Repentance

 •  2 min. read  •  grade level: 8
Repentance, however deep and sincere, is not the ground or procuring cause of a sinner's forgiveness. A convicted prisoner might truly repent the doing of the deed of which he had been found guilty, but no judge would be justified in letting him go free on that account. Another might recklessly go into debt, and then repent of his folly, but his repentance would not pay his debts or release him from financial obligations. So it is with the sinner. The most profound repentance, the most acute sorrow for sin, witnessed as it might be by many and bitter tears, furnish no ground for pardon. Were it otherwise we should need no Savior and no atonement. The one sole ground of forgiveness is the precious blood of Christ shed judicially upon the cross of Calvary. It is that, and that alone, which maintains inviolate the justice of God, and at the same time enables Him to justify the ungodly. (Rom. 3:26; 4:526To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus. (Romans 3:26)
5But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness. (Romans 4:5).) Kindly read those two passages with care, and also 1 John 2:1212I write unto you, little children, because your sins are forgiven you for his name's sake. (1 John 2:12).
Still repentance has its place. A repentant soul is one who has not only undergone a change in all his thoughts about sin and God, but he also sides with God against himself, and owns with anguish of heart that he is guilty and lost. But with it there is always the thought, however feeble, that in God alone must help be found. So the repentant prodigal said that in his father's house there was "bread enough and to spare": he knew there was none for him elsewhere. Simon Peter too, when confessing himself a sinful man, nevertheless clung all the while to Jesus-"When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus' knees, saying, Depart from me; for I am a sinful man, 0 Lord." Luke 5:88When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus' knees, saying, Depart from me; for I am a sinful man, O Lord. (Luke 5:8). It is always so. The repentant sinner hopes in God, though at the time he may know but little of the goodness of God, and nothing of the joy He has in welcoming His prodigals back.