Repentance

Sinners Calling Upon Christ – Oswald J. Smith

In the modern campaign the evangelist calls upon people to accept Christ, and rightly so. But oh, that we could hear sinners calling upon Christ to accept them! People take salvation today in such a cold, formal, matter-of-fact, business-like sort of way, that it appears as though they are doing God an honor in condescending to receive His offer of Redemption. Their eyes are dry, their sense of sin absent; nor is there any sign of penitence and contrition. They look upon it as a manly thing to do. But oh, if there were conviction! if they came with hearts bowed down, yea! broken and contrite, came with the cry of the guilt-laden soul: “God be merciful to me a sinner!”—came trembling with the burning life and death question of the Philippian jailor: “What must I do to be saved ?”—what converts they would be!”

– Oswald J. Smith –

Behold, He Prayeth – Charles Spurgeon

And the Lord said to him, “Rise and go to the street called Straight, and at the house of Judas look for a man of Tarsus named Saul, for behold, he is praying, Acts 9:11 ESV

The Holy Ghost’s evidence by which he convinced Ananias of Paul’s conversion was not, “Behold, he talks loudly of his joys and feelings,” but, “Behold, he prayeth,” and that prayer was earnest, heart-broken confession and supplication. Oh to see this sure evidence in all who profess to be our converts!

– Charles Spurgeon –
from The Soul Winner

True Repentance – George Whitefield

True repentance will entirely change you; the bias of your souls will be changed, then you will delight in God, in Christ, in His law, and in His people.

– George Whitefield –

Falling Into Water – Thomas Watson

It is not falling into water that drowns, but lying in it. It is not falling into sin that damns, but lying in it without repentance.

– Thomas Watson –
from The Doctrine of Repentance, 1668

We Must be a Fiery Church – EM Bounds

God requires to be represented by a fiery Church. He can and does tolerate many things in the way of infirmity and error in His children. He can and will pardon sin when the penitent prays, but two things are intolerable to Him–insincerity and lukewarmness. Lack of heart, and lack of heat are two things that He loathes, and to the Laodiceans He said, in terms of unmistakable severity and condemnation: “I would thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of My mouth” (Revelation 3:15-16). Nothing short of being red hot for God can keep the glow of heaven in our hearts these chilly days.

– EM Bounds –

What is a Contrite Heart – Thomas Brooks

The Contrite Heart: True repentance includes sorrow for sin and contrition of heart. It breaks the heart with sighs and sobs and groans, for a loving God and Father is by sin offended, a blessed Saviour afresh crucified, and the sweet Comforter, the Spirit, grieved and vexed.

– Thomas Brooks –

To Understand God You Must Resemble Him – DL Moody

Those who resemble God are the most likely to understand God. If a man is not willing to turn from sin, he will not know God’s will. God will not reveal His secrets to him. But, if a man is willing to turn from sin, he will be surprised to see how the light will come in!

– DL Moody –
from The Way to God