Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins, ACT 5:31

OH BELOVED, what an encouragement that our blessed Saviour gives repentance! By nature we and our children are as those of whom we read in LUK 14:18-20 who were invited to the wedding supper of the King!

"And they all with one consent began to make excuse. The first said unto him, I have bought a piece of ground, and I must needs go and see it: I pray thee have me excused. And another said, I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to prove them: I pray thee have me excused. And another said, I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come."

Such a state of spiritual blindness is condition we are all in by nature of our shameful fall in Adam. However, this is not a hindrance to our Saviour who is "exalted to give repentance." He compels the unworthy ones by His constraining grace.

LUK 14:21-23 says, "So that servant came, and shewed his lord these things. Then the master of the house being angry said to his servant, Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in hither the poor, and the maimed, and the halt, and the blind. And the servant said, Lord, it is done as thou hast commanded, and yet there is room. And the lord said unto the servant, Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled."

What is a more compelling argument to come in-- than a faith's view of our spiritual poverty--and such a blessed invitation as we find in MAT 11:28-30, "Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light."

See what means our exalted Saviour used to compel a rebellious prodigal to come in? See what a state of rebellion he was in from the parable in LUK 15:11-13, "And he said, A certain man had two sons: And the younger of them said to his father, Father, give me the portion of goods that falleth to me. And he divided unto them his living. And not many days after the younger son gathered all together, and took his journey into a far country, and there wasted his substance with riotous living."

It was for just such rebels that God exalted Christ who is "Mighty to save" "...to give repentance...and forgiveness of sins," ACT 5:31. So how does Christ give repentance? Not in such a state of rebellion--First rebellion must be broken. As long as the flesh can satisfy our heart's desires, there is no room for repentance. The first step toward becoming a candidate for true repentance is to wean us from the pleasures of the world.

LUK 15:14-16 says, "And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that land; and he began to be in want. And he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country; and he sent him into his fields to feed swine. And he would fain have filled his belly with the husks that the swine did eat: and no man gave unto him.

It is in such a needy spiritual condition that we are brought by grace to look away from the flesh, unto Christ. LUK 15:17 "And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father's have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger!

Now notice how that repentance is not only given, but also carefully planned. After learning to see the emptiness of all his worldly pleasure this man carefully planed his repentance. "I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee, And am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants," LUK 15:18-19.

The gift of repentance is not only a renewing of the mind, but also enabling grace to put it into action. This man not only carefully planned his repentance, but, "...he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him. And the son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son," LUK 15:20-21.

This same parable also reveals the joy there is in heaven over one sinner that comes to repentance. Therefore, we should never cease to pray for a wayward child, or unrepentant father, mother, brother, sister, or any loved one. "...the father said to his servants, Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet: And bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it; and let us eat, and be merry: For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry. Amen.