Repentance: Grasping Hold Of Grace

Though the following story may seem absurd or unlikely, it offers a apt illustration of how humanity often chooses to view God’s saving grace.

Imagine a man lost in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean.He doesn’t remember how he got there or where he is going. All he knows is that he has been swimming in circles for hours. There are no ships in sight, and he is starting to tire. The danger is real. He could drown, or succumb to hypothermia. But he doesn’t realise this. He thinks he will be fine. He believes he will make it to shore.

Suddenly, almost miraculously, a ship appears on the horizon.
The man watches with interest. It might be useful. He is cold and very tired. The ship draws closer and the captain appears on the bow.

“You poor creature! You look like you could do with saving. Luckily for you, I’ve got everything you need on board — food, water, dry clothes, first aid. All you have to do is grab hold of the life buoy I’m about to throw.”

He leans over and tosses the buoy into the water, right near the man’s head.

The man frowns. “Conditions for rescue? I’ve never heard of such a thing. I shouldn’t have to do anything. I’ve been swimming for hours. I was doing fine before you showed up. If you want me in the boat, come down here and get me.”

“Believe me,” the captain replies, “I’ve thought of everything. This is the only way for you to be saved. The buoy is large, easy to grip, and not heavy at all. You just need to reach out and take it.”

The man shakes his head. “No. I don’t like those terms. It doesn’t seem fair. Why should I have to do anything? Honestly, I was doing fine on my own. You can move along, thanks.”

“You really don’t have to do anything except take the buoy,” the captain says gently. “I’ll do the rest. I’ll pull you in.”

The man’s voice rises. “I resent you saying you’ll save me while expecting me to do all the work. I’m the one being rescued. I shouldn’t have to lift a finger. No thanks. I don’t need saving anyway. Take your buoy and go.”

The captain shakes his head sadly. “I know you need it. I’m not going anywhere. I’ll wait. I hope you change your mind.”

The man turns his back on the buoy and keeps treading water.

Needless to say, he drowned several hours later.

Repentance: Grasping Hold Of Grace

God’s saving grace is a remarkable subject. It permeates every aspect of the Gospel, giving it both weight and power. Through the saving acts of God – made possible by Jesus’ death on the cross and his resurrection from the dead – reconciliation, or atonement, is made between people and God. This is why the Gospel is described as a message of hope for the whole world (Luke 14:15–24).

We see God’s love for humanity demonstrated in His grace – His undeserved favour and kindness, freely given to the humanity. This grace was shown in action, in the sending of His Son to save the world through him. This work was planned and accomplished long before we even existed. We had no part in it. Nothing we did or failed to do influenced God’s decision to save humanity or determined how He would do so. God loves because of who He is, not because of who we are.

“For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” | John 3:16, NIV

“He saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of His mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit.” | Titus 3:5, NIV

There are no disqualifying factors when it comes to who can receive this grace. It is not offered based on race, gender, age, or moral character. God’s saving grace is offered to everyone. Despite the cultural and ethnic prejudices of their time, first-century Christians came to understand that no one should be denied the chance to hear and obey the message of good news.

“…God shows no partiality. Indeed, whoever fears Him and does what is right is acceptable to Him in any nation.” |  Acts 10:34-35, ISV

God wants to save us, He chose to save the world because of who He is. His love outweighed our desperate sin and He went to extraordinary lengths to rescue us.

“The Lord is not slow in keeping His promise, as some understand slowness. Instead He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.” | 2 Peter 3:9, NIV

And yet, there is a catch to grace – a condition, if you like. Saving grace exists in the same way that the life buoy floats on the ocean. Available, accessible, obtainable. We exist in the same way as a man treading water in an endless sea. Hopeless, helpless, dying. God calls to us – I can save you, I can offer you hope and life – just grab hold.

Like the drowning man in the cold ocean, we must take hold of the life buoy if we want to be saved. There is a condition. We must respond. The condition for receiving grace is simply this – receiving grace.

“For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” | Romans 6:23, ESV

“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God.” | Ephesians 2:8, NIV

Repentance Is More Than A Change In Thinking

The Bible describes the act of receiving God’s grace as repentance. At its core, repentance means to turn back, to change one’s mind. But Scripture shows that true repentance is more than a change in thinking – it also results in a change in behaviour.

“…but declared first to those in Damascus, then in Jerusalem and throughout all the region of Judea, and also to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, performing deeds in keeping with their repentance.” | Act 26:20, ESV

The Acts of the Apostles a places strong emphasis on repentance as it relates to salvation. This wasn’t a new theme – John the Baptist had already preached a baptism of repentance – but now the apostles stress its connection to receiving God’s grace. They urge both believers and non-believers to understand that repentance is closely tied to God’s saving work through Jesus:

Peter replied, “Repent and be baptised, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” | Acts 2:38, NIV

“Repent therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out.” | Acts 3:19, ESV

“When they heard these things they fell silent. And they glorified God, saying, “Then to the Gentiles also God has granted repentance that leads to life.” | Acts 11:18, NIV

Acknowledging our need for God’s grace, changing the way we think about sin, and then living in line with that change is the true meaning of biblical repentance. It is turning away from our hopeless, ungodly self and turning toward God’s grace. It is recognising that we need saving, and reaching out to receive it.

We choose to end one kind of life and begin another, and the way we demonstrate that choice is through baptism – “for the repentance of our sins.” The Bible compares baptism to burial: a dying to our former way of life and the beginning of a new one as a Christian, dedicated to God and saved through Jesus.

“What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? By no means! We are those who have died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptised into Christ Jesus were baptised into his death? We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.” | Romans 6:1-4, NIV

“Having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through your faith in the working of God, who raised him from the dead.” | Colossians 2:12, NIV

Baptism, along with the steps that lead to it, is God’s appointed way for a person to receive a clean conscience – grounded in faith in the sacrifice of Jesus Christ.

“This water symbolises baptism that now saves you also – not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a clear conscience toward God. It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ.” | 1 Peter 3:21, NIV

Preaching the good news of salvation was the great commission Jesus gave to the apostles, and baptism was an essential part of responding to the gospel and receiving God’s saving grace.

“And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. Whoever believes and is baptised will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.” | Mark 16:15-16, KJ2000

The truth is, we are all adrift at sea, drowning in our sins. The only way to be saved is to accept that reality and believe we need rescuing. Accepting Jesus as the Saviour God provided for the sins of the world, and being baptised as a response to that belief, is true repentance. It is the way home to a restored relationship with God.

“For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved.” | Romans 10:10, NIV