It is a serious problem when society misunderstands or disregards sin and repentance. But when the church neglects these doctrines, the impact is profound. This book unfolds the nature and necessity of biblical repentance, but for the church in particular. Roberts' in-depth study heavily references both he Old and New Testaments, and includes chapters on the myths, maxims, marks, models, and motives of repentance, as well as the graces and fruits that accompany it. There is also wise warning about the dangers of delayed repentance.
It is a serious problem when society misunderstands or disregards sin and repentance. But when the church neglects these doctrines, the impact is profound. This book unfolds the nature and necessity of biblical repentance, but for the church in particular. Roberts' in-depth study heavily references both he Old and New Testaments, and includes chapters on the myths, maxims, marks, models, and motives of repentance, as well as the graces and fruits that accompany it. There is also wise warning about the dangers of delayed repentance.
Repentance: The First Word of the Gospel
368
Repentance: The First Word of the Gospel
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Overview
It is a serious problem when society misunderstands or disregards sin and repentance. But when the church neglects these doctrines, the impact is profound. This book unfolds the nature and necessity of biblical repentance, but for the church in particular. Roberts' in-depth study heavily references both he Old and New Testaments, and includes chapters on the myths, maxims, marks, models, and motives of repentance, as well as the graces and fruits that accompany it. There is also wise warning about the dangers of delayed repentance.
Product Details
| ISBN-13: | 9781433515927 |
|---|---|
| Publisher: | Crossway |
| Publication date: | 06/17/2002 |
| Sold by: | Barnes & Noble |
| Format: | eBook |
| Pages: | 368 |
| File size: | 662 KB |
About the Author
Richard Owen Roberts is president and founding director of International Awakening Ministries. He pastored churches in Idaho, Oregon, Washington and California, and assisted in the formation of the Billy Graham Center Library. He has authored, edited, and published numerous volumes relating to revival and revivalism.
Richard Owen Roberts is president and founding director of International Awakening Ministries. He pastored churches in Idaho, Oregon, Washington and California, and assisted in the formation of the Billy Graham Center Library. He has authored, edited, and published numerous volumes relating to revival and revivalism.
Read an Excerpt
CHAPTER 1
Repentance: The First Word of the Gospel
From that time Jesus began to preach and say, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." — Matthew 4:17
The first word of the gospel is not "love." It is not even "grace." The first word of the gospel is "repent." From Matthew through the Revelation, repentance is an urgent and indispensable theme that is kept at the very forefront of the gospel message.
Repentance: The First Word of John's Ministry
In keeping with the custom of the Jews in the first century of the Christian era, the lot fell to Zacharias the priest to burn incense in the temple of the Lord. While a multitude of people were outside in prayer at the hour of the incense offering, an angel of the Lord appeared to him. This angel was standing at the right of the altar. Immediately, fear gripped the priest, but the angel said, "Do not be afraid, Zacharias, for your petition has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you will give him the name John" (Luke 1:13). Several wonderful things were promised Zacharias in that moment of intense happiness, not the least being, "He will turn back many of the sons of Israel to the Lord their God. And it is he who will go as a forerunner before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers back to the children, and the disobedient to the attitude of the righteous; so as to make ready a people prepared for the Lord" (vv. 16-17). Zacharias marveled when he realized that his yet unborn son was going to be the forerunner of the Messiah. His heart leapt with joy at the knowledge that John's great work would be that of a preacher of repentance, turning the hearts of many people to the Lord.
In the light of this incredible promise given to Zacharias, it is not surprising that the record of a few years later reads, "Now in those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the wilderness of Judea, saying, 'Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.' For this is the one referred to by Isaiah the prophet, saying, 'The voice of one crying in the wilderness, "make ready the way of the Lord, make His paths straight"'" (Matthew 3:1-3).
Not only is the word repent the dominant note in John's message, but he made the concept of repentance absolutely clear. Repentance makes the path straight between the Lord and the repenting person. Repentance is like clearing a highway of holiness to and from God.
Road builders do not follow every twist and turn or up and down of the natural contours of the land. They do not wind around the rocks and between the trees. They level the land as much as is reasonable. They clear the path, following the old axiom, "The shortest distance between two points is a straight line." Several critical factors are involved in road building, including: durability, safety, speed, and drainage. Imagine a highway built among the trees with all the roots and rubble merely covered over with asphalt. How long would it last? How much safety can be built into a road that winds and twists about, and is sixteen feet wide at this point, twenty-eight feet wide farther on, then suddenly narrowing to seven feet? Can any haste be made on a rutted and twisted path? A carelessly planned road that disregards the issue of drainage may be high and dry one day and washed out the next. Most road builders may have never heard of John the Baptist, but road builders do understand the principle of making the path straight just as John did.
Luke spelled out the details of John's message: "Make ready the way of the Lord, make His paths straight. Every ravine shall be filled up, and every mountain and hill shall be brought low; and the crooked shall become straight, and the rough roads smooth; and all flesh shall see the salvation of God" (Luke 3:4-6). Without repentance, no one can make their way to the Lord, for there are too many ups and downs, ins and outs, and devious ways in the unrepentant heart. Apart from repentance, the Lord will not make His way to us. Making straight the way of the Lord is always a prelude to His coming. In repentance we clear our path to God; in granting us this repentance, God clears His path to us.
The people of John's day were generally no more interested in repentance than most folks are today. Yet Zacharias was advised that his son would be successful in turning "the hearts of fathers back to the children and the disobedient to the attitude of the righteous; so as to make ready a people prepared for the Lord." This was to happen because John would come in the spirit and in the power of Elijah. No one, in his own strength, has ever successfully turned many hearts to righteousness. Indeed, no one has ever even turned a single heart to God. It was a power outside of John that made his ministry so potent. It was the spirit and power of Elijah that made the ministry of John the Baptist so effective. But what was the spirit and power of Elijah? It was the same Holy Spirit who made the ministries of both men so profoundly powerful. The angel had promised Zacharias, "For he will be great in the sight of the Lord, and he will drink no wine or liquor, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit, while yet in his mother's womb" (Luke 1:15). This promise proved to be gloriously true.
Although John the Baptist knew this incredible fullness of the Holy Spirit, he unflinchingly insisted, "As for me, I baptize you in water for repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, and I am not fit to remove His sandals; He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire" (Matthew 3:11). Part of the power of his life and ministry was the spirit of humility that obviously marked this extraordinary preacher.
We know that "John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins" (Mark 1:4). One follows the other: repentance must precede forgiveness; forgiveness does follow repentance. There is something grossly unwise in supposing that a person can enjoy the forgiveness of sin while resisting or merely remaining ignorant of repentance.
The record of the ministry of John the Baptist was amazing indeed. It could, however, have a perplexing dimension if you fail to harmonize all the truth that is revealed concerning it. On one hand we read with delight, "Then Jerusalem was going out to him, and all Judea, and all the districts around the Jordan; and they were being baptized by him in the Jordan River, as they confessed their sins" (Matthew 3:5-6). We take it as a given that this is exactly what happened, and we rejoice. Yet on the other hand, when we analyze the statement, we may trouble ourselves in supposing more than is said. It is troubling to realize that among the multitudes who were streaming out to hear John preach in the wilderness were religious leaders who despised his message. We know that John himself was keenly aware of their attitude, for "when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming for baptism, he said to them, 'You brood of vipers, who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Therefore bring forth fruit in keeping with your repentance'" (vv. 78). It is very disturbing to think he baptized them. But did he? This question is answered by Christ Himself: "'I say to you, among those born of women, there is no one greater than John; yet he who is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he.' And when all the people and the tax-gatherers heard this, they acknowledged God's justice, having been baptized with the baptism of John. But the Pharisees and the lawyers rejected God's purpose for themselves, not having been baptized by John" (Luke 7:28-30). While it is no surprise, it is gratifying to realize that John would not baptize unrepentant men.
It is tragic indeed to note that those religious leaders turned, not from their sins to God, as all truly repentant persons must, but against the preacher of repentance and the Lord God whom he served. Knowing their hearts, John would not baptize them. Our world would know a sudden change for the better if today's church leaders were as careful about whom they baptize as was the forerunner.
John's verbal assault against these unrepentant Pharisees and Sadducees was very sharp: "You brood of vipers, who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Therefore bring forth fruit in keeping with repentance, and do not suppose that you can say to yourselves, 'We have Abraham for our Father'; for I say to you, that God is able from these stones to raise up children to Abraham. And the axe is already laid at the root of the trees; every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire" (Matthew 3:7-10). There is something very pathetic about clinging to human heritage as if it were true religion. No one is a Christian by parentage. Indeed, no one has the right to claim Abraham as their father who does not have a heart for God like Abraham had. Individuals are only linked with Abraham when their faith is the same faith as his. At any point God can give faith to rocks. Lineage doesn't save! God's axe is always ready at the root of every tree that bears no fruit.
Has anyone ever called you a snake in the grass? No wonder these men hated John. But John knew the truth as well as his duty, and he stuck with both. He was appointed to make a straight way in the wilderness for the Lord. Baptizing unrepentant people would have confounded this work and made it impossible. Thus he resisted the popular approach, gained enemies, but accomplished his calling. No Christian leader has the responsibility or the right to baptize those he knows are unrepentant. Candidates for baptism need to bring forth fruit in keeping with their repentance. If the fruit of repentance is lacking, no baptism should occur. It is frightening to think what would have happened if John the Baptist had failed in his duty as the forerunner of Christ. If he had been as reckless as some in our day, it would have been tragic indeed.
Paul declared in Pisidian Antioch that God raised up David to be the king of Israel and, "from the offspring of this man, according to promise, God has brought to Israel a Savior, Jesus, after John had proclaimed before His coming a baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel" (Acts 13:23-24). He later explained to the Ephesians that "'John baptized with the baptism of repentance, telling the people to believe in Him who was coming after him, that is, in Jesus.' And when they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus" (Acts 19:4-5). This is the pattern for Christ's church in every century: repent, believe, and be baptized.
John's message is urgently needed today. Millions are trying to receive the Lord when their path has never been made straight by repentance. I beg you, don't think of yourself as a Christian unless you are bearing fruit that is in keeping with repentance.
Repentance: The First Word of Christ's Ministry
The beginning of the public ministry of Jesus Christ is forever linked with that of John the Baptist. Immediately following his statement about Christ baptizing with the Holy Spirit and fire, John added, "His win nowing fork is in His hand, and He will thoroughly clear His threshing floor; and He will gather His wheat into the barn, but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire." The passage goes on to say, "Then Jesus arrived from Galilee at the Jordan coming to John to be baptized by him. But John tried to prevent Him, saying, 'I have need to be baptized by You, and do You come to me?' But Jesus answering said to him, 'Permit it at this time; for in this way it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.'" John then baptized Jesus and saw the Holy Spirit descending as a dove, coming upon Him, and heard the voice from heaven declaring, "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased" (Matthew 3:12-17). From there, Christ was led by the Spirit into the wilderness for forty days and nights of fasting and temptation at the hands of the devil. From there, Christ withdrew into Galilee. Then, leaving Nazareth, He settled in Capernaum and from that time Jesus began to preach and say, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand" (Matthew 4:17). Mark noted that this event occurred after John had been taken into custody, and explained, "Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of God, and saying, 'The time is fulfilled and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel'" (Mark 1:14-15).
Both John and Jesus make an immediate tie between repentance and the kingdom. Why? There were two kingdoms then as there are two kingdoms now. Every mere human being then and every mere human being now is born into the kingdom of this world. The kingdom of this world is sometimes described as the kingdom of Satan, the kingdom of evil, the kingdom of time, the kingdom of darkness, the kingdom of death, the kingdom of unrighteousness. But there is another kingdom. It is known as the kingdom of God, the kingdom of heaven, the kingdom of life, the kingdom of light, the kingdom of righteousness, the kingdom of Christ, the eternal kingdom. Citizenship is by birth. Dual citizenship is prohibited. All those born into the kingdom of this world remain in that kingdom unless, by a miracle of divine grace, they are born again, born a second time, born of the Spirit of God into the kingdom of God.
Repentance is not the entry ticket into the kingdom of God, but it is a condition of citizenship. Repentance is the insider's way of thinking. There is nothing difficult about this concept. Most of us are aware that there are still places like weddings and formal dinners where appropriate attire is required. Appropriate attire is not the invitation. It does not even guarantee entry, but it is a condition that must be met.
Consider these sobering propositions: As citizens of the kingdom of darkness we are not fit subjects of the kingdom of light. Therefore we must repent.
As citizens of the kingdom of this world we are barred from citizenship in the kingdom of heaven, for no man can serve two masters. Therefore we must repent.
As citizens of the kingdom of Satan we have interests and loyalties that have no place in the kingdom of God. Therefore we must repent.
As citizens of the kingdom of death we can find no place in the kingdom of life, for it is not a place of cadavers or cemeteries. Therefore we must repent.
As active citizens in the kingdom of evil we cannot be admitted to the kingdom of righteousness, for neither evil nor evil ones are permitted to enter. Therefore we must repent.
As citizens of a perishing kingdom we have nothing to do with an imperishable kingdom. Therefore we must repent.
As citizens of the kingdom of flesh we do not belong in and could not relate to the kingdom of spirit. Therefore we must repent.
In speaking of the kingdom of God we are speaking not of a democracy but of a monarchy. There is no voting there. The kingdom belongs to the King. He is the sole authority. No citizens of the kingdom of self could ever enjoy the kingdom of heaven, even if somehow they slipped in. There is no room for rebels in the kingdom of God. Jude described a situation that once occurred when certain sinning angels protested God's authority and demanded their own way. In a spirit of contention they abandoned both their dominion and their domicile. God settled their rebellion forever by chaining them in outer darkness — indeed to the very realm into which each of us was first born — where they must remain until the judgment of the great day (Jude 6; 2 Peter 2:4). None who belong in the kingdom of God will ever again clamor for their own rights.
Christ's message of repentance, as noted in Mark 1:15, is linked with faith: "repent and believe in the gospel." Nicodemus, the Jewish leader who came to Jesus by night, was given two very urgent words: "Unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God," and "Unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God" (John 3:3, 5). Regeneration is mandatory both in seeing and in entering the eternal kingdom. Apart from the new birth, people do not even know that there are two kingdoms. They certainly cannot enter a kingdom they don't even know exists. While citizenship is the result of a second birth, all citizens must live in repentance and faith. That is why John concludes his third chapter saying, "He who believes in the Son has eternal life; but he who does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him" (v. 36).
(Continues…)
Excerpted from "Repentance"
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Copyright © 2002 Richard Owen Roberts.
Excerpted by permission of Good News Publishers.
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Table of Contents
Foreword by Henry T. Blackaby, 7,
A Letter to the Reader, 11,
Introduction, 15,
1. Repentance: The First Word of the Gospel, 23,
2. Repentance in the Old Testament, 43,
3. Repentance in the New Testament, 63,
4. Seven Myths of Repentance, 85,
5. Seven Maxims of Repentance, 105,
6. Seven Marks of Repentance, 133,
7. Seven Motives to Repentance, 153,
8. Repentance and Its Accompanying Graces, 171,
9. Seven Fruits of Repentance, 201,
10. Seven Models of Repentance, 217,
11. Seven Dangers of Delayed Repentance, 237,
12. Seven Words of Advice to the Unrepentant, 255,
13. Repentance in All Its Breadth, 271,
14. Repentance and the Character of God, 299,
15. Repentance in Dust and Ashes, 319,
Bibliography, 347,
Notes, 353,
General Index, 356,
Scripture Index, 360,