A. The first message preached by our Lord in His ministry was, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand" (Matt. 4:17). Therefore, we know that repentance must be important in the gospel message.
B. Repentance is often defined as a change of mind, but it is more practically defined as a change of action.
1. This was indicated by John the baptizer, who said to the multitudes who came to him to be baptized, "Therefore bear fruits in keeping with repentance" (Luke 3:8).
2. Likewise, as Paul spread the gospel to the Gentiles, he taught them to perform "deeds appropriate to repentance" (Acts 26:20).
C. The gospel message concerning repentance has not changed since it was first delivered, so let us consider genuine repentance and the deeds that accompany it according to the Scriptures.
II. REPENTANCE
A. Repentance is a change of mind, but it is more than a mental state.
1. The proper dictionary definition of repentance (Gr. μετανοέω, metanoeō) is to change one's mind or almost literally to think afterward. Regarding sin, it is a resolve and decision to cease.
2. However, the context of the Bible shows that repentance is much more than a state of mind. Biblical repentance is always accompanied by an appropriate change of action.
3. Repentance without works is dead.
a. The Bible says explicitly that faith without works is dead (Jas. 2:17, 26) and implicitly that love without works is dead (1John 3:16-18). These are invisible traits that can be manifested only through visible works.
b. In the same way, repentance without works is dead. A change of mind that does not result in a change of works is lifeless, dead, and good for nothing.
B. Repentance requires sorrow, but it is more than a feeling of remorse.
1. Notice Paul's words in 2Corinthians 7:9-10:
9 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. 10For 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.
2. If the Corinthians had been merely sorry with nothing further, then Paul would not have rejoiced for that.
a. Sorrow alone was not the goal of his letter (2Cor. 7:8).
b. Likewise, it should never be our goal simply to make someone (or ourselves) sorry and miserable. This alone accomplishes nothing.
c. Feeling sorrow is a necessary part of resolving sin, and the gospel's message about sin should provoke hearers to sorrow, but sorrow alone is insufficient for the resolution.
3. If the Corinthians had the sorrow of the world, then Paul would not rejoice for that either.
a. The sorrow of the world is sorrow due to consequent personal suffering.
b. Much like sin (Rom. 6:23; Jas. 1:15), the sorrow of the world only produces death. It is nothing more than the response of a selfish heart that has no sensitivity toward God or others.
c. Consider the example of the rich young ruler (Matt. 19:16-22). He was made sorrowful because he was not willing to obey the words of Jesus for eternal life. His sorrow due to his selfishness availed him nothing but an expectation of death.
4. As it was, Paul rejoiced because they "were made sorrowful to the point of repentance" and "according to the will of God."
a. The "sorrow that is according to the will of God" comes from a heart that responds to the gospel and recognizes that it has offended God or even someone else.
b. Such sorrow necessitates action. It moves a person to repent. Because the Corinthians had such sorrow, Paul had reason to rejoice.
c. It is God's will that sinners should experience this godly sorrow. Like Paul, He does not rejoice for the sorrow itself, but rather He rejoices for sorrow's result, for it is repentance that leads to life (Acts 11:18).
III. FITTING FRUITS, APPROPRIATE DEEDS
A. Notice John's instructions to the multitudes concerning repentance (Luke 3:7-14).
1. His general statement to the whole multitude stressed that their deeds were important rather than their lineage. Notice verses 7-9:
7So he began saying to the crowds who were going out to be baptized by him, "You brood of vipers, who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? 8Therefore bear fruits in keeping with repentance, and do not begin to say to yourselves, 'We have Abraham for our father,' for I say to you that from these stones God is able to raise up children to Abraham. 9Indeed the axe is already laid at the root of the trees; so every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire."
2. When the people asked, "What shall we do?" (v. 10), John gave them examples of "fruits in keeping with repentance."
a. As a general example, he said to the multitudes, "The man who has two tunics is to share with him who has none; and he who has food is to do likewise" (v. 11).
b. When the tax collectors asked what to do, John said, "Collect no more than what you have been ordered to" (vv. 12-13).
c. When the soldiers asked, he said, "Do not take money from anyone by force, or accuse anyone falsely, and be content with your wages" (v. 14).
d. All of these are fruits in keeping with repentance. Without deeds such as these, repentance would be meaningless and empty.
B. Consider the example of Zaccheus from Luke 19:1-10.
1. Zaccheus was a tax collector, which made him part of a profession that was notorious for fraud and extortion. Tax collectors were known for taking more than they were authorized to take (see again Luke 3:12-13).
2. When the Lord came to his home, Zaccheus said, "Behold, Lord, half of my possessions I will give to the poor, and if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I will give back four times as much" (v. 8).
a. Zaccheus committed himself to fruits in keeping with repentance.
b. The first of these was simply an act of charity. In this way, Zaccheus is a contrast to the rich young ruler, who would not give away his possessions (Matt. 19:16-22).
c. The second of these was an act of restitution. We will examine this more closely below, but for now notice that the reason Zaccheus did not give away all of his possessions to the poor was so that he could make restitution to those whom he had defrauded.
3. Notice the Lord's response in verses 9-10:
9And Jesus said to him, "Today salvation has come to this house, because he, too, is a son of Abraham. 10For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost."
a. Salvation had come to Zaccheus because he had "the sorrow that is according to the will of God," which produced "a repentance without regret, leading to salvation" (2Cor. 7:10).
b. Recall that John had said, "Do not begin to say to yourselves, 'We have Abraham for our father,' for I say to you that from these stones God is able to raise up children to Abraham" (Luke 3:8). Zaccheus was one of these children.
C. Restitution is an integral part of repentance.
1. The Jews understood restitution, for it was always part of the Law of Moses (Ex. 21:34; 22:3-6, 11-15; Lev. 5:16; 6:5; Num. 5:7-8). They were required to make amends for their offenses.
2. Restitution remains as a part of repentance in the Law of Christ. Just as a sinner cannot repent while remaining in sin, he also cannot retain that which he obtained by sinful means.
3. The principle of restitution is evident in Ephesians 4:28, which says, "He who steals must steal no longer; but rather he must labor, performing with his own hands what is good, so that he will have something to share with one who has need."
IV. CONCLUSION
A. Therefore, let us understand the full meaning of repentance.
1. It is defined by a change of mind from an approval of sin to a resolve to cease from sin.
2. It is motivated by a godly sorrow that is sensitive to the offense against God.
3. It is animated by deeds that are appropriate to repentance.
B. If any sin stands between you and God, then fully repent in godly sorrow and do what is necessary today.
