I have frequently met with souls – sincerely exercised persons – laboring with might and main to repent; and were you to ask these persons, What is repentance? and what leads to it? they would almost invariably answer, “Repentance is sorrow for sin, and is produced by thinking upon sin, its enormity and awfulness, and upon God’s judgment pronounced upon the sinner.” Such would, I believe, be in substance the answer to the question, “What is repentance, and what leads to it?”
Now, if any are striving to repent, they will never thus be led to true scriptural repentance. It is not the judgment of God, but the “goodness of God,” which leads to repentance. Suppose I look at my sin in the light of God’s threatenings – in view of the “lake of fire” – that may lead to terror of mind – to anguish of soul – to remorse, Determination not to sin again because of its fearful consequences to me is not repentance; neither is it “a change of mind,” as has been frequently taught. If this is to be regarded as repentance, then Judas, “the son of perdition,” repented after this sort; but the truth is that neither “remorse” nor a “changed mind” can be regarded as “repentance,” for Judas had both, and yet “he went and hanged himself.” What, then, is repentance? and how is it produced? Repentance is a deep, thorough, moral judgment passed upon self, ways, and state, and this in light and presence of divine goodness and love. Repentance is thus a deep reality. It is not merely “sorrow for sin.” That undoubtedly will not be awanting wherever true repentance has been wrought in the soul by God’s Holy Spirit.
Now my reader, you must repent, if the life and liberty of the Gospel are to be enjoyed. Do you, then, say, “What am I to do in order that I may repent aright?” If such is your desire, I would seek affectionately and earnestly to turn your gaze to the cross of Calvary. Where other can you have a true judgment of self – of what sin is – of its hatefulness to God? O the cross! What a marvel it is! In it I find expressed, as I could find nowhere else, the glory of God – divine righteousness – judgment of sin, and salvation to the sinner. Do I want to repent? Then let me do so in presence of that anguish unutterable, expressed in the cry of the abandoned Christ – “My God! My God! why hast Thou forsaken Me?” – in presence of that eternal love which followed its objects down to the depths of their misery; and in order that they might be eternally blessed – gave up to death, judgment and wrath, an only-begotten and well – beloved Son. O, the cross! the cross! the glorifier of God – the vindicator and exponent of God’s righteousness – the richest exhibition of divine love – the fullest telling out of man’s guilt – the triumph over Satan, and salvation gloriously effected for the poor sinner!
Let me entreat you, beloved friend, to give up “trying to repent,” “trying to believe,” or trying anything. In short, look at God’s beloved Son lifted up upon the Cross. Why is He there? He, the holy, harmless, undefiled, and spotless One dies for the sinner; makes a full, perfect, and eternal end of sin for every one believing on His precious name and who credits the marvelous love of God.
There is everything you need in Him who hung upon the tree. Only look to Him, and faith and repentance will never trouble you. All those anxieties and questions. are but the fruit of an awakened and still struggling conscience, which can alone find rest in the blood of the cross.
Dear friend, Christ is no longer in the tomb; once He lay there, as you lay dead in trespasses and sins. He was dead and buried because of your sin – this is grace and love. Now He has been raised up and glorified at God’s right hand All, all is done. Now enter into perfect peace.