Faith in Repentance

4/11/18             Bandar             about 25

When Paul arrived in Ephesus in Acts 19, he found some “disciples” who knew nothing about Jesus or the Holy Spirit.  They had simply been baptized as John had instructed, as a sign of repentance.  So Paul explained that they needed to follow up their repentance with faith in Jesus.  They did so, were baptized, and when Paul laid hands on them they received the Holy Spirit and began to perform many miraculous signs in Jesus’ name.

There is a reason we are called to “repent and believe”, rather than just to repentance alone.  Repentance alone can’t bring us the pardon for our sins that we need in order to have a right relationship with God.

I was reminded of this while talking with Bandar, a graduate student from Saudi Arabia, working towards his doctorate in Physics.  Bandar believes that his sins can be forgiven if he confesses his sins to Allah, has sincere remorse, and performs acts of retribution when possible.

This faith in repentance alone isn’t limited to Islam.  People of many different beliefs, including those who identify as Christians, believe that their repentance alone is sufficient to gain God’s mercy.

It seems logical.  After all, if God is as loving as people say, how could He deny mercy to someone who is truly sorry, filled with remorse, and starting to live His way?

The problem with this, however, is that although God loves mercy, He also loves justice.  Mercy might forgive, but justice demands consequences.  As parents, we may display a little of both when we provide measured consequences for our children designed to correct their misbehavior.  And God often does the same in this life as his kindness leads us toward repentance.

But in eternity, where God’s attributes are on display in all their fullness, neither his love nor justice are compromised.  They are brought to completion in heaven and hell, but first fully expressed at Calvary where in love He made the perfect sacrifice, and in justice paid the ultimate price.  Why?  Romans 3 tells us “…so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus.”

I explained to Bandar that as Christians we understand repentance to be part of the process, that it is the road we travel on in receiving the forgiveness found in Jesus.  He responded with reasons why his repentance doesn’t lead him to Jesus.  But when Paul explained the same thing to the Ephesians in Acts 19, they responded with faith in Jesus that led to baptism and receiving the Holy Spirit.

What was the difference?  I’m guessing that for Bandar as a Muslim, Muhammad and the Quran have been his primary influence his whole life, and my message about Jesus contradicts what he has been taught.  He believes repentance to be an end in itself, sufficient for salvation without the need for Jesus because repentance is his savior.

For these Ephesians, however, Paul’s message about Jesus provided a logical outcome that they had been missing.  Their repentance wasn’t an end in itself, and Jesus was the missing piece, the Savior they needed and that true repentance required.  True repentance helps us to understand the depth of our sin, the heights of God’s holiness, and how powerless we are to save ourselves no matter how sorry we are for our sin.  

True repentance is the way to Jesus, and faith is our response when we arrive.