Acts 17:30

DISCOURSE: 1790
REPENTANCE ENJOINED

Acts 17:30. The times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent.

THIS is one of the most celebrated discourses in all the inspired volume. Being delivered to heathen philosophers, he did not make any appeal to the Jewish Scriptures, as he did whenever he addressed the Jews; but argued with them on their own principles. The drift of his argument was, to shew that there was but one God, and not many, as they supposed: that all things owed their existence to him, and not to chance: that all things were ordered by him, and not by fate: that all men were bound to live to him, and not unto themselves: and that all should give account of themselves to him at the judgment-seat of Christ; of which event God had given them an assurance, by raising Christ from the dead. As for all the speculations of human wisdom, in which these learned philosophers were so deeply engaged, they were all vain. But “God, who had hitherto winked at the times of this ignorance, now commanded all men everywhere to repent.”
The points for our more immediate consideration are three:

I. The forbearance once exercised—

[We are not to imagine that God has ever connived at sin: for “he is of purer eyes than to behold iniquity” without the utmost abhorrence [Note: Habakkuk 1:13.]. But he exercised all possible forbearance towards those who committed it, knowing how blind and ignorant they were; and that, consequently, their iniquity, though heinous, was comparatively light. He had not sent prophets to them, as he had to his own people; except indeed to Nineveh, in the ministration of Jonah: so that they had sinned against less light and knowledge than his own people; whom, on account of their more aggravated guilt, he had visited with most signal judgments. Had he not borne with the heathen in their wickedness, he must again and again have destroyed the earth; either by water, as at the deluge, or by fire, as he had done to Sodom and Gomorrha. But he had “endured them with much long-suffering,” even to that very day.

In fact, this same forbearance is yet exercised towards the heathen world, and on the very same account. Probably not so much as one-sixth part of the world has ever heard of the name of Jesus Christ: so that the times of ignorance yet continue to a most fearful extent: and, if it were not that God’s mercy is infinite, his judgments must, of necessity, have long since been poured forth, to overwhelm the whole world.
Perhaps it is somewhat of the same consideration which still operates on the mind of God to withhold his judgments, which at this moment hang, as it were, by a single thread, over the heads of millions amongst ourselves. He sees how ignorant they are; and he yet bears with them, in the hope that they may yet “turn from their idols, to serve Him, the only true God.”]
The Apostle, however, proceeds to state to his audience,

II.

The injunction now given—

[“God now commandeth all men everywhere to repent.” He no longer leaves men to indulge their own vain reasonings and empty speculations. He has now revealed his will; which he makes known, not as a deduction from uncertain premises, or as a recommendation of doubtful expediency, bat with an authority that supersedes all reasoning, and a plainness that dispels all doubt. Nor does he address this revelation to the followers of any one particular sect, as the philosophers did their injunctions: no; “he commandeth all men, everywhere, to repent.” This was the very scope of his Gospel, as introduced by John the Baptist and our blessed Lord; “Repent; for the kingdom of heaven is at hand:” and it is also the substance of the Gospel, as committed afterwards to his Apostles, who were ordered to “preach repentance and remission of sins, in his name, unto all nations [Note: Luke 24:47.].” Accordingly, on the day of Pentecost, the address of Peter to his audience was, “Repent, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out [Note: Acts 3:19.].” In fact, “repentance towards God, and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ,” comprehend all that we have to deliver at this day; and, as ambassadors from God, we do inculcate them, as authoritatively enjoined by God himself, and as indispensably necessary for every child of man [Note: The nature of true Evangelical repentance may be here opened.] — — —]

Having stated God’s command, the Apostle proceeds to shew,

III.

The urgent necessity which lies upon us all to comply with it—

[“God has appointed a day wherein he will judge the world in righteousness.” It is not left to men’s option, whether they will embrace the sentiments proposed to them in the Gospel, or obey its injunctions: they must obey them, at the peril of their souls. The philosophers could only advise. They knew nothing of a future state of retribution. If occasionally they hinted at such a state, it was with extreme uncertainty, and without the least idea of the rule by which they should be judged, or the person by whom their sentence should be awarded to them. But the Apostle declared to them God’s determination respecting these things: and I also declare, that every soul amongst us shall, ere long, “stand at the judgment-seat of Christ, to receive according to what we have done in the body, whether it be good or evil.” Then will our compliance with this injunction be inquired into, and that declaration of our blessed Lord be fulfilled, “Except ye repent, ye shall all perish [Note: Luke 13:3.]” — — —]

Address—
1.

The careless—

[Whether ye be amongst the number of learned philosophers, or of the illiterate poor, I must equally call upon you to repent. The injunction is universal. There is no exception, in behalf of any place, or any person, under heaven. The old, the young, the rich, the poor, the learned, the unlearned, must all repent, or be condemned at the tribunal of their Lord, and “take their portion for ever in the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone.” Dream not, brethren, that, because God has borne with you hitherto, he will not visit your sins at last: for he has declared, that “his Spirit shall not always continue to strive with you;” but that, if you do not speedily return to him in penitence and faith, he will give you up to final impenitence, and leave you to “treasure up wrath against the day of wrath.” O “let his long-suffering be accounted by you as salvation [Note: 2 Peter 3:15.],” and “let his goodness lead you to repentance [Note: Romans 2:4.].”]

2. The repenting sinner—

[Sweet beyond description are the expressions in my text, as bearing on your state. Does God so authoritatively command repentance? then will he assuredly have respect to it, wheresoever he finds it: nor is there a creature in the universe so vile, but he shall obtain acceptance with his God, through the instrumentality of penitence and faith — — — Humble yourselves, then, before God, in dust and ashes, and plunge into “the fountain opened for sin and for uncleanness [Note: Zechariah 13:1.]:” so shall all “your sins be blotted out, as a morning cloud,” and you shall stand before God “without spot or blemish.” So shall your “repentance be unto life,” even “a repentance to salvation not to be repented of.” The very Saviour in whom you trust, shall be your Judge; and he will award to you the glory he has purchased for you — — —]