"Repentance is so central to the Gospel that without it there can be no salvation."
- Sinclair Ferguson, The Grace of Repentance, pg 14
This short book (only 61 pages in length) by Sinclair Ferguson on the subject of repentance is enough to convict a Christian of any kind of shallow and superficial form of repentance that he/she may have been practicing throughout their spiritual lives. Or on the other hand, it will convict those Christians who have not been engaging in regular repentance at all since their initial conversion, as Sinclair states, "Repentance is the lifelong process of the restoration of sinners... it must be an inescapable, ongoing, and permanent necessity."
An erroneous view of repentance is the idea that repentance is simply saying you're sorry for your sins, (a very passive action). However Sinclair goes through the much deeper and transforming power of real repentance as such, "Biblical repentance is not merely a sense of regret that leaves us where it found us. It is a radical reversal that takes us back along the road of our sinful wanderings, creating in us a completely different mind-set... That means more than forgiveness; it includes sanctification, a transformed life. It involves those who are saved in turning away from sin. That turning away is repentance."
Definitely the most important aspect to correctly understand about repentance is it's main focus on God's true nature. A person can only truthfully repent of his/her sins when they truly understand and seek God Himself. Ferguson writes it this way, "This spirit of repentance is created by a sense of who God is and by an awareness of the true character of sin. It is a God-centered response, indeed the beginning of true God-centeredness. Turning away from sin and turning back to God belong together."
For those Christians who have not yet taken the time to commit themselves to an actual study of the doctrine of repentance, I would suggest that such a study be under taken, and that you begin your study with Sinclair Ferguson's book "The Grace of Repentance." It will begin you on a lifelong journey of genuine heart-rending repentance of your sins, and through that repentance you'll be genuinely exposed to God's heart-healing and transforming forgiveness and grace.
"God's kindness is intended to lead you to repentance." - Romans 2:4
Definitely the most important aspect to correctly understand about repentance is it's main focus on God's true nature. A person can only truthfully repent of his/her sins when they truly understand and seek God Himself. Ferguson writes it this way, "This spirit of repentance is created by a sense of who God is and by an awareness of the true character of sin. It is a God-centered response, indeed the beginning of true God-centeredness. Turning away from sin and turning back to God belong together."
For those Christians who have not yet taken the time to commit themselves to an actual study of the doctrine of repentance, I would suggest that such a study be under taken, and that you begin your study with Sinclair Ferguson's book "The Grace of Repentance." It will begin you on a lifelong journey of genuine heart-rending repentance of your sins, and through that repentance you'll be genuinely exposed to God's heart-healing and transforming forgiveness and grace.
"God's kindness is intended to lead you to repentance." - Romans 2:4
