Mark 1:15 summarizes the content of Jesus’ first sermons in this way: the time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe the gospel. By starting his public ministry with these words, Jesus was aligning with another preacher his listeners were familiar with. Matthew 3:2 summarizes John the Baptist’s preaching with these words: repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. Jesus’ call to repentance indicates that He was continuing the work started by John. It should be no surprise then, when Peter’s first sermon ended by telling people to repent. He was simply preaching the same message as John and Jesus. 

Repentance is an important but often neglected part of our response to the gospel. Since the Bible commands everyone to repent, we would be wise to understand what it means to do so.

Repentance is more than feeling sorry for what you have done. It includes that, but repentance is more than remorse. Repentance means you stop going in your current direction in order to go in an entirely different direction. A great illustration of this principle is found in Exodus 32. Israel had sinned by making the golden calf. God, who was rightly angry with them for it, told Moses that He was going to wipe them out and start over with him. Moses interceded for the people. In response to his prayer, we are told in Exodus 32:14, so the Lord relented from the harm which He said He would do to His people (NKJV). The KJV gives a more literal translation when it says that the Lord repented of the evil He intended against His people. God intended to do one thing but responded to Moses’ intercession by doing the opposite.

Now obviously, God is neither tempted by or capable of sin, so the ‘repentance’ He expressed is different than a sinner’s repentance. But His relenting of harm in order to do good to His people helps us understand repentance. Before salvation, we are slaves of sin, captured by Satan, bound to do his will, and willfully rebelling against God. When we repent, we relent of our rebellion, turn from sin, and follow Christ in loving submission. Repentance is the letting go of our former way of life to live by faith in the Son of God. If salvation were a coin, faith would be the face and repentance the tail. Both are our response to God’s gift of salvation, which is why Jesus said to repent and believe the gospel (Mk. 1:15).

The Bible draws our attention to three important aspects of repentance. First, repentance recognizes how sin is ultimately the violation God’s character. Psalm 51 records David’s repentance of his sinful actions in the matter with Bathsheba. In vs. 4 we read against You, You only, I have sinned, and done what is evil in Your sight, so that You are justified when You speak and blameless when You judge. What does he mean he sinned against God only? What about Bathsheba? Scholars debate if she was a willing participant or unfortunate victim in the affair. Regardless, David had led her to violate her marriage covenant. What about Uriah? He was the victim of David’s adulterous actions and then of his murderous plan. What about the nation? As king, David was the shepherd of Israel. Had his sin not violated the nation’s trust? The answer is yes each of these; yet David says that, despite each of these offenses, the real problem was that he had violated God’s character. Until we realize the spiritual treason sin is against the eternal goodness of God, true repentance will not happen.

Second, repentance is preceded by godly sorrow. In 2 Corinthians 7:8-10, we learn that Paul sent the church at Corinth a letter that had upset them. Some accused him of being too harsh in his correction. Yet Paul responded by saying for though I caused you sorrow by my letter, I do not regret it; through I did regret it—for I see that that letter caused you sorrow, though only for a while—I now rejoice, not that you were made sorrowful, but that you were made sorrowful to the point of repentance; for you were made sorrowful according to the will of God, so that you might not suffer loss in anything through us. For the sorrow that is according to the will of God produces a repentance without regret, leading to salvation, but the sorrow of the world produces death.

There are two kinds of sorrow. Worldly sorrow that leads to death and godly sorrow that produces repentance. It is not uncommon as a pastor for people to seek my help dealing with a sinful habit. Oftentimes, these conversations are preceded by the individual ‘getting caught’ by someone. Some of these individuals are truly broken over their sin and want victory. They have a godly sorrow. Others come to see me because a parent or spouse told them they had to. They regret how their actions have created discomfort and are doing what they must to make it all go away. This is worldly sorrow. Unsurprisingly, those who experience godly sorrow often go on to have victory over their sin because they experience true repentance, while those who try to make the situation go away rarely experience lasting change because their hearts have not changed. Their sorrow is over how sin affects them personally, not for how it offends God. Repentance starts with a change of heart that leads to changed behavior. 

Finally, repentance is a gift of God. In 2 Timothy 2:25-26 Paul tells Timothy to gently correct those who are in error so that perhaps God may grant them repentance leading to the knowledge of the truth, and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, having been held captive by him to do his will.  According to this verse, repentance is something God gives. That means it is a part of His gracious working within us.

Now, in saying that repentance is a gift we receive from God does not mean we are to be passive about it. The opposite is true. We are to seek it from the Lord who wants to be gracious towards us. Isaiah 55:6-7 tells us to seek the Lord while He may be found; call upon Him while He is near. Let the wicked forsake His way and the unrighteous man his thoughts; and let him return to the Lord, and He will have compassion on him, and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon.

The bible presents two parallel, non-contradicting truths. First, repentance is a part of God’s gracious working in salvation. He must grant it to us. Second, we are to seek God and call upon His name, trusting Him to do the work He has promised to do. As we do, God will work His grace in us, including giving us the gift of repentance. God never denies the experience of His grace to anyone who truly seeks Him.

John Calvin once observed that all the Christian life is repentance. By that he meant that after salvation, Christians are engaged in the lifelong process of turning away from their former life of sin to follow Jesus. May we be the kinds of Christians who seek the Lord with a whole heart while fleeing sin.