Repentance is not just saying the right words. Jesus tells temple leaders a story of a father who asks his sons to work. One son rebels, saying, “I will not!” But later he changes his mind and goes to work. The other son seems to obey, saying, “I will, sir!” But he never goes to work. Jesus then asks, “Which of the two did what his father wanted?” They answer, “The first.” Jesus then gives the meaning of His parable:
“Truly, I say to you, the tax collectors and the prostitutes go into the kingdom of God before you. For John came to you in the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and the prostitutes believed him. And even when you saw it, you did not afterward change your minds and believe him (Matthew 21:28-32).
Repentance is not just sincere religion. To whom does Jesus give this parable? He gives it to chief priests and elders, who are very religious! They actually think they serve God, while plotting murder (John 11,16). Nicodemus is sincere and fair-minded, yet must still obey the call to repent and be born again. Saul tries always to live “in all good conscience,” yet finds himself fighting against God.
“I am a Jew, born in Tarsus in Cilicia, but brought up in this city, educated at the feet of Gamaliel according to the strict manner of the law of our fathers, being zealous for God as all of you are this day. I persecuted this Way to the death, binding and delivering to prison both men and women” (Acts 22:3-4; see 23:1; 24:16).
Saul’s zeal and sincerity are real. His ignorance is just as real (1 Timothy 1:13; like Luke 23:34; Acts 3:17). Satan uses lack of knowledge to twist eagerness into evil. Sincerity and character are not tested by what a person does not know. A person’s true test comes when he learns the truth he missed before. Scripture is about to teach you new things. How will you react? When Saul finally learns, his honesty leads to his obedience (Acts 9,22,26). But most of his old friends fail the test. They prefer their darkness (John 1:11; 3:19; Acts 9:23,29).
For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. For, being ignorant of the righteousness of God, and seeking to establish their own, they did not submit to God’s righteousness (Romans 10:2-3).
Repentance is not just fear. Some say that repentance is being afraid. Afraid to die! Afraid of God! Afraid of the future! In a parable about money, a servant says to his master, “I was afraid of you, because you are a severe man” (Luke 19:21). Yet that servant is the disobedient one. He is like Pilate when he judges Jesus. Hearing that Jesus claims to be the Son of God, Pilate becomes “even more afraid” (John 19:8). But he still orders the terrible death on the cross. Felix, another Roman governor, later throws Paul into jail. When Paul warned him about God’s judgment,
Felix was alarmed and said, “Go away for the present. When I get an opportunity I will summon you” (Acts 24:25).
Felix never finds an easy, ‘convenient’ time. Instead, seeking a bribe, he unjustly imprisons Paul for two years! No, fear is not repentance.
Repentance is not just feeling guilt and sorrow. Some think that when a person knows he is a sinner and feels guilty, he is repenting. Others think they have reached repentance when they are truly sorry for sinning. You remember the rich ruler. Jesus exposes his love for money. He becomes “very sad” – and leaves Jesus! (Luke 18; Mark 10). Judas feels guilty for betraying Jesus. Torn by misery and sorrow, he returns the money, and confesses his sin.
Then when Judas, his betrayer, saw that Jesus was condemned, he changed his mind and brought back the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and the elders, saying, “I have sinned by betraying innocent blood” (Matthew 27:3-4).
These feelings are not repentance, because Judas does not return to obey God. Instead he hangs himself (Matthew 27; Acts 1). Judas has a deadly sorrow. There is a better kind of sorrow.
For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, whereas worldly grief produces death (2 Corinthians 7:10).
Godly sorrow is not repentance, but moves us toward true repentance.