But, notwithstanding this, there is also a repentance and a faith (taking the words in another sense, a sense not quite the same, nor yet entirely different) which are requisite after we have "believed the gospel;" yea, and in every subsequent stage of our Christian course, or we cannot "run the race which is set before us." And this repentance and faith are full as necessary, in order to our continuance and growth in grace, as the former faith and repentance were, in order to our entering into the kingdom of God.
But in what sense are we to repent and believe, after we are justified? This is an important question, and worthy of being considered with the utmost attention.
And, First, in what sense are we to repent?
Repentance frequently means an inward change, a change of mind from sin to holiness. But we now speak of it in a quite different sense, as it is one kind of self-knowledge, the knowing ourselves sinners, yea, guilty, helpless sinners, even though we know we are children of God...
In this sense we are to repent, after we are justified. And till we do so, we can go no farther. For, till we are sensible of our disease, it admits of no cure. But, supposing we do thus repent, then are we called to "believe the gospel"...
Thus it is, that in the children of God, repentance and faith exactly answer each other. By repentance we feel the sin remaining in our hearts, and cleaving to our words and actions: by faith, we receive the power of God in Christ, purifying our hearts, and cleansing our hands. By repentance, we are still sensible that we deserve punishment for all our tempers, and words, and actions: by faith, we are conscious that our Advocate with the Father is continually pleading for us, and thereby continually turning aside all condemnation and punishment from us. By repentance we have an abiding conviction that there is no help in us: by faith we receive not only mercy, "but grace to help in" every time of need. Repentance disclaims the very possibility of any other help; faith accepts all the help we stand in need of, from him that hath all power in heaven and earth. Repentance says, "Without him I can do nothing:" Faith says, "I can do all things through Christ strengthening me." Through him I can not only overcome, but expel, all the enemies of my soul. Through him I can "love the Lord my God with all my heart, mind, soul, and strength;" yea, and "walk in holiness and righteousness before him all the days of my life."
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And yet the cognitive dissonance of repentance and faith, in some of us, bears equal weight. One foot steps into a vacuum of mud as the other steps up on a rung of light, bearing the body and soul in a terrible balance, wavering in equal measure, one direction then another. There be potential tragedies afoot for those hanging in this terrible state unless an intentioned effort moves forward to call such into the light. Ah, it's the intentioning that's the rub here. Not a thing of our people of late.
I was always struck by the hidden nature of Lent...The gospel for tomorrow (Matthew 6:1-18) talks about secret places and being rewarded in secret. It's no surprise that this is my favorite time of year. :)
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