The Call to Repentance

MEMORY VERSE: “Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?” —Romans 2:4

LUKE 13:1-9, 34, 35

IN HIS sermon on Mars’ hill the Apostle Paul said that now God “commandeth all men everywhere to repent.” (Acts 17:30) Until the Lord’s first advent God’s dealings were exclusively with the Jewish nation, but that changed with the acceptance of Cornelius, the first Gentile convert. Since then the Gospel has gone out to all nationalities without restriction, and the intent of the message is first of all to lead to repentance.

Paul did not mean that all men had heard the Gospel call to repentance. And even of those who have heard throughout the age the majority have not had ears to hear, for their minds and hearts have been blinded by “the god of this world.” (II Cor. 4:4) When, in the kingdom of Christ, Satan is bound and the knowledge of the Lord fills the earth, the first real opportunity to hear and repent will be extended to all.

In our memory verse Paul speaks of the goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering of God, and indicates that these gracious qualities of God should lead to repentance. But some take advantage of God’s goodness, presuming upon his grace, instead of reacting to it in terms of repentance. This is unfortunate for these, for it leads to a hardening of the heart and therefore a lesser possibility that they will ever repent, either in this life or when awakened from the sleep of death, during the kingdom age.

We cannot stress too strongly that it is, indeed, the goodness of God that leads to repentance. But in the Dark Ages, and since, many lost sight of this. Even today some seem to think that they can best induce people to repent by frightening them with threats of eternal torture in a fiery hell. What a misrepresentation of God’s character, and of his method of leading men to repentance through his goodness, forbearance, and long-suffering!

In the lesson, Jesus speaks of certain Galileans who were slain by Pilate, and of those who lost their lives when the tower in Siloam fell. He asks if this meant that these were greater sinners than the rest of the Israelites. His answer is no, and then he implies that all in the nation were sinners and would perish unless they repented. John the Baptist’s ministry was a call to repentance. Jesus continued this call, adding other features of the Gospel. If the people of Israel, together with their leaders, had repented, the nation would not have been destroyed.

In the latter part of the lesson Jesus reveals the great desire he had had to lead the nation to repentance and to an acceptance of his messiahship. He said, “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, which killest the prophets, and stonest them that are sent unto thee; how often would I have gathered thy children together, as a hen doth gather her brood under her wings, and ye would not! Behold, your house is left unto you desolate: and verily I say unto you, Ye shall not see me, until the time when ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.”—vss. 34,35

The “desolation” of Jerusalem, or of Israel, here referred to by Jesus does not mean a loss of all opportunity for salvation. This is evident from the fact that Jesus said to them that a time would come when they would say, “Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.” This could refer to no other time than when, in the kingdom, they are awakened from the sleep of death and are enlightened concerning Jesus and the fact that he was, indeed, the true Messiah. The fact that they will then acknowledge him as “blessed” and as coming in the name of the Lord indicates that by then they will have repented under the influence of the goodness of God.

The “desolation” is, on the contrary, a reference to the loss of their exclusive position in the world as the people of God. Up to that time it was true of Israel, as stated in the Old Testament, “You only have I known of all the families of the earth.” (Amos 3:2) The great hope of association with the Messiah was given to Israel upon condition of their faithfulness. (Exod. 19:5,6) The nation as a whole did not qualify for this high position, and Jesus said that the kingdom would be taken from them and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof. (Matt. 21:43) This is the nation described in I Pet. 2:9,10.

We rejoice that Jesus’ foretold desolation of Israel does not mean their permanent loss of God’s favor. Paul explains that a time is coming when ungodliness will be turned away from them, and that “all Israel shall be saved.” This will be under the gracious provisions of the promised “New Covenant,” as outlined in Jeremiah 31:31-34.—Rom. 11:26,27

QUESTIONS

Have all men as yet heard the Gospel call to repentance?

Does the fear of torment lead to a genuine repentance?

What did Jesus mean when he said, “Your house is left unto you desolate”?

When, in the divine plan, will ungodliness be taken away from Jacob?

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