Repentance is a gift which God grants to us. Repentance is humbling. The enemy of Grace and Repentance is pride and God resists the proud. Repentance awakens us to our desperate need of grace and thus prepares us to receive Christ, with humbling gratitude. Repentance embraces Christ in faith. God has granted "repentance unto life" to both Jew and Gentiles
Acts 11:17, 18
Forasmuch then as God gave them the like gift as he did unto us, who believed on the Lord Jesus Christ; what was I, that I could withstand God?
When they heard these things, they held their peace, and glorified God, saying, Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life.
Faith in God (which is also a gift) in the gospel message that Jesus whom they crucified had been raised from the dead and made both Lord and Christ resulted in repentance which is a complete change. Their whole life turned around and headed in the opposite direction.Faith came by hearing Gods word and is not self initiated.
When Saul met Jesus on the road to Damascus he suddenly knew he had been wrong. He then trusted in Jesus and repented. Paul's life was so completely changed that he immediately risked his life to preach in the synagogues that Christ is the Son of God. Paul then suffering brutal persecution because he preached Christ and him crucified. The concision hated that message!
True repentance is not man created. It is the fruit of regeneration not the cause of it. It is the result of the work of the Holy Spirit in the life of an individual sinner. Jesus Christ speaks about the ministry of the Holy Spirit in this way
John 16: 7,8
But because I have said these things unto you, sorrow hath filled your heart.
Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you.
And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:
Of sin, because they believe not on me; Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more;
Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged.
In other words, no sinner can self manufacture true repentance. This authentic, godly sorrow is the work of the Holy Spirit in our life. So it is the fruit of regeneration. But how shall they hear without a preacher? The holy Spirit uses his vessels to preach the word of God that releases Gods faith into the heart by illuminating the understanding and bringing the gift of repentance towards God.
2 Timothy 2:25,26
In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth; And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will
Acts 11:17, 18
Forasmuch then as God gave them the like gift as he did unto us, who believed on the Lord Jesus Christ; what was I, that I could withstand God?
When they heard these things, they held their peace, and glorified God, saying, Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life.
Faith in God (which is also a gift) in the gospel message that Jesus whom they crucified had been raised from the dead and made both Lord and Christ resulted in repentance which is a complete change. Their whole life turned around and headed in the opposite direction.Faith came by hearing Gods word and is not self initiated.
When Saul met Jesus on the road to Damascus he suddenly knew he had been wrong. He then trusted in Jesus and repented. Paul's life was so completely changed that he immediately risked his life to preach in the synagogues that Christ is the Son of God. Paul then suffering brutal persecution because he preached Christ and him crucified. The concision hated that message!
True repentance is not man created. It is the fruit of regeneration not the cause of it. It is the result of the work of the Holy Spirit in the life of an individual sinner. Jesus Christ speaks about the ministry of the Holy Spirit in this way
John 16: 7,8
But because I have said these things unto you, sorrow hath filled your heart.
Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you.
And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:
Of sin, because they believe not on me; Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more;
Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged.
In other words, no sinner can self manufacture true repentance. This authentic, godly sorrow is the work of the Holy Spirit in our life. So it is the fruit of regeneration. But how shall they hear without a preacher? The holy Spirit uses his vessels to preach the word of God that releases Gods faith into the heart by illuminating the understanding and bringing the gift of repentance towards God.
2 Timothy 2:25,26
In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth; And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will
