ROM 3:20 teaches us that "...by the law is the knowledge of sin."

If that law were abolished, there would no longer be any sin. "...for where no law is, there is no transgression," ROM 4:15. When we understand what condemnation there is under the law, we realize that we need a physician for our souls. The perpetual nature of the law must be understood to understand the doctrine of repentance and sanctification.

If we receive but a glimpse of God’s wrath upon sin, we start to understand the need for repentance; we start to understand the remorse we need over our sins. We must have remorse over having offended a holy and just God and His law.

It is in the gospel that we see revealed that penalty of sin and God’s holy and just wrath upon sin. Therein we start to see how God sent His own Son as we read in 1JO 4:10, "Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins." He sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins, i.e., for the appeasing of His wrath upon sin.

The gospel reveals the wrath of God against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men to work a true repentance, i.e., remorse over having sinned against such love! When faith’s eyes are fixed upon the love of the Father in giving His Son, and the love of the Son in giving Himself as the propitiation for our sin, then "...the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance," ROM 2:4. Then we start to understand our need for sanctification, and sanctification becomes genuine and real.

At this point we start to understand what John the Baptist taught in MAR 1:4, "John did baptize in the wilderness, and preach the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins." Without repentance, i.e., without remorse over sin against the goodness and love of God, there can be no remission of sins. We must see the sinfulness of sin and how displeasing sin is to the Lord and turn from it. He came to preach repentance for remission of sins. This is what we see in the gospel.

Without repentance there can be no remission of sins. LUK 24:47 says, "And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem." Repentance has to be preached first, then remission of sin. We cannot preach remission of sin and then repentance. We must see that there is no remission of sin until there is repentance.

I want to draw a parallel here. The apostle was faithful to our souls. He says in ACT 20:20-21, He "kept back nothing that was profitable," preaching "...repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ." Isn’t that beautiful?

He showed the need of repentance and also the blessedness of faith towards the Lord Jesus Christ. He preached a balanced gospel. We have to see that within the gospel is revealed the condemnation of the law in the crucifixion of Christ. It is only through faith towards our Lord Jesus Christ who came to fulfill that condemnation of the law on our behalf with His perfect obedience that we can come from under that condemnation.

To illustrate our point, let’s suppose your child was arrested for driving 60 mph through a school zone. When the arrest was made, this youth is brought under the condemnation of the law. Let’s suppose a court of justice imposed a fine the youth is not able to pay. There he stands condemned under the broken law, with nothing to pay.

At this point you, as a parent, come in and pay the fine; you have redeemed your child from the condemnation of a broken law. The law is satisfied; your child is justified, and released to freedom. Does this give the child a license to drive 60 mph in the school zone? Did paying the fine abolish the law?

We need to understand the intent of the law! First, the fine is to bring remorse for the violation just committed to prevent a recurrence. Second, it is to vindicate the public, to assure the public that the safety of their children is not endangered by such gross violations of the law.

The sacrifice of Christ must exact a deep remorse over our sin which brought such shame and pain upon One we love so dearly, but most of all the sacrifice of Christ must vindicate God’s justice, to establish that His "law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good," ROM 7:12.

How many broad-road Christians shall appear before the judgment seat of Christ as hardened criminals and have to confess that they felt no remorse or motive for their sin. They are Christian by profession, but do they have remorse over sin? The Lord has done them no harm. The Lord has never done anything that justified their bitterness and enmity against His law.