Nineveh's Repentance

“ The men of Nineveh will rise up in the judgment with this generation and condemn it, because they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and indeed a greater than Jonah is here.”- Jesus

Why was Jonah preaching? Because God sent Jonah to "cry out against it; for their wickedness has come up" before God.

What was Jonah preaching? “Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown!”

Was Nineveh overthrown after forty days? No.

Why did God relent? Because "God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way."

Or, in Jesus' words: “They repented at the preaching of Jonah.”

"The people of Nineveh believed God," AND "they turned from their evil way."

Their repentance wasn't merely a change of mind from not believing God's plan to believing it, and had they merely admitted God's plan without stopping their wickedness, God would not have relented and Jesus would not be commending them for any repentance. Their repentance was a change of mind concerning their evil way, and it was sincere in that they actually turned from their evil way, crying out to God, and God, who searches the hearts of mankind, saw it and confirmed it.

Consider the Hellenists in Antioch. After the persecution that arose over Stephen, some of the men, who were scattered, when they had come to Antioch, spoke to the Hellenists, preaching the Lord Jesus, and the hand of the Lord was with them, and a great number believed and turned to the Lord.

It seems appropriate to finish with the famous words of James -

“Faith without works is dead.”

Parable of Two Sons

“ Go and sin no more.” - Jesus.

Consider the following parable of Jesus recorded in the Gospel according to Matthew, and especially the repentance of the first son:

“But what do you think? A man had two sons, and he came to the first and said, ‘Son, go, work today in my vineyard.’ He answered and said, ‘I will not,’ but afterward he regretted it and went. Then he came to the second and said likewise. And he answered and said, ‘I go, sir,’ but he did not go. Which of the two did the will of his father?”
They said to him, “The first.”
Jesus said to them, “Assuredly, I say to you that tax collectors and harlots enter the kingdom of God before you. For John came to you in the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him; but tax collectors and harlots believed him; and when you saw it, you did not afterward relent and believe him.”

Notice the first son regretted it and went. He didn't just regret it, but he regretted it and did the work which was his father's will. What kind of regret would it have been if he didn't afterward go and do the work? It could not be considered sincere and it certainly wouldn't qualify for repentance. It would have been a mere conviction of his wrong mixed with emotional sorrow, but without a change of will. It would have been merely sorrow, not repentance.

Today, many professing Christians are convicted by their conscience of their wrong and they feel sorrow and shame, even confess to God in prayer, but without a real change of will through a sincere faith that obeys. They experience sorrow, but without repentance. Nevertheless, many consider this feeling to be one and the same as repentance.

Biblical repentance regards the reconsideration of one's ultimate purpose of heart unto a change of one's mind regarding their purpose, which directs their way of life, so that they turn away from their unclean and corrupt purpose to a clean and undefiled purpose, in line with God's. It follows conviction of one's wrong and the sorrow and shame associated with it, but repentance itself does not amount to this feeling of sorrow. Those who are convicted and feel shame and sorrow, yet don't turn away through sincere faith and wholeheartedly follow Christ, can not be considered true Christians - followers of Christ. 

To better illustrate my point, if this parable had included a third son representing the person who feels sorrow without true repentance, it would have gone like so:

“A man had three sons, and he came to the first and said, ‘Son, go, work today in my vineyard.’ He answered and said, ‘I will not,’ but afterward he regretted it and went. Then he came to the second and said likewise. And he answered and said, ‘I go, sir,’ but he did not go. Then he came to the third and said likewise. And he answered and said, ‘I will not,’ but afterward he regretted it and turned towards the vineyard, but then soon turned back again, and then turned again and again and again not truly willing to separate himself from his other business long enough to do his father's, until sunset finally came and he lay down. Which of the three did the will of his father?”

Repentance

“ God commands all men everywhere to repent.”- Paul.

To repent is to change your mind. Considered morally, it is to change your mind regarding your chosen ultimate end in life, which necessarily determines your way of life. That is, to change it by forsaking the choice of your own supreme happiness, to then choose impartial universal happiness, which is the will of God. A change from selfishness to love.

One may also say biblical repentance, regarding salvation, is turning from your evil way - by turning away from and forsaking your old unclean and corrupt purpose of heart, and consecrating your whole heart, mind and strength to the known will of God.

The following is a selection of examples of calls to repentance from the Old Testament writings:

“Turn now from your evil ways and your evil deeds.” [From Zechariah 1]

“Turn now everyone from his evil way, amend your doings, and do not go after other gods to serve them.” [From Jeremiah 35]

“Return to the LORD with all your hearts, then put away the foreign gods.. from among you, and prepare your hearts for the LORD, and serve him only.” [From 1 Samuel 7]

“Wash yourselves, make yourselves clean; put away the evil of your doings from before my eyes. Cease to do evil, learn to do good.” [From Isaiah 1]

“Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts.” [Isaiah 55]

In the 18th chapter of Ezekiel, God says, “Repent, and turn from all your transgressions, so that iniquity will not be your ruin. Cast away from you all the transgressions which you have committed, and get yourselves a new heart and a new spirit.” And in the 33rd chapter of Ezekiel, God says, “As for the wickedness of the wicked, he shall not fall because of it in the day that he turns from his wickedness.”

From the 2nd chapter of Joel - “'Now, therefore,' says the LORD, 'Turn to me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning.' So rend your heart, and not your garments; return to the LORD your God, for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness; and he relents from doing harm.”

A great example of repentance in the Old Testament writings is found in the book of 'Jonah' - “'Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry out against it; for their wickedness has come up before me.' ...Jonah arose and went to Nineveh, according to the word of the LORD.. Then he cried out and said, 'Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown!' ..Then God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way; and God relented from the disaster that he had said he would bring upon them, and he did not do it.” Their 'works' were: covering themselves in sackcloth, crying mightily to God and every one turning from his evil way. Later Jesus would say, “The men of Nineveh will rise up in the judgment with this generation and condemn it, because they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and indeed a greater than Jonah is here.”

In the Gospels we read of John the Baptist preaching in the wilderness of Judea, and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!” And upon seeing many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, “Brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Therefore bear fruits worthy of repentance.. every tree which does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.”

From the time Jesus began to preach, he said, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” He also rebuked the cities in which most of his mighty works had been done, “because they did not repent.” After Jesus called the twelve to himself, and began to send them out two by two, we read that “they went out and preached that people should repent.” Jesus is also recorded as saying, “I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance.” And, “There will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine just persons who need no repentance.. there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”

Before his ascension, Jesus said, “Thus it is written, and thus it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day, and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.”

During Pentecost crowds in Jerusalem “were cut to the heart”, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Men and brethren, what shall we do?” Then Peter said to them, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins.” Peter also said “Those things which God foretold by the mouth of all his prophets, that the Christ would suffer, he has thus fulfilled. Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out.” In his second letter, Peter wrote, “The Lord is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.”

In the 26th chapter of Luke's 'Acts of the Apostles', we read that Paul told King Agrippa, “I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision, but declared first to those in Damascus and in Jerusalem, and throughout all the region of Judea, and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent, turn to God, and do works befitting repentance.”

Paul says to the Romans, “Do you despise the riches of his goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance?” And to the Corinthians, “Godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, not to be regretted; but the sorrow of the world produces death.”

Finally, in the book of 'Revelation', Jesus tells the seven churches of Asia,

“Repent and do the first works, or else I will come to you quickly and remove your lampstand from its place—unless you repent.”

And,

“I have not found your works perfect before God. Remember therefore how you have received and heard; hold fast and repent.”

Good Works

“ Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.” - Jesus.

According to both Jesus and John the Baptist, "Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire." Only those who do the will of the Father enter the Kingdom of Heaven, but Jesus said he will declare to those who say to him 'Lord, Lord' yet don't do his will, "I never knew you; depart from me, you who practice lawlessness!"

Did Jesus really consider it so important to bear good fruit? Jesus told chief priests and elders of the Jews, "The kingdom of God will be taken from you and given to a nation bearing the fruits of it." Jesus said “What profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? For the Son of Man will come in the glory of his Father with his angels, and then he will reward each according to his works.”

Explaining a parable of a sower sowing seeds that fell on different conditions, Jesus told his disciples, "The ones that fell among thorns are those who, when they have heard, go out and are choked with cares, riches, and pleasures of life, and bring no fruit to maturity. But the ones that fell on the good ground are those who, having heard the word with a noble and good heart, keep it and bear fruit with patience."

Consider, also, what Jesus said to the first century churches through the 'Revelation of John':

“ I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot. So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of my mouth.” 

“ ..all the churches shall know that I am he who searches the minds and hearts. And I will give to each one of you according to your works.” 

“ I have not found your works perfect before God. Remember therefore how you have received and heard; hold fast and repent.. You have a few names even in Sardis who have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with me in white, for they are worthy.”

We also read in 'Revelation' of the wife of the lamb having made herself ready, "And to her it was granted to be arrayed in fine linen, clean and bright, for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints." At the end of 'Revelation' we can read, "There shall by no means enter [the holy city, New Jerusalem], anything that defiles, or causes an abomination or a lie... Blessed are those who do his commandments, that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter through the gates into the city. But outside are dogs and sorcerers and sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and whoever loves and practices a lie."

There are too many passages to quote here. I will finish with the following four, by James, Paul, John and Peter.

“ Faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead... Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show by good conduct that his works are done in the meekness of wisdom. But if you have bitter envy and self-seeking in your hearts, do not boast and lie against the truth.”
- James 

“ I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision, but declared first to those in Damascus and in Jerusalem, and throughout all the region of Judea, and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent, turn to God, and do works befitting repentance.”
- Paul 

“ If you know that he is righteous, you know that everyone who practices righteousness is born of him... Little children, let no one deceive you. He who practices righteousness is righteous, just as he is righteous.. In this the children of God and the children of the devil are manifest: Whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is he who does not love his brother.”
- John 

“ In truth I perceive that God shows no partiality. But in every nation whoever fears him and works righteousness is accepted by him.”
- Peter

What is Holy Conduct?

“ ..what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness ”- Peter.

Conduct regards one's behaviour/one's walk. The NT writers speak of 'good conduct', 'holy conduct', even 'filthy conduct'. The writer of Hebrews speaks of 'conduct without covetousness', and Paul speaks of being 'an example in conduct', and of conduct 'worthy of the Gospel of Christ'. Paul also claimed, by the grace of God, to have conducted himself in the world in simplicity and godly sincerity.

Paul says 'we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh', but he says 'put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts'.

Holiness, for mankind, is being set apart from unclean and corrupt purpose of heart, to pure and undefiled purpose of heart.

That is, being holy is being set apart to God's purpose and belonging to him, because, unlike the ungodliness of the world, God's purpose is morally pure and perfect. So by putting off our old unclean and corrupt purpose of heart, and exchanging it for a pure and undefiled purpose, in line with God's, we can become holy, according to his forgiveness.

Therefore holy conduct is the behaviour manifested by walking according to a pure and undefiled purpose of heart, wholly consecrated to the known will of our holy God.

Be Imitators of God

“ Be imitators of God as dear children. And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given himself for us ”- Paul, in his letter to the Ephesians.

Paul is not telling the Ephesians to imitate God's all-powerful and all-knowing ability. He is telling them to imitate God's pure love. In the 'Sermon on the Mount', after teaching his disciples to love their enemies, Jesus tells them they are to be perfect as their heavenly Father is perfect. That is, perfect in true impartial love. Our Lord Jesus Christ, who is the image of the invisible God, lived in perfect love and is our example for imitating God.

Paul lived as an example - he urged the Corinthians to imitate him as he also imitates Christ. Paul lived devoutly, justly and blamelessly and he told the Philippians to follow his example. He also exhorted Timothy to be an example to the believers in word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity. And he exhorted Titus to show himself in all things to be a pattern of good works.

Imitating the true righteousness and holiness of God is at the heart of being a Christian. We once walked according to the course of this world and once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, but we should no longer live for ourselves. We should no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles walk in the futility of their mind, but we should put off, concerning our former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, and be renewed in the spirit of our mind, and put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness. We are to cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.

Both Peter and John are very blunt. Peter wrote:

“As he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct”

And John wrote:

“He who says he abides in him ought himself also to walk just as he walked.”