05.19. Motives And Encouragements To Repentance (Continued)
XVI MOTIVES AND ENCOURAGEMENTS TO REPENTANCE (CONTINUED)
"Repent ye and turn again that your sins may be blotted out" (Acts 3:19).
This motive – one of the mightiest that ever influenced human action – is, in the Scriptures, urged on sinners with many shades of variety, and from many standpoints. Appealing, as it does, to the conscience and to that inherent and indestructible craving for happiness and permanent future good, lodged in every heart, this motive must ever be a mighty factor. Let us first inquire what it implies:
It implies man’s accountability to God.
It implies a law measuring that accountability, prescribing the right and proscribing the wrong.
It implies transgressions of that law.
It implies a record of every transgression.
It implies a provision of grace by which the sinner may escape the penalty of sin.
It teaches, first, that this way of escape from penalty consists in blotting out, effacing, erasing the record of sin, so that the book of indictments, or accusations, presents no charges against the transgressor. This cancellation of offenses is so accordant with principles of righteousness, so meets every demand of the violated law, so satisfies the law-giver, that no being in the universe can revive the charges, and no competent court would entertain them if revived. In such case, indeed, the Scriptures triumphantly inquire: "Who shall lay anything to the charge of God’s elect? It is God that justifieth; who is he that condemneth?" The blotting out is represented as so complete that the sins become invisible forever; they are put so far away none can find them; they are buried so deep none can revive them. There remains no more trace of them than passing clouds leave in the bright blue sky after they are gone – than fleeting shadows impress on the sunlit lawn when they have vanished.
Very expressive, very beautiful, sublime, and consoling are the scriptural declarations on this point: "I, even I, am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins" (Isaiah 43:25). "I have blotted out, as a thick cloud, thy transgressions, and as a cloud thy sins" (Isaiah 44:22). "As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us" (Psalms 103:12). "Thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the sea" (Micah 7:19).
The Scripture teaches, second, that repentance is an indispensable prerequisite to the blotting out of sin, and herein lies the strength of the motive. Here we strike the bedrock of essential and vital doctrine: "Repent ye, THAT your sins may be blotted out." If the repentance be not indispensable the motive is broken and the exhortation becomes sounding brass and tinkling cymbal. It is as empty as a blasted nut – as lifeless as a hearted grain of corn. There is no escape from the doctrine of universal salvation if sinners may be forgiven without repenting of their sins. Moreover, the most prevalent delusion in the world today is the impression cherished by guilty hearts, that in some way they shall become the beneficiaries of divine mercy at last, even though they do not in this life repent and turn from sin. And so regarding repentance as not absolutely essential they despise the exhortation to repent. It becomes a matter of supreme importance therefore that teachers and preachers of the gospel should be so thoroughly rooted and grounded in the doctrine of the necessity of repentance as a term, or condition of forgiveness, that they will, in their teaching and preaching, sternly and relentlessly shut every gate of hope for pardon except the one approached by penitence. Here apply the words of our Lord: "Agree with thine adversary quickly, while thou art with him in the way; lest haply the adversary deliver thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and thou be cast into prison. Verily I say unto thee, Thou shalt by no means come out thence, till thou have paid the last farthing."
The relation between repentance and its fruits (confession, reformation, and restitution where possible) on the one hand, and remission of sins on the other hand, is so essential and withal so little understood, the reader may profitably give the matter special attention. As indicative of this relation we cite and emphasize the following scriptures: "Thus it is written . . . that repentance and [rather unto; see Vatican Mss.] remission of sins should be preached in his name unto all nations, beginning from Jerusalem" (Luke 24:46-47). Thus our Lord.
"Repent ye, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ unto the remission of your sins" (Acts 2:38). Thus his apostle. "Beginning from Jerusalem, John . . . preached the baptism of repentance unto the remission of sins" (Mark 1:4). Thus his harbinger in "the beginning of the gospel."
The God of love and mercy and forgiveness cannot forgive the impenitent. This proposition is generally accepted and maintained by Christians in the case of God and the sinner. But in the case of man against man, some Christians entertain curious and illogical notions which virtually subvert the original proposition, that is, they hold and teach that Christians should forgive an impenitent brother. To meet this harmful view the proposition is enlarged.
In every case, whether of trespass against God or man or the church, repentance is indispensable to forgiveness. I cite the law: "If thy brother sin, rebuke him; and if he repent, forgive him. And if he sin against thee seven times in the day, and seven times turn again to thee, saying, I repent, thou shalt forgive him" (Luke 17:3-4). The terms of this statute are express and unequivocal: "If he repent, forgive him." Repentance settles the case between individuals. But if he repent not, then the remedy is not forgiveness, but another law, to wit: "And if thy brother sin, go right along, convince him of his sin between thee and him alone: if he hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother. But if he hear thee not, take with thee one or two more, that at the mouth of two witnesses or three every word may be established. And if he refuse to hear them, tell it unto the church: and if he refuse to hear the church also, let him be unto thee as the Gentile and the publican. Verily I say unto you, what things soever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and what things soever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven" (Matthew 18:15-18).
Upon this law I remark: To forgive is a legal term, meaning to release or loose from a claim. Its opposite, "to bind," means to retain or hold against one the account as unsettled. "To gain your brother" means that one has so convinced him of the sin against him, that he repents and confesses and asks for forgiveness.
His repentance is an indispensable condition of forgiveness. If he forgive without his "hearing you" he has no case then to present to the two or three others and none to present to the church, and by his illegal settlement he has not only brought law and order into reproach, but also left his brother "ungained" and stopped the process of gaining, which God, in mercy appointed.
If all personal and joint labors do not bring about "repentance unto the acknowledgment of the truth," then he is not to him a brother, but a Gentile and publican.
The church then binds, not looses.
The law having been followed strictly, in both letter and spirit, by both him and the church, heaven ratifies the binding. He is therefore not forgiven.
In the language of Shakespeare: "Can a man be pardoned and retain the offense?" In case the offense is not merely against an individual but general, that is, against the church or society we have another law, set forth in a noted example (1 Corinthians 5:1-13): "One of you hath his father’s wife. And ye are puffed up and did not rather mourn, that he that hath done this deed might be taken away from among you. For I verily, being absent in body but present in spirit, have already, as though I were present, judged him that hath so wrought this thing, in the name of our Lord Jesus, ye being gathered together, and my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus, to deliver such a one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the Spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus . . . Put away the wicked man from among yourselves."
The conclusion of the case appears in 2 Corinthians 2:4-11 : "Sufficient to such a one is this punishment which was inflicted by the many; so that contrariwise ye should rather forgive him and comfort him lest by any means such a one should be swallowed up with his overmuch sorrow. Wherefore I beseech you to confirm your love toward him. For to this end also did I write, that I might know the proof of you, whether ye are obedient in all things. But to whom ye forgive anything, I forgive also: for what I also have forgiven, if I have forgiven anything, for your sakes have I forgiven it in the person of Christ; that no advantage may be gained over us by Satan."
God thus demands of the church, as well as of the individual, proof of obedience to his law of forgiveness. There must be no forgiveness without repentance. To forgive without it, while possibly easy to us, is ruinous to the transgressor. To gain him – to so labor in love and firmness as to lead him to repentance – this is toil indeed and travail of soul.
But let us look more closely into this matter. If we forgive the trespasser against ourselves, without repentance on his part, we must claim to do so on some Christian principle. But where is our principle? We admit that out of regard for the majesty of the law and justice, God did not forgive us, while we were impenitent, and that God’s mercy toward us is the only measure of forgiveness we may extend toward others. "How, then, readest thou?" "And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving each other, EVEN AS God also in Christ forgave you" (Ephesians 4:32). Mark the measure – "even as" – and note that God never forgave us except (a) "in Christ," who satisfied the law claim, and (b) on condition of our repentance.
Again: "Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors" (Matthew 6:12): "Release, and ye shall be released" (Luke 6:37).; "Forgive us our sins; for we ourselves also forgive everyone indebted to us" (Luke 11:4); "And whensoever ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have aught against anyone; that your Father also who is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses" (Mark 11:25); "Forgiving each other, if any man have a complaint against any; even as the Lord forgave you, so also do ye" (Colossians 3:13).
Very clearly these scriptures teach that our measure of duty and model in the exercise of forgiveness toward each other are found in God’s mercy toward us. We cannot be more righteous or merciful than God.
Suppose a case: A man who has forgiven a sin against himself without penitence on the part of the offender, begins to pray to God: "Father, forgive my sins against thee as I have forgiven sins against me!" Do look at that prayer! Analyze and interpret it! Here is the analysis and import: (a) The roan offers himself as a model for God. (b) The man forgiving an impenitent offender against himself, asks God, on that account, to forgive him without requiring repentance, (c) The man forgives a debtor owing him one farthing and asks, on that account, that himself be forgiven ten thousand talents – a lucrative transaction! (d) "As I, the model of God, forgive sins against myself without requiring repentance therefore, let all sinners gather from my case, that they may reasonably hope to be forgiven at last, even though living and dying without repentance, for God ought to be as merciful as I am."
The whole case may be summed up thus: Outside of Christ the law demands the uttermost farthing – there is no forgiveness. In Christ there is abundant forgiveness, for he has satisfied law. But there is no access to the forgiveness in Christ without repentance. Therefore there can be no release, no loosing, no remission of sin) in any case, without repentance. In the case of the sinner against God the gospel says, "Repent that your sins may be blotted out." In the case of thy brother against thee: "If he repent, forgive him." In the same case, if he repent not, it being now a case against the church: "Loose" him, if he hear the church and repent – otherwise "bind" him. In the general offense against the church: "Put him away from among you, until in his repentance he is likely to be swallowed up with overmuch sorrow, then forgive him." Such is the divine law.
The reader may easily master the whole subject of man’s forgiveness by first considering the Greek terms employed in such cases, all of which in our common version are translated "forgive." These terms are:
Apoluo, to release, employed in Luke 6:37.
Charizornai, to freely forgive, employed in 2 Corinthians 2:7; 2 Corinthians 2:10; 2 Corinthians 12:13; Ephesians 4:32; Colossians 3:13.
Aphiemi, to loose, to remit, employed in Matthew 6:12; Matthew 6:14-15; Matthew 18:21-35; Mark 11:25-26; Luke 11:4; Luke 17:3-4.
Second, by considering our Lord’s four lesson connecting our forgiveness of each other with our own prayers for divine forgiveness. These, in the order of time, are: (a) Matthew 6:12-15; (b) Matthew 18:21-35; (c) Luke 11:1-4; (d) Mark 11:25 (Mark 11:26 omitted in revised text as not genuine).
Third, by noting; (a) The law of forgiveness in regard to an offense against an individual so long as it remains an individual matter (Luke 17:3-4) ; the law in the same case when it becomes a church matter (Matthew 18:15-20) ; the law in general offenses against the church or society (1 Corinthians 5:1-13; 2 Corinthians 2:5-11).
Just here are restated the broad propositions maintained in this discussion: The gospel requires repentance as an indispensable condition of forgiveness in the case of all offenses, whether (a) against God; (b) the church; (c) or an individual. God’s method of mercy toward us, is the standard measure or model toward each other. The only part of either proposition, usually denied by some Christians, is that repentance must be required in individual offenses. They affirm that we must forgive offenses against us, absolutely, without any regard to repentance.
This view seems obnoxious to the following criticisms: (1) It arises from a misconception of the import of forgiveness. Forgiveness must not be confounded with benevolence. Our Heavenly Father causes his sun to shine and sends the rain on the evil as well as the good, but he will not forgive them without repentance. Forgiveness is not simply to be free from malice. Our hearts may be full of love, tenderness, compassion, and solicitude for the offender whom we may not forgive in his impenitence. Forgiveness is not leaving vengeance to God. This we must do, no matter how great the offense against us, nor how impenitent the offender. Withholding forgiveness until the offender repents does not stop us from loving, persistent, prayerful labor to lead him to repentance. Nor does it imply the absence of a forgiving spirit – a readiness and desire to forgive – when it can be done consistent with God’s will and the offender’s good. Whoever cherishes bitter and malicious feelings, thinks vengeful thoughts, cultivates censorious and uncharitable judgments concerning an offender, and withholds in his behalf love, compassion, prayer, and labor, while sheltering under the plea: "I may not forgive him until he repents" misses the mark all along the line, manifests an utterly unchristian spirit and is himself in danger of the judgment. Forgiveness is a law term implying the fair cancellation of the accounts releasing or loosing from what was done, but is now fully satisfied. Hence it is in Christ, who met all law claims, only this abundance of forgiveness is not available or accessible to the impenitent. No man can check on this fund in favor of an impenitent offender.
(2) To forgive without repentance is therefore doing despite to the majesty of the law.
(3) It not only does not "gain thy brother," but it obstructs and stops God’s gracious means for gaining him, thereby doing him a grievous injury.
(4) It works incalculable injury to the one who so forgives seeing it arises from his selfishness, which finds it easier to remit an offense than to labor to restore and gain his offending brother, in God’s appointed but painful and wearisome way.
(5) It feeds sinners with false and fatal hopes, who say, "If these Christians, who are representatives and exponents of the gospel, forgive impenitent offenders against them, surely God, who is infinitely more merciful than they are, will find some way to forgive us at last, even though we live and die without repentance."
We close this discussion with the forceful words of Dr. John A. Broadus. Commenting on the expression in our Lord’s prayer, (Matthew 6:12) "Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors," he says: "But like many terms expressive of Christian duty, the word forgive has come to be often used in a weakened sense, and many anxious minds are misled by its ambiguity. If forgive means merely to ’bear no malice’ (Sir 28:7), to abstain from revenge, leaving that to God (Romans 12:19), then in that sense we ought to forgive every wrongdoer, even though impenitent, and still our enemy. But this is not the Scripture use of the word forgive; and in the full sense of the term it is not our duty, and not even proper, to forgive one who has wronged us, until he confesses the wrong, and this with such unquestioned sincerity and genuine change of feeling and purpose as to show him worthy of being restored to our confidence and regard. Thus our Lord says (Luke 17:3, Revised Version), If thy brother sin, rebuke him: and if he repent, forgive him.’ Here again the example of our Heavenly Father illustrates the command to us. He sends rain and sunshine on the evil and the good, but he does not forgive men, restoring them to his confidence and affection, until they sincerely and thoroughly repent. In judging as to the sincerity and trustworthiness of those who profess repentance our Lord inculcated great patience and charitable judgment. If a wrong forgiven is repeated a second or third time, we are apt to lose all patience and refuse to forgive again; but he said, If he sin against thee seven times in the day, and seven times turn again to thee, saying, I repent; thou shalt forgive him’ (Luke 17:4, Rev. Ver.). Nay, in Matthew 18:21 f, he makes it even ’seventy times seven’ – not, of course, as an exact limit, but as a general and very strong injunction of long-suffering and charitable judgment toward human infirmity."
The goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance (Romans 2:4). The motives and encouragements to repent, that may be deduced from God’s goodness, are necessarily in line with the first motive presented, "The Lord is willing that all men should repent," but deserve separate treatment.
We cite two scriptures: "Despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and long-suffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance." (Romans 1:4.) "Account that the long-suffering of our Lord is salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul, also, according to the wisdom given to him, wrote unto you; as also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; wherein are some things hard to be understood, which the ignorant and unsteadfast wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction" (2 Peter 3:15-16). On these scriptures, construed together, observe:
(1) The meaning of the terms "goodness, forbearance, and long-suffering." They express, in general, the kindness and benevolence of God in bestowing favors on sinful men, his slowness to take offense and his long-withholding of well merited punishment.
(2) The object of this goodness is the "salvation" of its beneficiaries.
(3) We are not allowed to discredit or set aside this object by our construction of other scriptures, "hard to be understood," which treat of election and predestination. For example, we must not so construe Romans 9:11-23 as to over turn Romans 2:4. We must not "wrest" these hard scriptures to the "destruction" of men, when God requires us to "account his goodness as meaning their salvation."
(4) In this goodness is not merely a vague desire for men’s salvation, but an active, positive "leading to repentance" as a step toward salvation.
(5) Through guilty ignorance of the object of this goodness, men despise it and resist its leading.
In awakening and stimulating motives to repentance, this theme affords wonderful opportunity for displaying the impartial benignity of our Heavenly Father, who not only in nature "maketh his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sendeth rain on the just and the unjust," thus "not leaving himself without witness that he did good to men, giving them from heaven rains and fruitful seasons, filling their hearts with food and gladness," but also in the riches of grace has provided abundant salvation for the greatest sinners, "so loving the world as to give his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth on him might not perish, but have eternal life."
But the capital point – the one calling for special emphasis in treatment – is the active, positive leading of this benignity towards repentance; a leading which can be felt and appealed to; a leading or "drawing of the Father," John 6:44, as though he took a prodigal’s band in his, that he might guide him safely over dangerous paths; a leading which is but another word for the Spirit’s striving; a leading that softly and lovingly persuades, but will not drive; a leading of attraction emanating from him who said, "And I, if I be lifted up, will draw all men unto me." And yet a leading that may be resisted. Ah! the sad picture, God’s goodness leading and guilty man’s resisting! Let the preacher remember that he is dealing with dense ignorance, sinners "not knowing" the direction and object of this leading. "I wot, brethren that through ignorance ye did it," says Peter to the murderers of Jesus. "I did it ignorantly and in unbelief," says Paul of his persecutions. Let the preacher also remember that he represents One "who can have compassion on the ignorant, and on them that are out of the way," One who "is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy," who also "knoweth our frame and remembereth that we are dust."
QUESTIONS 1. Repeat in scriptural language the third motive to repentance.
2. What does this exhortation imply?
3. Illustrate the completeness of the "blotting out."
4. Quote the scriptures cited to prove this completeness. (Isaiah 43:25; Isaiah 44:22; Psalms 103:12; Micah 7:19.)
5. State, in clear, strong terms, the relation between repentance and the blotting out of sins as taught in Acts 3:19.
6. Yet what delusion prevails in the world?
7. How alone may teachers and preachers of the gospel dispel this illusion?
8. Quote the three other scriptures cited which show the relation between repentance and remission of sins (Luke 24:46-47; Acts 2:38; Mark 1:4).
9. Do Christian teachers generally concede and teach this relation in the case of God and the sinner?
10. In what case do some of them deny its application?
11. Quote the New Testament law (Luke 17:3-4) showing that repentance is indispensable to forgiveness, even in the case of man’s sin against man.
12. Quote the law when this individual offense becomes a sin againstthe church. (Matthew 18:15-18.) 13. State the analysis of this law as embodied in the six remarks on it.
14. Quote the question Shakespeare puts in the mouth of Hamlet’s uncle, state the circumstances calling it forth, and show the application to the principle under discussion.
15. State the case and the law as embodied in 1 Corinthians 5:1-13; 2 Corinthians 2:4-11, where the offense is not merely against an individual but general, i.e., against the church and society.
16. Which is easier, to forgive an offense without requiring repentance, or to bring the offender to repentance?
17. On what Christian principle may forgiveness be extended to an offender who will not repent?
18. Quote Ephesians 4:32; Matthew 6:12; Luke 6:37; Luke 11:4; Mark 2:25; Colossians 3:13 and answer: Is the principle here?
19. What measure and model of duty concerning forgiveness do they teach?
20. If a man forgive an offense against himself without requiring repentance of the offender, and then prays, "Father, forgive my sins against thee, as I have forgiven sins against me," analyze the prayer.
21. How may the whole case be summed up?
22. By what three considerations may we master the whole subject of man’s forgiveness of man?
23. Restate the two broad propositions maintained in this discussion.
24. To what five criticisms is the view that "we ought to forgive offenses against us without requiring repentance," justly obnoxious?
25. On the other hand, who misses the mark all along the line?
26. What said Dr. Broadus about it in his commentary?
27. Repeat in scriptural language the fourth motive to repentance, as given in this chapter.
28. Quote in full the two scriptures cited as teaching this motive.
29. Give the analysis of their teaching as embodied in the five observations.
30. Can you repeat Cardinal Newman’s poem, "Lead, Kindly Light"?
31. In awakening and stimulating repentance, what opportunity does this theme afford?
32. What capital point in the treatment of the theme calla for special emphasis?
33. What also should the preacher remember?