Joy in heaven, what produces it? The repentance of ONE sinner. Marvelous that heaven should be so stirred by what produces so little commotion on earth. That there should be joy in heaven over what produces little else but contempt in the world.
An heir is born to some powerful sovereign, or such an one is married, or ascends the throne, and there is great rejoicing and merry-making on earth. Some mighty conqueror returns at the head of his victorious armies, there is great rejoicing on earth; but such matters receive little notice in heaven. Some poor, broken-down miserable wreck of a man or woman on a heap of filthy rags or straw, in some tumble-down garret or hovel, turns their face towards heaven, and says, “Father, I have sinned,” or “God, be merciful to me a sinner,” and all heaven rings again with joy. And where is the source and spring of this joy? In the heart of the blessed (that is, happy) God. “There is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth.” Who is in their presence, and in whose presence are they? In that of God. That is where the joy is from which all heaven catches the tone.
And only to think, that it is not the faultless self-righteous Pharisee that produces this joy; it is the repentance of a sinner that does so—of a sinner? Yes, there is joy in heaven over ONE sinner that repenteth. Will you, my unconverted reader, yield heaven this joy? Your repentance would do so.
Do you ask, “What is repentance?” It is that change of mind which godly sorrow works. Not the sorrow of the world that works death, as in the case of Judas. A change of mind as to God, that whereas you thought Him hard and exacting, you own Him to be just, and merciful, and gracious. That whereas you thought yourself righteous, and it may be even religious, you own yourself to be a sinner, to be utterly without claim upon Him on the ground of anything you are or have done, and cast yourself unreservedly upon His mercy.
May the Lord lead you to do so, dear unrepentant reader, for His name’s sake.