How Do We Repent?

In the previous post I shared how Puritan Thomas Watson outlined how repentance is spiritual medicine in his book, The Doctrine of Repentance. Watson concludes his book by offering some means by which we may repent. What is paramount in this is that we must turn over the bitterness of sin in our minds in order to truly want to get to the practical obedience God desires. Watson begins:

1) Consider the Seriousness of Sin

Sin is offense against a holy and gracious and kind God. If this doesn’t grip you, then meditate on the character and activity of God.

Sin is walking contrary to God. It is a stealing of the soul. “Sin steals the soul from God and gives the devil that which rightly belongs to God” (p.107).

Sin is ignorance. “Ignorance is the womb of lust” (p.107)

Sin is a hazard to your eternal soul’s benefit of communion with God. Sin makes you “tread upon the brink of the bottomless pit” (p.108).

Sin is filthy and gross.

Sin is "odious ingratitude”.

Sin is a debasing thing. “It degrades a person of his honor. Sin is damaging to your entire person. Sin is never only committed in the heart. The porn you look at re-configures how you view others made in the image of God. Those for whom Christ died. The disdain and judgment and criticism you exercise in your heart toward your spouse or children or neighbor will leak out of your mouth or in your decision not to say “Hello” at the neighborhood pool.

Sin is a burden. You know it as you walk around with guilt in your heart.

Sin is a debt.

Sin is deceitful. “Sin is like the [lender] who feeds a man with money and then makes him mortgage his land. Sin feeds the sinner with delightful objects and then makes him mortgage his soul. Judas pleased himself with the thirty pieces of silver, but they proved deceitful riches. Ask him now how he likes his bargain” (p.110).

Sin is spiritual sickness.

Sin is a bondage. “It binds a man [as an] apprentice to the devil” who “is now made a lackey and runs the devil’s errand" (p.111).

Sin has a spreading malignity in it. “It does hurt not only to a man’s self, but to others. One man’s sin may occasion many to sin, as one beacon being lighted may occasion all the beacons in the country to be lighted. One man may help to defile many” (p.111).

Sin is a troubling thing. “A man beats his brains to contrive sin, and then it vexes his conscience, brings [suffering and disease] to his estate, rots the wall and timber of his house” (p. 111-112).

Sin is absurd. “What greater indiscretion is there than to gratify an enemy? Sin gratifies Satan. When lust or anger burn in the soul, Satan warms himself at the fire” (p.112).

Sin is cruel. “With every sin you commit, to give a stab to your soul” (p.112).

Sin is spiritual death. “He who is dead has no taste. Set a banquet before him, and he does not relish it. Likewise a sinner tastes no sweetness in Christ or a promise. They are but as cordials in a dead man’s mouth” (p.113).

Sin without repentance tends to final damnation.

2) Consider the Mercies of God

God has been exceedingly kind to you without you even knowing it! How many times has he kept you from destruction and death? The beautiful thing is that you don’t know how many stumbling paths he has kept you from in his secret mercies.

Not only has he kept us from unknown harm, but he day after mundane day he mercifully grants you breath and friends and delicious food and drink.

3) Consider God’s Merciful Afflictions

The afflictions we feel are God’s mercies to us. They draw us deeper into our need of him as well as his own bleeding heart. The tempestuous storm that afflicted Jonah and his fellow sailors was a shaking so that they might consider their own hearts. “The heathen mariners in a storm repented. Not to repent now and throw our sins overboard is to be worse than heathens” (p.117).

4) Consider the Last Day of Judgment

“O impenitent sinner, think with yourself now how you will be able to look your judge in the face. You have a damned cause to plead and will be sure to be cast at the bar [of judgment]…Therefore, either repent now, or else provide your answers and see what defense you can make for yourselves when you come before God’s tribunal. But when God rises up, how will you answer him?” (p.117-118).