Spirit-Empowered Repentance Leads to Life
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“O For A Closer Walk with God”
“O For A Closer Walk with God”
William Cowper (1731-1800) lived most of his adult life in a state of constant sadness. He tried suicide three times and was placed in a hospital twice for insanity. At some point, his cousin, Martin Madan, lead him to Christ. He eventually became friends with John Newton. Newton pastured Cowper and when Cowper would relapse into manic depression, Newton would let William stay at his house.
On one occasion when Cowper was staying with Newton, he got up one morning and read
Enoch walked with God; then he was not there because God took him.
This text inspired Cowper to write the hymn “O For A Closer Walking with God.” Cowper wrote
“ O for a closer walk with God,
A calm and heav’nly frame,
A light to shine upon the road
That leads me to the Lamb.
Where is the blessedness I knew
When first I saw the Lord?
Where is the soul-refreshing view
Of Jesus and His Word?
Return, O holy Dove, return,
Sweet messenger of rest;
I hate the sins that made Thee mourn
And drove Thee from my breast....”
William Cowper’s depression moved his heart to long for a deeper fellowship with God. He realizes he is a sinful man not worthy of being in God’s presence. In stanza two he asks where is the Lord? Why can’t I see him? He seems so far away from William. In stanza three he pleads with Jesus to return and give him rest and he laments his sin that made Jesus mourn and drive him away from his breast. Cowper says, “I hate the sins that made thee mourn.” Cowper’s low view of himself, even though it might have been unhealthy and extreme at times, allowed his eyes to see his depravity and his need for Jesus. Cowper captures the spirit of repentance when says I hate the sins that made Thee mourn.
In Acts 11:1-2, Luke tells us that word has gotten out that the Gentiles have received the word of God. In verse 2, Peter is cornered by the circumcision party who criticized him for eating with Cornelius and his family. The Circumcision Party were likely the Jewish believers in Acts 15 who wanted all Gentiles to be circumcised. They were still holding onto Jewish orthodoxy much like Peter was until God gave him the vision of the clean and unclean animals, which he recounts in Acts 11:3-10.
In verses 11:11-17, Peter explains that God told him not to call unclean what he has made clean. Furthermore, God told him he must go to Cornelius’s house to share the gospel because God is inviting the Gentiles into his kingdom. Cornelius and his family believe the good news and are given the Holy Spirit just like the Jews were given at Pentecost.
After hearing Peter’s account of things, the Jewish believers come to the conclusion that God is doing the same work in the Gentiles that he was doing in Israel.
When they heard this they became silent. Then they glorified God, saying, “So God has granted repentance resulting in life even to the Gentiles!”
God is granting repentance that leads to life to the Gentiles. This is remarkable. God reveals to us in Acts 11:18
True Spirit-empowered repentance leads to abundant life in the kingdom of God.
True Spirit-empowered repentance leads to abundant life in the kingdom of God.
Repentance appears to be vital to the Great Commission Mission and Message of the church. The mission and message of the church is to joyfully advance the kingdom of God by making much of Jesus in the church, community, and home. Repentance is obviously a necessary component to entering God’s kingdom for both Jew and Gentile. How does repentance fulfill God’s mission? How does repentance advance God’s kingdom? What role does repentance play in the three spheres of life: the church, community, and home?
What is repentance?
What is repentance?
The word Luke uses here is metanoia. It literally means to turn about or change your direction. The Baker Encyclopedia clarifies the kind of change metanoia conveys
Baker Encyclopedia of the Bible Repentance
a change of mind, not about individual plans, intentions, or beliefs, but rather a change in the whole personality from a sinful course of action to God.
Some say it is about doing an about face, a 180 degree turn. That is true if God is whom your turning too. I would say repentance is not so much about doing an about face as it is changing roads. The bible describes life lived on two roads. One road is the broad way that leads to destruction. The other road is the narrow road that leads to eternal life. For the unregenerate lost person, life is a broad highway and you want to ride all night long. Repentance takes the narrow road exit, getting off the interstate that leads to destruction and onto the unpaved country road that leads to eternal life. You are no longer heading in the direction of destruction. You new direction is toward Jesus and the eternal life he offers.
If repentance is changing roads, then how do I know that I am on the right road? What are the signs of true repentance?
Metanoia encompasses three elements: your mind, your heart, and your will. When the bible speaks of repentance, it usually in the context of conversion. Repentance is tied to sin. It is both negative and positive. On the negative end, it carries the idea of sorrow over sin and grief over disobedience. On the positive side, Metanoa, uses grief ans sorrow for sin to turn away from disobedience and instead turns toward God and his righteousness.
When Peter preaches the gospel at Pentecost, the crowd is left wondering what to do. Peter’s preaching captured their reason and convinces them that they have offended God. The gospel has “cut their heart,” meaning their heart is filled with sorrow. With their mind convinced and their heart is broken, they ask Peter what are we to do? Peter says
“Repent,” Peter said to them, “and be baptized, each of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
a few verse later with conversion in mind he says,
Therefore repent and turn back, so that your sins may be wiped out, that seasons of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord,
You can see that repentance is a call to do something. It is a call to change your mind, your heart, and your will. True repentance changes you from the inside out in three ways.
True repentance transforms your thoughts.
True repentance transforms your thoughts.
John Piper says
Look at the Book Labs Outline
Repentance is a deep inner change in a person—change of mind, of heart, and of soul—that leads to a knowledge of the truth.
Unregenerate people lack the knowledge of truth. Paul says that the unregenerate heart needs to come to its senses
instructing his opponents with gentleness. Perhaps God will grant them repentance leading them to the knowledge of the truth.
Then they may come to their senses and escape the Devil’s trap, having been captured by him to do his will.
The Devil has trapped their mind into thinking they are fine in their rebellion. He has a veil over the eyes of their mind that hides God’s knowledge of truth:
For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.
For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
“For God loved the world in this way: He gave His One and Only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life.
For God did not send His Son into the world that He might condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through Him.
Anyone who believes in Him is not condemned, but anyone who does not believe is already condemned, because he has not believed in the name of the One and Only Son of God.
If you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.
One believes with the heart, resulting in righteousness, and one confesses with the mouth, resulting in salvation.
These truths do not make sense to an unrepentant mind. Repentance helps your mind come to its senses. Repentance changes your view of God and helps you understand his distaste for your sin. Repentance sets your mind on the reality that you are God’s enemy (Romans 8:7-8). Your mind realizes your ignorant sense of security is exposed to God condemnation and wrath.
On the other hand, repentance renews your mind, capturing your thoughts and making them obedient to Christ.
Consider Paul's words in
Therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, I urge you to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God; this is your spiritual worship.
Do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may discern what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God.
A renewed mind is one that has been changed though the work of repentance. Repentance renews your mind that makes you conscious of your sin. David confesses
For I am conscious of my rebellion, and my sin is always before me.
And because of that awareness he prayed for God to
Be gracious to me, God, according to Your faithful love; according to Your abundant compassion, blot out my rebellion.
Wash away my guilt and cleanse me from my sin.
What do you think about your sin?
Do you understand the knowledge of truth Paul is speaking of in 2 Timothy 2:25-26? In other words, do you understand the gospel?
Is your mind conformed to the pattern of this world, or are you allowing repentance to renew your mind?
Before we get to far we must realize that transformed mind is not enough. Coming to your senses about the knowledge of God does not set you apart from demons who know a lot of truth about God. Your heart must be changed as well.
True repentance grieves your heart.
True repentance grieves your heart.
As you come to your senses in your mind, your affections must fall in line. True knowledge about Jesus must stir your heart for Jesus. Foremost, it stirs grief over sin. Your heart becomes broken over breaking God’s commands. One commentator simply put it
“Godly sorrow results from a heart-felt conviction that we have offended God by our sin. Such a burning conviction produces in our hearts a godly [grief].”
Repentance changes your arrogant heart to a heart of sorrow over your sin. A repentant heart confess with David
Against You—You alone—I have sinned and done this evil in Your sight. So You are right when You pass sentence; You are blameless when You judge.
Sorrow over your sin compels you to sigh and cry over the abominations done against the Lord (Ezekiel 9:4). Ezra was so grieved over the exile to Babylon because of the people’s rejection of God that “he ate no bread and drank no water, for he mourned because of the guilt of those from the captivity (Ezra 10:6).”
David captures the sorrow of humbled repentant heart when he says
I am weary from my groaning; with my tears I dampen my pillow and drench my bed every night.
If you do not grieve over your sin you do not have repentance. If your view of sin is casual or caviler, you do not have biblical repentance. If you don’t have repentance you don’t have Jesus.
I was at a youth camp in Oklahoma many years ago. I was sitting in the top row of an outdoor stadium. There had to have been 8,000 kids at this camp. The guy who gave the message was an inch deep and a mile wide. His invitation was come to the front if you want Jesus to make your life better. Seven hundred plus kids gleefully walled down the isle to get them some Jesus. No mourning over sin. No shame for their offenses to God. No mortification of sin. It was a sham. Do you know how James tells you to draw near to God?
Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, sinners, and purify your hearts, double-minded people!
Be miserable and mourn and weep. Your laughter must change to mourning and your joy to sorrow.
Repentance shows itself in grief over sin, mourning over impurity, gut-wrenching lament over your unrighteousness. You have offended the living God! His arrow is pointed at your head waiting to execute judgement. That is no laughing matter. Hell is real. His wrath is certain. His judgment is right and true. It is appointed for man to die and face God’s judgment. if you have grieved over your sin before that day, you will perish and forever grieve over your sin.
For goodness sake, do not play with the grace of God!
Godly grief is not meant to paralyze you in fear of his judgement . It is meant to move you away from sin turning toward the grace of the Lord. Turn your eyes upon Jesus. Look full in his wonderful face. And the things of this world will grow strangely dim in the light of his glory and grace. Here repentance stirs your hope.
The Corinthians who were grieved over Paul’s first letter because he rebuked them for their sinful behavior. Paul expresses his sorrow that they were grieved, however, he also expresses joy that their grief moved them to repent.
Now I rejoice, not because you were grieved, but because your grief led to repentance. For you were grieved as God willed, so that you didn’t experience any loss from us.
For godly grief produces a repentance not to be regretted and leading to salvation, but worldly grief produces death.
Godly sorrow grieves over what God hates, sin. Godly grief is what Cowper conveys when he says
I hate the sins that made Thee mourn And drove Thee from my breast.
He goes on to say
The dearest idol I have known,
whate'er that idol be,
help me to tear it from Thy throne
and worship only Thee.
Cowper’s sorrow over his sin moved him to remove his idolatry and draw nearer to God’s presence. That is exactly what the Corinthians did when their Godly grief led them to repent. They tore away their sinful dissension and worshiped only the lord.
Godly sorrow moved the Corinthians away from death and into life. Paul makes the distinction betwen wordly grief and Godly grief.
Worldly grief leads to remorse over the consequence of sin.
A child is sorry because they do not want to receive a spanking for what they did wrong. A thief is sorry because he got caught. That is remorse.
Godly sorrow leads to repentance over the shame of sin.
A child of God repents because they know God is offended by their sin. An adulterer turns away from his lusts in his mind and heart and toward the promise of fulfilment from the Father in Christ Jesus because that pleases the Father. The murderer turns away from his hatred and toward the love of God that pours onto his neighbor because God loves it when you love your neighbor.
The difference between remorse and repentance is the difference between Judas and Peter. Remorse is self-serving. It only weeps over the consequence of being caught or found out. It takes matters into your own hands to try to restore yourself.
Repentance is God-honoring. It weeps over the shame it brought the Father. A repentant heart hopes in the forgiveness found in Jesus Christ. A repentance heart knows he/she can do nothing on their own to restore their heart from guilt and reconcile their relationship to God and their fellow man.
Judas was remorseful. But his remorse did not restore him back to the Father nor the disciples he deceived. He took matters into his own hands, using his own way to restore himself, and ran away from Christ showing he did not really understand Jesus as Savior. He died outside the fellowship of Jesus and the disciples.
Peter on the other hand was repentant. He wept bitterly because he betrayed His Savior. And when Jesus revealed himself, Peter jumped out of the boat and swam as fast as he could to Jesus. Jesus forgave Peter. Jesus restored Peter to himself and to the disciples. Jesus restored Peter to his ministry.
Repentance is a godly grief over sin that draws you to the Father through Jesus Christ.
Once your mind is transformed and your heart is grieved over sin, your will changes.
True repentance turns your will.
True repentance turns your will.
The movement and direction of your life gets off the broad-way interstate and exits onto the narrow way. The will is your active life; your volition, your decision making. The actions of your hands come from both your head and your heart. If your thoughts are transformed to think more holy thoughts, and your heart is grieved over sin, then your life will be marked by a turning away from sin and toward God.
You will head Yahweh command to his people through Isaiah the prophet
Turn to Me and be saved, all the ends of the earth. For I am God, and there is no other.
Your life will be like that of the Thessalonian church
for they themselves report what kind of reception we had from you: how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God
Repentance changes the will to refuse the things of the world in order to receive the things of God. Repentance slays pride and lifts up humility (James 4:9-10). Repentance takes your shame and confusion and turns it into faith and confession (Matthew 21:32; Job 33:27). Repentance takes your zeal for living for debauchery and turns it toward living a life of justice and purity. A life of justice and purity is a life committed to living out the gospel, or walking worthy of the gospel as Paul put it.
Donald Grey Barnhouse once told a story about a little girl in Sunday School. He said, “A Sunday school teacher once asked a class what was meant by the word “repentance.” A little boy put up his hand and said, “It is being sorry for your sins.” A little girl also raised her hand and said, “Please, it is being sorry enough to quit.”
This week I finished up 2 Chronicles in my quiet time. I was particularity moved by the story of Manasseh. Manasseh was King Josiah’s son. Josiah was a good king. He did what was right in the eyes of the Lord. When you read that Josiah dies you expect his son to carry on his legacy. Manasseh fails miserably. He does what is evil in the Lord’s eyes. He even sacrifices his sons on the alter to Baal. He undid all of his fathers work to restore the kingdom. God is irate with Manasseh and brings in Babylon to humble this king. Manasseh is carried off with hooks in his nose like an animal. When God humbled Manasseh, Manasseh responded with humility and sorrow.
When he was in distress, he sought the favor of Yahweh his God and earnestly humbled himself before the God of his ancestors.
He prayed to Him, so He heard his petition and granted his request, and brought him back to Jerusalem, to his kingdom. So Manasseh came to know that Yahweh is God.
Manasseh repented of his sin. His mind was transformed. It says Manasseh came to know that Yahweh is God. His heart was grieved over his rebellion toward the Lord. He humbled himself and prayed. But was Manasseh truly repentant? Did his will change? Yes it did.
After this, he built the outer wall of the city of David from west of Gihon in the valley to the entrance of the Fish Gate; he brought it around the Ophel, and he heightened it considerably. He also placed military commanders in all the fortified cities of Judah.
He removed the foreign gods and the idol from the Lord’s temple, along with all the altars that he had built on the mountain of the Lord’s temple and in Jerusalem, and he threw them outside the city.
He built the altar of the Lord and offered fellowship and thank offerings on it. Then he told Judah to serve Yahweh, the God of Israel.
However, the people still sacrificed at the high places, but only to Yahweh their God.
Repentance is a Godly grief that turns the mind, heart, and will away from sin and toward God through jesus Christ.
Repentance is a Godly grief that turns the mind, heart, and will away from sin and toward God through jesus Christ.
What does true repentance lead to?
What does true repentance lead to?
True repentance leads to life.
True repentance leads to life.
Notice all the examples that have been given in the sermon. Peter repented an was restored to Jesus, the other disciples, and was given a ministry. Manasseh repented and was given a new chance to be king and leave a legacy of being a good king. David repented of his sin of murder and adultery and God kept his promise to have a king from the line of David who will never leave his throne. There lies the life that repentance leads to. It leads to eternal life in Jesus Christ. Repentance leads you toward forgiveness of your sins, which God gracious does through the person and work of Jesus Christ. It is through the cross of Jesus we find the fruit of repentance. The gospel says you must repent and believe. Believe what? Believe that Jesus died for your sin and was raised three days later. You must believe that God will forgive your sin and give you Christ righteousness.
Once your mind understands you are a sinner and your heart is grieved over that reality, you are led to the cross of Jesus Christ to see him as the only one who can take the penalty of your sin with his death. He is the only one who can give you the righteousness you need to stand before the Father guiltless. Christ is the only one who can secure your eternity in heaven. This is a gift. All of salvation is a gift, even you repentance.
True repentance is a gift from God
True repentance is a gift from God
When they heard this they became silent. Then they glorified God, saying, “So God has granted repentance resulting in life even to the Gentiles!”
The word granted means to give, donate, bestow, to allow. For example, when two of his disciples asked
They answered Him, “Allow us to sit at Your right and at Your left in Your glory.”
Jesus replied
But to sit at My right or left is not Mine to give; instead, it is for those it has been prepared for.”
Jesus use the same word and idea in
He said, “This is why I told you that no one can come to Me unless it is granted to him by the Father.”
Luke uses the same word when he records the disciples prayer after they were persecuted
And now, Lord, consider their threats, and grant that Your slaves may speak Your message with complete boldness,
Regarding repentance, Paul uses the same word and idea in as he encourages Timothy to
instructing his opponents with gentleness. Perhaps God will grant them repentance leading them to the knowledge of the truth.
Then they may come to their senses and escape the Devil’s trap, having been captured by him to do his will.
The idea that God gifts repentance or gives it to you is taught throughout the Old Testament and the New Testament. For example,
I have heard Ephraim moaning, “You disciplined me, and I have been disciplined like an untrained calf. Restore me, and I will return, for you, Lord, are my God.
There is a play on words in the Hebrew. It literally says, “Turn me back and I will be turned.” Jeremiah notes that sin is so ingrained in the sinner that he cannot repent anymore than a leaper can change its spots
Can the Cushite change his skin, or a leopard his spots? If so, you might be able to do what is good, you who are instructed in evil.
The Jewish Christians in our text this morning who are seeing the work of God in Cornelius’ household are acknowledging what the Prophets and Jesus have already acknowledged, the gift of repentance has been given to the Gentiles. That is God graciously enable the Gentiles to understand they are sinners, grieve over their sin, and move toward faith in Christ. For sins to be forgiven, you must have a repentant heart (Luke 24:47; Acts 2:38; 3:19). You can only have a repentant heart if God grants you one.
Salvation is a gift of God. All of salvation is gift; your repentance and your faith. That is why I call it Spirit-empowered repentance. The Holy Spirit must work in your heart for you to have the knowledge of truth about sin, and for your heart to grieve over sin. It is the Holy Spirit that moves you toward the cross by faith. Its all God’s free grace and gift.
What role does repentance play in the church, community, and home?
What role does repentance play in the church, community, and home?
A repentant heart seeks to reconcile every sinner to God and each other.
A repentant heart seeks to reconcile every sinner to God and each other.
Repentance is not a one and done act. Repentance is a life style. Its part of the Christian faith. Repentance leads to confession of sin to God and to your neighbor. James says, “Confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, so that you may be healed.”
Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, so that you may be healed. The urgent request of a righteous person is very powerful in its effect.
A repentant heart prays for others to have the gift of repentance.
A repentant heart prays for others to have the gift of repentance.
You must pray for God to grant repentance to the lost.
instructing his opponents with gentleness. Perhaps God will grant them repentance leading them to the knowledge of the truth.
Then they may come to their senses and escape the Devil’s trap, having been captured by him to do his will.
A repentant heart never leaves repentance out of the Great Commission Mission and Message.
A repentant heart never leaves repentance out of the Great Commission Mission and Message.
When Jesus was anointed for ministry by the Holy Spirit his message was clear
“The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe in the good news!”
William Cowper’s final verse to his hymn “O A Closer Walk with God” sings
So shall my walk be close with God,
calm and serene my frame;
so purer light shall mark the road
that leads me to the Lamb.
May God grant our church, community, and home the gift of repentance so that we all can walk close to God calm and serene our frame, and walk so purerer light shall mark our road that leads us to the Lamb.