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Repentance Must Go with Forgiveness | Charles Spurgeon · Reformed Thinking

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Welcome back to Reformed Thinking, the show where we take
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the sources you send us and really try to unpack the most
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interesting and important insights.
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Think of it as maybe a shortcut to getting well informed on some
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key theological topics, sometimes with surprising facts
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along the way. And today we're looking into a
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subject that's absolutely central, really foundational to
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understanding faith and God's grace.
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We've got a collection of notes and excerpts here, sent in by a
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listener. They seem to focus primarily on
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a classic theological text. Yeah, and this material zeroes
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in on what it presents as two key blessings that God provides.
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It seems very focused on that pairing.
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That's right. OK, so let's dive into this, the
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source material we have today. It really goes deep into the the
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link nature of repentance and forgiveness.
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Right. It draws heavily from these
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provided excerpts, laying out a pretty strong case for how these
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two blessings are connected. And not just connected, but also
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where they originate and why that connection according to
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this material matters so much. Precisely.
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The listener who shared these sources is clearly looking to
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get a clear picture of this relationship.
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And the sources, well, they put forward a very firm argument
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that these two aren't just loosely related ideas, you know,
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like concepts that happen to be near each other.
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They're presented as inseparable.
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Inseparable. OK, so our task today is to walk
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through the reasoning given in this text for why that bond is
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considered so strong, so necessary.
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Exactly what's the basis for this claim of inseparability?
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So if you're ready to explore how repentance and forgiveness
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are tied together in this particular theological
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viewpoint, let's let's dig in. Let's do it.
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The source material. It begins right away by
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establishing A fundamental point.
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It says Jesus bestows 2 gifts simultaneously.
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Right. Not one and then maybe the other
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later, but both repentance and forgiveness of sins given well
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in tandem together. That initial statement really
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sets the stage, doesn't? It it does, and the text
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specifically points to Acts chapter 5 verse 31.
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It quotes that Jesus is exalted to give repentance and
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forgiveness of sins. OK Acts 5.31.
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Yeah, and this specific verse is presented as a cornerstone.
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It's showing the source and the delivery mechanism for these
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blessings. Meaning it's Jesus in his
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exalted state, who is the giver of both.
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That's the assertion, and it emphasizes that both blessings
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flow from the exact same source, Jesus Christ himself.
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The language used is quite descriptive too, isn't it?
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It mentions his sacred hand. It does, and it elaborates on
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this, reminding us that this is the same hand that was once, you
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know, nailed to the tree during the crucifixion.
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So connecting the cross to his current authority.
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Yes, the hand once pierced, now raised to glory.
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It draws a Direct Line between his atoning sacrifice and his
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current capacity and authority to provide these two specific
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things. It connects his past suffering
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with his present ability to administer this grace.
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It's from the hand that bore the nails for our sin that the gifts
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of turning from sin, which is repentance and being pardoned
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for sin, forgiveness, are offered.
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And the source also stresses, doesn't it, that Jesus bestows
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both forgiveness and repentance upon the same persons?
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Yes, that's a key point they make.
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It's not like a distribution where some get repentance and
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others get forgiveness, right? According to this text, the
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individuals who receive 1 from him receive the other as well.
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They are given together to the person who comes to him.
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The text even seems to catalog this pairing as a consistent
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theme. It mentions different phrases
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for it. It does.
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It lists repentance and forgiveness, repentance and
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remission, using remission as a synonym for forgiveness, which
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is common, and it also calls it the double benediction of
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repentance and remission. Double benediction.
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That phrasing highlights that they're seen as a deliberate
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pair of blessings linked intentionally.
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That terminology signals it's a recognized, purposeful pairing
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in this view. And crucially, the source
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underscores that you were to receive both the remission and
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the repentance directly from Jesus.
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Not one from him and one from ourselves, no.
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The text says he has both ready and is prepared to give them
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freely to those who are willing to accept them from him.
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So the idea presented is that you don't sort of acquire one on
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your own strength and then hope he gives you the other.
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Correct. Jesus offers both as a single
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complete package waiting to be received by faith.
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It's quite striking, too, that the source includes both
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repentance and the atonement as part of all that is needful for
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our salvation. Yes, that's significant.
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It frames repentance not merely as, say, a prerequisite we
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fulfill or a human effort that triggers salvation.
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But it's something that is itself given to us.
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Exactly given as part of the salvation package flowing from
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the atonement originating from Christ.
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That viewpoint positions repentance firmly within the
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realm of grace, not works. It does.
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It's presented as a component of the salvation that grace brings,
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originating from the same source, the very hand of Jesus
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who accomplished the atonement. OK, so the initial point is
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firmly established. Jesus provides repentance and
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forgiveness together. Twin gifts.
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Almost. But the source then moves on to
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explain why. Why is this link considered so
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incredibly strong? Right, this is where the
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material really lays out its core argument for the the
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inseparability you mentioned. It is an essential argument in
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these sources is that repentance and forgiveness aren't merely
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related ideas, they are described is being riveted
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together by the eternal purpose of God.
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Riveted together, that's a strong image, like metal plates
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fasten permanently. It is.
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It suggests an unbreakable bond, much stronger than just being
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tied or connected loosely. And attributing this joining to
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the internal purpose of God really elevates it, doesn't it?
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It's presented as fundamental to God's plan from before time
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began. Yes, not just a human
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observation or a temporary arrangement.
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And the source follows this with an equally weighty caution.
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Which is It borrows language often associated with marriage
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in the King James Version. What God hath joined together,
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let no man put asunder. Wow.
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So it's presented not just as advice, but as a direct
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prohibition against separating what God himself has permanently
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united. It suggests this is a sacred
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union, in a sense, between these two blessings.
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You tamper with it at your peril, theologically speaking.
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The text then uses a whole series of analogies to really
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under score this point, moving from maybe softer descriptions
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to more visceral ones. It does.
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They are first called inseparable companions, which
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hints at a close relationship certainly.
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Companions, OK. But then it shifts to the more
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potent image of Siamese twins, emphasizing that they are
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vitally joined together. Vitally joined.
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Meaning meaning severing one from the other would in this
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analogy mean destroying the life of both.
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It's that essential that interconnected.
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The comparisons keep coming, don't they, illustrating
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different facets of this dependency.
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They do, they're like 2 spokes in the same wheel.
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OK, like on a cartwheel? Right.
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You need both spokes working together for the wheel to turn
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properly and function as intended.
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Take one out, the wheel collapses or won't work right.
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Or two handles of the same plow. Yes, both grips are necessary to
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guide the plow effectively and work the soil.
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You can't really manage it properly with just one handle.
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The point is, you can't achieve the desired outcome or function
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properly using only one part of the pair.
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And perhaps the most evocative image for me was the warp and
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woof. Ah yes, the warp and wolf of the
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fabric of real conversion. Explain that a bit for listeners
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who might not know weaving terms.
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Sure, in weaving, the warp threads run lengthwise on the
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loom. They're the foundation, and the
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weft or whiff threads are woven across them back and forth.
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You absolutely need both sets of threads interlacing to create
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the fabric itself. Without both warp and woof, you
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simply don't have the cloth. So the analogy is without both
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repentance and forgiveness interwoven.
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You don't have what the source calls real conversion.
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They are the very substance, the material of it.
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That image of the fabric is very strong, and the consequences of
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trying to divide them are described in equally stark
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terms, aren't they? Extremely stark.
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The Texa is trying to separate them is like trying to cut the
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living child in halves. Echoing Solomon, perhaps?
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It certainly evokes that. It reinforces is the idea that
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to divide them is not just difficult but utterly
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destructive. It obliterates the very life and
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reality of the saving experience.
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And finally, the Union is presented as part of A1 and
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Indivisible Covenant heritage. Right.
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The idea there seems to be that salvation, understood as this
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covenant relationship or inheritance from God, isn't
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something that comes in pieces. You can pick and choose.
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You don't get just the forgiveness part without the
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repentance part, or vice versa. Exactly.
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You receive the entire unified inheritance, which includes both
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aspects. It's a package deal, part of the
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covenant. These rich analogies and
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descriptions leave no doubt that the sources consider this
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connection absolutely fundamental.
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No doubt at all, it's presented as something rooted in God's
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eternal purpose and essential to the very nature of salvation
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itself, not something that can be altered or divided by human
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will or theological tinkering. OK.
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Building directly on this argument of inseparability, the
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source then tackles the question head on.
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Why cannot pardon be given to someone who remains impenitent?
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Yes, If these two are so firmly linked, what specifically about
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the impenitent state makes forgiveness impossible?
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According to this text, it lays out several.
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Reasons. What's?
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The first one, the first touches on the well, the practical
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consequence, maybe from God's perspective.
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The source argues that to forgive someone who actively
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loves sin continues to live in it and is maybe even getting
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worse. While remaining impenitent.
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Right, while remaining completely unrepentant about it.
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To forgive them under those conditions would actually
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confirm him in his evil ways. Confirm him?
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How so? By removing any sense of
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consequence or need for change, it would also, the source says,
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teach him to think little of evil.
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That line of reasoning is quite clear, isn't it, If there are no
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spiritual consequences for loving and living in sin, and
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forgiveness is just granted irrespective of your attitude
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toward that sin? It essentially removes any
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motivation for change. It could easily be seen as
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implicitly validating or minimizing their sinful choices
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makes sins seem less serious. And the source takes this
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consequence even further, asserting that separating
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forgiveness from repentance in this way would amount to what
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was the phrase. Proclaiming a horrible license
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for iniquity. A license for sin?
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Wow. It implies giving spiritual
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permission, a kind of get out of jail free card to continue in
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wrongdoing without any need to turn from it.
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That sounds like it would just dismantle any sense of moral
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accountability. The source agrees completely.
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It states such a separation would remove the foundations of
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social order and lead inevitably to moral anarchy, creating
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innumerable mischief. So the argument is that if
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forgiveness is disconnected from a turning away from wrongdoing,
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it undermines not just individual spiritual health.
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But the very basis for moral order potentially leading to
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widespread harm and disorder, even on a societal level, it's
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presented as having profound negative implications.
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This isn't just an abstract theological point for the
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source. Yeah, it sees real world moral
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consequences. Christly and then the sources
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bring in the character of God Himself, His nature.
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It argues that due to the very holiness of God, forgiveness is
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simply not possible if individuals are determined to
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continue in their sin and actively refuse to repent.
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His Holiness is incompatible with it.
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That's the argument. The consequence for this
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obstinacy, the source states, is that they must reap the
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consequence of their obstinacy. God's absolute holiness cannot
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endorse or overlook ongoing, unrepented rebellion.
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So his nature itself demands a turning from sin for pardon to
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be rightly applied. It's not arbitrary.
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Not at all, and the source is quite resolute on this point.
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It states that so long as God lives, which is eternally true,
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there is no promise of mercy to those who continue in their evil
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ways and refuse to acknowledge their wrongdoing.
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That's definitive. It's not presented as a
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temporary policy. God might change, but is a truth
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as enduring as God Himself. Exactly.
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There's no scriptural basis, according to this text, for
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promising mercy to someone determined to remain in
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rebellion against him. The analogies used here make the
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point quite relatable to. They do, the source asks.
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Can any rebel expect the king to pardon his his treason while he
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is still in open revolt, actively fighting against the
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crown? Logically, no, that would make
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no sense. It's seen as fundamentally
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illogical within the context of a relationship between a
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sovereign and a subject who is actively opposing him.
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And there was another one about God is Judge.
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Yes, drawing on the idea of God as the ultimate judge, the
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parallel is made. No one can imagine that the
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judge of all the earth will put away our sins if we stubbornly
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refuse to put them away ourselves.
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So the act of repentance, of actively turning away from sin,
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is presented as the necessary posture, the required condition
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in the individual. For receiving pardon from the
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ultimate righteous judge, it's aligning yourself with his
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judgement against sin. All these points seem to
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converge on a very clear conclusion presented in the
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sources. Yes, genuine forgiveness, the
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kind that aligns with God's holy nature, inherently involves a
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turning away from sin on the part of the recipient.
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It's not merely allele declaration of pardon.
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Though it includes that, but it's intrinsically linked to a
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change in one's relationship with sin, a change of heart and
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direction. This section powerfully
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articulates the reasons why, from the perspective of this
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source material, separating forgiveness from repentance is
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not only impossible due to God's design, but would also have
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profoundly negative practical and theological consequences.
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It really lays out a strong case for that necessity.
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Now moving further into the sources argument for
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inseparability, it also contends that this union is necessary for
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something else, what it terms the completeness of Divine
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Mercy. Right.
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This presents another angle on why these two must go together.
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It's not just about holiness, but about the very nature of
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mercy itself. So what's the argument here?
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The source proposes A hypothetical scenario.
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Imagine a mercy that only deals with the guilt of sin.
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Removes the penalty, takes away the condemnation, as it were.
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OK. Sounds good so far.
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But then allows the Sinner to just live in it, to continue
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enslaved by the sin itself, loving it, practicing it.
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The source calls such a mercy scant and superficial mercy.
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It's just not enough. Scanned and superficial uses
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even stronger terms too, right? It does.
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It's described using terms like unequal and deformed mercy, even
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physical metaphors like being lame upon one of its feet and
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withered us to one of its hands. Unequal and deformed, that
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language implies that such a mercy is somehow incomplete,
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lacking a vital component. It's not whole or right.
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Exactly. It's unbalanced, misshapen, and
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the source culminates this line of thought by calling it
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ultimately a mockery of mercy. A mockery?
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Why? Well, think about it.
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If the penalty is removed, but you're still held captive and
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dominated by the very sin that incurred the penalty in the 1st
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place, is that truly merciful deliverance?
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Probably not. Is that true Freedom or healing?
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The source says emphatically no. It falls far short of what true
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complete mercy entails. This leads the source to
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introduce a fascinating idea, presenting a kind of
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hypothetical comparison. Yes, it asks, is cleansing from
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the guilt of sin, dealing with the penalty or deliverance from
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the power of sin, being freed from its dominion, which is the
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greater privilege? That does feel like comparing 2
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immense, invaluable things. Both seem absolutely essential.
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How could you choose? The source acknowledges this.
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It says they are two mercies so surpassing and stresses that
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both flow from the precious blood of Jesus.
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They have the same origin in Christ's work.
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So they're both incredibly valuable, both from Christ.
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Yes, but the source suggests if a comparison has to be drawn,
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then deliverance from the power and dominion of sin.
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That is, the work of being made holy, of being made like to God,
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might perhaps be considered the greater privilege.
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Greater Why might being delivered from sin's power be
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potentially considered more significant than being forgiven
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the guilt of sin, which carries eternal consequences like hell?
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That seems counterintuitive. Well, the source explains this
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by exploring why forgiveness alone, severed from deliverance
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from sin's power, is ultimately inadequate.
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It poses the question, what genuine lasting benefit or use
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is forgiveness? If you still love sin but he's
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still riot in iniquity, if you wallow in lust, if you remain
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captivated by the very things God hates even if the penalty is
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technically gone, what good is it if your heart is still
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enslaved? The source calls this kind of
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forgiveness only scenario a poison sweet.
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Yes, something that Mike seems desirable, initially great, I'm
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forgiven, but is ultimately harmful and destructive because
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the underlying disease, the love of thin, remains untouched.
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Right, because even with the penalty technically removed, the
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person is still enslaved, miserable in their sin, and
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fundamentally alienated from God by their active embrace of sin.
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The lack of deliverance from Sins power negates the real
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benefit of the removed penalty. Exactly.
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The internal reality undermines the external declaration, and
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the source uses a series of vivid comparisons to make this
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inadequacy crystal clear. What are some of those?
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It's like being washed clean externally, maybe ceremonially,
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but being left in the mire, still covered in filth
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internally or practically OK. It's like being pronounced clean
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legally, perhaps by a priest, but still having leprosy and the
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disease is still ravaging you internally.
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Powerful image. It's compared to bringing a man
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out of his sepulchre, his tomb, but leaving him dead.
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You've moved his location, but he's still lifeless.
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Or leave a blind man into the light.
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Without restoring his sight, you've put him in a place of
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potential benefit, the light, but he lacks the capacity to
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actually receive that benefit to see.
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Each of these analogies highlights that addressing only
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the external condition, the penalty, the guilt, the
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location, while leaving the internal reality, the power, the
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enslavement, the disease, the deaf, the blindness unchanged.
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It lenders the outward change, meaningless or even cruel,
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doesn't it? It feels like a tease if the
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internal reality remains unchanged.
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It really does. And this is where the source
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points to the completeness of God's actual mercy.
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It quotes or alludes to Psalm one, O 3.
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He who forgives our iniquities dealing with the guilt and
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penalty. Also does what?
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Also heals or diseases, using healing as a metaphor for
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deliverance from sins, sickness and power.
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God doesn't do only one without the other.
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So he doesn't just part in the past.
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No, he washes away the stains of the past and uplifts us from the
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foul ways of the present and keeps us from failing in the
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future. It's comprehensive.
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So the Source presents God's complete mercy as encompassing
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both the past guilt and the present reality of sins power,
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as well as providing for future protection and perseverance.
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Yes, it deals with a legal standing in the moral condition,
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pardon and power, justification and sanctification, though
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intertwined. And the source reiterates that
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those who are truly receiving God's mercy must joyfully accept
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both repentance and remission. They cannot be separated.
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Yes. This acceptance of both aspects
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is portrayed as part of embracing the full, complete
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scope of Divine Mercy. You can't just take the part you
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like. The section powerfully argues
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that the inseparability isn't just about God's holiness, but
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also about the very nature and purpose of His mercy.
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To truly rescue us, He must free us from Sin's grip as well as
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His penalty. It makes the mercy meaningful
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and transformative, not just transactional.
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OK, so far we've covered what repentance and forgiveness are,
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where they come from according to the source.
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Why? God links them based on His
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nature and the definition of complete mercy.
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Now, how do these linked blessings actually manifest in
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the lives of those who believe? What does this look like
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experientially? The sources are very explicit on
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this point. They state that repentance and
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forgiveness are joined together in the experience of all
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believers. So this isn't just the
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theological decree on paper. No, It's presented as an
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observable reality in the lives of people who are genuinely
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converted. It's something you see.
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It sounds like the source makes a very definite statement about
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this, almost the universal claim.
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It does. It makes a very strong
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assertion. There never was, is not, and
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never will be a case, according to this text, of sin being truly
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walked away pardoned by God unless, and here's the key, at
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the same time, the heart was led to repentance and faith in
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Christ. That's a sweeping claim.
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It means you won't find a person who is genuinely forgiven by God
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who hasn't also experienced genuine repentance.
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Correct. And conversely, you won't find
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someone who is truly repented with a believing repentance who
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hasn't also been forgiven by God.
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Exactly that. The source reinforces this by
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stating no one has ever truly repented with a believing
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repentance who is not forgiven, and no one has ever been
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forgiven who had not repented. Memorizes this experiential Lang
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Cao. It says hatred of sin and a
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sense of pardon come together into the soul and abide together
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while we live. Come together and abide
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together. So they arrive together in the
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moment of conversion. And they remain together
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throughout the believer's life. This firmly places the idea of
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them being inseparable companions into the lived
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reality, the ongoing experience of genuine faith.
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It elevates the concept from just a point of doctrine to a
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tangible characteristic that marks true conversion and is
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continuously present in the Christian life.
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Precisely, it's experiential theology.
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And Speaking of being present in the Christian life, the source
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specifically describes repentance as not just a single
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event at the beginning, but something ongoing.
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Absolutely. The source is very clear on
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this. Repentance is not a thing of
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days and weeks, A temporary penance.
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You know, like doing something for Lent and then stopping.
22:08
No, it is the grace of a lifetime.
22:10
Like faith itself, this is a crucial distinction.
22:12
It's not merely an initial step you take once, but a continuous
22:15
posture, a lifelong grace. So it's not just the gateway you
22:19
pass through once to get in, it's part of the path you
22:21
continue to walk on every day. Well put.
22:24
It is, and it's explicitly called the Inseparable Companion
22:28
of Faith. The text links them directly.
22:30
How so? Just as faith is understood as a
22:33
lifelong developing aspect of the Christian experience, so too
22:37
is repentance. They walk hand in hand
22:39
throughout the believer's life. The source goes on to say that
22:42
repentance grows as faith grows. Yes, that suggests a parallel
22:47
growth and deepening as one's faith matures, gains greater
22:50
clarity, strengthens, sees more of God's holiness and love.
22:54
Then their understanding of sin, there's sorrow for it, and
22:57
they're turning away from it. In its various forms also
23:00
deepens and grows. Exactly.
23:02
They develop together. A deeper faith leads to a deeper
23:05
repentance, and perhaps vice versa too.
23:07
There's a striking image used to capture this coexistence of
23:10
faith and ongoing repentance. Something about a tear.
23:13
Yes, that the tear of repentance glitters in the eye of faith.
23:16
That's evocative. It is, it continues all the
23:19
while, that we walk by faith and not by sight.
23:22
It paints a picture of looking forward in faith and assurance,
23:26
but simultaneously having this tear in your eye indicating an
23:30
ongoing sorrow over present or past sin over your own remaining
23:34
imperfections. It visually captures that even
23:37
in the bright light of faith and forgiveness, the reality of our
23:40
imperfection and the need for a repentant heart remains.
23:44
There's a sorrow over sin that doesn't disappear, but coexists
23:47
with the joy of faith. That's right.
23:49
It's not that the sorrow negates the joy, or the joy eliminates
23:53
the sorrow. They blend.
23:55
And the source says that the bitterness of repentance and the
23:58
sweetness of pardon blend in the flavor of every gracious life.
24:02
Yes, this unique blend, it says, makes up what it calls an
24:05
incomparable happiness, which is a profound idea, hinting at a
24:09
complex emotional and spiritual state that is characteristic of
24:13
the Christian life, according to this view.
24:15
Bitterness and sweetness blending into happiness.
24:18
It's a challenging idea. We should definitely revisit
24:20
that later. The source also describes
24:22
repentance as involving a constant turning and returning.
24:27
That phrase itself speaks to a continuous process, doesn't it?
24:30
Not a single completed action. It does.
24:33
It implies falling short, maybe wandering slightly, and needing
24:36
to turn back again and again. And it also includes a resolve
24:40
of amendment in the future. Indicating an ongoing commitment
24:43
to change and live differently. This is clearly an active future
24:47
oriented posture, not just regret about the past.
24:50
Correct. It's forward-looking repentance,
24:52
and the source mentions that this is true for all believers,
24:55
from the newest to the most mature.
24:56
How does it it? Says God's little children
24:59
repent, and so do young men and fathers too, using the stages of
25:02
life or spiritual maturity from first John.
25:06
OK, so it illustrates that repentance is not something you
25:08
outgrow. It's present throughout all
25:10
stages of the believer's life and spiritual maturity.
25:13
Yes, it's a constant companion to faith from beginning to end.
25:17
So the picture painted here is that repentance is not a finite
25:21
act, but a continuous growing grace that accompanies faith
25:25
throughout life, influencing and being influenced by the reality
25:28
of pardon. Precisely, it's presented as a
25:31
lifelong grace, intrinsically linked with a lifelong faith.
25:34
Now let's make sure we clarify the source and nature of both
25:37
these blessings. According to the material, it
25:39
seems important to avoid a common misunderstanding about
25:42
their relationship, particularly regarding grace.
25:45
Yes, the sources are very clear, reiterating the point from the
25:48
beginning. Both repentance and forgiveness
25:51
flow solely from Jesus Christ. Back to Acts 5.31 again.
25:54
Explicitly, Jesus is exalted to give both.
25:57
The text stresses that you are to look for neither.
26:00
Elsewhere, Jesus has both ready to bestow freely upon those who
26:04
come to Him. This reinforces Jesus as the
26:07
exclusive provider of this unified package of grace.
26:10
But there's a specific point the source makes about the
26:12
relationship between repentance and forgiveness that seems vital
26:15
to understand correctly. There is, and it's critical.
26:18
The source explicitly states that repentance is not the cause
26:21
of remission, but its companion. Not the cause, but the
26:24
companion. Why is that distinction so
26:26
critical? Because it directly refutes any
26:30
idea that our act of repenting somehow earns or merits God's
26:34
forgiveness. It guards against works
26:37
righteousness slipping in through the back door.
26:39
So it's not that our sorrow for sin or are turning away from it,
26:42
obligates God to grant his pardon or pays for it in some
26:46
way. No, absolutely not.
26:47
It's that repentance is given with forgiveness as part of the
26:51
same gracious act from God. They arrive together, linked by
26:54
Him. OK, so repentance is presented
26:56
not as the ground upon which forgiveness is given.
26:59
Correct. That ground is solely Christ's
27:02
atoning work, His blood and righteousness.
27:04
Instead, repentance is the necessary accompanying state,
27:08
the turning imposture of heart that is part of receiving and
27:11
experiencing that forgiveness. Yes, that captures it well.
27:14
The source leaves no room for doubt here, stating clearly
27:17
salvation from first to last is of grace alone.
27:20
And repentance itself is included in this concept of
27:22
grace. It's not our contribution to
27:25
grace, but part of grace. Absolutely.
27:28
Repentance is described as being as truly the work of grace as
27:32
the atonement itself. It's God working in US.
27:35
And the text also notes that faith, the means by which we
27:38
receive this, is also a gift of God.
27:40
Yes, this framework strongly positions the entire process of
27:44
salvation, including the capacity to repent and believe,
27:47
as a gift initiated and enabled by God's grace, rather than
27:50
something we originate or accomplish through our own
27:53
inherent ability or merit. This perspective neatly ties
27:56
everything together. Both the turning away from sin,
27:59
repentance, the party for sin, forgiveness are seen as divine
28:04
gifts flowing from Christ, received through grace and
28:07
enabled by the Spirit. It maintains the glorious truth
28:10
that salvation is entirely God's work accomplished for us and in
28:13
us through Christ, while still fully involved in the
28:16
individual's heart will and active turning in response to
28:19
that grace. That understanding of both being
28:22
gifts of grace leads naturally into how they interact and
28:25
influence each other in the believer's life, doesn't it?
28:27
It does, the source says. These two aspects don't just
28:30
exist passively side by side, They act and react upon each
28:34
other. There's a dynamic reciprocal
28:36
relationship at play. How does the source state this
28:39
interaction? Quite directly, the man who is
28:42
forgiven therefore repents, and the man who repents is also most
28:45
assuredly forgiven. Therefore repents.
28:48
So being forgiven actually causes or deepens repentance.
28:53
Yes, that's the idea. It's a statement of both
28:55
correlation and causal influence, in that the reception
28:58
of 1 prompts or confirms the other.
29:01
This highlights a beautiful, almost cyclical dynamic.
29:04
Receiving forgiveness motivates a deeper turning from sin.
29:07
And experiencing genuine repentance provides assurance
29:10
that the forgiveness is real and received.
29:12
The source explains how forgiveness prompts repentance
29:14
using a powerful quote, something about a stone heart.
29:17
Yes, a sense of blood bought pardon soon dissolves the heart
29:21
of stone. That rings true experientially
29:24
for many, I think, when you grasp the immense cost of your
29:27
sin, the blood of Christ shed for you, and you understand the
29:30
depth of the mercy shown in your pardon.
29:32
It softens A hardened heart towards both God and sin itself.
29:36
It creates a desire, a motivation to turn away from the
29:39
very thing that necessitated such a sacrifice.
29:42
Gratitude fuels repentance. Yes, so the assurance of pardon
29:47
doesn't lead to complacency or thinking.
29:50
Great, I can sin more now. Quite the opposite.
29:52
According to this source, it leads to a profound sorrow for
29:56
and turning against sin. The source suggests that
30:00
repentance reaches its greatest height, its deepest expression
30:03
as faith in part, and grows into full assurance.
30:07
So the more certain you are of being forgiven, the more you
30:09
hate the sin that was forgiven. That's the dynamic presented.
30:12
It might seem counterintuitive at first.
30:14
Shouldn't feeling certain of forgiveness make you feel less
30:16
burdened by sin? Yeah, you might think that.
30:19
But the source suggests the opposite.
30:20
Full assurance of grace intensifies the aversion to sin,
30:24
fueling A deeper, more heartfelt repentance.
30:27
It's not sorrow over fear of punishment anymore, but a sorrow
30:30
rooted in gratitude and abhorrence for what offended
30:32
such immense love. OK, that makes sense.
30:34
And then the other side of the coin, how repentance itself
30:37
provides assurance of forgiveness.
30:39
Right, the source says they serve as mutual assurance of
30:43
each other. Each confirms the presence and
30:45
reality of the other in the believer's experience.
30:49
How does my experience of repentance confirm that I am
30:51
forgiven? What's the logic there?
30:53
The source lays out the reasoning like this.
30:55
If you genuinely know, you repent, meaning your heart is
30:59
broken for sin and broken from sin.
31:01
Broken for it sorrow, and broken from it turning away.
31:04
Exactly, If you're actively turning from sin and you have a
31:07
sincere God-given resolve for amendment in the future, a
31:10
desire to live differently, then you can hold a strong certainty
31:14
that you are forgiven and the reason given is simple and
31:16
direct. God never made a heart to be
31:19
broken for sin and broken from sin without pardoning it.
31:23
Ah, so the presence of genuine God worked sorrow over sin and a
31:26
turning from it is presented as evidence that God saving grace
31:30
is actively at work in your life.
31:32
And His saving work absolutely includes pardon.
31:34
They always go together. So if you see true repentance in
31:37
yourself enabled by His Spirit, you can be assured He has also
31:41
granted pardon. That's powerful assurance.
31:43
It is the experience of this kind of repentance is itself a
31:48
sign that you are in the sphere of God's pardoning grace.
31:51
And conversely, the source states that enjoying pardon,
31:55
having peace with God through faith in Christ, confirms that
31:59
your repentance and faith are of the right sort.
32:02
So peace with God confirms my repentance is genuine.
32:05
Yes, it validates the authenticity of your conversion
32:08
experience. If you have true peace through
32:10
Christ, it means you're turning to Christ, which includes
32:13
repentance was real. It's like they function as 2
32:17
interconnected tests or witnesses, each confirming the
32:20
reality of the other in your life.
32:22
That's a good way to put it, and the source beautifully
32:24
encapsulates this dynamic relationship and experiential
32:26
truth with a sentence that really sticks.
32:28
Which one is that? You will never value pardon
32:30
unless you feel repentance, and you will never taste the deepest
32:33
draft of repentance until you know that you are pardoned.
32:36
Wow, they really drive each other, don't they?
32:38
You need the sorrow to value the sweetness, and you need the
32:41
sweetness to feel the depth of the sorrow appropriately.
32:44
Exactly. They are deeply intertwined in
32:47
both the reception and the ongoing experience and assurance
32:51
of salvation. This mutual interaction
32:53
demonstrates how they are not just linked conceptually in
32:57
theology, but dynamically alive in the Christian life as
33:00
presented in these sources. Very much so.
33:03
The source uses a powerful final analogy to bring home the point
33:07
of their inseparability and necessity for coming to God.
33:11
It pictures repentance and remission as a necessary
33:14
entrance. Yes, they're called the Jichin
33:16
and Boaz of a saving experience. OK, Jichin and Boaz, for
33:20
listeners who might be unfamiliar, could you remind us
33:22
what those were? Sure and Chin and Boaz were the
33:24
names given to the two massive, freestanding bronze pillars that
33:28
stood prominently in front of the porch of Solomon's Temple in
33:30
Jerusalem. They flanked the main entrance.
33:33
Very visible, very symbolic. Huge ornate pillars.
33:36
Exactly, and the source draws on this image comparing repentance
33:40
and remission to to Solomon's 2 great pillars which stood in the
33:43
forefront of the House of the Lord and formed a majestic
33:46
entrance to the Holy Place. So they were essential,
33:49
prominent, and basically guarded the way into the sacred space.
33:52
That's the picture that paints a very strong visual image.
33:57
They aren't hidden side doors or optional decorations.
34:00
They are right there at the forefront, the necessary
34:03
designated way in. And the conclusion the source
34:06
draws from this analogy is. Both stark and simple, no man
34:10
comes to God or right except he passes between the pillars of
34:14
repentance and remission. So according to the source, it's
34:17
impossible to approach God in a truly correct or saving way
34:21
without experiencing both repentance and remission.
34:24
You can't bypass one or the other.
34:25
That's the assertion. Both are indispensable,
34:27
extensible aspects of the path to God.
34:29
They form the gateway. It serves as a concluding,
34:32
memorable summary of the inseparability and necessity
34:35
we've discussed throughout the source material using this rich,
34:38
biblically rooted architectural metaphor.
34:41
It really does tie it together visually.
34:42
Before we bring this deep dive to a close, the Source also
34:45
touches on the role of the Holy Spirit in all of this.
34:48
It provides A crucial clarification about the
34:50
individual's action versus God's enabling work, which seems
34:53
important. Yes, this is an important point
34:55
for clarity, avoiding social misunderstandings about grace
34:59
and responsibility. The source addresses this by
35:02
stating very directly that it is not the Holy Spirit who repents.
35:06
Why not? Because the Spirit is perfectly
35:08
holy without sin and therefore has nothing to repent of.
35:11
Repentance implies turning from sin.
35:14
Makes sense. And it's also not Jesus who
35:16
repents either. Correct, Jesus was without sin.
35:19
The source clarifies that we ourselves repent with the full
35:22
consent of every faculty of our mind.
35:24
OK, so that emphasizes the human side of repentance.
35:27
It is our act. Yes, involving our will, our
35:30
affections, our emotions, our whole person working together in
35:34
this personal turning from sin towards God.
35:37
So the individual is genuinely and actively involved in
35:40
repenting. It's not something that happens
35:42
to them passively, like being carried along.
35:44
Not at all. It's an active turning, however,
35:47
and this is the crucial balance. The source immediately balances
35:50
this by stating that behind this personal act enabling it, there
35:53
is a secret holy influence that comes from the Spirit of God.
35:57
OK, so the Spirit is not repenting for us, but is
36:01
enabling and influencing our personal act of repenting.
36:04
Precisely. The Spirit's work is described
36:07
in several ways here. First, the Spirit enlightens us
36:10
to see what sin is. Opens our eyes to its reality.
36:13
Yes, making its true nature and ugliness apparent, causing it to
36:17
become loathsome to us. It's the Spirit who convicts us
36:20
of sin, showing us its offense against God and leading to
36:23
genuine sorrow for it. And the Spirit's work doesn't
36:26
stop it just revealing sin. It also points us towards what
36:29
is right and holy. Exactly, the source says.
36:32
The Spirit turns us toward holiness.
36:34
He creates an appreciation and desire for it within us.
36:37
Giving the motivation for change.
36:39
Yes, giving the impetus, the momentum and drive for
36:42
sanctification. And sanctification is described
36:44
here as the process of moving onward from stage to stage, a
36:47
progressive work of being made holy, more like God.
36:51
So the Spirit not only makes sin repulsive, but also cultivates a
36:54
love for holiness and empowers us to pursue it.
36:57
That's the picture. The source connects this to the
37:00
Spirit's broader work, quoting Philippians 2.1 Teen stating
37:04
that the Spirit works in us to will and to do according to
37:08
God's good pleasure. To will, and to do so the Spirit
37:11
enables both the inward desire, the volition.
37:14
And the outward action, the doing that characterize A
37:17
repentant heart and a life live for God.
37:19
He empowers the whole process. And ultimately the spirits work
37:22
in bringing about repentance directs us back to the source of
37:25
both blessings. Doesn't.
37:27
It Yes, that's the concluding point in this section.
37:29
The Spirit leads us to Jesus, who will freely give us the
37:33
double benediction of repentance and remission.
37:36
So the Spirit prepares the heart, illuminates the mind,
37:39
grants the desire and ability. And directs the individual
37:42
towards Christ, who is the one who actually bestows both the
37:45
turning repentance and the pardon remission as inseparable
37:49
gifts. It paints a very comprehensive
37:51
picture of God's gracious work and salvation involving all
37:54
three Persons of the Trinity, the Spirit enabling our response
37:57
and directing us to the Son who provides the complete,
38:01
indivisible package of grace flowing from the Father's
38:03
purpose. It carefully maintains the truth
38:05
of the individual's responsibility in actively
38:08
repenting while firmly rooting the ability, the desire, and the
38:12
initiation of that repentance in the gracious, sovereign work of
38:16
God's Spirit. OK, let's try and bring together
38:18
the main insights from this deep dive into the source material on
38:21
repentance and forgiveness. What are the key takeaways?
38:25
Well, first, the sources present repentance and forgiveness AS2
38:28
distinct blessings, but blessings that are divinely
38:30
linked and given together by Jesus Christ.
38:32
Right. Same source, same recipients
38:35
given simultaneously. Second, this link isn't
38:37
accidental or optional. The sources describe them as
38:40
rizeted together by the eternal purpose of God, making them
38:44
inseparable by divine design. And attempting to divide them
38:47
goes against God's will and damages the very nature of
38:51
saving grace. 3rd This inseparability is presented as
38:54
necessary both because of God's holiness.
38:57
He cannot pardon someone who remains impenitent without
38:59
condoning evil. And also because of the nature
39:02
of complete Divine Mercy, mercy that only removes the penalty
39:06
but leaves the Sinner enslaved to sin is deemed incomplete,
39:10
superficial, even a mockery. 4th Arising from that, true
39:14
forgiveness as presented in the sources includes deliverance
39:17
from the power of sin, not just its penalty.
39:20
The sources even suggest deliverance from Sins dominion
39:23
might be the greater privilege. 5th Experientially, these two
39:27
blessings are always found together in genuine conversion
39:30
and continue as inseparable companions throughout the
39:33
believers life. Hatred of sin and a sense of
39:36
pardon arrive and abide together.
39:38
Repentance is lifelong. 6th They interact dynamically and provide
39:42
mutual assurance for each other. Knowing your pardon fuels deeper
39:46
repentance, and genuine repentance assures you of
39:49
pardon. 7th Crucially, neither repentance nor forgiveness is
39:53
earned by human effort. Both are gifts of grace flowing
39:57
solely from Jesus with the Spirit enabling the individual
39:59
to repent, to believe. Repentance is the companion, not
40:02
the cause. And finally, coming to God in a
40:05
right way, according to the sources, requires passing
40:07
between both repentance and remission, likened to entering
40:10
the temple through those two essential pillars, Jechin and
40:13
Boaz. Those points certainly summarize
40:15
the core argument presented in the sources for this profound
40:19
and necessary link between the two blessings.
40:22
It's a very cohesive picture. It is indeed.
40:25
And that brings us back to that intriguing idea.
40:27
The source mentioned that the bitterness of repentance and the
40:30
sweetness of pardon somehow blend together to create an
40:34
incomparable happiness. Yes.
40:36
Not just a simple mix, but a unique flavor of joy.
40:39
It really does make you pause and think, doesn't it?
40:42
It does. It seems counterintuitive at
40:44
first that sorrow over sin, the bitterness of seeing our failure
40:48
and offence against God, would combine with the sweetness of
40:51
knowing full pardon to form a unique kind of happiness.
40:55
So it prompts us to consider, what does the specific blending
40:58
tell us, perhaps about the nature of joy as experienced in
41:01
the Christian life, according to this perspective?
41:03
How can that ongoing awareness of our sinfulness and the
41:07
genuine sorrow it brings coexist with the profound settled
41:10
happiness of knowing we are fully part and accepted by God
41:14
in Christ? It suggests Christian joy isn't
41:16
about the absence of sorrow, perhaps, but a deeper reality
41:20
that holds both together. It's not a static state, maybe,
41:24
but a dynamic interplay of godly sorrow and gracious joy.
41:28
It's certainly worth mulling over how that particular blend
41:30
manifests in one's own walk of faith.
41:33
How did that bitterness and sweetness mix in your
41:35
experience? Precisely that question of the
41:39
unique flavor created by the blend of repentance and pardon
41:41
leaves us with something significant to consider as we
41:44
recollect on these sources. And that brings us to the end of
41:47
this deep dive into the inseparable gifts of repentance
41:50
and forgiveness. Based on the sources you shared
41:52
with us, it's clearly a rich and foundational subject.
41:55
Definitely, these linked ideas offer a robust framework for
41:59
understanding the reception and experience of God's grace.
42:02
Understanding how these blessings flow together from
42:04
Jesus and why the source presents them as absolutely
42:07
essential for a true saving experience, does provide such
42:10
valuable clarity. It does, and the vivid analogies
42:14
like the Siamese twins, the Warp and Woof, or the Pillars,
42:17
Jetchen and Boaz certainly help make the points memorable and
42:20
impactful. They stick with you.
42:22
They really do drive the message home, and it definitely gives
42:25
you pause to reflect on that final idea, the blending of the
42:29
bitterness of repentance and the sweetness of pardon, not as
42:34
canceling each other out, but as creating something unique.
42:37
And according to the source, incomparable and incomparable
42:40
happiness. It encourages us all, I think,
42:43
to consider that unique blend of sorrow and joy in our own
42:47
experience. It is indeed something worth
42:49
contemplating further. Agreed.
42:51
Absolutely. Well, thank you for joining us
42:53
for this deep dive on Reformed thinking.
42:55
And thank you, Listener, for providing the source material
42:57
that allowed us to explore this significant topic today.