 |
||
|
Repentance The repentance that leads on to
salvation is a gospel grace by means of which a person who is caused by
the Holy Spirit to feel the manifold evils of sin is also caused by faith
in Christ to humble himself on account of sin.
This humiliation is characterized by godly sorrow, a detestation of
the sin, and self-loathing. It
is accompanied by prayer for pardon and strength of grace, and also by a
purpose and endeavor, in the power supplied by the
Spirit, to conduct himself in the sight of God with the consistency
of life that pleases him. Because we carry about with us
(as Scripture tells us) a 'body of death' biased towards evil, repentance
is to continue through the whole course of our lives.
Hence it is every man's duty to repent of each particular sin of
which he is conscious, and to do so with particular care. In the covenant of grace God has
made full provision for the preservation of believers in a state of
salvation, so that, although even the smallest of sins deserves damnation,
there is no sin so great that it will bring damnation to them that repent. This renders the constant preaching of repentance essential.
|