Reformed refutations to Hyper-grace’s ‘repentance’
The dictionary:
Eerdmans Bible Dictionary includes this definition of repentance: “In its fullest sense it is a term for a complete change of orientation involving a judgment upon the past and a deliberate redirection for the future.”
The Bible:
What does the Bible say about repentance? Got Questions says that it includes “a whole-hearted turning to God … which involved a commitment to a renewed relationship with God, a walk of obedience to His Word, and right living, a complete turning in the heart and will followed by actions … a radical reorientation of life”.
The verb, metanoeo, means “to change one’s mind and purpose, as the result of, [or] after knowledge.” This verb and its related noun, metanoia, denote true biblical repentance, which is characterized by four elements:
1) True repentance involves a sense of awareness of one’s own guilt, sinfulness, and helplessness (Psalm 51:4–10; 109:21–22).
2) True repentance apprehends or takes hold of God’s mercy in Jesus Christ (Psalm 51:1; 130:4).
3) True repentance means a change of attitude and action regarding sin. Hatred of sin turns the repentant person away from his or her sin to God (Psalm 119:128; Job 42:5–6; 2 Corinthians 7:10).
4) True repentance results in a radical and persistent pursuit of holy living, walking with God in obedience to His commands (2 Timothy 2:19–22; 1 Peter 1:16). Got Questions
Steve Lawson (reformed theologian):
“Repentance expresses sorrow for the ways in which we have offended God (Ps. 51:4), but it is also much more. Repentance is a change of mind and actions wherein we cease our approval of wickedness and justification of bad behavior. It is foremost a decisive reorientation of one’s life away from the self and toward the Lord. This does not mean we repent only once at the start of the Christian life and then go our merry way, for confession of sin is needed until life’s end (1 John 1:8–9). But this subsequent repentance flows from and confirms the initial act wherein we realize our desperate state, admit our need of pardon, and come to Jesus in a childlike manner (Matt. 19:13–15)”. Steve Lawson at Ligonier
Calvin (reformer):
“Repentance is an inward matter, which has its seat in the heart and soul, but afterwards yields its fruits in a change of life.” Calvin on Matt 3:7-10. Referenced in Ligonier
There is a very helpful short video here from Got Questions. This aligns with Sproul Sr. (Even if you skip reading this, watch it!)
R. C. Sproul Sr. (reformed theologian):
Sproul Sr. teaches that in repentance, the heart must be torn. “When we realize that we have offended God, we must feel this rupture of our soul”, p. 11. All references from What is Repentance? Reformation Trust Publishing, 2014, R.C. Sproul Sr.
“Repentance is not merely a religious ritual, but is integral to conversion of the soul. It means a change in one’s entire being”, p. 15.
“It’s appropriate to think of it in terms of ‘going home’ – back to … the presence of God, in fellowship with God, in submission to God”, p. 16.
“We may also be tempted to think of repentance as an optional add-on to faith. Justification, after all, is by faith alone. But justification does not exclude repentance. Repentance is not a tangential [unimportant or unnecessary] concept … rather it is central in conversion and justification. … It is the work of God the Holy Spirit”, p. 20.
“The prayer of repentance is a refuge for the believer”, p. 25.
“God never hates or despises a broken and contrite heart. This is what God desires from us. This is what Jesus had in mind in the Beatitudes when He said, ‘blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted’”, p. 27.
“No one is born a Christian … you have to have metanoia, a change of mind that is reflected in repentance”, p. 34.
“… you can’t produce feelings of repentance in yourself, … the only one who can produce genuine repentance in your soul is God. God convicts us of sin. God awakens us to our guilt. If God crushes us in godly sorrow, it is an act of sheer grace. It’s His act of mercy to bring us to faith and conversion”, p. 36-7.
Sinclair Ferguson (reformed theologian):
Repentance is God’s provision within the context of the covenant relationship. It is His provision to be gracious to us when we rebel in sin. Found in pages 16-17. All references from The Grace of Repentance, Crossway Publishing, 2010, Sinclair Ferguson.
“The King has come. Therefore, to speak of his Kingdom and the necessity of repentance is to speak in the language of God’s covenant grace!”, p. 19.
“God commands all men everywhere to repent; Luke 13:3 and 5”, p. 21.
“Does this mean that we are forgiven on the basis of our repentance? Not at all! Repentance and faith are both necessary for salvation, but they are related to justification in different ways. Faith alone is the instrument by which Christ is received and rested on as Savior. Justification is by faith, not by repentance. But faith (and therefore justification) cannot exist where there is no repentance. Repentance is as necessary to salvation by faith as the ankle is to walking. The one does not act apart from the other. I cannot come to Christ in faith without turning from sin in repentance”, p. 21.
“Faith is trusting in Christ; repentance is turning from sin. They are two sides of the same coin of belonging to Jesus”, p. 22.
“Repentance includes the hope of forgiveness and new life”; “it includes the [sure word of] promise [of forgiveness]”, p. 24 and 26.
“His [God’s] holiness grounds its necessity; His grace and mercy ground its possibility”, p. 37.
Hebrews also teaches that repentance cannot be done apart from faith. “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen”, Heb. 11:1. We hope for forgiveness and that hope is sure. We have knowledge and assurance in God’s promise, therefore we repent in faith.
Calvin again:
“Calvin taught that repentance is really the concrete expression of divine regeneration and renewal. In fact, Calvin defines regeneration as repentance in book 3, 3. 1 in his Institutes. Calvin shows that it can never be separated from faith, though it should not be confused with it. According to Calvin, repentance involves a threefold cord; ‘denial of ourselves, mortification of our flesh, and meditation on the heavenly life’, Commentary on the Acts of the Apostles 14-28, Eerdmans 1966, p.176”. Reference from The Grace of Repentance, Crossway Publishing, 2010, Sinclair Ferguson, page 38-39.
Herman Hoeksema (reformed theologian):
“Repentance is a state of mind, a turning of the mind from the love of sin and unrighteousness unto the love of righteousness, and therefore unto a true sorrow over sin”. And, “To bring to repentance is always the work of the grace of God”. Reformed Dogmatics, RFPA, 2005, page 173 and 174, Herman Hoeksema.
Herman Bavinck (reformed theologian):
“True repentance does not consist of what men make of it, but of what God says of it. In the diversity of providences and experiences it consists and must consist of the dying of the old and the rising of the new man”. It is a manner of living. Our Reasonable Faith, Eerdmans, 1956, p. 438, Herman Bavinck.
John the Baptist:
Matthew 3:2 teaches that repentance includes a care and concern for the coming Kingdom of heaven. And he taught that repentance is fruitful in Matthew 3:8.
Jesus (last but not least):
Jesus affirms with John that repentance includes a care for the coming Kingdom in Matt. 4:17. Jesus says twice in Luke that our repentance brings joy in heaven. Jesus states in Mark, that John taught repentance was ‘a baptism for the remission of sins‘. He states the call of absolute surrender as repentance, which goes out to all people, will confirm for you that you will not perish: “But unless you repent, you too will all perish.” Luke 13:3 & 5.
“Repentance is a turning to the Lord”, Acts 26:20.
Even Andy(?):
In his S&S Mar. 15 answer to a question, writes “repentance is not faith but the fruit of faith”. Which is in line with HH who writes, “Faith in its operation is at the same time the conversion of man in the spiritual sense. We can also put it this way: conversion is the immediate fruit of faith because conversion, considered as repentance, is a change of the mind and therefore also of the will”. Reformed Dogmatics, vol. 2, 2005 edition, page 78.
Bewildered Andy?
Does Andy halt between two theologies? Between the reformed theology as taught by HH in the PRC where repentance is necessary; and the ‘finished work’ theology of the hyper-grace teachers? The theology of those who make the work of Christ in believers to be also ‘completely finished’. So finished that the work of the Holy Spirit is not one that involves bringing us to repentance, confession, putting away sin and seeking, thirsting after, or striving for the fountain of Life in Christ?
So, does Andy, and NL, consider this work of the Spirit in us, which is sanctification, to be as finished as Christ’s work on the cross? If so, is the teaching of the continued work of sanctification in us by the Holy Spirit the lie from hell? Is it also a sin to actively and with purpose seek grace? Then, is it also a sin to repent for sins that are already forgiven?
Can we conclude also that seeking more grace is an indicator of legalism or spiritual pride? Is seeking a form of ‘doing’? Are we really forgiven apart from our repentance? And, is sanctification then really a matter of remembering our justification? Is it just a matter of hitting the reset button on our justification a thousand times a day?
The follower Mike Vermeer seems to think so.
