5th. In mutual respect and subordination, Eom. xii., 10; Eph. v., 21 ; Heb. xiii.; 17.
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UNION WITH CHKIST.
6th. In mutual love and sympathy, Koni. xii.; 10 ; 1 Cor, xii.; 26.
7th. This fellowship exists unbroken between believers on earth and in heaven. There is one "whole family in heaven and on earth/' Eph. iii., 15.
8th. In glory this communion of saints shall be perfected, when there is " one fold and one shepherd/' when all saints shall be one as Father and Son are one, John x.; 16 ; xvii.3 22.
CHAPTER XXIX.
KEPENTANCE.
1. What are the words used in the original to express this change of mind and feeling ?
1st. fiera^eXeadatj from \ii\o\iai, to care for ; combined with lierd, to change ones care. This is used only five times in the New Testament.
2d. fieravoetv, from voeu, to perceive, understand, consider ; combined with fierd, to change ones mind or purpose. This is the verb constantly used in the New Testament to designate this change.
3d. From the same source comes the noun fierdvoca, repent- ance, change of mind or purpose. In the New Testament usage of these words the idea of sorrow and contrition is included.
2. What is saving repentance ?
See Con. Faith, Chap. XY. Larger Cat., Q. 76. Shorter Cat., Q. 87.
It includes, 1st, a sense of personal guilt, pollution and help- lessness. 2d. An apprehension of the mercy of God in Christ. 3d. Grief and hatred of sin, a resolute turning from it unto God, and a persistent endeavor after a new life of holy obedience.
3. Prove that repentance is a grace or gift of God.
1st. This is evident from the nature of repentance itself. It includes (1.) sense of the hatefulness of sin, (2.) sense of the beauty of holiness, (3.) apprehension of the mercy of God in Christ. It, therefore, presupposes faith, which is God's gift, Gal. v., 22 ; Eph. ii., 8.
2. The Scriptures expressly affirm it, Zech. xii., 10 ; Acts v., 31 ; xi., 18 ; 2 Tim. ii., 25.
376 REPENTANCE.
4. What is the nature of that sense of sin which is an essential
element of repentance ?
That spiritual illumination and renewal of the affections which is effected in regeneration, brings the believer to see and appreci- ate the holiness of God as revealed alike in the law and the gospel, Kom. iii., 20 ; Job xlii., 6, and in that light to see and feel also the exceeding sinfulness of all sin, and the utter sinfulness of his own nature just as it is in truth. This sense of sin, thus correspond- ing to the facts of the case, includes, 1st, consciousness of guilt, i. e.9 exposure to righteous punishment, as opposed to the justice of God, Ps. li., 4, 9. 2d. Consciousness of pollution as opposed to the holiness of God, Ps. li., 5, 7, 10 ; and, 3d, consciousness of helplessness, Ps. li., 11 ; cix., 22. See Way of Life.
5. What are the fruits and evidences of this sense of sin ?
A sense of guilt, especially when coupled with a sense of help- lessness, will naturally excite apprehension of danger. This pain- ful feeling is experienced in infinitely various degrees and modifi- cations, as determined by natural temperament, education, and the special dealings of the Holy Spirit. These legal fears, how- ever, are common both to false and to true repentance, and possess no sanctifying influence.
A sense of pollution leads to shame when we think of God, and to self-loathing when we think of ourselves.
Confession of sin, both in private to God and before men, is a natural and indispensible mode in which this sense of sin will give genuine expression to itself, Ps. xxxii., 5, 6 ; Prov. xxviii., 13 ; James v., 16 ; 1 John i., 9.
The only indubitable test of the genuineness of such a sense of sin, however, is an earnest and abiding desire and endeavor to be delivered from it.
6. Show that an apprehension of the mercy of God in Christ is essential to repentance.
1st. The awakened conscience echoes God's law, and can be appeased by no less a propitiation than that demanded by divine justice itself, and until this is realized in a believing application to Christ, either indifference must stupify, or remorse must tor- ment the soul.
APPLICATION OF REDEMPTION. 377
2d. Out of Christ God is a consuming fire, and an inextin- guishable dread drives the soul away, Dent. iv.3 24 ; Heb. xii., 29.
3d. A sense of the amazing goodness of God to us in the gift of his Son, and of our ungrateful requital of it, is necessary to ex- cite in the repentant soul the proper shame and sorrow for sin as committed against God, Ps. li., 4.
4th. This is proved by the teachings and examples furnished in Scripture, Ps. li., 1 ; cxxx., 4.
7. What is the nature of that " turning unto God" tvhich constitutes the essence of genuine repentance ?