe to you' (Matt. 11:21)" (Piper, pg. 43).

This is why Spurgeon called it His first and last message, because it was, and the reason it was, was because of its importance. Anyone who dupes you into thinking there is not much importance in it, that it is not necessary is telling a lie.

I have a few personal caveats for this subject:

1) There are those that you repent once and it is a done deal, as though repentance were not a continual process. They believe that that one repentance covers all sins past, present and future. But just as the Greek word for believe implies a continuance of belief, so repent has the implication of continued repentance. Just as you cannot believe that Christ is savior of your soul one day, and not believe it the next, so you cannot be penitent one day and not be the next.

2) This subject is confused, and there are those who will criticize those who believe in repentance before justification, and consider them legalist and preaching a works salvation (as though repentance were a work). If this is something that might bother you, consider the fact that before God caused your rebirth (regeneration) you were dead in trespasses and sin (Eph. 2:1), and unable to submit to the will of God, nor could you (Rom. 8:7). But when God, by His grace, give you life and a new heart, he also grants you faith (Eph. 2:8) and repentance (Ezekiel 36:27). In other words what God commands of you, He also grants you. Thus, salvation by Grace ALONE, apart from works.


Citation:
Piper, John. "What Jesus Demands from the World" Crossway Books Copyright © 2006. DG. Used by permission of Crossway Books, a division of Good News Publishers, Wheaton, Il 60187, www.crossway.com.
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