What is Repentance?
A Sermon on Repentance from Isaiah 1:10
Originally preached March 17, 1963
Scripture
10¶ Hear the word of the LORD, ye rulers of Sodom; give ear unto the law of our God, ye people of Gomorrah.
Sermon Description
“Repent.” This is a command that many, even those outside of the church, are familiar with. But what actually is repentance? In this sermon on Isaiah 1:10 titled “Repentance and Salvation,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones preaches on what it means to repent and why every single person ever born is in need of repenting. People who trust in Christ for their salvation from sin do so because they see their need. The word “repent,” he says, means literally to stop and think again. With the culture moving along from day to day at a blistering pace, it is imperative that all stop and think soberly about what they believe regarding eternity— they must repent. The second aspect of repentance when someone is coming to faith in Christ is a changing of the mind, realizing they have been wrong regarding their beliefs about Him, and put their complete dependence on Him for forgiveness from their sins. Third, repentance is ceasing to rely on one’s own capacity and wisdom. Finally, repentance is utter submission to God and His word. Repentance is not when one cries over their sin; it’s when they turn from it and change to follow the Lord instead.
Sermon Breakdown
- The prophet Isaiah calls the people of Israel to repentance in Isaiah 1:10.
- Repentance involves thinking again about one's life and beliefs. It requires a change of mind and turning from sin.
- True repentance means ceasing to rely on one's own wisdom and understanding. It requires submitting to God's wisdom found in Scripture.
- Repentance is difficult because it goes against human prejudices and the desire to understand everything. One must believe in spite of these limitations.
- The world will ridicule those who repent and believe the Gospel. But their cleverness and laughter will not last. One must be willing to endure scorn for the sake of following Christ.
- Hearing and obeying the Word of God is the only way to find salvation and new life. One must renounce all other ways of thinking to follow God's wisdom.
Sermon Q&A
Understanding Repentance in Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones' Sermon
What is the main point of Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones' sermon about repentance?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones explains that repentance is the essential first step in salvation that must come before faith. He states: "The first message of the Gospel is not 'come to Jesus.' It's 'repent.'" He emphasizes that repentance involves stopping to think, changing one's mind, and submitting entirely to God's Word, abandoning human wisdom in favor of divine revelation.
How does Lloyd-Jones define repentance based on the text in Isaiah?
Based on Isaiah 1:10, Lloyd-Jones defines repentance as a three-part process: 1. "Think again" - stopping and reconsidering one's direction and beliefs 2. "Change your mind" - acknowledging that previous thinking was wrong 3. "Utter submission to God's word" - accepting divine revelation over human wisdom
He summarizes this by saying repentance means "that a man, having come to the end of his own wisdom and having seen an end to all other human wisdom submits himself utterly and absolutely to [the Bible] because it is the wisdom of God."
What example does Dr. Lloyd-Jones use from the New Testament to illustrate repentance?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones uses the Prodigal Son as his primary example of repentance. He explains: "The turning point in his story [was when he] came to himself." The preacher describes how the Prodigal began thinking clearly about his situation, asking "What in the name of conscience am I doing in a place like this? What is my father's son doing in a field sitting down amongst swine and eating husks?" This self-examination represents the first step of repentance—stopping to think seriously about one's condition.
Why does Lloyd-Jones believe repentance must come before faith?
Lloyd-Jones argues that repentance must precede faith because without it, a person doesn't understand why they need Christ. He states: "No man truly comes to Jesus until he has repented. It's impossible. He doesn't know what he's doing. Why does he go to Jesus? What is his reason for going to Jesus?" He cites Paul's preaching pattern: "repentance that is toward God and the faith that is toward the Lord Jesus Christ," showing the biblical order. Lloyd-Jones concludes: "There is no such thing as a Christian who's never repented. It's impossible. Repentance comes before belief."
What does Lloyd-Jones say is the relationship between human wisdom and God's wisdom?
Lloyd-Jones contrasts human wisdom with God's wisdom, citing 1 Corinthians where "God has made foolish the wisdom of this world." He argues that true repentance requires abandoning confidence in human reasoning: "A Christian is a man who admits that he no longer has confidence in his mind nor in the mind of others." The preacher asserts that human wisdom has clearly failed, pointing to the world's problems as evidence. True wisdom comes from submitting to God's revelation in Scripture, which often contradicts human prejudices and surpasses human understanding.
What barriers to repentance does Lloyd-Jones identify in his sermon?
Lloyd-Jones identifies several barriers to repentance: 1. Pride of intellect - unwillingness to admit one's thinking is wrong 2. Natural prejudices - the gospel contradicts human expectations about earning salvation 3. Need to fully understand - refusing to believe what cannot be completely comprehended 4. Fear of ridicule - concern about the world's mockery of Christian belief 5. Failure to recognize one's condition - not seeing the need for change
He emphasizes that repentance requires humility: "If any man willeth to be wise in this world, let him become a fool, that he may be made wise."
Old Testament
Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones
Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones (1899-1981) was a Welsh evangelical minister who preached and taught in the Reformed tradition. His principal ministry was at Westminster Chapel, in central London, from 1939-1968, where he delivered multi-year expositions on books of the bible such as Romans, Ephesians and the Gospel of John. In addition to the MLJ Trust’s collection of 1,600 of these sermons in audio format, most of these great sermon series are available in book form (including a 14 volume collection of the Romans sermons), as are other series such as "Spiritual Depression", "Studies in the Sermon on the Mount" and "Great Biblical Doctrines". He is considered by many evangelical leaders today to be an authority on biblical truth and the sufficiency of Scripture.