One of the Divinely predicted characteristics of the “perilous times” in which we are now living is that “evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived” (2 Tim. 3:13). The deeper reference of these words is to spiritual seducers and deceivers. Men with captivating personalities, men who occupy a prominent place in Christendom, men with an apparently deep reverence for Holy Writ, are beguiling souls with fatal error. Not only are evolutionists, higher critics and modernists deluding multitudes of our young people with their sugar-coated lies, but some who pose as the champions of orthodoxy and boast of their ability to “rightly divide the Word of truth” are poisoning the minds of many to their eternal destruction.

Such a charge as we have just made is indeed a serious one, and one which is not to be readily received without proof. But proof is easily furnished. The Word of God teaches plainly that in this dispensation, equally with preceding ones, God requires a deep and sincere repentance before He pardons any sinner. Repentance is absolutely necessary to salvation, just as necessary as is faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. “Except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish” (Luke 13:3). “Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life” (Acts 11:18). “For godly sorrow worketh repentance, not to be repented of” (2 Cor. 7:10). It is impossible to frame language more explicit than that. Therefore, in view of these verses, and others yet to be quoted, we cannot but sorrowfully regard those who are now affirming that repentance is not, in this dispensation, essential unto salvation, as being deceivers of souls, blind leaders of the blind.

A careful comparison of the prominent place which is given to repentance in the New Testament with the very small place it has in present-day teaching, even in so-called “orthodox” pulpits, brings to light one of the most significant and solemn “signs of the times.” Some of the most prominent of those pleased to style themselves “teachers of dispensational truth” insist that repentance belongs to a past period, being altogether “Jewish,” and deny in to that, in this age, God demands repentance from the sinner before he can be saved, thus blankly repudiating Acts 17:30: “But now commandeth all men everywhere to repent.” When it is borne in mind that these men are most diligent students of Scripture, we can but sorrowfully see in them thefulfillment of those words “ever learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth” (2 Tim. 3:7).

Others, in their recoil from salvation by reformation, have failed to duly preserve the balance of truth, and give proper place to such Scriptures as “He that covereth his sins shall not prosper; but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy” (Prov. 28:13), and “Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts, and let him return unto the Lord, and He will have mercy upon Him” (Isa. 55:7). It is not that there is anything meritorious in a sinner’s compliance with this righteous demand of God, but that the claims of the Holy One must be pressed on those who have transgressed against Him. Yet that is just the thing the haughty rebel desires to hear about least of all, and the sad thing is that so many are now, wittingly or unwittingly, withholding that which is unpalatable to men but which is honouring to God. How widespread this withholding is, may be quickly discovered by an examination of present-day tracts purporting to explain how a sinner may be saved: in most of them not a word is said about repentance.

Even where it is held that repentance is necessary before a sinner can be saved, only too often the most shallow and superficial views are entertained of what repentance really is. In many circles it is assumed that if a person sheds tears or appears to be broken-hearted on account of the evil course he has followed, this is clear proof that a saving work of Divine grace has begun in that person’s heart. But this by no means follows. The prickings of an uneasy conscience are not the same as the conviction of sin which is produced by the Holy Spirit. Esau wept, and wept bitterly, yet he was not regenerated. Felix trembled under the preaching of Paul, but there is no hint in Scripture that he has gone to Heaven. Multitudes are deceived on this very point, and there is very little in present-day ministry which is calculated to undeceive them. Every one of us who values his soul and is concerned about his eternal destiny, will do well to carefully examine his repentance in the light of Scripture and ascertain whether it be of man or from God, natural or supernatural.

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- Arthur W. Pink, Repentance: What Saith the Scriptures?ⁱ ‘ ⁱⁱ

Footnotes

1. Arthur W. Pink – Repentance: What Saith the Scriptures? – mp3 – Part 1 [↩]
2. Arthur W. Pink – Repentance: What Saith the Scriptures? – mp3 – Part 2 [↩]