Editorial April 19, 1913 Issue

REPENTANCE

Annie M. Knott

All through the Scriptures we find statements as to repentance, from those which appear in the early records up to the angelic messages given in the book of Revelation. Among other dictionary definitions of the word are these: "A turning with sorrow from a past course; a sincere and thorough changing of the mind and disposition." It may be questioned whether mortals ever repent of wrong-doing until they are awakened by suffering, yet no true foundation can be laid for character building until there is a "thorough" change, as above indicated. In too many cases, vain regret and remorse, both products of the carnal mind, wrongfully usurp the place of repentance, and hinder the bringing forth of its fruits. In the chapter Pond and Purpose, in "Miscellaneous Writings" (p. 203), Mrs. Eddy shows with the utmost clearness how the baptism of repentance precedes that wonderful spiritual experience called the baptism of the Holy Ghost, which John the Baptist foretold when he said that one mightier than he would come, who should baptize "with the Holy Ghost, and with fire."

In the book of Genesis we are told that Noah, whom St. Peter calls "a preacher of righteousness," vainly sought to awaken those of his day to the need of repentance, but that they continued to pursue the shadows of sensuous pleasure until the flood came and swept them all away. Quite different from this, however, was the experience of the people of Nineveh, as recorded in the book of Jonah. In this case the prophet had not sufficient faith to believe that the people of Nineveh would respond to the demand of Truth, but when he was called the second time to declare the message, he obeyed, and the Ninevites, from the king down to the least of his subjects, responded to the royal edict that all should "cry mightily unto God," and "turn every one from his evil way." We are told that, as a result of their repentance, the impending calamity was averted.

Matthew and Mark both tell us that Jesus began his public ministry by declaring the kingdom of God at hand and calling upon men to repent, that is, to turn from the material with its lust and hate, its fear, suffering, and remorse, to the spiritual with its health, holiness, happiness. Happily there are always thousands who are hungering and thirsting after the truth, and who are ready to rise and follow at the call of Christ, whether it come in the first century or the twentieth; but none can be truly healed without repentance, and none can remain healed who do not experience the baptism of the Holy Ghost, which both John and Jesus declared to be essential to the establishment of vital Christianity, either in the case of men or nations.

Send a comment to the editors

We'd love to hear from you!

Easily submit your testimonies, articles, and poems online.

Submit

REPENTANCE

We'd love to hear from you!

Sign up for unlimited access