“To give repentance to Israel”
The above phrase occurs in Acts 5:31, and a variant of it occurs in (2 Timothy 2:25). Furthermore, in Acts 11:18, the phrase, “granted repentance” is used. What is the meaning of these phrases? Do they mean that God has to give repentance to men because they cannot do it for themselves?
During the declaration that Jesus had been exalted a Prince and a Savior, “to grant repentance to Israel and remission of sins,” it is implied that repentance is in some sense granted to men. But to grant repentance cannot mean to give it to men without an exercise of their own will; for repentance is commanded upon men as a duty to be performed by them (Acts 3:19). How can that which is a duty to be performed be said to be granted to us?
We can easily answer this question by remembering that repentance is produced by sorrow for sin, and that it belongs to God to furnish men with the facts which will awaken this sorrow (2 Corinthians 7:9-10). Without revelation, men would never be made to feel the sorrow for sin which works repentance; but in the revelation of Jesus Christ we are furnished with this main motive, and because of this, he is said to grant repentance.
Kyle Campbell
posted by Kyle Campbell @ 10:17 PM
2 Comments
2 Comments:
I found your blog through this post. I had just written the same things in a conversation with someone:
God can "give repentance" by (1) allowing the opportunity of repentance and (2) providing a compelling influence to repent. God cannot "give repentance" by forcing someone to change their mind, for their change of mind would have no moral quality, being forced. God also cannot grant repentance by enabling someone to repent who was unable all along to do so, for their previous state of mind would've had no (bad) moral quality from which to turn. ... I am not responsible for the fact that God has granted me the opportunity to repent. I am not responsible for the fact that God has reached out to me, through preaching, when I was his enemy. I did not earn these blessings by good works.
I think you're correct in stating that God reached out to you through preaching. That is the only way that He has granted repentance to us. I take it that the gospel is the "compelling influence" of which you speak, of which I agree. I pray that you can continue standing for truth and trying to help better people's understanding of the New Testament.
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