Luke 13:3 “No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.”
There are many things in life that we classify as urgent. Some of them are truly urgent, maybe even a matter of life and death. Others, not so major. If you discover a leak under your bathroom sink, it becomes an urgent matter. It’s not life or death, but it is urgent nonetheless. Some things are truly more urgent matters. Stopping the cold-blooded murder of unborn life through the heinous practice of abortion is an urgent matter. It is absolutely a matter of life and death. Getting the message of the Gospel out to the lost world is an urgent matter. That truly is a matter of life and death. In Luke 13, Jesus speaks of the most urgent matter any of us will ever face in our lives: the urgency of repentance. Jesus is saying that without repentance, there is no hope. Jesus’ first recorded command in the New Testament called for repentance. “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Matt. 4:17). Faith without repentance is not saving faith. Saving faith and repentance are inseparable. The Holy Spirit cannot enter a person and leave him unchanged. Repentance is mandatory to enter the kingdom of God. Repentance is necessary to be a Christian. Repentance is a non-negotiable. Repentance calls for a decisive turning away from sin. It cannot be bypassed, and it cannot be compartmentalized. It must encompass all areas of life. No one who refuses to repent will ever enter the kingdom of God. Repentance is a prerequisite, a necessary condition for salvation, as Jesus makes clear. Twice in Luke 13, he says “No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish” (vv 3, 5). Our repentance will not be perfect in this lifetime. There may be things we need to repent of over and over, but the desire to repent must be present. If we ever grow comfortable and indifferent to sin, something is seriously wrong.
Repentance is more than simply being sorry. Sometimes, we are only sorry because of being caught or because of facing consequences. True repentance brings contrition. True repentance brings with it a great sense of sorrow and remorse for having offended God. Sin is always offensive to God, even sin committed by redeemed believers. True repentance makes open confession of sin with no attempt to justify it or make excuses for it. When repentance is made with a contrite heart, God has promised to forgive us and to restore us to fellowship with him. 1 John 1:9 “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” David exhibited true repentance in Psalm 51, his powerful psalm of lament over his great sin with Bathsheba (e.g. vv. 1-2, 4, 10). David made no excuses. He did not try to justify his behavior. He did not blame anyone else. He confessed, and he repented. And God forgave him. There may be consequences to face, as David faced. God does not always spare us the consequences of our poor earthly choices. We may face his hand of discipline. But God’s point in his discipline is instruction. He seeks to redirect and correct our behavior. And his discipline is always motivated by his love (Hebrews 12:5-6). Jesus is warning us that this is not a game. This is serious business. Jesus is saying everyone better examine their own heart and ask themselves: “Have I turned from the values of the world to the values of Jesus?” “Have I turned from darkness to light?” “Have I placed my trust in Jesus alone as my sole means of salvation?” “Is he my only hope in life and in death?” “Have I come to repentance?”
God is a patient God. An exceedingly patient God. But his patience is not infinite. It will not last forever. In his patience, God puts up with human sin and depravity, but he does not let a single sin go unpunished. Paul warns in Romans 2:4 not to presume and take God’s patience for granted. “Or do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God’s kindness is meant to lead you to repentance?” A judge who does not judge evil is not a good judge. In fact, he is an unjust judge. God is a just Judge. He does not give sin and depravity a pass. Paul is saying do not let God’s patience lull you into a false sense of security. Judgment is coming, and without repentance, it will rain down on you and me. Repent while there is still time. Death can come at any moment. We are not guaranteed tomorrow. In fact, we are not guaranteed the next 5 minutes…..
In the Old Testament, repentance is a recurring theme in the message of the prophets. They were calling for a complete turnaround, inspired from within the heart and will of a person. The command to repent continues in the New Testament, beginning with John the Baptist and then Jesus and then the Apostles. True repentance involves an awareness of one’s own guilt, sinfulness, and helplessness before a holy God. True repentance means a change of attitude regarding sin. Hatred of sin turns the repentant person away from his or her sin and turns him or her to God. True repentance results in a radical and persistent pursuit of holy living. Repentance recognizes and acknowledges that our sin is offensive to God. Jesus didn’t die so we could go on in unrepentant sin. Paul asked, quite rhetorically, “How can we who have died to sin still live in it?” (Rom. 6:2). To repent is to make an about-face, a heart-directed turn away from self to God. Repentance sets us on a new path, away from the past toward a future ruled by God’s commands. Jesus is not simply saying repent. He is saying repent now! God is patient to bring about his judgment, but judgment is coming! And “it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God” (Heb. 10:31).