REPENTANCE by J.C. Ryle
True repentance begins with a knowledge of sin. The eyes of the repentant person are opened. They see with dismay and confusion the length and breadth of God’s holy law, and the extent, the enormous extent, of their own transgressions. They discover, to their surprise, that in thinking themselves a “good sort of person,” and a person with a “good heart,” they have been under a huge delusion. They find out that, in reality, they are wicked, and guilty, and corrupt, and evil in God’s sight. Their pride breaks down. Their high thoughts melt away. They see that they are a great sinner. This is the first step in true repentance.
True repentance begins with a knowledge of sin. The eyes of the repentant person are opened. They see with dismay and confusion the length and breadth of God’s holy law, and the extent, the enormous extent, of their own transgressions. They discover, to their surprise, that in thinking themselves a “good sort of person,” and a person with a “good heart,” they have been under a huge delusion. They find out that, in reality, they are wicked, and guilty, and corrupt, and evil in God’s sight. Their pride breaks down. Their high thoughts melt away. They see that they are a great sinner. This is the first step in true repentance.
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of the saints in light." We must repent, if we want to go to heaven.<br />
(Coloss. 1:12.)<br />
I beseech you <strong>by</strong> the mercies of God, to lay to heart the things which I<br />
have just been saying, and to ponder them well. You live in a world of<br />
cheating, imposition, and deception. Let no man deceive you about the<br />
necessity of repentance. Oh, that professing Christians would see, and<br />
know, and feel, more than they do—the necessity, the absolute<br />
necessity, of true repentance towards God! There are many things<br />
which are not needful. Riches are not needful. Health is not needful.<br />
Fine clothes are not needful. Noble friends are not needful. The favor of<br />
the world is not needful. Gifts and learning are not needful. Millions<br />
have reached heaven without these things. Thousands are reaching<br />
heaven every year without them. But no one ever reached heaven<br />
without "repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus<br />
Christ."<br />
Let no man ever persuade you that any religion deserves to be called the<br />
Gospel, in which repentance toward God has not a most prominent<br />
place. A Gospel, indeed! That is no Gospel in which repentance is not a<br />
principal thing. A Gospel! It is the Gospel of man—but not of God. A<br />
Gospel! It comes from earth—but not from heaven. A Gospel! It is not<br />
the Gospel at all; it is rank antinomianism, and nothing else. So long as<br />
you hug your sins, and cleave to your sins, and will have your sins, so<br />
long you may talk as you please about the Gospel—but your sins are not<br />
forgiven. You may call that legal, if you like. You may say, if you please,<br />
you "hope it will be all right at the last—God is merciful—God is love—<br />
Christ has died—I hope I shall go to heaven after all." No! I tell you, it is<br />
not all right. It will never be all right, at that rate. You are trampling<br />
under foot the blood of atonement. You have as yet no part or lot in<br />
Christ. So long as you do not repent of sin, the Gospel of our Lord Jesus<br />
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