I should expect him to “bring forth ... fruits worthy of repentance.” It is useless for anyone to say that he repents of his sins while he continues in them. A man that is genuinely repentant not only confesses his sins, but forsakes them (Prov. 28:1313He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy. (Proverbs 28:13)).
Among other signs of true repentance, we shall observe a willingness to make restitution to anyone who has been wronged.
We see this in the case of Onesimus. He had wronged his master, Philemon, by running away. After his conversion, he seeks to make compensation, as far as he can, by going back to his master. In Zaccheus we have another instance of this. When the Lord Jesus responded so graciously to his desire to see Him and brought salvation to his house, Zaccheus said, “If I have taken anything from any man by false accusation, I restore him fourfold” (Luke 19:88And Zaccheus stood, and said unto the Lord; Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have taken any thing from any man by false accusation, I restore him fourfold. (Luke 19:8)). That is a case of bringing forth fruits worthy of repentance.
Is there anyone that you have wronged? Anyone whom you defrauded many years ago by dishonesty that has never been discovered from that day to this? Anyone you have wronged with your tongue, whose character you have damaged by slander and gossip? Is there such a person? Don’t tell me that you are repentant, then, unless you are willing to do what you can to make amends.
A lady who was converted at one of our meetings had been employed, in her younger days, in a fabric store. She had bought a new hat and needed some ribbon to trim it. Not having the necessary money, she was tempted to take a yard from her employer’s shop. No one was the wiser; the ribbon was never missed.
When that lady was converted, the circumstance recurred to her mind. Taking her pen, she wrote to the forewoman of the shop somewhat like this:
“Dear ______: While an assistant at the fabric store, I am sorry to say that I stole a yard of pink ribbon. I am now a Christian, by the grace of God, so I enclose payment in stamps and ask that you will accept this expression of my sincere regret.”
That is the sort of thing we expect to see when anyone professes repentance.
H. P Barker