New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-08-06
THE ORIGIN OF REPENTANCE


more eager to determine its origin or source. Can
man be the author Of his own repentance? The
Bible says that he cannot. In proof Of this
would Ike your attention the second Episte OF
Pete, t. g. where it is written that GOO ac nc
all things that pertain unto life and godliness
There can be no doubt that repentance Is one OF
Therefore God must give It unto men Morcoyer
it is expressly said that the Lord Jesus Christ was
exalted to the right hand Of the Father for TO
ana. according to Acts XII Is. the early church
God had granted unto the Gentiles repentance Tor
Hence the source OF repentance is the same as
that Of faith or regeneration or any other pre-
requisite to salvation free gift OF divine grace
ana yet while saying this IT Is necessary Tor every
teacher of divine truth to emphasize the fact that
God commands men everywhere to repent Acts
though repentance their act and not HIS
We stand here in the face Of the deepest OF nys-
eighty and human responsibility. A. Dr. charles
pitched roof which meet above the clouds. They
are not presented for our understanding, but for
OF mind based upon the testimony which God
erords to men about themselves, about Him. ard
realizing the importance OF rcpentance their ohli-
cation to experoMct IL enh shT po b or tT 40
possession OF that grace and have received the
grant OF repentance unto lie
ORIGINAL AND CONTINUAL REPENTANCE.
In closing I would Ike to say a few words about
the period Of repentance There IS such thing
original repentance and such another thing CON
tinual repentance. BY original repentance mean
that experience which comes 10 n simultaneous
peated in his history Il il the experience OF the
day the hour. the moment OF the hour. when h.
by faith accepts Jesus Christ as his personal saviour
And b. said that all these experiences referred .
in the nature OF repentance c.nnot be wIousnt IN
they may not be wrought In him formally ana dis,
iincily. they may be- virtually and eneciually, AMI
c.ic 10
mony OF the Written Word and the experience OF
offers f4 r1m G this God ai 9 Saai npl mean Sg eo
tinual repentance. would say hat thor can be n,
| read the Word OF God study my own heart and
me w. s OF ", o.e' i,i man remains IN tn ncsh
To illustrate further what mean by continual -
Hr.c,eS - ,ro,v in grace Iu, what is growth
in grace according to Peters definition. Is but growih
Is 'i nat1re and His viii or law but the more ",
10 know the nature OF God and The sp!r,uailiy
ure and the degree in which we have violated that
law. job Is an illustration which may be 1fei h,1e.
light OF the first. A perfcc; and upright man was
ne ana one mat ye at the co of ods rcnar
able dealings with him In afc,ion he thus expresses
the ear hut now mine eye seeth Thee. Wherefore /
abhor myself and repent In Duet ana sshcS me-
can be no doubt that JOB had experience whdS W.
have called original repentance. ana yet THIS later
repentance IS expressed in language as strong az
though he had never repented at all Again. We
are only expected to grow In srac" but th"r" -
prised into Elm. even gross sin Take David. FOR
ample He IS called man after Gods own heart
and his conduct evidenced tina; statement o. De true"
and yet in the maturity OF MS powers ana eHpcr,-
snce he ioa'ei not oniX the ieT t r
from his broken heart as recorded IL me ,I
Who io'l had never never re- repented befoie
peter Illustrates this same irlth; lie eSperienaeel
priest:s palace for he was a true believer In Christ
prior 70 that time and yet his sincere repentance IN
spoken Of by Christ prOphctically-luke XXI a2-as