November 14 Daily Devotional

The need for repentance

... the need for repentance and the importance of it is something that is taught in the Scriptures everywhere. The classic example of this teaching is, of course, to be found in the parable of the Prodigal Son.... Or take that wonderful statement in 2 Corinthians 7:9–11. These Christians in Corinth had committed a sin and Paul had written to them about it, and had sent Titus to preach to them about it. Their subsequent action provides us with a definition of what is really meant by a true spirit of repentance. What pleased the great Apostle about them was the way in which they dealt with themselves.... These Corinthian people had dealt severely with themselves and had condemned themselves; they had ‘sorrowed after a godly sort’, and because of that Paul tells them that they are again in the place of blessing.

Another wonderful example of the same thing comes in the book of Job. You remember how Job throughout the main part of that book is justifying himself, defending himself and sometimes feeling sorry for himself. But when he came truly into the presence of God, when he was in the place where he met with God, this is what he said, ‘Wherefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes’ (42:6).... I wonder whether we know that experience.... The popular doctrine of our times does not seem to like that, because it teaches that we have passed out of Romans 7. We must not talk about sorrow for sin because that would mean that we are still in the very early stages of the Christian life. So we pass over Romans 7 and turn to Romans 8. But have we ever been in Romans 7? ... Have we ever really abhorred ourselves and repented in dust and ashes? This is a very vital part of the discipline of the Christian life. Read the lives of the saints throughout the centuries and you will find that they did it very frequently. Go back to Henry Martyn, for example; go back to any of those mighty men of God, and you will find that they frequently abhorred themselves.... And it was because of this that they were so mightily blessed of God.

Faith on Trial pp. 68–9