p. 61 | REPENTANCE by Joseph Clarke

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Feb 16, 1869

REPENTANCE.

By Joseph Clarke

The prodigal returning to his father's house, and humbly petitioning for the lowest place, is a fair illustration of true penitence and sorrow for sin. He had tried the world and its vanities. He found from bitter experience, that among strangers, there were none to lift up the spirit bowed down and oppressed; none that had a father's heart. He longed for the home of his youth, where he had in childhood received lessons of truth and wisdom. Against all these lessons he had rebelled. He had wasted in folly his father's treasures. His money was gone; his summer friends fled with his gold; famine stared him in the face; what could he do?

He could now meditate and reason correctly. His head was clear, although his heart was heavy. His poverty forbade him to drown his troubles in the intoxicating cup. Famine forbade him the exercise of gluttony. Coarse fare, and little of that, with hard work, sharpened his wits; and the influence of early training led him to look up to God for help. Now he is directed by Him whose love is greater than that of any earthly friend, to think of his sins against his kind father, and against God. He thinks of his sins. He has time now to think. There are no vile comrades around him now, to lead him astray. They have his money; it was all they wanted. He feels that he has abused dear friends, and has thrown himself away, by confiding in base associates, who cared only to rob and despoil him of his virtue and his life. But would his father accept him now?

It was doubtful; but there is no other resort. He thinks of his father's happy home, and the peace and plenty there. His servants even are happy and well cared for. Oh! could he only have a servant's place, it were a happy, a privileged place. He yet loved his father; he would risk a return. But how would his father receive him, after all his sins? He well knew his father's virtue. He felt no desire to justify himself; but with the full confession of his sins and folly upon his lips, he hastened home.

Well it was for him, that his sense of guilt led him to make thorough work. Had he now concluded to justify his course, and deny his criminal associations, and to cover up his crime, by saying something smooth and self-pleasing, no father's arms would have been spread to receive him; no fatted calf would have been served up for his refreshment, no music would have honored his return. But the first expression of this exile was, “Father, I have sinned against Heaven and in thy sight.” He gets down lower still. He is not even worthy to be called a son. But this is not so low as he will sink himself. He will be not a son, but as a hired servant.

Thus confessing, he honors his father, and does deference to principles of truth. His father is more than pleased; he is delighted. Had his son returned in splendor, but covered with sin and iniquity, unconfessed, unrepented of, his father, he would not have seen, nor would his father's house have been to him a pleasant home. But he would have turned from it in pain. Now he is in deep sorrow, but painful as repentance is to him, it is his only passport to his father's mansion, and to his hospitality and favor. And so highly does it recommend him, that it is doubtful if his elder brother is more beloved, especially after he becomes envious of the attentions the prodigal receives.

By this we learn that true repentance consists in a clear and vivid sense of our sinfulness and lost condition, with a disposition to return to him against whom we have sinned, with full confession, and an abasement of soul, and willingness to take the lowest place in our father's house.

JOSEPH CLARKE.