Turning the page…
Turning the page…
Glory · The Gospel
Both. Repentance begins with a decisive turning at conversion, and it continues as a lifelong posture of turning back whenever we wander. The same word covers the once-for-all turn and the daily re-turn; both are real, both are the work of grace, and heaven rejoices over each one.
https://glorystudy.com/questions/repentance-one-time-or-lifelong · Scripture quoted from the World English Bible
Matthew 3:1-12
As you read: John's baptism of repentance, and his demand that real repentance show in the fruit of a changed life.
1In those days, John the Baptizer came, preaching in the wilderness of Judea, saying,
2“Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand!”
3For this is he who was spoken of by Isaiah the prophet, saying, “The voice of one crying in the wilderness, make ready the way of the Lord. Make his paths straight.”
4Now John himself wore clothing made of camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist. His food was locusts and wild honey.
5Then people from Jerusalem, all of Judea, and all the region around the Jordan went out to him.
6They were baptized by him in the Jordan, confessing their sins.
7But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming for his baptism, he said to them, “You offspring of vipers, who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?
8Therefore produce fruit worthy of repentance!
9Don’t think to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham for our father,’ for I tell you that God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones.
10“Even now the ax lies at the root of the trees. Therefore every tree that doesn’t produce good fruit is cut down, and cast into the fire.
11I indeed baptize you in water for repentance, but he who comes after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you in the Holy Spirit.
12His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will thoroughly cleanse his threshing floor. He will gather his wheat into the barn, but the chaff he will burn up with unquenchable fire.”
Luke 15:1-10
As you read: The parables of the lost sheep and the lost coin: each one is a picture of the joy of a sinner's repentance.
1Now all the tax collectors and sinners were coming close to him to hear him.
2The Pharisees and the scribes murmured, saying, “This man welcomes sinners, and eats with them.”
3He told them this parable.
4“Which of you men, if you had one hundred sheep, and lost one of them, wouldn’t leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness, and go after the one that was lost, until he found it?
5When he has found it, he carries it on his shoulders, rejoicing.
6When he comes home, he calls together his friends and his neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost!’
7I tell you that even so there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents, than over ninety-nine righteous people who need no repentance.
8Or what woman, if she had ten drachmacoins, if she lost one drachma coin, wouldn’t light a lamp, sweep the house, and seek diligently until she found it?
9When she has found it, she calls together her friends and neighbors, saying, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found the drachma which I had lost.’
10Even so, I tell you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner repenting.”
Acts 26:12-23
As you read: Paul's testimony to Agrippa: he preached repentance toward God, with works worthy of repentance.
12“Whereupon as I traveled to Damascus with the authority and commission from the chief priests,
13at noon, O king, I saw on the way a light from the sky, brighter than the sun, shining around me and those who traveled with me.
14When we had all fallen to the earth, I heard a voice saying to me in the Hebrew language, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.’
15“I said, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ “He said, ‘I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting.
16But arise, and stand on your feet, for I have appeared to you for this purpose: to appoint you a servant and a witness both of the things which you have seen, and of the things which I will reveal to you;
17delivering you from the people, and from the Gentiles, to whom I send you,
18to open their eyes, that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive remission of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’
19“Therefore, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision,
20but declared first to them of Damascus, at Jerusalem, and throughout all the country of Judea, and also to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, doing works worthy of repentance.
21For this reason the Jews seized me in the temple, and tried to kill me.
22Having therefore obtained the help that is from God, I stand to this day testifying both to small and great, saying nothing but what the prophets and Moses said would happen,
23how the Christ must suffer, and how, by the resurrection of the dead, he would be first to proclaim light both to these people and to the Gentiles.”
Revelation 2:1-7
As you read: The risen Christ calls whole churches to repent, and to repent again: 'repent, and do the first works.'
1“To the angel of the assembly in Ephesus write: “He who holds the seven stars in his right hand, he who walks among the seven golden lamp stands says these things:
2“I know your works, and your toil and perseverance, and that you can’t tolerate evil men, and have tested those who call themselves apostles, and they are not, and found them false.
3You have perseverance and have endured for my name’s sake, and have not grown weary.
4But I have this against you, that you left your first love.
5Remember therefore from where you have fallen, and repent and do the first works; or else I am coming to you swiftly, and will move your lamp stand out of its place, unless you repent.
6But this you have, that you hate the works of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.
7He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the assemblies. To him who overcomes I will give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the Paradise of my God.
Mark 1:1-15
As you read: Jesus begins His own preaching with the call to repent and believe: the doorway and the path.
1The beginning of the Good News of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.
2As it is written in the prophets, “Behold, I send my messenger before your face, who will prepare your way before you.
3The voice of one crying in the wilderness, ‘Make ready the way of the Lord! Make his paths straight!’”
4John came baptizing in the wilderness and preaching the baptism of repentance for forgiveness of sins.
5All the country of Judea and all those of Jerusalem went out to him. They were baptized by him in the Jordan river, confessing their sins.
6John was clothed with camel’s hair and a leather belt around his waist. He ate locusts and wild honey.
7He preached, saying, “After me comes he who is mightier than I, the thong of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and loosen.
8I baptized you in water, but he will baptize you in the Holy Spirit.”
9In those days, Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee, and was baptized by John in the Jordan.
10Immediately coming up from the water, he saw the heavens parting, and the Spirit descending on him like a dove.
11A voice came out of the sky, “You are my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”
12Immediately the Spirit drove him out into the wilderness.
13He was there in the wilderness forty days tempted by Satan. He was with the wild animals; and the angels were serving him.
14Now after John was taken into custody, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the Good News of the Kingdom of God,
15and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the Kingdom of God is at hand! Repent, and believe in the Good News.”
Jesus' first words in Mark are 'Repent, and believe in the Good News.' Peter's summons is explicit: 'Repent therefore, and turn again, that your sins may be blotted out.' There is a first repentance, a turning around that marks the start of the journey with Christ, and the New Testament takes it with a seriousness that leaves no room for delay.
“and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the Kingdom of God is at hand! Repent, and believe in the Good News.””Mark 1:15
““Repent therefore, and turn again, that your sins may be blotted out, so that there may come times of refreshing from the presence of the Lord,”Acts 3:19
“I tell you, no, but unless you repent, you will all perish in the same way.”Luke 13:3
The risen Christ does not tell the Ephesian church to repent once and be finished; He tells this already-begun church, 'repent and do the first works.' And to another He says, 'I gave her time to repent.' Repentance is not only the door a believer walks through; it is the way they keep walking, turning back whenever they recognize they have wandered.
“Remember therefore from where you have fallen, and repent and do the first works; or else I am coming to you swiftly, and will move your lamp stand out of its place, unless you repent.”Revelation 2:5
“I gave her time to repent, but she refuses to repent of her sexual immorality.”Revelation 2:21
“The Lord is not slow concerning his promise, as some count slowness; but is patient with us, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.”2 Peter 3:9
John the Baptist refused to accept claimed repentance without evidence: 'Produce fruit worthy of repentance!' Paul preached the same, that people 'should repent and turn to God, doing works worthy of repentance.' Repentance is not a feeling of regret that goes nowhere; it is a turning that changes direction, and a changed direction shows.
“Therefore produce fruit worthy of repentance!”Matthew 3:8
“but declared first to them of Damascus, at Jerusalem, and throughout all the country of Judea, and also to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, doing works worthy of repentance.”Acts 26:20
“Zacchaeus stood and said to the Lord, “Behold, Lord, half of my goods I give to the poor. If I have wrongfully exacted anything of anyone, I restore four times as much.” Jesus said to him, “Today, salvation has come to this house, because he also is a son of Abraham.”Luke 19:8-9
Hebrews calls repentance a foundational principle: 'repentance from dead works' is part of the foundation, not the building itself. And yet believers are told to go on repenting when they stray. Repentance opens the door to the kingdom, and it is also the road by which the kingdom's citizens keep coming home. It is not the whole of the Christian life; it is the turning at its heart.
“Therefore leaving the teaching of the first principles of Christ, let us press on to perfection—not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works, of faith toward God,”Hebrews 6:1
“and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name to all the nations, beginning at Jerusalem.”Luke 24:47
“testifying both to Jews and to Greeks repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus.”Acts 20:21
Nothing makes repentance bitter: 'godly sorrow works repentance to salvation, which brings no regret.' And heaven is not grudging about it: 'there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents' over ninety-nine who need no repentance. To repent is not to grovel; it is to come home, and every time you turn, the Father is already running toward you.
“For godly sorrow works repentance to salvation, which brings no regret. But the sorrow of the world works death.”2 Corinthians 7:10
“I tell you that even so there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents, than over ninety-nine righteous people who need no repentance.”Luke 15:7
“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive us the sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”1 John 1:9
““He arose, and came to his father. But while he was still far off, his father saw him, and was moved with compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him.”Luke 15:20