How Can I Be Sure I Have Repented Enough?

One of my favorite preachers is Dr. Harry A. Ironside (1876-1951), who had a clear understanding of the Gospel. The following quote is from chapter 9 of his book called, “FULL ASSURANCE”:

IT IS NOW MY PURPOSE to consider some of the difficulties and perplexities which keep souls from entering into peace and enjoying the full assurance of salvation. 

These questions and objections are some that have come to me again and again from earnest seekers after light, and are therefore, I have good reason to believe, fairly representative of the troublesome thoughts that hinder many from seeing the simplicity of GOD's way of life, as set forth in His holy Word. Perhaps if my reader has not a settled rest of heart and conscience, he may find his own peculiar trouble dealt with here. 

1. "How may I be sure that I have repented enough?" 

Very often the real difficulty arises from a misapprehension of the meaning of repentance. 

There is no salvation without repentance, but it is important to see exactly what is meant by this term. 

- It should not be confused with penitence, which is sorrow for sin;- It should not be confused with penance, which is an effort to make some satisfaction for sin;- It should not be confused with reformation, which is turning from sin. 

Repentance is a change of attitude toward sin, toward self, and toward GOD. The word (in the Greek Testament) literally means "a change of mind." This is not a mere intellectual change of viewpoint, however, but a complete reversal of attitude. 

Now test yourself in this way. 

- You once lived in sin and loved it. Do you now desire deliverance from it?- You were once self-confident and trusting in your own fancied goodness. Do you now judge yourself as a sinner before GOD?- You once sought to hide from GOD and rebelled against His authority. Do you now look up to Him, desiring to know Him, and to yield yourself to Him? 

If you can honestly say yes to these questions, you have repented. Your attitude is altogether different to what it once was. 

You confess you are a sinner, unable to cleanse your own soul, and you are willing to be saved in GOD's way. This is repentance. And remember, it is not the amount of repentance that counts: it is the fact that you turn from self to GOD that puts you in the place where His grace avails through JESUS CHRIST. 

Strictly speaking, not one of us has ever repented enough. None of us has realized the enormity of our guilt as GOD sees it. But when we judge ourselves and trust the Saviour whom He has provided, we are saved through His merits. 

As recipients of His lovingkindness, repentance will be deepened and will continue day by day, as we learn more and more of His infinite worth and our own unworthiness. 

"It is not thy tears of repentance, nor prayers,But the blood that atones for the soul;On Him then who shed it thou mayest at onceThy weight of iniquities roll." 

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Please don't misunderstand what Dr. Ironside is saying. The only requirement to be saved is to agree with God that you are a guilty sinner. If we confess (agree with God) our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins (1st John 1:9). Dr. Ironside says a man who has repented desires to be delivered from his sins, but that doesn't mean you're ready to forsake them yet. It just means that you have judged yourself as being a needy sinner. 

A Christian SHOULD live for Christ; not MUST (that is works); not WILL (that would be Calvinism). Our only part in salvation is to simply trust the dear Savior, the rest is God's department, and you can rest assure that He will tend to that. The truth is that no believer has ever repented of ALL OUR SINS! Even the best Christians still sin every day, whether in deed or thought. 1st Samuel 12:23, “Moreover as for me, God forbid that I should sin against the LORD in ceasing to pray for you: but I will teach you the good and the right way:” So we are sinning every time we slack off in praying for others in our life. 

The Calvinist mindset says if you are still living in willful sin, you have never repented and are not saved, despite your faith in Jesus Christ as your personal Savior. That is a counterfeit Gospel of partial faith in Christ plus works. Pastor Charles Lawson teaches this Calvinist heresy. Ray Comfort, Paul Washer, John Piper and John MacArthur also teach this Calvinist heresy. The inspired King James Bible teaches something very different! In the Bible, you realize your need as a guilty sinner (Romans 3:19), which brings you to Christ to be saved by God's grace, through faith alone (Galatians 3:24-26). 

Salvation Versus Discipleship

And then as a child of God, you grow in the milk of the Word (1st Peter 2:2), being transformed by the renewing of your mind day by day. Romans 12:1-2, “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.” Carefully notice that the apostle Paul addresses them as “brethren.” These are saved people. Paul pleads with them to present their bodies a “LIVING SACRIFICE” to serve Christ, pointing out that it is their “REASONABLE SERVICE.” It is not their mandatory service; but rather, their reasonable service to serve Jesus Christ. 

Ladies and gentleman, this passage of Scripture is so important. It is vital that you understand that salvation and discipleship are two entirely different things. Here are some helpful theological quotes explaining the distinct difference:

"Eternal life is free. Discipleship is immeasurably hard. The former is attained by faith alone, the latter by a faith that works... the former brings with it the righteousness of God so that a man is 'justified freely by his grace' (Romans 3:24). The latter develops a personal righteousness, based on good deeds, so that a man was also 'justified by works' (James 2:24). The former constituted the believer God's workmanship, the latter fulfilled the wonderful purpose for which he had been created. The former cost man nothing, the latter could cost him everything, including life itself." —Hodges, Zane C., The Hungry Inherit; Moody Press, Inc., 1972 (p. 114-115)

"There is a vast difference between coming to Jesus for salvation and coming after Jesus for service. Coming to Christ makes one a believer, while coming after Christ makes one a disciple. All believers are not disciples. To become a believer one accepts the invitation of the Gospel, to be a disciple one obeys the challenge to a life of dedicated service and separation. Salvation comes through the sacrifice of Christ; discipleship comes only by sacrifice of self and surrender to His call for devoted service. Salvation is free, but discipleship involves paying the price of a separated walk. Salvation can't be lost because it depends upon God's faithfulness, but discipleship can be lost because it depends upon our faithfulness." —DeHaan, M.R., Hebrews; Zondervan Publishing House, 1959 (p. 117)

That is how salvation and the Christian life work. You don't have to turn from your sins as part of getting saved; but rather, you simply come JUST AS YOU ARE, as an ungodly sinner with no obligation to change anything, and you receive God's free gift of eternal life. Then as you feed on the Word of God, your life will be transformed as your mind is renewed. 

Albeit, some believers don't grow as quickly as others do. This is where people get confused, wondering how someone can claim to be saved, while still living the same as they did before they were saved. Folks, the Bible doesn't teach that salvation changes anyone! When you get saved, the Holy Spirit comes to live (indwell) within your body and soul, and He will convict you about the sins in your life; but you can ignore the Spirit's leading, choosing rather to walk in the flesh, as did the man in 1st Corinthians 3:15b who was “saved; yet so as by fire.” God commands us as believers to walk in the Spirit. Galatians 5:25, “If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.” I love that passage of Scripture. When you get saved, you are now alive in the Holy Spirit; but you have a CHOICE of whether to walk in the Spirit, or walk in the flesh. 

So to conclude, repentance unto life (salvation) does not mean penance (sorrow for sins), penitence (reconciliation for sins), nor reformation (turning from sins). I'll close with this helpful quote from Pastor Harry Ironside, which well explains repentance: 

“Repentance is the very opposite of meritorious experience. It is the confession that one is utterly without merit, and if he is ever saved at all it can only be through the merits of our Lord Jesus Christ, 'who gave himself a ransom for all.' Here is firm footing for the soul who realizes that all self-effort is but sinking sand. Christ alone is the Rock of our salvation.” —Dr. Harry A. Ironside; Except Ye Repent, pg. 36