As we continue with this subject let’s look at some instances here of repentance in the bible. In Luke 15:3-7, I didn’t notice the sheep repenting from running away or getting lost. The sheep simply yielded to the love of the shepherd. The only thing the sheep does is consents to be loved.
Did you notice in verse 7 how Jesus refers to the 99? It’s the 99 who need no repentance. Why did He say this? He said it for the benefit of the pharisees. He was speaking to the pharisees, the law keepers, the religious sect, the legalists. Jesus was telling the pharisees, you think you’re right by your own doings but your unwilling to give up your own standards of goodness and pretensions of right living, which are works that do not lead to repentance.
Luke 15:8-10 is another story. How about the lost coin? How does it repent? Luke 15:11-24. An amazing story of grace. The prodigal son. He was gonna ask to earn his way back into his father’s presence. Not even the father’s house, just his presence. He reasoned that the servants at least were being fed well, so he planned to tell his father to make him like a servant. Read John Sheasby’s book “THE BIRTHRIGHT”, subtitled “Out of The Servant’s Quarters and Into the Father’s House”. Amazing.
So, the prodigal is all set to ask to be a hired servant, but the bible says the father had been looking for him, and when he saw him far off, the father came running to him. Lavished him with his love and acceptance. The son moved from false humility and the wrong method of repentance to true repentance. The love of the Father overtook him. “The kindness of God leads you to repentance”. (Rom 2:4)
The first was imperfect repentance. Thinking he must pay for his own sins to be forgiven and accepted. The genuine repentance came when he was drawn in by and received the fathers love. He realized his offer of “repentance” was not appropriate anymore, because it was so substandard to what the father was offering to him.
Did you notice the difference between vs 19 and 21? He didn’t say “make me one of your servants”. Why? Well it’s because of grace. Look at vs 20. There are five key things in that verse that the father did and five is the number of grace. We miss these details when we hurry through scripture with our rapid reading and don’t let the Holy Spirit stop us to show us the revelation behind the print on the page. Here’s what the verse says in the NAS. “But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion for him, and ran and embraced him and kissed him”. Did you see the five things? He saw him, felt compassion, ran to him, embraced him, and kissed him. If that’s not grace, what is?
You notice the father never once mentioned what the son had done wrong. Never called him a loser or stupid. Never chastised him for his dumb choice of leaving in the first place. Never brought up his fornicating sinful lifestyle. Instead, he welcomed him with open arms and gifts. Look what the father did do.
Luke 15:22-24. “22 But the father said to his slaves, ‘Quickly bring out the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet; 23 and bring the fattened calf, kill it, and let us eat and celebrate; 24 for this son of mine was dead and has come to life again; he was lost and has been found.’ And they began to celebrate”.
Now just look at that. In verse 22, the father is so eager to get these gifts to him that he tells the slaves to move quickly. Bring the best robe, not just any robe, but the best. The robe speaks of royalty and righteousness. Put the ring on his hand. It is the signet ring of all that his father owns giving him authority to exercise his right as an heir to all the father has. It’s the unlimited corporate credit card of that time. Put the sandals on his feet. Slaves and servants did not wear sandals. This signified he was part of the kingdom of his father’s household. Bring the fatted calf. God always has a feast just waiting for us.
The father in this story had a fatted calf. The irony of this is that the elder brother, who we won’t get into here, was probably the very person who made sure that the calf got fat. Hahahaha. Then look what it says at the end of verse 23. It says “let us eat and CELEBRATE”. God gets excited when we repent from our dead works and start living unto righteousness, by receiving all that He has for us.
Look at this scripture. I had to study it awhile to get it’s full affect. 2 Tim 2:24-26. I know this is talking about a workman, but look at verse 25. “24 The Lord’s bond-servant must not be quarrelsome, but be kind to all, able to teach, patient when wronged, 25 with gentleness correcting those who are in opposition, if perhaps God may grant them repentance leading to the knowledge of the truth, 26 and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, having been held captive by him to do his will”.
Did you see that in verse 25? It says that “if perhaps God may grant them repentance leading to the knowledge of the truth”. Again it’s God doing the work, even in repentance.
Here it is in the NLT. “Gently instruct those who oppose the truth. Perhaps God will change those people’s hearts, and they will learn the truth”. And in the Message. “God’s servant must not be argumentative, but a gentle listener and a teacher who keeps cool, working firmly but patiently with those who refuse to obey. You never know how or when God might sober them up with a change of heart and a turning to the truth, enabling them to escape the Devil’s trap, where they are caught and held captive, forced to run his errands”.
Wow. How powerful is that. It reveals that it takes a revelation by the person to get this thing called grace and how repentance falls into it. Paul said in Galatians 1:12 – “I received my message from no human source, and no one taught me. Instead, I received it by direct revelation from Jesus Christ”.
Also, there’s a lesson in there about we who have this revelation of grace and how we are to minister to those who oppose it. It reminds me of something I’ve said many times in our grace studies when we vent about why religious people just do not see the truth.
Early on in our revelation of the truth of the gospel of grace, we used to get angry at religious/legalists, but then the longer we studied it and received further revelation of this truth, our anger turned toward compassion and a burden for them. The burden is easy and light, because it’s truly His burden and it’s the burden to want to see them set free from the bondage of religion and works. So this statement is what I wanted share. “Until Grace moves you from judgement to compassion, whatever you do will seem difficult rather than easy”.
Finishing up. The son repented of his wrong thinking, and came back into the kingdom of his father’s house. How do I know he repented and got right believing. Because Luke 15:17 says so. It says “he came to his senses”. Also, I know he repented because he dropped his plan to beg for forgiveness and settle for less than all his father had for him in favor of the blessings his father bestowed on him having done nothing to earn them……except come home.
There is much more proof on what repentance truly is that you can study on your own. This is long enough, but I hope it brings the truth to whatever false teaching has come your way. Grace and Peace.
