God and Repentance
A. COMMON CONCEPT: CORRELATION BETWEEN SIN AND SUFFERING.
B. REPENTANCE THE HARDEST COMMAND.
1. Starts in the heart with affections.
2. Deals with long standing life-styles, habits, passions.
A. PLACE IN NEW TESTAMENT PREACHING.
1. Jonah and Ninevah( Matt. 12:41 ).
2. John the Baptist( Matt. 3:1ff., 11 ).
3. Jesus( Matt. 9:13; 11:20ff. ).
4. Peter( Acts 2:38; 3:19; 2 Pet. 3:9 ).
5. Paul( Acts 17:30 ).
B. PLACE IN THE PROMISES OF GOD.
1. Necessary for remission of sins( Acts 2:38; Luke 24:47 ).
2. Necessary for eternal life( Luke 13:5 ).
C. IMPORTANCE SEEN IN THE AWFULNESS OF SIN.
1. What it does to man.
2. What it does to our relationship with God.
3. Consequence( Rom. 6:23 ).
A. REPENTANCE, metanoia "afterthought, change of mind, repentance."
1. Change of knowledge( Acts 17:30 ).
2. Change of affections( Rom. 12:9 ).
B. CHANGE OF ACTIONS ALWAYS RESULTS( Matt. 7:16-18; Col. 3:9-10 ).
C. NOT THE SAME AS MERE REGRET( 2 Cor. 7:10 ). INVOLVES SORROW.
D. DEMANDS RESTITUTION WHERE POSSIBLE( Luke 19:8 ).
A. GOD DEMANDS REPENTANCE( Acts 17:30 ).
B. GOD DESIRES REPENTANCE( 2 Pet. 3:9; Ezek. 33:10-11 ).
C. GOD GIVES REPENTANCE( Acts 5:31 ). HOW? 3 WAYS:
1. He gives all the ability to repent( Matt. 11:28; Acts 11:18 ).
2. He gives time and opportunity to repent( 2 Pet. 2:9; Luke 13:5-9 ).
3. He gives incentive to repent.
a. The goodness of God( James 1:17; Rom. 5:8; Rom. 2:4 ).
b. The severity of God( Rom. 2:2-5; Acts 17:30-31 ).
A. GOD WILL NOT FORCE YOU. AN ACT OF THE WILL.
B. OURS IS A LIFE OF REPENTANCE( Rom. 6:1-4; 8:22 ).