The Necessity of Repentance - 23

Today coming to second Corinthians chapter 7 looking at verses 910 11 we are coming to the subject of repentance.

Repentance, which I'm afraid is an oft neglected and misunderstood doctrine. Yet the Bible makes it clear that repentance is an essential Christian practice, John the Baptist preached repentance read in Matthew chapter 3. In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea and saying, repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.

Our Lord Jesus Christ also preach repentance, as for example in Matthew chapter 4. From that time Jesus began to preach and to say, repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand or as when he said, recorded in Luke chapter 13 I tell you no, but unless you repent you will all likewise perish into giving Luke's account of the great commission. Our Lord said thus it is written, and thus it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day, and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. The apostle Peter preach repentance on the day of Pentecost, Peter said to them, repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. Toward the end of his life in his second epistle Peter wrote these were the Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some count slackness, but is long-suffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance. The apostle Paul preached repentance in Athens on Mars Hill. We read these words and ask chapter 17. Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked but now commands all men everywhere to repent it in our text for today, we find the apostle Paul teaching the essential nature of repentance. Recall that in this section, Paul reports his concern for the Corinthian student.

Specifically, he was concerned about how they would respond to his first epistle with its confrontation of their sale is calling them to repentance regarding especially the member of their church. She was living in immorality, and he did not know how they were going to respond to his confrontation is calling them to acknowledge their sin and to repent when they harden their hearts.

He recognized that was a possibility or would they manifest godly repentance that as it turns out, was in fact their response and so we find in our text for today.

The fruit of godly sorrow in verses nine and 10 of the evidence of godly sorrow in verse 11. What is the fruit of godly sorrow and breaks down into two parts. First of all, godly sorrow leads to repentance.

Verse nine godly sorrow leads to salvation. Verse 10 notice the fruit of godly sorrow and repentance. Verse nine. Now I rejoice not, that you were made sorry, but that your sorrow led to repentance for you were made sorry in a godly manner that you might suffer loss from us and nothing godly sorrow leads to repentance.

And that brings us now to consider more carefully what exactly is repentance. What we talking about when we say the word repentance. What is Paul talking about when he talks about repentance in our text for today. The Greek word that is translated repentance meant to annoy other means literally a change of mind that in itself tells us something, but it does not tell us everything about repentance, but it starts is looking in the right direction.

However, I have discovered over the years and some people take the very definition of repentance and use it to to soften the meaning of the word repentance is it's found in Scripture, so we need to understand what kind of change of mind. It is indeed a change of mind, but it's more than, for example simply a change of mind regarding who Jesus is formally thinking that he was not the son of God, and now thinking that he is the son of God, that that is all that is involved in the biblical concept of repentance. Like I've actually heard people say things like that. But what we learn from our passage today from other similar passages throughout the Scriptures is that repentance is a change of mind about the issue at hand. Whatever's been dealt with in that particular passage in the context in which we are finding the word repentance so here in this particular case in second Corinthians chapter 7 is a change of mind by the Corinthian Christians regarding this member of the church living in immorality, there must be repentance there must be a change of their minds from tolerance to tolerance of this practice going on in their midst. I chose those words very deliberately recognizing that the word intolerance is a very distasteful word in the day in which we live.

But that's exactly what this is word demands instead of having toleration tolerance for that which is wrong and sinful. There must in its place be an intolerance for that which is wrong and sinful, as defined by the word of God really not quite sure what drove there wrong attitudes about this is situation of their church before they received Paul's first Corinthian epistle.

We do know the situation was present there was a member in their church. He was living in the name or relationship with his stepmother and we can tell from Paul's first epistle that their attitude toward this initially was one of indifference. Perhaps one of putting it wrongfully in the category of Christian liberty that this was something that the man had liberty to do and they weren't about to interfere with that or if they did not wrongfully put in the category of Christian liberty and by the way, we cannot put in the category of Christian liberty what the Bible puts in the category of sale. Christian liberty is never liberty to commit sin is dealing with those areas of God's word that are not specifically identified or categorized as sin in those areas. There must be liberty and we must allow liberty for each to come to his own conclusion about some of these matters that are in different according to Scripture when it comes to that which the Bible calls sin. There is no place for liberty.

We must allow to the authority of God's word. We must submit to the inerrant word of the living God. And so they perhaps have wrongfully put this practice into the category of Christian liberty. And Paul said no, you've got to treated as sin. Sirius said you must change your mind regarding this matter. You can no longer consider it insignificant, or that may have been what was going on that yes the lid acknowledge that it was wrong. They didn't consider to be a very serious raw.

Paul said how wrong you are about that. This practice is not only wrong, it is a grievous sale and it is a public sale. It is a scandalous sin, you must change your whole attitude, your whole thinking about this, I'm calling you to repentance, change your mind about this matter.

Repentance therefore is a turning from error to truth. Repentance is a change of heart that no longer accepts sin and condones sin and justifies sin and excuses sin, but instead condemned sin and deals with sin. That is repentance.

So repentance is a change of mind, but what a change of mind, it is it is a thorough and complete change of mind bringing us under the authority and instructions of the word of the living God. Secondly, in regard to what is repentance I can tell you that repentance is a work of God, and Paul indicates that in verse nine. Now I rejoice not, that you were made sorry, but that your sorrow led to repentance for you were made sorry in a godly manner. You were made sorry in a way that is in conformity with God's instructions about the matter, but indeed in a way that indicates God at work in your hearts to bring you to this new understanding. Repentance is a work of God, the early disciples understood that fact. And Peter came back from his encounter with Cornelius and explained to the church in Jerusalem. What a taken place. Here's what they said when they heard these things, they became silent and they glorified God, saying, then God has also granted to the Gentiles, repentance to life God has granted that is given the gift of repentance to Gentiles up until then, they were under the mistaken notion that God only did that for Jews that salvation was for the seed of Abraham, the physical seed of Abraham that God only intended a Messiah, a Savior work.

The Jewish people and therefore God only gave repentance and faith to Jews and now they were learning that they were wrong about that and they rejoiced and they said not.

We are so glad that the Gentiles exercise their free will and decided to repent a believer. They said more accurately now.

We rejoice because God has granted to the Gentiles.

Repentance, it is a work of God and furthermore we learn in verse nine. Were talking about godly sorrow that leads to repentance, we learn the repentance is a key to blessing because Paul goes on to say in verse nine for you were made sorry in a godly manner that you might suffer loss from us in nothing.

You might suffer loss from us and nothing. In other words, without godly sorrow leading to repentance. They would have suffered loss or that could be translated injury or liability.

There is liability serious spiritual liability for a lack of repentance. But here there was repentance that repentance that godly sorrow that led to repentance brought a removal of loss, a removal of liability, a removal of spiritual injury and that came about through the exercise of repentance godly sorrow leads to repentance.

Verse nine and furthermore verse 10 godly sorrow leads to salvation for godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation not to be regretted, but the sorrow of the world produces death godly sorrow leads to salvation. Paul clearly is talking here in terms of final salvation.

As you know salvation can be understood in terms of past president future.

There's a past aspect we are justified in the past when we are first brought to faith in the Lord Jesus Christ is a present aspect. We call that progressive sanctification we are being saved.

We have been saved we are saved, we have been saved.

We are being saved. Presently, and we shall yet be saved we shall finally be saved. When we are with the Lord. And salvation is complete and Paul here is evidently talking about that last aspect of salvation when he tells us godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, leading to that final accomplishment of salvation when we are ever with the Lord. But one thing is clear from this word of Paul telling us the repentance leads to salvation, namely that repentance is necessary for salvation.

You can't escape that from these words. Repentance is necessary for salvation by this. Therefore, we come to understand that repentance is inseparable from faith. In fact, some were talking of course about genuine faith saving faith.

Some have seen it as two sides of the same coin on one side you have faith on the other side you have. Repentance is one coin you can't have one without the other. I think that's a good way to think of it.

Therefore, we can understand better what saving faith is, if we understand it this way. Saving faith is repentant faith of us. If you have a faith and fall short of repentant faith and it's not saving faith may be some kind of belief about something or another, but it's not the faith that embraces Christ to the salvation of the soul is not the faith adjoins you in eternal union with the living God because the faith that saves the soul is a repentant faith, which I take to mean that it is impossible to believe and to refuse to believe that the same time know that I don't think anybody would disagree with what I mean by that.

You can't conceive of faith is believing's believing part of the revelation of God rejecting other parts all believe in the part that has to do with Christ died for sinners and those who trust in him will be saved. But I refuse to believe that what the Bible calls sin sin. I refuse to believe that this particular pet sin of mine that the Bible condemns is actually wrong. I'm not going to believe that part and what are you demonstrating you are endeavoring to both believe and not believe at the same time know it's true that when one believes in Christ he doesn't know all the truth of Scripture and therefore that sense Believe everything that God has revealed. But one thing is clear.

One cannot stubbornly rebel against what God is revealed and nevertheless still be saving joined to Christ. It's impossible to believe and refuse to believe that the same time, the heart, the believes in Christ believes whatever God has revealed to that soul and there will be more revealed as time goes on, but a repentant faith is a change of mind regarding whatever God has revealed whatever I formerly thought that God has not revealed is wrong. I now train. I now renounce my error. I now turn from those former thoughts that were wrong. I now turn away from those sinful practices that I once justified. I now repent, because I now believe that it is because I believe the revelation of God that I repent that my mind is thoroughly and completely changed about those things that God has revealed. So repentance is necessary for salvation and repentance leads to lasting joy. He tells us of this this sorrow, the least repentance that it's not to be regretted for godly sorrow again verse 10 producing repentance leading to salvation, not to be regretted not to. If you never regretted that this is speaking about lasting joy.

Indeed, it is sin usefully brings temporary joy but lasting regret. Repentance brings temporary sorrow but lasting joy. Sin brings temporary joy but lasting regret. Repentance brings temporary sorrow but lasting joy.

It's a repentance not to be regretted. And furthermore, repentance is therefore a manifestation of life. Repentance is the outworking of the life that God has worked within it is an outworking of regeneration. It's an outworking of the new birth for godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation not to be regretted but but the sorrow of the world produces death.

So here's the contrast godly repentance produces life but there is another kind of sorrow it's not godly sorrow. It's the sorrow of the world and that produces death. The exact opposite worldly sorrow leads to death and what is worldly sorrow. We could call it worldly repentance because the sorrow and the repentance are closely linked together and I'll get saying more about that in the moment. What is worldly sorrow leads to death is a sorrow that experiences remorse over the consequences of sin that Senate that brought temporary joy but then lasting sorrow when those windows by dictating consequences that bring the payment start arriving then many times there will be a remorse, a regret. I shouldn't of done that because I don't like these consequences that can involve so many things wounded pride, self-pity, guilt, shame, resentment, despair, depression and death.

Sometimes even self-inflicted death.

The despair becomes so great that's worldly sorrow. We have some examples of that in Scripture one is in the life of Esau. Twin of Jacob, and we read this in the book of Hebrews chapter 12 verse 16 lest there be any fornicator or profane person like Esau for one more's morsel of food sold his birthright for you know that afterward when he wanted to inherit the blessing. He was rejected for he found no place of repentance, though he sought it diligently with tears, first glance, that sounds wrong. He sought it with tears. That sounds like a contrite heart begging God for for cleansing and for four helped for genuine repentance. But as we examine the scriptural account going back to the book of Genesis and seeing what happened with the life of Esau. We realize what he's sorrowing for is the loss of the blessing and the temporal effects the temporal benefits that that would bring to him was a connection between the blessing of the birthright and he actually lost them both. As you know, but the firstborn normally received the double inheritance.

If there were two sons. The first one would receive two thirds of the inheritance that second one would receive one third in the in the appointment of God. God reversed in the case of Jacob and Esau and God gave the birthright and the blessing the birthright.

The temporal benefits and the blessing the spiritual benefits he gave them both to the second born to Jacob and when Esau realized what he done he sold his blessing for a mass of pottage for for a bowl of stew because he was so hungry I just thought it was going to die if he couldn't get it right then. He was a man of the flesh. He was a man who was all consumed with satisfying his desires. His fleshly desires and at that particular time. His hunger was most important thing in his life and he did. He was willing to sell anything and everything to get some food to satisfy his hunger, but when it was all over, he realized, I have sold my blessing by birthright.

In my blessing that he's the birthright came later, but I sold them for a bowl of stew. How stupid. How foolish and he sought repentance. And again, this idea of change. He sought a change of mind. I think in this case, he sought a change of mind from God. God please change your mind, reverse what has happened here let me have my blessing back then God said to late now that was a form of repentance.

But it wasn't godly repentance. It was simply agonizing over the consequences of his sin of his wrong choice when it was too late for to be reversed.

Something similar happened with Judas Iscariot there was a sorrow here, but it led to death. Then Judas Christ betrayer seeing that he had been condemned was remorseful and brought back the 30 pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders say I have sinned by betraying innocent blood, and they said what is that to us. You see to it that he threw down the pieces of silver in the temple and departed and went out and hanged himself godly sorrow that leads to death.

There was no part of repentance because of his sin.

There was a part of regret it if his if his heart had truly been one of repentance because of his sin. What would he have done.

He would've sought out the one that he would send most against Jesus Christ and begged him for forgiveness he would've gone to his fellow apostles, and whom he had sinned against greatly by betraying their lord anyone said please forgive me for what I have done none of that. None of that. None of that, but he was regretting what he saw as the terrible consequences of his sin.

It was a remorse, but it wasn't godly repentance, worldly sorrow leads to death, but godly sorrow leads to life, godly sorrow is both a manifestation of life and a companion of life, godly sorrow evidences the life that is within and godly sorrow accompanies the life that is within throughout our Christian journey, someone has accurately said that true Christians are life long repentance. It's not something that we do one time. Glad that's over with. Don't have to do that anymore because the sought spirit of God keeps coming to us and showing us error showing us said showing us where we are out of conformity with the revelation of God and every time he does, putting his finger upon something in our lives.

What is our response. If we have been born again a response is one of repenting again and again and again and again I was wrong. Please forgive me. I will change my mind about that. I will change my thinking about that I will change my attitude toward that by your help and grace.

Lord, there are, of course, when the first examples of that in the Bible. The unconverted often like to throw up case of David will he committed adultery and murder, and he was a Christian you don't leave out the repentance that followed. Don't think you can go down the same result the same road and indulge yourself in immorality. Indulge yourself in your sins and never repent of them and somehow your going to escape health don't be under that delusion. Here's what David did when he came to his senses when God brought him to true repentance, he cried out, have mercy upon the oh God, according to your lovingkindness. According to the multitude of your tender mercies blot out my transgression. Wash me thoroughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin, for I acknowledge my transgressions and my sin is always before me against you. You only have I sinned, and done this evil in your sight. You should be found just when you speak and blameless when you judge I will stop my reading there but notice a particular aspect of sometimes people miss David is saying all Lord I know that there will be some temporal consequences for my sin. He knew thank God that he would be cleansed justified before the judgment bar of God would be with the Lord eternally saved. But he also recognized that his sin would require the judgment of God, and he said I acknowledge my sin publicly so that when the chastening rod falls upon me, everyone will know that you are just you see, he was willing to accept the punishment for his sins which was an evidence of his genuine repentance. He didn't resent the hand of chastening that fell upon him for his sin.

He acknowledged that it was right it was righteous. It was just it was deserved. The God is righteous and I am wrong and that was part of his repentance. Peters. Another example I won't go into that now. For lack of time because I must hurry as I brings me not to the evidence of godly sorrow in verse 11, Paul goes on to say for observe this very thing that you sorrowed in a godly manner not look behold I think the King James says look carefully observe this very thing. Take a close look at the at the evidences the manifestation of this godly repentance that you sorrowed in a godly manner, and then he lists seven characteristics of their repentance.

What diligence he produced and you what clearing of yourselves, what indignation, what fear, what vehement desire what zeal, what vindication in all things and all these things you proved yourself to be clear in this matter. So there seven evidences of genuine repentance in the life of the Corinthians. Let's look at them quickly, one by one. First of all, there was diligence, sometimes translated earnestness or carefulness that means the opposite of indifference of neglect like the Corinthians that first to work in different toward the sin in their midst of their responsibility to deal with it.

They were different toward it, they neglected it until God worked repentance in their hearts and then everything changed. Now they were diligent, there was in there hearts in earnest desire to see sand corrected. That's the diligence number two clearing of yourselves. The great Greek word is Apollo G from which we get the word apology, which doesn't mean necessarily saying I'm sorry for what I did, though that certainly is appropriate at this point, but an apology is a speech in defense of something talk about Christian apologetics we are defending the Christian faith with the particular statement for longer defense and they were apologetic toward themselves. What is that mean they found it necessary to speak up and clear their name and make it clear that they did not condone the sin that was in their midst. They had condoned it, but not now.

You cleared your sales by making it clear to everyone that you do not approve this sin in your midst. That is evidence of the repentance number three indignation indignation at what some of these things Paul by the spirit of God gives us a word that has meaning and helps us put some cases we wish he had added a little bit more indignation exactly toward clutter who but I take this to mean indignation toward themselves because of their former toleration of sin. They are indeed meant that they had done such a thing. They were indignant at themselves that they allowed themselves to be so indifferent and tolerant of sin they could believe it.

They could not believe it.

Like I've heard many people testify of the change in their lives, and God save the sometimes eye-catching terms like this. I cannot believe how I used to live. I can't believe how I used to act I can't believe what I used to think was fun. I can't believe how I use to find the light in things that now make me sick at my stomach yet that's the idea. Indignation indignation toward the sin that once was justified.

Now is no longer seen as a justifiable number for fear. Fear is alarm Ferris Tribbett trepidation because of past sin. There is here a fear of God's wrath. God's judgment. God's just judgment upon sin and probably along with it a fear of God of Paul's displeasure.

They recognize that Paul had authority to deal with this fact.

Remember what Paul said in first Corinthians 421. What do you want shall I come to you with a rod or in love and the spirit of gentleness, which shall be fully didn't want the rod one. Incoming with further chastening that would've been verbal, of course, not a literal Roddy was good to come and beat the black and blue with the stick.

But they feared his sternness. They feared his authority. They feared because they recognized that he was an instrument of God and if he came with words of fiery judgment. That's because God was coming with words of fiery judgment in the feared that they were alarmed at that, therefore, they dealt with their sin, so that would not be there. Condition number five vehement desire. This is strong desire for righteousness and a strong desire to see their broken light relationship with Paul restored their sin has impaired a good relationship with Paul, but they have a vehement desire. A strong desire to see that restoring the course. The only way can be restored is if they deal with their sin, so it's a strong desire for righteousness and a strong desire for right relationships with God and with the people of God number six zeal there zeal their energy, their zeal for holiness. Their energy there zeal now for Paul. Formerly they had been rather indifferent about Lexa days ago toward even and entered into some of the criticism of the false teachers who were trying to tear him down and they listen to that now.

There's a zeal for holiness in their life in a zeal for all a zeal to defend our beloved apostle against his critics. Don't you talk about him that way. He's God's man is God's voice. He's God's messenger to us and to others dollars a zeal for them to stand with him and finally vindication or vengeance that work can actually be translated but it is the readiness to see justice done a strong desire to make restitution, a willingness to accept the consequences of sin to see Salem judge and dealt with, and put away in every area starting with the man who was living in immorality the process when there's this kind of repentance is what happens declares you of your guilt. The last phrase in verse 11 in all things.

You proved yourselves to be clear in this matter.

Your genuine repentance has cleared the way your guilt it's gone just like in parallel to the loss. The injury that he mentioned earlier. So repentance clears the guilty.

How do I get rid of the guilt of my sin, repent and believe that's how repentance clears the guilty lack of repentance leaves guilt on removed. It still clings to your soul.

You can't get to heaven without repentance. Let me give you a quick summary of what I gather, Paul is saying here in verse 11 about repentance is telling is number one. Repentance is not indifferent toward sin number two repentance is eager to acknowledge unconfessed sin is not indifferent towards it and it goes further and acknowledges and confesses that sin to God always and two others were that's appropriate as it was in this Corinthian situation. There sin to have been something of a public sale and it was known in the congregation.

It was known beyond the congregation. It was known to the apostle Paul, in another city he was known to others in another city they needed to make things right, not only with God, but with that they had wrong to do about the wrong repentance is eager to acknowledge unconfessed sin to God and to other repentance number three does not resent those who expose sin, show someone who is resentful toward a person, whoever he may be apparent. The teacher, preacher, a fellow believer was call alongside you and tried to help you to see sin in your life and rather than acknowledging it and repenting it.

You resent the messenger that I can tell you here is evidence that no repentance has taken place yet repentance does not result resent those who expose sin number four repentance takes God's judgment of sin seriously.

Number five. Repentance longs for broken relationships to be restored.

Number six repentance is eager to make restitution for sin.

So we come back to where we started. Repentance is an oft neglected doctrine. You don't hear many messages about you heard one today because repentance is an oft neglected doctrine. It is secondly an off neglected practice or maybe it's the other way around. Because it's an off neglected practice.

It's also an oft neglected doctrine because people don't want to hear about the teachings of God's word that they're not willing to apply to their lives so they would rather keep to themselves teachers who will tickle their ears and tell them what they want to hear what will make them feel good. Rather than confronting them about their sin and calling them to repentance. But I remind you, number three, that repentance is an essential Christian exercise. You can't be a true Christian without it. Whatever you call yourself. Whatever professions of faith.

You may have made whatever church you belong to you cannot be a genuine Christian. If you have no repentance working in your heart that brings me to say therefore that repentance is a window into the site.

State of your soul. What is the state of your soul.

You repentance or lack of it is going to reveal that that's a helpful Revelation isn't you don't want to be self deceived. You don't want to go on thinking that you're on the road to heaven, and Diane drop off into hell and say what happened, why didn't anybody tell me why did anybody warn make preachers trying to help you today, repentance, or lack thereof is a window into the true condition of your soul. If you are one who exercises repentance regularly then you undoubtedly must be a true child of God. Where else does that come from.

It's a gift of God. But if you are one for whom repentance is basically a foreign concept. You've heard about it but you know you not practicing it than I say, dear friend want to be alarmed.

You ought to be concerned.

That shows you that you are not ready to meet the Lord that shows you that you are not saved you are not on your way to heaven. No one gets to heaven apart from regular exercise. So what does this truth say about the state of your soul. Do you have a heart of repentance. Do you exercise repentance regularly before the Lord, and if you cannot answer those questions with a clear and emphatic yes, thank God, yes, by his grace. Yes undeserving as I am. This is true of me.

The spirit of God has worked repentance in my heart and brings me back to repentance regularly. If so thank God for it. If not, what do you do go to Christ and telling your need the Lord Jesus Christ. I do not find this gift of repentance within me. It can only come from you. I cry out to you give me this gift were just within the life that will usher forth in repentance and faith. For if you do not give it to me. I shall be eternally lost.

Shall we pray father thousands love profound the ransom for our souls has found to us pardoning love extend