How does one actually come into repentance? If the biblical witness is true, all people are born with a natural tendency toward sin and rebellion. In this condition, repenting, or turning away, from what is natural to the individual is simply not possible. In short, all people left to their natural tendencies do only those things which are easiest for them; that is, they continue in their sin and rebellion unless the circumstance is materially changed. 2 Timothy 2: 25 speaks to this material change that must occur before repentance can occur, “… correcting his opponents with gentleness. God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth,” Here, Paul is giving his student direction on how he is to address those who stand in opposition; namely, that Timothy is to be patient and endure the evil that is thrust upon him but also confront error with gentleness so that God, in His mercy, may grant repentance. In this text, “repentance” (δώῃ) is an aorist active subjunctive indicating some question on Paul’s part as to whether God may grant repentance; not as a philosophical concept (i.e. Paul certainly believed his assertion to be true) but rather because the gifting of repentance is solely based upon God’s initiative. What is clear from this passage is that the act of repentance must be granted as a gift from God. Without God’s initiative, no repentance is possible. This however does not relieve sinful men from the obligation of repenting. On the day of Pentecost when asked what men must do, Peter said, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” Why would Peter tell those that day to repent? It is because God commands it. In Matthew 4: 17, the Lord Himself said, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”Paul in Acts 17: 30 says, “The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent,” The witness of Scripture is clear; God expects all men to repent and they stand condemned before a holy God when they do not. Some to this will say, “But if God does not grant repentance how can anyone stand rightfully condemned of sinful rebellion? Is not God unjust in gifting only some with repentance while holding others guilty for a condition that they themselves cannot remedy?” To this charge one must only take the words of Isaiah who says, “You turn things upside down! Shall the potter be regarded as the clay, that the thing made should say of its maker, “He did not make me”; or the thing formed say of him who formed it, “He has no understanding”?” and again ““Woe to him who strives with him who formed him, a pot among earthen pots! Does the clay say to him who forms it, ‘What are you making?’ or ‘Your work has no handles’?” Does one as the thing made have right to questions the One who makes him? Certainly not; God in His justice has all right to condemn all mankind but in His mercy is pleased to save at least some by gifting them with repentance.
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