Testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.
Paul at Miletus was bidding farewell to the Ephesian elders by appealing to their own knowledge of how he had lived and labored among them from his first day in Asia. His testimony went to both Jews and Greeks without distinction, because all are sinners on one level condemned alike and needing the same Saviour. Repentance is toward God because His holy law has been broken, and it means sorrow for sin, turning from transgression, and returning to allegiance to Him. Faith is toward the Lord Jesus Christ as the only Redeemer, laying hold of His blood shed as sacrifice for sin and His standing as advocate and mediator before the Father. The law must be exalted to convict of sin, yet there is in it no power to save or pardon, so it acts as a mirror to drive the sinner to Christ. By repentance and faith even the vilest may receive full pardon, justification and peace with God, and through grace be enabled henceforth to cease transgression and live in obedience.
Paul's Farewell Testimony
The verse belongs to Paul's farewell at Miletus to the elders of the Ephesian church, appealing to their own knowledge of how he had lived and labored among them from his first day in Asia. It sets forth his testifying to both Jews and Greeks of turning to God and believing in the Lord Jesus Christ as part of keeping back nothing profitable but showing and teaching publicly and from house to house. This is the loving voice of God from His Word to be taken home to the heart and carried out in life, and those who believe the Bible as well as read it will do this same thorough, impartial work and be far better for it.
He did this serving the Lord with all humility of mind amid many tears and trials and temptations from Jewish opposition and lying in wait. His witness taught what was profitable publicly and from house to house, withholding nothing profitable to his hearers. This humble, persistent manner is the pattern faithful ministers must examine themselves to learn instead of taking an easy, comfortable course and merely copying another minister. Though eloquent and given a wonderful manifestation of God, he went from house to house, and his work is the very work of canvassing, a most precious ministry equal to that of the gospel minister that does not belittle a calling.
He kept back nothing profitable but showed and taught publicly and from house to house, declaring all the counsel of God and preaching the kingdom of God. The message of turning to God in repentance and trusting in the Lord Jesus Christ was central to his teaching and witness and the substance of that full declaration. By so presenting truth fully and faithfully he could claim to be pure from the blood of all men and charge the elders to feed the flock of God which He purchased with His own blood. This is home missionary work ministers are to strive faithfully to follow, not only preaching sermons in the house of God but following public discourses with personal labor through home visits and helpful, encouraging words, because many sermons can be preached without accomplishing the work essential for the well-being of God's people and personal house-to-house work is far more effective for both the converted and those still without God and without hope.
He joined this preaching with working at his tentmaking trade with his own hands to supply his necessities and those with him, coveting no one's silver or gold or apparel. He was not ashamed or afraid of work and did not count manual labor as lowering his ministry, and his example shows that working with one's hands in honorable labor does not lessen a minister's influence or make a person coarse, rough, or discourteous. The setting involves seeking the acceptance of the gospel by unbelieving Jewish countrymen and strengthening unity between Jewish and Gentile believers. His gospel preaching to Jews and Gentiles also challenged distinctions between them and affirmed their equal privileges as children of Abraham.
Repentance Toward God
Repentance is toward God because his holy law has been broken, his just wrath incurred, and sinners are out of harmony with him. The sinner has transgressed the Father's law and is in trouble with him, with his government disrupted by sin. Repentance means humbling before God for having broken his law, while faith rests on Christ's blood as the only ground of pardon. Christ died as sacrifice for sin and ascended to stand as advocate before the Father, and through repentance and faith sinners are freed from condemnation and enabled by grace to render obedience to the law which itself has no power to save from the penalty of disobedience.
Repentance toward God means sorrow for sin, which is transgression of God's law. The sinner sees that the holy law condemns him yet cannot save one who has broken it, so repentance must be joined with faith in Christ as sacrifice, surety, mediator and redeemer from the penalty of the law. Repentance is turning from sin and returning to allegiance, turning the rebellious heart toward God. True happiness comes through this change, not through religious forms, selfish prayers, or human effort alone, but through surrender that makes the sinner penitent and brings renewed life.
Each person must repent individually, for no one can repent for another but each must do it for himself. Repentance includes confession of sin, a broken heart and contrition of soul, with the sinner seeing himself as a transgressor of God's law. He becomes conscious of helplessness and need of a Saviour, recognizing his helpless condition and relying on Christ's cleansing blood as the only remedy for sin. This need applies even to professing Christians and ministers, for those who feel self-sufficient do not yet recognize need of a Saviour, while Christ accepts every soul that comes in true repentance and will not despise a broken and contrite heart. Christ's blood does not atone for sin left unrepented and unconfessed, and through faith in Christ who honored the law and bore its curse the sinner is credited with righteous character and saved from condemnation.
Repentance is awakened by seeing the spirituality of the law of God and its eternal obligations, and by beholding Christ hanging on the cross of Calvary loving sinners who were at enmity with God. Looking at Christ lifted between heaven and earth, the sinner marvels and is abased, sees the transgressed law and his inability to keep it, and repents at every step for having violated every principle of Jehovah's law. This happens at the cross placed midway between divinity and humanity, when the display of grace in the gift of a substitute equal with God fills the sinner with amazement, draws him to Christ, and breaks every barrier down. Seeing sin in its offensive character, he turns to God and lays hold of the merits of a crucified and risen Saviour, becoming created anew so as no longer to live to self.
Repentance toward God and faith in Christ must be exercised at once and not put off to a more convenient season. After Christ in his self-sacrifice, shame, suffering, reproach, rejection and crucifixion has been set clearly before the heart, with warning and entreating while he stands at the door knocking to enter into fellowship, to refuse to open the heart and follow the imagination of one's own heart is great sin. Repentance prepares the way for faith, as John first called people to repent of past sins because the kingdom was near so they would be ready to trust the One about to reveal himself. Truth must cleanse the life and repentance must bear fruit, for only those willing to be purged from sin can have fellowship with Christ, whose presence reveals God's character and makes sin known which the corrupt in heart cannot abide.
Faith Toward Christ
Faith is directed toward the Lord Jesus Christ as the only Redeemer, and it rests on His blood as the only ground of pardon. He died as a sacrifice for sin and ascended to heaven to stand before the Father as advocate, surety, mediator, and officiating high priest in the heavenly sanctuary. When God's law reveals the depth of sin, the sinner must be pointed to Christ, the Lamb who takes away the sin of the world and gives His blood on the sinner's behalf. The law itself has no power to save from the penalty of disobedience and no pardoning quality to cleanse the transgressor, but brings the repentant sinner to Christ whose sacrifice, suretyship, and mediation make it possible to claim pardon through His merits. By repentance and faith sinners are freed from condemnation, and through the grace of Christ are enabled henceforth to render obedience to the law of God.
The Father is fully satisfied with that atonement, which was provided from the foundation of the world because He so loved the world, not because the sacrifice originated His love. Despite human sinfulness, Christ's merits avail with the Father on humanity's behalf and bring those who accept Him back into favor with God. Through obedience to the Father's law and faith in the atoning blood of the Son, paradise lost may be regained. The sacrifice was not made to let sin continue but to bring sinners back to loyalty, to keep His commandments and live and hold His law as the apple of the eye, so that divine government stands unimpeached while the salvation of penitent souls is secured. Christ imputes His righteousness to the repentant believing soul, and the one who receives Christ becomes the friend of God.
Faith means with hope grasping the arm of infinite power and laying hold of the merits of a crucified and risen Saviour. Beholding Christ hanging on the cross loving sinners at enmity with God abases the sinner, breaks down every barrier, and shows sin in its offensive character. The sinner is clothed with Christ's righteousness, with His divinity clothed with humanity, so that through Christ's righteousness he stands acquitted before God. This is being created anew in Christ Jesus, no longer living to self, with all transformed powers, talents, qualifications, reason, knowledge, affection, speech, and property held sacred to God's service with an eye single to the glory of God.
Saving faith is living faith that works by love and purifies the heart and refuses to violate the commandments at any cost. It is not mere belief that there is one God, for devils also believe and tremble, nor a mere only believe that leaves men transgressing while claiming Christ has done all. Genuine faith is shown in works and in efforts to help others find salvation, and is made perfect by works, as Abraham was justified by living faith with his works proving and corresponding to his faith, and his belief was imputed to him for righteousness. Christ came because the commandments were broken to save from sins and not in sins, and there is no true happiness in transgression but in obedience. Merely talking of Christ as Saviour without repentance and obedience is not genuine faith, and to such He will finally say, I know you not.
Christ did not come to lessen the guilt of sin to leave liberty for disloyalty or excuse for violating one precept, nor to set men free to break the law. He lived the law in humanity and by taking the world's sin and dying exalted the law and proved the moral law immutable, changeless, beautiful and supreme. His mission was to exalt God's law, and through His own imputed righteousness put men where it is possible to obey its precepts. His death ended sacrificial offerings and the ceremonial law but established the moral law of ten commandments, which remains God's just and holy standard, the divine mirror and the standard of the last judgment. Looking into that mirror and comparing life and character with it shows the exceeding sinfulness of sin and drives the sinner to Christ for pardon, so that repentance and faith vindicate the law instead of making it void. By His obedience He brought salvation within reach of everyone after Adam lost all through disobedience to God's law, and by precept and example taught all to turn to God in repentance and trust in the Lord Jesus Christ as personal Saviour.
Law Cannot Save
The divine law must be lifted up to show the greatness of breaking its precepts and the duty to turn from that breach, for by the law comes the knowledge of sin and conviction that the transgressor stands guilty before God. To call for repentance and faith is to point to the broken law, to show sinners where they are at fault and instruct them as a teacher instructs pupils in the way back to loyalty to God. The law lays open character and defects, yet its witness is no reason to cast it aside, since the heart must be changed and the moral nature renewed by grace until people become doers of the word. Repentance is needed because the holy law when violated condemns sin, and faith is needed because only the Redeemer of the world has power to save the lawbreaker.
There is in the law no power to rescue from the penalty of disobedience and no pardoning quality to cleanse those who have broken it. The holy law condemns the sinner, but it cannot save one who has violated it, so repentance for sin as transgression of the law must be joined with faith in the sacrifice, suretyship and mediation that make pardon possible through merit. Sin is the breaking of God's law, and because the law cannot save, Christ as substitute and surety who accomplished redemption stands between the sinner and God to bring the world back into favor. Even those who profess to keep and teach the law while breaking it remain guilty before God with condemnation resting on the conscience unless they see themselves as sinners in need of a Saviour and repent and are converted.
The law serves as a divine mirror and great moral looking-glass in which the sinner beholds exceeding sinfulness, frailty and depravity. That sight produces godly sorrow and a felt need that drives the sinner to flee to Christ for pardon and peace and to be justified by faith. The Word applied as eyesalve makes the conscience smart with conviction of sin, and that painful sharpening of spiritual discernment is necessary that healing may follow and the eye be single to the glory of God. This convicting work that brings forth repentance toward God and faith toward Christ is wrought by the Holy Spirit.
The law exposes sin and leads the sinner to Christ, but it cannot pardon transgression, while the gospel without the law is likewise ineffective. Repentance means returning to allegiance to the holy law, and faith looks to the sacrifice that cleanses and makes pardon possible, so that law and gospel belong together and together produce genuine love and faith. Repentance and faith presented in harmony with the law vindicate the law instead of making it void. Christ's death ended sacrificial offerings and the ceremonial law but established the moral law of ten commandments, which remains God's just and holy standard, immutable as His throne and the standard of the last judgment.
Salvation for All People
The testimony is to both Jews and Greeks without distinction, because all souls are of value and all without distinction are sinners on one level, condemned alike by the great moral standard of righteousness and in peril of losing their souls. All need the same crucified and risen Saviour, who alone is Sin-bearer and Sin-pardoner, to turn to God in repentance and to trust in the Lord Jesus Christ for remission of sins and pardon. Returning through repentance and faith to loyalty is the way a holy faith, a pure character, and a holy character may be attained, as Enoch attained it through Christ Jesus, and this full and free salvation comes not from the speaker but from Christ. It must be presented directly and simply with personal application to sinners, keeping back nothing profitable and teaching publicly and from house to house with humility, tears, and endurance under trial, visiting people, talking with them, and showing interest in their spiritual welfare by presenting Christ as a sin-pardoning Saviour. This is home missionary work and the pattern to follow faithfully, not only preaching sermons in the house of God but ministering by going from house to house, becoming acquainted with different families, and following public discourses with personal labor through home visits and helpful, encouraging words, for many sermons can be preached without accomplishing the work essential for well-being, while personal house-to-house work is far more effective for both the converted and those still without God and without hope.
This work is for those outside the faith and for those who take no interest in religious things, to bring them to turn from idols to serve God and then to teach others in the same missionary work, rather than spending undue time on those who already know the truth. Neglecting this house-to-house labor leaves large portions of the Lord's vineyard uncultivated and souls eternally lost, while working as Christ and Paul worked would bring thousands to rejoice in the truth. God will ratify such testimony and give full favor to those who seek Him with the whole heart, enthrone Christ in the heart, plant His attributes in life practice, and follow Him in doing God's will.
The message entrusted to human agents after Christ completed His mission is for a fallen world: people are to turn to God and trust in Jesus Christ, to begin in Jerusalem and to spread to all nations, tongues, and peoples, through whose grace believers may receive pardon and be restored to God's favor. The whole world needs to be instructed in the oracles of God to understand this pardon and the object of the atonement with God, which was that the divine law and government might be maintained. Forgiveness through repentance toward God and faith in the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ brings forgiveness of sin and at-one-ment with God, yet it does not weaken, repeal, or change the law in any principle but leaves the law of God standing immutable and eternal as His throne.
The heart of Christian teaching is salvation through repentance toward God and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, whose blood has saving merit, centered on Christ and Him crucified. This grand central truth should be the theme for most earnest study and greatest joy, set before men by a wise instructor as the true object of life. It is meant to lift people from worldliness and sin to purity and righteousness, to lead them to the holiness required for God's kingdom and to purity and immortal life, while the light of the gospel pierces darkness of mind so men discern how offensive immoral practices are in the sight of a holy God.
Every converted person should aim to bear this testimony to both Jews and Greeks as a trust given by God, and calling men to meet these two conditions is the commission to be borne till the close of time. The Lord is willing to accept everyone who manifests repentance toward God and faith in Jesus Christ, which is cause for thankfulness, so no bar should be placed in the way of any soul that would keep him from taking courage to engage in warfare against temptation. Instead of criticizing one another, each should deal sternly with self, examine with close introspection peculiar temperament and weaknesses of character, and bravely deal with perverse disposition so as not to dishonor God, remembering that all are members of one body among whom there is to be no crowding, no judging, and no measuring of one gift by another. Jesus is full of mercy, tenderness, and love and rejoices to forgive and bless all who accept and appreciate these conditions, giving His followers the love, care, grace, and righteousness they need to represent Him in character, for Christ has all power in heaven and earth with every resource at His command, and the power He gave His disciples made their calling of men to repentance a success through the Holy Spirit using consecrated men. After Christ rose as the firstfruits of those who sleep, the resurrection was no longer a mystery and favor with God was no longer difficult to obtain through temple service or sacrifices, for a new and direct way was laid open by God through which all who will may enter into full comfort and hope, presenting a full and free salvation in simple illustrations that all are invited to come, not made intricate by words of human learning, for the very simplicity of salvation through Christ is its attraction, and the persuasiveness of Christ must be seen in hearts and words.
Christ called all people to turn to God and to turn back to God, and His work was to reconcile humanity to God. His coming fulfilled prophecy, which foretold the coming of the Just One and described how and the manner in which He would come, giving those willing to believe sufficient basis and grounds for faith.
Public House-to-House Ministry
The verse sets the pattern for thorough ministry that withholds nothing profitable but teaches both publicly and from house to house. In every discourse the saving truth of Christ and him crucified is to stand out clear and prominent instead of being buried under a mass of words. That public and personal teaching calls all alike to repentance for transgression of the law and to faith in Christ as Advocate whose merits alone justify, for the law convicts and condemns but cannot pardon or save. Faithful work beyond the pulpit belongs essentially to this ministry.
This is home missionary work, going from house to house and becoming acquainted with the different families. It is done by visiting, talking, praying with them, opening the Scriptures, and showing personal interest in their spiritual welfare by presenting Christ as a sin-pardoning Saviour. It warns all people everywhere of their duty to love God, arousing the conscience and bringing the sinner to feel the need of repentance so that Christ may impute His righteousness. Repentance here means sorrow for violating the commandments, which each person must do individually because no one can repent for another, and faith means trust that His blood will cleanse from all sins. That faith works by love and purifies the heart and refuses to go on violating the commandments, for Christ came to save from sins and not in them, and true happiness is found in obedience rather than transgression.
Personal house-to-house labor following up public discourses with home visits and helpful, encouraging words is far more effective than preaching sermons in the house of God alone, for many sermons can be preached without accomplishing the work essential for the well-being of souls. This labor is for those outside the faith and those who take no interest in religious things, to bring them to turn from idols to serve God and then to teach others, rather than spending undue time on those who already know the truth. Neglecting it leaves large portions of the vineyard uncultivated and souls eternally lost, while working as Christ and Paul worked would bring thousands to rejoice in the truth.
Ministers must examine themselves to learn this pattern of serving with all humility, meekness and lowliness instead of taking an easy, comfortable course and merely copying another minister. Repentance toward God and faith in Christ are essential parts of the gospel that must be plainly taught, because many do not understand the plan of salvation. Hearers are not to be assumed to understand these essentials or to have them replaced by other subjects, but Christ is to be presented as the sinner's refuge and they are to be taught how to come to Him for peace and rest. That teaching is done with hearts subdued by divine love, magnifying Christ and teaching practical godliness from Scripture with Christ crucified as the heart of the message.
This house-to-house work in all humility with many tears amid trial and opposition is the very work of canvassing, a most precious ministry equal to that of the gospel minister. It does not belittle a minister's calling, even following the example of the eloquent Paul to whom God manifested Himself in a wonderful manner yet who went from house to house. Convicting souls of the claims of God's law by teaching repentance and faith is only the beginning of the work. The same laborer who presents that convicting truth with soul aglow must then continue it as shepherd and pastor to care for the flock instead of excusing himself and leaving others to finish it.
Pardon and Justification
The way to salvation is repentance toward God and faith in Jesus Christ, by which even the vilest sinner may receive full and free pardon, forgiveness of transgression, covering of sin, justification by faith, peace with God, at-one-ment, and adoption as a child who calls God Father. Turning to God in repentance for breaking His law and trusting in Christ and His atoning sacrifice brings remission of past sins, cleansing by His blood, partaking of the divine nature, and receiving the Spirit of adoption, while the law remains the standard of character to be lived as Christ lived it. Forgiveness through this pardon leaves the divine law standing immutable and eternal as God's throne, because the object of the atonement was that His law and government might be maintained.
Justification is pardon and is the opposite of condemnation, in which Christ bears the sinner's guilt as substitute and surety and suffers the penalty for the whole world, and God counts Christ's righteousness to the believer and receives him into favor as His child and heir with hope of eternal life. This is not because of any goodness in the sinner, and not by overlooking sin or abolishing law, but through the costly sacrifice of the Son in whom the innocent bore the guilt of the world so that those who trust in Him may be treated as innocent. The repenting, believing sinner lays sins upon the Sin-bearer, takes hold of His merits, has His righteousness imputed, and becomes a member of the royal family, a child of the heavenly King, an heir of God and joint heir with Christ, in a life of faith that continues in repentance and contrition, surrender to God's will, and growth in faith.
Salvation comes by grace as a free gift through looking in faith to the crucified Redeemer, not through human works, humiliation, penance, purchased indulgences, or pardon granted by pope or any other person. Repentance does not lessen sin's guilt nor let the sinner escape its punishment by human effort, but includes turning from sin and reforming the life, and looking away from self to believe in Christ brings peace and joy with release from sin's penalty. Forgiveness of sin and release from its penalty are not powers entrusted to human authority to grant or sell, but are freely given to those who seek them through repentance and faith.
These steps are God's appointed way that each person must take to be saved, stated plainly so that every soul of every level of understanding can discern the way of salvation, though deeper mysteries of redemption lie beneath them beyond human comprehension.
Repentance toward God and faith toward the Lord Jesus Christ are the two conditions on which Jesus forgives transgressions and sins, and He is full of mercy, tenderness, and love, perfectly willing and rejoicing to forgive and bless all who accept them, giving His followers the love, care, grace, and righteousness needed to represent Him. Those who decide to confess Christ take these steps and then take their stand for the truth in baptism, followed by a daily Christian life of walking in newness of life nourished by Christ the True Vine, bearing fruit through cooperation with God and growth in godliness. Admission rests on evidence that God's saving grace has worked in the heart when confession of faith is made, not on wealth, position, rank, tribe, or nationality, and this full and free salvation comes not from the speaker but from Christ, the only Sin-bearer and Sin-pardoner, to be presented directly and simply with personal application, since all without distinction are sinners on one level condemned alike by the great moral standard and needing the same crucified and risen Saviour. Through returning in repentance and faith to loyalty, a holy faith, pure character, and holy character may be attained as Enoch obtained it through Christ Jesus, by seeking God with the whole heart, enthroning Christ in the heart, planting His attributes in life practice, and following Him in doing God's will.
From the moment the sinner views Christ upon the cross, every barrier is broken down, sin is seen in its offensive character, and repentance toward God and faith toward Christ are exercised by laying hold of the merits of a crucified and risen Saviour. This amazement at the love of God in providing a substitute equal with God draws the sinner to Christ placed midway between Divinity and humanity, and makes him created anew in Christ Jesus so he no longer lives to himself, with all transformed powers, talents, qualifications, reason, knowledge, affection, speech, and property held sacred to God's service with an eye single to the glory of God. The law is not expected to cleanse from sin, for there is no pardoning quality in the law to save its transgressors, but repentance means sorrow for transgression seen in the light of the spirituality and eternal obligations of God's government, and faith means looking to the atoning Sacrifice as the only hope who can save and cleanse from every transgression. That convicting work is the work of the Holy Spirit, who leads people to repentance and faith, applies the Word as eyesalve that makes the conscience smart by convicting of sin as seen in God's great moral looking-glass, pardons the penitent through Christ's atonement while making those He pardons penitent, and is sought by coming to Jesus, trusting His promise, praying, watching, striving to obey God's commandments, and putting away habits and associations that draw the heart from God.
When one sinner turns from sin to repentance toward God and faith toward Christ, there is joy in the presence of the angels, all heaven is made glad, and seraphs and cherubs touch their golden harps and sing praises to God and the Lamb for mercy and lovingkindness to the children of men. That heavenly gladness with rejoicing of the Father and the Son in an anthem of praise from countless harps and voices through the heavenly courts should move believers to be more in earnest and to do everything possible to win the unconverted.
New Life of Obedience
Repentance toward God means humbling before him whose holy law has been broken and whose just wrath has been incurred, since sin is transgression of the law, and faith toward the Lord Jesus Christ means trusting in his blood as the only ground of pardon because he died as sacrifice for sin, ascended to stand as advocate before the Father, and became man's substitute and surety embodying the holy law. By that repentance and faith sinners are freed from condemnation and through grace enabled henceforth to render obedience, for the law has no power to save or pardon transgressors yet remains unabrogated and just as necessary now as for Adam in Eden, and holding to sin and loving sin shuts out grace. Mere claim to be saved by only believing without loving God and keeping his commandments does not see to the end of the law, for Christ bore the penalty so that through his imputed righteousness the fallen race is given another opportunity to repent, return to loyalty, and keep the law by faith and live. That change, in which the person ceases to transgress which is to cease to sin, can be produced by nothing but faith in Christ, whose merits avail because he never transgressed, took the sinner's guilt, and suffered the penalty for the whole world that his righteousness might be imputed, making the repenting sinner's sincere efforts to overcome and keep the holy law wholly acceptable. Through faith the repentant soul thus receives light and life and is lifted into favor and fellowship unto a pure and holy life with God.
Christ came because the commandments were broken to save people from their sins and not in their sins, so the repentance and faith that save do not leave the sinner continuing to transgress the Father's law. Repentance for violating the commandments must be done by each person individually and cannot be done by another, and faith that his blood will cleanse from all sins is a faith that works by love and purifies the heart and refuses to violate the commandments at any cost, not a mere only believe that leaves men transgressing while claiming Christ has done all. Merely talking of Christ as Saviour while the heart is at war with the law avails nothing, for genuine faith comes into harmony with the rule of God's government and obeys his law, and Christ will finally say to such professors, I know you not. He did not die to make it possible to be saved while continuing in transgression or to show hope while continuing in sin, but to exalt the law and through his own righteousness put men where obedience to its precepts is possible, with obedience to all God's requirements as the only hope for pardon through his blood. No one who keeps living in transgression and rebellion will enter the gates of the holy city and the courts above when Christ comes, for true happiness is found in obedience rather than transgression though merit is only in Christ's blood.
True conversion by this repentance and faith is heart work, not excitement, impulse, promise, or outward reformation that vanishes like early dew, but a thorough conversion where the heart is renewed, a new moral taste is created, connection with heaven is formed, and love, faith, humility, and obedience reveal controlling power over the entire man. It effects a crucifixion, a painful death of self, creating hatred for all sin and love of Jesus that teaches truth in righteousness, decreasing gambling, abandoning the wine cup, cleansing from sin, and producing stern integrity and true moral worth standing on God's holy law. It is a full, entire transformation of ideas and principles concerning perfect obedience to all the precepts of Jehovah, turning from conformity to worldly policy and worldly influences in the great change that must take place to be saved and have eternal life through sanctification of the truth. True elevation of character comes from the attributes revealed in the life of Jesus Christ.
Faith leads people to behold Christ's perfect character, recognize their own defects, seek cleansing and change, and claim his saving merits, for the law remains the standard of character and those who represent Christ must live it as he did. Receiving salvation is joined with a life of obedience, and genuine faith is shown in works and in efforts to help others find salvation. Saving faith is living faith that works, and faith without works is dead, being alone, for mere belief that there is one God is not enough since devils also believe and tremble. True faith works with works and is made perfect by works, as Abraham was justified by living faith with his works proving and corresponding to his faith, and his belief was imputed to him for righteousness, and it is by constant exercise of faith and love that believers shine as lights in the world.
Sincere repentance over breaking God's law, joined with faith in Jesus as the sinner's Redeemer and Advocate, brings the sweetest joy, comfort, and peace. Self-abasement and bearing the cross are provisions appointed for the repenting sinner, and Christ's humiliation and sacrifice leave no cause for murmuring. Repentance turns the rebellious heart toward God and faith receives Jesus, which religious forms and selfish prayers cannot replace and human effort alone cannot produce, and surrender to Jesus makes the sinner penitent and brings a renewed life.
This preparation is needed for Christ's second coming and the coming tempest while probation remains, for the law reveals defects in moral character that must be earnestly sought out and remedied, with pardon through Christ's blood as the transgressor's only hope. Before the flood God sent Noah to warn the world to lead the people to repentance so they could escape threatened destruction, and as the time of Christ's second appearing draws near he in mercy sends his servants with a warning to prepare for that great event, calling multitudes living in transgression to obey its sacred precepts. Many reject the warnings and deny the authority of his law because putting away sin seems to require too great a sacrifice and their life does not harmonize with the pure principles of God's moral government. Claiming sanctification while opposing the fourth commandment is not genuine Bible sanctification, and no one continuing in rebellion will be admitted above. Paul himself exercised this when he saw his true condition, turning from sin to God and trusting in Christ, ceasing to trust outward blamelessness, confessing guilt, being washed and cleansed into humility and a life increasingly shaped by Christ unto a higher standard of cleansing from all unrighteousness.
The distinctive name of faith carries these truths in front like an arrow to wound and convict inquirers of transgression and bring them to repentance and faith, rebuking those who worship the beast and break the commandments. Ministers must therefore make clear both what sin is and what turning from it means, since sin is transgression of God's law and conversion requires repentance for breaking it and faith in Christ whose blood atones. They must labor perseveringly, earnestly and wisely until the sinner sees he is a transgressor, feels helplessness and need of a Saviour, and comes with sorrow, confession, broken heart and contrition falling upon the Rock Christ Jesus, preaching the old gospel doctrine of sorrow for sin, repentance and confession instead of merely entreating sinners to believe without regard to a past life of sin and rebellion. Without true repentance there is no true conversion, for the law exposes sin but cannot pardon it and forgiveness comes through Christ's sacrifice received by faith.
Without this repentance and faith the sinner will perish in sin, for these are the ground on which transgressors of God's law can be justified and receive pardon and peace. By the law is the knowledge of sin but the law cannot pardon, so even those professedly keeping and teaching it who break it are guilty before God with the least guilt left on conscience to utter condemnation unless they see themselves as sinners in need of a Saviour and repent and are converted. Repentance and faith write pardon against their names in the books of heaven, bringing mercy, blessing, and riches of gold tried in the fire, and ceasing to walk in the sparks of their own kindling, while turning from light sent from God envelops in unbelief and darkness. In the last days this must go with confession, putting away unjust dealing and embittered minds, forsaking sin, bringing every faculty once used for selfish purpose into God's service, letting truth plow deep in the inner man until it controls daily life, and going on from light to greater light and faith to greater faith so that no secret unconfessed sin remains to be laid bare in judgment.
Repentance toward God brings the sinner to Christ in a complete change from idols to the living and true God that needs not be regretted, appearing in a complete change of character. Drawn to Christ and seeing his love at the cross, the sinner recognizes sin as transgression of God's law, turns to God in repentance, and trusts in Jesus for pardon, receiving salvation by living faith in the merits of his death and resurrection rather than by meeting a condition before coming, with works of righteousness following that faith. The blood of Christ, the remedy for sin, is received through repentance and faith, a work that must begin in professed Christians including ministers, with repentance recognizing need of a Saviour and abandoning self-sufficiency and faith depending helplessly on Christ. Repentance and forgiveness come through his atonement as he both pardons the penitent and makes the pardoned penitent, shown by prayer, watchfulness, striving to obey the commandments, and putting away habits and associations that draw the heart from God. Repentance and faith are fruits of the renewing power of the Spirit by which the soul seeks to reflect Christ's image, turning people from human rites and earthly mediators to Christ and him crucified, replacing dead formalism with living faith and hunger for righteousness.
Paul at Miletus was bidding farewell to the Ephesian elders by appealing to their own knowledge of how he had lived and labored among them from his first day in Asia. His testimony went to both Jews and Greeks without distinction, because all are sinners on one level condemned alike and needing the same Saviour. Repentance is toward God because His holy law has been broken, and it means sorrow for sin, turning from transgression, and returning to allegiance to Him. Faith is toward the Lord Jesus Christ as the only Redeemer, laying hold of His blood shed as sacrifice for sin and His standing as advocate and mediator before the Father. The law must be exalted to convict of sin, yet there is in it no power to save or pardon, so it acts as a mirror to drive the sinner to Christ. By repentance and faith even the vilest may receive full pardon, justification and peace with God, and through grace be enabled henceforth to cease transgression and live in obedience.
Paul's Farewell Testimony
The verse belongs to Paul's farewell at Miletus to the elders of the Ephesian church, appealing to their own knowledge of how he had lived and labored among them from his first day in Asia. It sets forth his testifying to both Jews and Greeks of turning to God and believing in the Lord Jesus Christ as part of keeping back nothing profitable but showing and teaching publicly and from house to house. This is the loving voice of God from His Word to be taken home to the heart and carried out in life, and those who believe the Bible as well as read it will do this same thorough, impartial work and be far better for it.
He did this serving the Lord with all humility of mind amid many tears and trials and temptations from Jewish opposition and lying in wait. His witness taught what was profitable publicly and from house to house, withholding nothing profitable to his hearers. This humble, persistent manner is the pattern faithful ministers must examine themselves to learn instead of taking an easy, comfortable course and merely copying another minister. Though eloquent and given a wonderful manifestation of God, he went from house to house, and his work is the very work of canvassing, a most precious ministry equal to that of the gospel minister that does not belittle a calling.
He kept back nothing profitable but showed and taught publicly and from house to house, declaring all the counsel of God and preaching the kingdom of God. The message of turning to God in repentance and trusting in the Lord Jesus Christ was central to his teaching and witness and the substance of that full declaration. By so presenting truth fully and faithfully he could claim to be pure from the blood of all men and charge the elders to feed the flock of God which He purchased with His own blood. This is home missionary work ministers are to strive faithfully to follow, not only preaching sermons in the house of God but following public discourses with personal labor through home visits and helpful, encouraging words, because many sermons can be preached without accomplishing the work essential for the well-being of God's people and personal house-to-house work is far more effective for both the converted and those still without God and without hope.
He joined this preaching with working at his tentmaking trade with his own hands to supply his necessities and those with him, coveting no one's silver or gold or apparel. He was not ashamed or afraid of work and did not count manual labor as lowering his ministry, and his example shows that working with one's hands in honorable labor does not lessen a minister's influence or make a person coarse, rough, or discourteous. The setting involves seeking the acceptance of the gospel by unbelieving Jewish countrymen and strengthening unity between Jewish and Gentile believers. His gospel preaching to Jews and Gentiles also challenged distinctions between them and affirmed their equal privileges as children of Abraham.
Repentance Toward God
Repentance is toward God because his holy law has been broken, his just wrath incurred, and sinners are out of harmony with him. The sinner has transgressed the Father's law and is in trouble with him, with his government disrupted by sin. Repentance means humbling before God for having broken his law, while faith rests on Christ's blood as the only ground of pardon. Christ died as sacrifice for sin and ascended to stand as advocate before the Father, and through repentance and faith sinners are freed from condemnation and enabled by grace to render obedience to the law which itself has no power to save from the penalty of disobedience.
Repentance toward God means sorrow for sin, which is transgression of God's law. The sinner sees that the holy law condemns him yet cannot save one who has broken it, so repentance must be joined with faith in Christ as sacrifice, surety, mediator and redeemer from the penalty of the law. Repentance is turning from sin and returning to allegiance, turning the rebellious heart toward God. True happiness comes through this change, not through religious forms, selfish prayers, or human effort alone, but through surrender that makes the sinner penitent and brings renewed life.
Each person must repent individually, for no one can repent for another but each must do it for himself. Repentance includes confession of sin, a broken heart and contrition of soul, with the sinner seeing himself as a transgressor of God's law. He becomes conscious of helplessness and need of a Saviour, recognizing his helpless condition and relying on Christ's cleansing blood as the only remedy for sin. This need applies even to professing Christians and ministers, for those who feel self-sufficient do not yet recognize need of a Saviour, while Christ accepts every soul that comes in true repentance and will not despise a broken and contrite heart. Christ's blood does not atone for sin left unrepented and unconfessed, and through faith in Christ who honored the law and bore its curse the sinner is credited with righteous character and saved from condemnation.
Repentance is awakened by seeing the spirituality of the law of God and its eternal obligations, and by beholding Christ hanging on the cross of Calvary loving sinners who were at enmity with God. Looking at Christ lifted between heaven and earth, the sinner marvels and is abased, sees the transgressed law and his inability to keep it, and repents at every step for having violated every principle of Jehovah's law. This happens at the cross placed midway between divinity and humanity, when the display of grace in the gift of a substitute equal with God fills the sinner with amazement, draws him to Christ, and breaks every barrier down. Seeing sin in its offensive character, he turns to God and lays hold of the merits of a crucified and risen Saviour, becoming created anew so as no longer to live to self.
Repentance toward God and faith in Christ must be exercised at once and not put off to a more convenient season. After Christ in his self-sacrifice, shame, suffering, reproach, rejection and crucifixion has been set clearly before the heart, with warning and entreating while he stands at the door knocking to enter into fellowship, to refuse to open the heart and follow the imagination of one's own heart is great sin. Repentance prepares the way for faith, as John first called people to repent of past sins because the kingdom was near so they would be ready to trust the One about to reveal himself. Truth must cleanse the life and repentance must bear fruit, for only those willing to be purged from sin can have fellowship with Christ, whose presence reveals God's character and makes sin known which the corrupt in heart cannot abide.
Faith Toward Christ
Faith is directed toward the Lord Jesus Christ as the only Redeemer, and it rests on His blood as the only ground of pardon. He died as a sacrifice for sin and ascended to heaven to stand before the Father as advocate, surety, mediator, and officiating high priest in the heavenly sanctuary. When God's law reveals the depth of sin, the sinner must be pointed to Christ, the Lamb who takes away the sin of the world and gives His blood on the sinner's behalf. The law itself has no power to save from the penalty of disobedience and no pardoning quality to cleanse the transgressor, but brings the repentant sinner to Christ whose sacrifice, suretyship, and mediation make it possible to claim pardon through His merits. By repentance and faith sinners are freed from condemnation, and through the grace of Christ are enabled henceforth to render obedience to the law of God.
The Father is fully satisfied with that atonement, which was provided from the foundation of the world because He so loved the world, not because the sacrifice originated His love. Despite human sinfulness, Christ's merits avail with the Father on humanity's behalf and bring those who accept Him back into favor with God. Through obedience to the Father's law and faith in the atoning blood of the Son, paradise lost may be regained. The sacrifice was not made to let sin continue but to bring sinners back to loyalty, to keep His commandments and live and hold His law as the apple of the eye, so that divine government stands unimpeached while the salvation of penitent souls is secured. Christ imputes His righteousness to the repentant believing soul, and the one who receives Christ becomes the friend of God.
Faith means with hope grasping the arm of infinite power and laying hold of the merits of a crucified and risen Saviour. Beholding Christ hanging on the cross loving sinners at enmity with God abases the sinner, breaks down every barrier, and shows sin in its offensive character. The sinner is clothed with Christ's righteousness, with His divinity clothed with humanity, so that through Christ's righteousness he stands acquitted before God. This is being created anew in Christ Jesus, no longer living to self, with all transformed powers, talents, qualifications, reason, knowledge, affection, speech, and property held sacred to God's service with an eye single to the glory of God.
Saving faith is living faith that works by love and purifies the heart and refuses to violate the commandments at any cost. It is not mere belief that there is one God, for devils also believe and tremble, nor a mere only believe that leaves men transgressing while claiming Christ has done all. Genuine faith is shown in works and in efforts to help others find salvation, and is made perfect by works, as Abraham was justified by living faith with his works proving and corresponding to his faith, and his belief was imputed to him for righteousness. Christ came because the commandments were broken to save from sins and not in sins, and there is no true happiness in transgression but in obedience. Merely talking of Christ as Saviour without repentance and obedience is not genuine faith, and to such He will finally say, I know you not.
Christ did not come to lessen the guilt of sin to leave liberty for disloyalty or excuse for violating one precept, nor to set men free to break the law. He lived the law in humanity and by taking the world's sin and dying exalted the law and proved the moral law immutable, changeless, beautiful and supreme. His mission was to exalt God's law, and through His own imputed righteousness put men where it is possible to obey its precepts. His death ended sacrificial offerings and the ceremonial law but established the moral law of ten commandments, which remains God's just and holy standard, the divine mirror and the standard of the last judgment. Looking into that mirror and comparing life and character with it shows the exceeding sinfulness of sin and drives the sinner to Christ for pardon, so that repentance and faith vindicate the law instead of making it void. By His obedience He brought salvation within reach of everyone after Adam lost all through disobedience to God's law, and by precept and example taught all to turn to God in repentance and trust in the Lord Jesus Christ as personal Saviour.
Law Cannot Save
The divine law must be lifted up to show the greatness of breaking its precepts and the duty to turn from that breach, for by the law comes the knowledge of sin and conviction that the transgressor stands guilty before God. To call for repentance and faith is to point to the broken law, to show sinners where they are at fault and instruct them as a teacher instructs pupils in the way back to loyalty to God. The law lays open character and defects, yet its witness is no reason to cast it aside, since the heart must be changed and the moral nature renewed by grace until people become doers of the word. Repentance is needed because the holy law when violated condemns sin, and faith is needed because only the Redeemer of the world has power to save the lawbreaker.
There is in the law no power to rescue from the penalty of disobedience and no pardoning quality to cleanse those who have broken it. The holy law condemns the sinner, but it cannot save one who has violated it, so repentance for sin as transgression of the law must be joined with faith in the sacrifice, suretyship and mediation that make pardon possible through merit. Sin is the breaking of God's law, and because the law cannot save, Christ as substitute and surety who accomplished redemption stands between the sinner and God to bring the world back into favor. Even those who profess to keep and teach the law while breaking it remain guilty before God with condemnation resting on the conscience unless they see themselves as sinners in need of a Saviour and repent and are converted.
The law serves as a divine mirror and great moral looking-glass in which the sinner beholds exceeding sinfulness, frailty and depravity. That sight produces godly sorrow and a felt need that drives the sinner to flee to Christ for pardon and peace and to be justified by faith. The Word applied as eyesalve makes the conscience smart with conviction of sin, and that painful sharpening of spiritual discernment is necessary that healing may follow and the eye be single to the glory of God. This convicting work that brings forth repentance toward God and faith toward Christ is wrought by the Holy Spirit.
The law exposes sin and leads the sinner to Christ, but it cannot pardon transgression, while the gospel without the law is likewise ineffective. Repentance means returning to allegiance to the holy law, and faith looks to the sacrifice that cleanses and makes pardon possible, so that law and gospel belong together and together produce genuine love and faith. Repentance and faith presented in harmony with the law vindicate the law instead of making it void. Christ's death ended sacrificial offerings and the ceremonial law but established the moral law of ten commandments, which remains God's just and holy standard, immutable as His throne and the standard of the last judgment.
Salvation for All People
The testimony is to both Jews and Greeks without distinction, because all souls are of value and all without distinction are sinners on one level, condemned alike by the great moral standard of righteousness and in peril of losing their souls. All need the same crucified and risen Saviour, who alone is Sin-bearer and Sin-pardoner, to turn to God in repentance and to trust in the Lord Jesus Christ for remission of sins and pardon. Returning through repentance and faith to loyalty is the way a holy faith, a pure character, and a holy character may be attained, as Enoch attained it through Christ Jesus, and this full and free salvation comes not from the speaker but from Christ. It must be presented directly and simply with personal application to sinners, keeping back nothing profitable and teaching publicly and from house to house with humility, tears, and endurance under trial, visiting people, talking with them, and showing interest in their spiritual welfare by presenting Christ as a sin-pardoning Saviour. This is home missionary work and the pattern to follow faithfully, not only preaching sermons in the house of God but ministering by going from house to house, becoming acquainted with different families, and following public discourses with personal labor through home visits and helpful, encouraging words, for many sermons can be preached without accomplishing the work essential for well-being, while personal house-to-house work is far more effective for both the converted and those still without God and without hope.
This work is for those outside the faith and for those who take no interest in religious things, to bring them to turn from idols to serve God and then to teach others in the same missionary work, rather than spending undue time on those who already know the truth. Neglecting this house-to-house labor leaves large portions of the Lord's vineyard uncultivated and souls eternally lost, while working as Christ and Paul worked would bring thousands to rejoice in the truth. God will ratify such testimony and give full favor to those who seek Him with the whole heart, enthrone Christ in the heart, plant His attributes in life practice, and follow Him in doing God's will.
The message entrusted to human agents after Christ completed His mission is for a fallen world: people are to turn to God and trust in Jesus Christ, to begin in Jerusalem and to spread to all nations, tongues, and peoples, through whose grace believers may receive pardon and be restored to God's favor. The whole world needs to be instructed in the oracles of God to understand this pardon and the object of the atonement with God, which was that the divine law and government might be maintained. Forgiveness through repentance toward God and faith in the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ brings forgiveness of sin and at-one-ment with God, yet it does not weaken, repeal, or change the law in any principle but leaves the law of God standing immutable and eternal as His throne.
The heart of Christian teaching is salvation through repentance toward God and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, whose blood has saving merit, centered on Christ and Him crucified. This grand central truth should be the theme for most earnest study and greatest joy, set before men by a wise instructor as the true object of life. It is meant to lift people from worldliness and sin to purity and righteousness, to lead them to the holiness required for God's kingdom and to purity and immortal life, while the light of the gospel pierces darkness of mind so men discern how offensive immoral practices are in the sight of a holy God.
Every converted person should aim to bear this testimony to both Jews and Greeks as a trust given by God, and calling men to meet these two conditions is the commission to be borne till the close of time. The Lord is willing to accept everyone who manifests repentance toward God and faith in Jesus Christ, which is cause for thankfulness, so no bar should be placed in the way of any soul that would keep him from taking courage to engage in warfare against temptation. Instead of criticizing one another, each should deal sternly with self, examine with close introspection peculiar temperament and weaknesses of character, and bravely deal with perverse disposition so as not to dishonor God, remembering that all are members of one body among whom there is to be no crowding, no judging, and no measuring of one gift by another. Jesus is full of mercy, tenderness, and love and rejoices to forgive and bless all who accept and appreciate these conditions, giving His followers the love, care, grace, and righteousness they need to represent Him in character, for Christ has all power in heaven and earth with every resource at His command, and the power He gave His disciples made their calling of men to repentance a success through the Holy Spirit using consecrated men. After Christ rose as the firstfruits of those who sleep, the resurrection was no longer a mystery and favor with God was no longer difficult to obtain through temple service or sacrifices, for a new and direct way was laid open by God through which all who will may enter into full comfort and hope, presenting a full and free salvation in simple illustrations that all are invited to come, not made intricate by words of human learning, for the very simplicity of salvation through Christ is its attraction, and the persuasiveness of Christ must be seen in hearts and words.
Christ called all people to turn to God and to turn back to God, and His work was to reconcile humanity to God. His coming fulfilled prophecy, which foretold the coming of the Just One and described how and the manner in which He would come, giving those willing to believe sufficient basis and grounds for faith.
Public House-to-House Ministry
The verse sets the pattern for thorough ministry that withholds nothing profitable but teaches both publicly and from house to house. In every discourse the saving truth of Christ and him crucified is to stand out clear and prominent instead of being buried under a mass of words. That public and personal teaching calls all alike to repentance for transgression of the law and to faith in Christ as Advocate whose merits alone justify, for the law convicts and condemns but cannot pardon or save. Faithful work beyond the pulpit belongs essentially to this ministry.
This is home missionary work, going from house to house and becoming acquainted with the different families. It is done by visiting, talking, praying with them, opening the Scriptures, and showing personal interest in their spiritual welfare by presenting Christ as a sin-pardoning Saviour. It warns all people everywhere of their duty to love God, arousing the conscience and bringing the sinner to feel the need of repentance so that Christ may impute His righteousness. Repentance here means sorrow for violating the commandments, which each person must do individually because no one can repent for another, and faith means trust that His blood will cleanse from all sins. That faith works by love and purifies the heart and refuses to go on violating the commandments, for Christ came to save from sins and not in them, and true happiness is found in obedience rather than transgression.
Personal house-to-house labor following up public discourses with home visits and helpful, encouraging words is far more effective than preaching sermons in the house of God alone, for many sermons can be preached without accomplishing the work essential for the well-being of souls. This labor is for those outside the faith and those who take no interest in religious things, to bring them to turn from idols to serve God and then to teach others, rather than spending undue time on those who already know the truth. Neglecting it leaves large portions of the vineyard uncultivated and souls eternally lost, while working as Christ and Paul worked would bring thousands to rejoice in the truth.
Ministers must examine themselves to learn this pattern of serving with all humility, meekness and lowliness instead of taking an easy, comfortable course and merely copying another minister. Repentance toward God and faith in Christ are essential parts of the gospel that must be plainly taught, because many do not understand the plan of salvation. Hearers are not to be assumed to understand these essentials or to have them replaced by other subjects, but Christ is to be presented as the sinner's refuge and they are to be taught how to come to Him for peace and rest. That teaching is done with hearts subdued by divine love, magnifying Christ and teaching practical godliness from Scripture with Christ crucified as the heart of the message.
This house-to-house work in all humility with many tears amid trial and opposition is the very work of canvassing, a most precious ministry equal to that of the gospel minister. It does not belittle a minister's calling, even following the example of the eloquent Paul to whom God manifested Himself in a wonderful manner yet who went from house to house. Convicting souls of the claims of God's law by teaching repentance and faith is only the beginning of the work. The same laborer who presents that convicting truth with soul aglow must then continue it as shepherd and pastor to care for the flock instead of excusing himself and leaving others to finish it.
Pardon and Justification
The way to salvation is repentance toward God and faith in Jesus Christ, by which even the vilest sinner may receive full and free pardon, forgiveness of transgression, covering of sin, justification by faith, peace with God, at-one-ment, and adoption as a child who calls God Father. Turning to God in repentance for breaking His law and trusting in Christ and His atoning sacrifice brings remission of past sins, cleansing by His blood, partaking of the divine nature, and receiving the Spirit of adoption, while the law remains the standard of character to be lived as Christ lived it. Forgiveness through this pardon leaves the divine law standing immutable and eternal as God's throne, because the object of the atonement was that His law and government might be maintained.
Justification is pardon and is the opposite of condemnation, in which Christ bears the sinner's guilt as substitute and surety and suffers the penalty for the whole world, and God counts Christ's righteousness to the believer and receives him into favor as His child and heir with hope of eternal life. This is not because of any goodness in the sinner, and not by overlooking sin or abolishing law, but through the costly sacrifice of the Son in whom the innocent bore the guilt of the world so that those who trust in Him may be treated as innocent. The repenting, believing sinner lays sins upon the Sin-bearer, takes hold of His merits, has His righteousness imputed, and becomes a member of the royal family, a child of the heavenly King, an heir of God and joint heir with Christ, in a life of faith that continues in repentance and contrition, surrender to God's will, and growth in faith.
Salvation comes by grace as a free gift through looking in faith to the crucified Redeemer, not through human works, humiliation, penance, purchased indulgences, or pardon granted by pope or any other person. Repentance does not lessen sin's guilt nor let the sinner escape its punishment by human effort, but includes turning from sin and reforming the life, and looking away from self to believe in Christ brings peace and joy with release from sin's penalty. Forgiveness of sin and release from its penalty are not powers entrusted to human authority to grant or sell, but are freely given to those who seek them through repentance and faith.
These steps are God's appointed way that each person must take to be saved, stated plainly so that every soul of every level of understanding can discern the way of salvation, though deeper mysteries of redemption lie beneath them beyond human comprehension.
Repentance toward God and faith toward the Lord Jesus Christ are the two conditions on which Jesus forgives transgressions and sins, and He is full of mercy, tenderness, and love, perfectly willing and rejoicing to forgive and bless all who accept them, giving His followers the love, care, grace, and righteousness needed to represent Him. Those who decide to confess Christ take these steps and then take their stand for the truth in baptism, followed by a daily Christian life of walking in newness of life nourished by Christ the True Vine, bearing fruit through cooperation with God and growth in godliness. Admission rests on evidence that God's saving grace has worked in the heart when confession of faith is made, not on wealth, position, rank, tribe, or nationality, and this full and free salvation comes not from the speaker but from Christ, the only Sin-bearer and Sin-pardoner, to be presented directly and simply with personal application, since all without distinction are sinners on one level condemned alike by the great moral standard and needing the same crucified and risen Saviour. Through returning in repentance and faith to loyalty, a holy faith, pure character, and holy character may be attained as Enoch obtained it through Christ Jesus, by seeking God with the whole heart, enthroning Christ in the heart, planting His attributes in life practice, and following Him in doing God's will.
From the moment the sinner views Christ upon the cross, every barrier is broken down, sin is seen in its offensive character, and repentance toward God and faith toward Christ are exercised by laying hold of the merits of a crucified and risen Saviour. This amazement at the love of God in providing a substitute equal with God draws the sinner to Christ placed midway between Divinity and humanity, and makes him created anew in Christ Jesus so he no longer lives to himself, with all transformed powers, talents, qualifications, reason, knowledge, affection, speech, and property held sacred to God's service with an eye single to the glory of God. The law is not expected to cleanse from sin, for there is no pardoning quality in the law to save its transgressors, but repentance means sorrow for transgression seen in the light of the spirituality and eternal obligations of God's government, and faith means looking to the atoning Sacrifice as the only hope who can save and cleanse from every transgression. That convicting work is the work of the Holy Spirit, who leads people to repentance and faith, applies the Word as eyesalve that makes the conscience smart by convicting of sin as seen in God's great moral looking-glass, pardons the penitent through Christ's atonement while making those He pardons penitent, and is sought by coming to Jesus, trusting His promise, praying, watching, striving to obey God's commandments, and putting away habits and associations that draw the heart from God.
When one sinner turns from sin to repentance toward God and faith toward Christ, there is joy in the presence of the angels, all heaven is made glad, and seraphs and cherubs touch their golden harps and sing praises to God and the Lamb for mercy and lovingkindness to the children of men. That heavenly gladness with rejoicing of the Father and the Son in an anthem of praise from countless harps and voices through the heavenly courts should move believers to be more in earnest and to do everything possible to win the unconverted.
New Life of Obedience
Repentance toward God means humbling before him whose holy law has been broken and whose just wrath has been incurred, since sin is transgression of the law, and faith toward the Lord Jesus Christ means trusting in his blood as the only ground of pardon because he died as sacrifice for sin, ascended to stand as advocate before the Father, and became man's substitute and surety embodying the holy law. By that repentance and faith sinners are freed from condemnation and through grace enabled henceforth to render obedience, for the law has no power to save or pardon transgressors yet remains unabrogated and just as necessary now as for Adam in Eden, and holding to sin and loving sin shuts out grace. Mere claim to be saved by only believing without loving God and keeping his commandments does not see to the end of the law, for Christ bore the penalty so that through his imputed righteousness the fallen race is given another opportunity to repent, return to loyalty, and keep the law by faith and live. That change, in which the person ceases to transgress which is to cease to sin, can be produced by nothing but faith in Christ, whose merits avail because he never transgressed, took the sinner's guilt, and suffered the penalty for the whole world that his righteousness might be imputed, making the repenting sinner's sincere efforts to overcome and keep the holy law wholly acceptable. Through faith the repentant soul thus receives light and life and is lifted into favor and fellowship unto a pure and holy life with God.
Christ came because the commandments were broken to save people from their sins and not in their sins, so the repentance and faith that save do not leave the sinner continuing to transgress the Father's law. Repentance for violating the commandments must be done by each person individually and cannot be done by another, and faith that his blood will cleanse from all sins is a faith that works by love and purifies the heart and refuses to violate the commandments at any cost, not a mere only believe that leaves men transgressing while claiming Christ has done all. Merely talking of Christ as Saviour while the heart is at war with the law avails nothing, for genuine faith comes into harmony with the rule of God's government and obeys his law, and Christ will finally say to such professors, I know you not. He did not die to make it possible to be saved while continuing in transgression or to show hope while continuing in sin, but to exalt the law and through his own righteousness put men where obedience to its precepts is possible, with obedience to all God's requirements as the only hope for pardon through his blood. No one who keeps living in transgression and rebellion will enter the gates of the holy city and the courts above when Christ comes, for true happiness is found in obedience rather than transgression though merit is only in Christ's blood.
True conversion by this repentance and faith is heart work, not excitement, impulse, promise, or outward reformation that vanishes like early dew, but a thorough conversion where the heart is renewed, a new moral taste is created, connection with heaven is formed, and love, faith, humility, and obedience reveal controlling power over the entire man. It effects a crucifixion, a painful death of self, creating hatred for all sin and love of Jesus that teaches truth in righteousness, decreasing gambling, abandoning the wine cup, cleansing from sin, and producing stern integrity and true moral worth standing on God's holy law. It is a full, entire transformation of ideas and principles concerning perfect obedience to all the precepts of Jehovah, turning from conformity to worldly policy and worldly influences in the great change that must take place to be saved and have eternal life through sanctification of the truth. True elevation of character comes from the attributes revealed in the life of Jesus Christ.
Faith leads people to behold Christ's perfect character, recognize their own defects, seek cleansing and change, and claim his saving merits, for the law remains the standard of character and those who represent Christ must live it as he did. Receiving salvation is joined with a life of obedience, and genuine faith is shown in works and in efforts to help others find salvation. Saving faith is living faith that works, and faith without works is dead, being alone, for mere belief that there is one God is not enough since devils also believe and tremble. True faith works with works and is made perfect by works, as Abraham was justified by living faith with his works proving and corresponding to his faith, and his belief was imputed to him for righteousness, and it is by constant exercise of faith and love that believers shine as lights in the world.
Sincere repentance over breaking God's law, joined with faith in Jesus as the sinner's Redeemer and Advocate, brings the sweetest joy, comfort, and peace. Self-abasement and bearing the cross are provisions appointed for the repenting sinner, and Christ's humiliation and sacrifice leave no cause for murmuring. Repentance turns the rebellious heart toward God and faith receives Jesus, which religious forms and selfish prayers cannot replace and human effort alone cannot produce, and surrender to Jesus makes the sinner penitent and brings a renewed life.
This preparation is needed for Christ's second coming and the coming tempest while probation remains, for the law reveals defects in moral character that must be earnestly sought out and remedied, with pardon through Christ's blood as the transgressor's only hope. Before the flood God sent Noah to warn the world to lead the people to repentance so they could escape threatened destruction, and as the time of Christ's second appearing draws near he in mercy sends his servants with a warning to prepare for that great event, calling multitudes living in transgression to obey its sacred precepts. Many reject the warnings and deny the authority of his law because putting away sin seems to require too great a sacrifice and their life does not harmonize with the pure principles of God's moral government. Claiming sanctification while opposing the fourth commandment is not genuine Bible sanctification, and no one continuing in rebellion will be admitted above. Paul himself exercised this when he saw his true condition, turning from sin to God and trusting in Christ, ceasing to trust outward blamelessness, confessing guilt, being washed and cleansed into humility and a life increasingly shaped by Christ unto a higher standard of cleansing from all unrighteousness.
The distinctive name of faith carries these truths in front like an arrow to wound and convict inquirers of transgression and bring them to repentance and faith, rebuking those who worship the beast and break the commandments. Ministers must therefore make clear both what sin is and what turning from it means, since sin is transgression of God's law and conversion requires repentance for breaking it and faith in Christ whose blood atones. They must labor perseveringly, earnestly and wisely until the sinner sees he is a transgressor, feels helplessness and need of a Saviour, and comes with sorrow, confession, broken heart and contrition falling upon the Rock Christ Jesus, preaching the old gospel doctrine of sorrow for sin, repentance and confession instead of merely entreating sinners to believe without regard to a past life of sin and rebellion. Without true repentance there is no true conversion, for the law exposes sin but cannot pardon it and forgiveness comes through Christ's sacrifice received by faith.
Without this repentance and faith the sinner will perish in sin, for these are the ground on which transgressors of God's law can be justified and receive pardon and peace. By the law is the knowledge of sin but the law cannot pardon, so even those professedly keeping and teaching it who break it are guilty before God with the least guilt left on conscience to utter condemnation unless they see themselves as sinners in need of a Saviour and repent and are converted. Repentance and faith write pardon against their names in the books of heaven, bringing mercy, blessing, and riches of gold tried in the fire, and ceasing to walk in the sparks of their own kindling, while turning from light sent from God envelops in unbelief and darkness. In the last days this must go with confession, putting away unjust dealing and embittered minds, forsaking sin, bringing every faculty once used for selfish purpose into God's service, letting truth plow deep in the inner man until it controls daily life, and going on from light to greater light and faith to greater faith so that no secret unconfessed sin remains to be laid bare in judgment.
Repentance toward God brings the sinner to Christ in a complete change from idols to the living and true God that needs not be regretted, appearing in a complete change of character. Drawn to Christ and seeing his love at the cross, the sinner recognizes sin as transgression of God's law, turns to God in repentance, and trusts in Jesus for pardon, receiving salvation by living faith in the merits of his death and resurrection rather than by meeting a condition before coming, with works of righteousness following that faith. The blood of Christ, the remedy for sin, is received through repentance and faith, a work that must begin in professed Christians including ministers, with repentance recognizing need of a Saviour and abandoning self-sufficiency and faith depending helplessly on Christ. Repentance and forgiveness come through his atonement as he both pardons the penitent and makes the pardoned penitent, shown by prayer, watchfulness, striving to obey the commandments, and putting away habits and associations that draw the heart from God. Repentance and faith are fruits of the renewing power of the Spirit by which the soul seeks to reflect Christ's image, turning people from human rites and earthly mediators to Christ and him crucified, replacing dead formalism with living faith and hunger for righteousness.