Repent or Perish by Dr. Byron Chesney

Repent or Perish

Luke 13:1-5

A Study in Historical Theology Final Draft

Project Submitted by:

Byron Spencer Chesney

Date Completed: 04/09/2013

Repent or Perish Luke 13:1-5

An Overview of Historical Theology and Its Relation to Repentance Ever since the fall of Adam in the Garden of Eden, man has needed a way to reconcile himself to God to escape the penalty of death. God provided a way for us to do that through repentance. Throughout Bible history, from the Old Testament Prophets, to the New Testament with John the Baptist, Jesus, and His Disciples, we find repentance preached as a necessary step in salvation. The word repent comes from the Greek word “met-an-o-he’-o” which means “to change one’s mind.” Repentance is changing your mind from self-reliance to placing your full faith in the saving grace of Christ’s finished work on the cross. This thesis is an attempt to persuade men of the need to repent or perish.

Introduction 1 There were present at that season some that told him of the Galilaeans, whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. 2 And Jesus answering said unto them, Suppose ye that these Galilaeans were sinners above all the Galilaeans, because they suffered such things?3 I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish. 4 Or those eighteen, upon whom the tower in Siloam fell, and slew them, think ye that they were sinners above all men that dwelt in Jerusalem? 5 I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish. – Luke 13:1-5 In our opening text we find Jesus surrounded by a group of people that were telling him news of Pilate having a group of Galileans killed that had been going to make a sacrifice. No doubt Pilate's soldiers had come upon them, slew them, and their blood, along with the blood of the sacrificial animals was mingled together. From Jesus' reply, it appears that they were under the assumption that these Galileans that were killed had committed some great sin and therefore was the cause of their horrible demise. But Jesus is quick to tell them that they themselves must repent or they too will perish. He then mentions to them about another tragedy where the tower at Siloam had fallen and killed eighteen people. He asks them if they thought that those that perished were greater sinners than anyone else. Then he again declared to those around him that they must repent or they too will perish.

The old Puritan preacher, Thomas Watson once said; “Repentance is looked upon as a tedious thing, requiring great effort; but men are content with their dregs and do not care to stir. They would rather go sleeping to hell than weeping to heaven.”1 1

Doctrine of Repentance, Thomas Watson, pg. 58

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In God's Word we find that the word perish means a destruction that leads to condemnation and death. No greater example of this can be found in the most quoted Scripture in all of the world, John 3:16-18, which says: 16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. 17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. 18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. My friend, aren't you glad that God so loved the world that much? Because, let’s face it, we are the world. Without God loving us so much that he was willing to sacrifice his only begotten son for us, we would all be condemned, we would all perish, and we would all be sentenced to hell.

Luckily for us, the Bible tells us that if we repent and believe in the Gospel (which is the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ) that we can have eternal, everlasting life.

Point I In the Book of Acts, we read where the Apostle Paul had just been run out of Berea by a mob of angry Thessalonicans and was now in Athens. Here he was faced with preaching to a very superstitious crowd. So much so that they had altars built to gods for every conceivable problem that may occur in life. This was much more than just carrying around a lucky rabbit’s foot or wishing upon a four leaf clover or a star, this was to such a degree that they had created an altar to the “unknown god” just in case they had missed one, or because they had no idea who the real true God of Heaven was. Paul had stumbled upon this altar on his way into the city which the Bible says was “wholly given to idolatry,” and it greatly troubled him, and that is where we pick the story up: 22 Then Paul stood in the midst of Mars' hill, and said, Ye men of Athens, I perceive that in all things ye are too superstitious. 23 For as I passed by, and beheld your devotions, I found an altar with this inscription, TO THE UNKNOWN GOD. Whom therefore ye ignorantly worship, him declare I unto you. 24 God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands; 25 Neither is worshipped with men's hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things; 26 And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation; 27 That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us: 28 For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring. 29 Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and man's device. 30 And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent: 31 Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead. – Acts 17:22-31

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Did you notice verse thirty? “the times of this ignorance God winked at” This is referring to the times before the Light of the world had been given. Before God sent his only begotten Son into the world to be the Saviour of all men. Before Christ hung on the Cross of Calvary and shed every drop of His precious blood to atone for sin.

Before Jesus came, God overlooked man’s ignorance. The word “winked” here doesn’t mean he winked like a boy would to a girl “hey good looking.” But it is in the sense that he winked by overlooking them, like you would signal somebody that you won’t take notice of what they are doing. For example; my wife tells the kids they can’t have any cookies but when she’s not around and the cookie jar is sitting on the counter and one of my kids looks at it and starts putting their hand in the jar and I wink at them, I’m saying, “it’s okay, I’ll over look you.”

Before God sent his Son here, he overlooked their pagan worship and didn’t hold them accountable for it, but now it’s a whole new ball-game. The rules have been changed. God no longer winks at idolatry or ignorance but he holds all men accountable for their actions. And God says now that you have been made aware that you are a sinner and there is a penalty to pay for sin, you must repent.

Point II I want to declare something to you this morning that some preachers and pastors will not dare say and that is, that in order for a person to be saved, they must repent. Before you wrongfully accuse me of preaching a “works salvation”, listen to what God’s Word has to say: In our opening text in Luke 13, Jesus said twice: 3 I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish. 5 I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.

The Bible says in Matthew 3:1-2: In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea, And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.

After Peter had healed a lame man through the power of the Holy Spirit and the Jews stood around in amazement he rebuked them and said: Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord; Acts 3:19 Jesus had been in the desert for 40 days being tempted by the Devil. As he overcame temptation and made his way out of the desert the Bible says this: From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. Matthew 4:17 So the very first message of Jesus’ sermons were “repent.” I want you to know that the last thing he commanded for the disciples to do before he ascended from this earth to sit on the right hand of the Father can be found in the Gospel of Luke: Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures, And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day: And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. Luke 22:45-47

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In Mark 6:12 the Bible tells us this about the disciples: And they went out, and preached that men should repent.

I want to declare to you this morning that repentance is a pure Gospel grace! The covenant of works admitted no repentance; there it was; sin and die. Repentance was ushered in by the Gospel.2 Christ's blood on Calvary was shed so that repenting sinners could be saved. How do I know this? Because the BIBLE tells me so! Look at Luke 5:32, Jesus says: “I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.”

Some may say, “well, what about grace?” No one was ever saved in any dispensation excepting by grace. Neither sacrificial observances, nor ritual service, nor works of law ever had any part in justifying the ungodly. Nor were any sinners ever saved by grace until they repented.

Repentance is not opposed to grace; it is the recognition of the need of grace.3 The old 19th Century English preacher, J.C. Ryles once said: "Let no man ever persuade you that any religion deserves to be called the Gospel, in which repentance toward God has not a most prominent place. That is no Gospel in which repentance is not a principal thing." 4

Point III So, you may be wondering, how does repentance come about? I’m glad you asked: Repentance comes by the Word of God. In Acts chapter 2, the Apostle Peter had been preaching a convicting sermon on the Day of Pentecost where thousands had gathered to hear him. He declared the word of God and when the people heard it, it says in Acts 2:37-38: Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do? Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.

The preached Word of God draws men to repentance. Jeremiah 23:29: 29 Is not my word like as a fire? saith the LORD; and like a hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces?

Repentance is the sinner's recognition of and acknowledgment of his lost estate and, thus, of his need of grace.5 Repentance comes from the Spirit. A man of God, a Preacher, or a Pastor is but the sounding trumpet, the Holy Spirit is the One that illuminates and converts. Acts 10:44: Peter had been preaching Christ to Cornelius and other Gentiles and verse 44 says: While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word.

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Doctrine of Repentance, Thomas Watson Except Ye Repent, Harry A. Ironside 4 Repentance, R.C. Ryle 5 Except Ye Repent, Harry A. Ironside 3

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Peter spoke the Word but the Holy Ghost did the work! My friend when the Holy Ghost gets a hold of you he causes you to spill out. When I hear the Word of God spoken through preaching, testifying, or singing, the Holy Ghost will spill out through my eyes, down my face on onto my shirt.

Now, you may wonder what true repentance is. Well, first we must look at what repentance is NOT. Repentance is not just a feeling of guilt or shame. Feeling guilty of sin may terrify you but being terrified is not repenting. A man can feel guilty and terrified of his sin but go right along sinning.

What most people want is forgiveness without repentance. They want to keep punching God, keep spitting on Jesus at Calvary, keep trampling His blood under foot, keep insulting the Holy Ghost of God, and keep loving their ungodliness. They do not want to be saved from sin, they want to be saved to continue in sin. They want the best of both the heathen world and of heaven.6 Repentance is NOT saying you are sorry. Every man sitting in prison this morning is sorry… sorry he got caught! That is why 68% of people that are released from prison will be re-arrested for the same crime.7 They did not repent of their crimes; they were just sorry they were caught.

Friend you can be sorry for your sin all day long but being sorry doesn’t mean you have made a change or intend on making a change.

I wonder and fear of how many people today have made guilty confessions and thought they were saved because they did some 1-2-3 repeat after me prayers but they never truly repented and believed in Christ’s finished work on the cross?

Repentance is NOT trading one sin for another or doing your sin less frequently. You can’t say, “Lord, I’m only going to kill people once a year instead of once a month.” I know, that was a little extreme. How about, “well Lord, I’m only going to get drunk on special occasions and holidays instead of every weekend.”

John McArthur states: “You’ll never prove true repentance unless the fruit of repentance and the work of repentance is visible. True repentance will manifest a changed life.”8 So, what are the steps to repentance? I mean, everybody wants steps, right? Okay, here we go.

We must first acknowledge that we have sin. In the parable of the Prodigal Son, the son was wallowing around in pig filth. He was stinking with sin. Then in Luke 15:17 the Bible says: “and when he came to himself.” In other words, the prodigal son had a change of mind from trusting in his own self to trusting in the Father. My friend, just like the prodigal son had to come to himself before he could go to the Father, you must first “come to yourself” before you can ever come to Christ.

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Repentance Unto Life, Dr. Dennis Corle Recidivism Of Prisoners Released In 1994, Patrick A. Langan, Ph.D., David J. Levin, Ph.D., in the Bureau of Justice Statistics, http://bjs.ojp.usdoj.gov/index.cfm?ty=pbdetail&iid=1134 (accessed February 14, 2013).

8 The Fruits of True Repentance, John McArthur 7

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You must be broken with sorrowfulness over your sin. The Psalmist says in Psalm 38:18: 18 For I will declare mine iniquity; I will be sorry for my sin. In the Gospel of Luke 7:37-38: A woman whom the Bible calls a “sinner” came to Jesus: 37 And, behold, a woman in the city, which was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at meat in the Pharisee's house, brought an alabaster box of ointment, 38 And stood at his feet behind him weeping, and began to wash his feet with tears, and did wipe them with the hairs of her head, and kissed his feet, and anointed them with the ointment.

Why was this sinner woman weeping tears enough to wash the feet of Jesus? Because she was sorrowful over her sins and she realized that Jesus was the only source of forgiveness for her.

Her sorrows spilled out of her eyes into the Brazen altar of Christ’s feet. True repentance will turn your sorrow to tears. This type of sorrow comes from deep within your heart. It is not superficial. You aren’t sorrowful because you are going to be punished, but rather you are sorrowful because you have transgressed against God. Repentance must come from our heart: In Psalm 38:4-9: David says: 4 For mine iniquities are gone over mine head: as an heavy burden they are too heavy for me. 5 My wounds stink and are corrupt because of my foolishness. 6 I am troubled; I am bowed down greatly; I go mourning all the day long. 7 For my loins are filled with a loathsome disease: and there is no soundness in my flesh. 8 I am feeble and sore broken: I have roared by reason of the disquietness of my heart.

9 Lord, all my desire is before thee; and my groaning is not hid from thee.

Our confession must be sincere. We don’t confess our sins and the whole time we are devising ways to do the same sin again. That’s like a bank robber confessing to the sin of stealing all the while he has the blueprints to another bank in his back pocket.

A true repentance comes from a shameful heart. In Ezra’s prayer in Ezra 9:5-6: he says: 5 And at the evening sacrifice I arose up from my heaviness; and having rent my garment and my mantle, I fell upon my knees, and spread out my hands unto the LORD my God, 6 And said, O my God, I am ashamed and blush to lift up my face to thee, my God: for our iniquities are increased over our head, and our trespass is grown up unto the heavens.

Our sin should embarrass us. As soon as Adam and Eve sinned, they hid themselves because they were naked, they were embarrassed. Sin should be a great embarrassment upon the sinner.

Woe unto those that do not blush in their sins. Jeremiah 6:15-17: 15 Were they ashamed when they had committed abomination? nay, they were not at all ashamed, neither could they blush: therefore they shall fall among them that fall: at the time that I visit them they shall be cast down, saith the LORD. 16 Thus saith the LORD, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls. But they said, We will not walk therein. 17 Also I set watchmen over you, saying, Hearken to the sound of the trumpet. But they said, We will not hearken.

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Isn’t that the picture of man today? Committing all kinds of unspeakable sins yet they are not embarrassed, they do not blush in their sins because they have not Christ in their hearts.

True repentance revolves out of hatred for sin. A Christian should utterly despise and hate sin.

Sin is rebellion against God, whom we say we love. I love my wife and kids, if you want to see this old boy get riled up, you just do something to my wife or my kids. Friends, it may be the last thing you ever do. We should look at our Lord the same way. Anything that is sin is something against him and we should hate it with righteous indignation.

Romans 7:14-15: 14 For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin.

15 For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I. – the Apostle Paul was not sin free and he hated that fact. Friends, if someone ever tells you that a Christian never sins or once you get saved you no longer sin, you run as fast as you can from that false teacher. Of course we still sin. We will battle against sin until the day that we die. But we should hate our sin!

The sixth and final ingredient to true repentance is turning from sin.

Isaiah 55:7: 7 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; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.

Job 11:14 says: 14 If iniquity be in thine hand, put it far away, and let not wickedness dwell in thy tabernacles.

Proverbs 26:11: 11 As a dog returneth to his vomit, so a fool returneth to his folly.

Let me be perfectly clear with you this morning. Ever since sin came into this world through the fall of Adam, mankind has a problem. Romans 5:12 says: Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:.

The Bible says again in Romans 3:23: For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; Fortunately for us Romans 5:8 says: But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

It goes on to say in Romans 6:23: For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

How do we accept this free gift of God so that we may have eternal life? As the Bible commands over and over, repent of your sins and believe the Gospel.

Romans 10:9-13: 9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. 10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. 11 For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. 12 For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. 13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

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Conclusion My friend, if ever there was a day and time for men to preach repentance, it is right now. I have attempted to prove to you the urgency and the needfulness of repentance. I think it is very clear from God's Word that "except ye repent, ye shall likewise perish." Those words are strong and dogmatic. Our Lord is not mincing words here. This is too important of a message to be lost in wishy-washy talk.

You have been presented the truth the rest is up to you. Will you repent or perish?

Let's pray: Dear Heavenly Father, we have preached Your Word this morning to the best of our ability. There is not a doubt in my mind that everything in Your Word is true. We realize that since we have been made aware of your command to repent that we are responsible. I'm asking you now Father for the work of the Holy Spirit to convince each person here of the need for repentance. Lord we know from your Word that it is not your will that any should perish but that all should come to repentance. If there be one here that is lost, never having come to you with a repentant heart and by grace through faith trusted Jesus Christ as their Saviour, may this be the day that they do just that. For it is these things we ask in the name of Jesus, AMEN.

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Bibliography Watson, Thomas. Doctrine of Repentance. Carlisle, PA: The Banner of Truth Trust, 1663.

Ironside, Harry A., Except Ye Repent. New York American Tract Society, 1937.

Ryle, J.C.. Old Paths. Retrieved online 2/12/2013 from: http://www.preachtheword.com/bookstore/old-paths-ryle.pdf Corle, Dennis. Repentance Unto Life. Claysburg, PA: Revival Fires Publishing, 2001.

Sehorne, Douglas, Zeal Without Knowledge, Lancaster, SC, King James Baptist Publishers, 1992 Langan, Patrick A., Ph.D., Recidivism of Prisoners Released In 1994, Bureau of Justice Statistics, http://bjs.ojp.usdoj.gov/index.cfm?ty=pbdetail&iid=1134 (accessed February 14, 2013).

MacArthur, John. The Fruits of True Repentance. Sun Valley, CA: Grace to You, retrieved online 2/2/2013, http://www.gty.org/resources/sermons/2188, Published 1978.

Simmons, Thomas Paul. A Systematic Study of Bible Doctrine. Ashland, KY: Bible Baptist Books, 1979.

Pink, Arthur W. Repentance, What Saith the Scriptures? Swengel, PA: Reiner Publications, 1917.

Schaff, Philip. Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, Grand Rapids, MI: Christian Classics Ethearel Writing, Year Uknown.

Patne, William. A Practical Discourse of Repentance. London: St. Paul’s Church, 1695.

Retrieved online 2/4/2013: http://tinyurl.com/buwm32b

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