Today I read a book by Reformed apologist William Webster, The Gospel of the Reformation: Salvation from the Guilt and Power of Sin (Battle Ground, Wash.: Christian Resources, 1999). While I disagree with much of it (e.g., his attempted defense of imputed righteousness; downplaying the salvific efficacy of water baptism), the second half of the book, which is basically a response to the No-Lordship Salvation/antinomian movement within modern Evangelicalism, is very well done. Indeed, a good thing about this volume is the quotations from the Reformers and other important Protestant theologians of the past era such as A.A. Hodge contained therein. Here are some quotations from these Protestant theologians on the necessity of repentance that Webster quotes in chapter 9, “Repentance” (pp. 135-48):
John Calvin:
Even though we have taught in part how to possess Christ, and how through it we enjoy his benefits, this would still remain obscure if we did not add an explanation of the effects we feel. With good reason, the sum of the gospel is held to consist in repentance and the forgiveness of sins (Luke 24:47; Acts 5:31). Any discussion of faith, therefore, that omitted these two topics would be barren and mutilated and well-nigh useless . . . Surely no one can embrace the grace of the gospel without betaking himself from the errors of his past life into the right way, and applying his whole effort to the practice of repentance.
Can true repentance stand apart from faith? Not at all. But even though they cannot be separated, they ought to be distinguished. (Institutes of the Christian Religion, volume xix, book, III, chapters 1, 5)
Ulrich Zwingli
The second part of the gospel, then, is repentance: not that which takes place for a time, but that which makes a man who knows himself blush and be ashamed of his old life, for one reason because he sees it ought to be altogether foreign to a Christian to waste away in those sins from which he rejoiced to believe that he had been delivered . . . Therefore when Christ and John the Apostles preach, saying, ‘Repent, they are simply calling us to a new life quite unlike our life before; and those who had undertaken to enter upon this were marked by an initiatory sacrament, baptism to wit, by which they give public testimony that they were going to enter upon a new life. (Commentary on True and False Religion [Durham: Labyrinth, 1981], pp. 131-132)
Martin Bucer
It is a quality of the Kingdom of Christ that in it the repentance of sins must always be preached. Hence where the kingdom of Christ has truly been received, there it is necessary that the sins of all be severely rebuked, that men may give themselves up completely to the kingship of Christ in order to be cleansed from their sins and endowed with the spirit of righteousness . . . This it is a hollow mockery that those who do not make a wholehearted effort to do the things that are pleasing to the heavenly Father should declare themselves citizens and members of the Kingdom of Christ. (On the Kingdom of Christ, volume xix, p. 219)
Thomas Watson
Repentance is of such importance that there is no being saved without it . . . It is a great duty incumbent upon Christians solemnly to repent and turn unto God . . . That religion which is not built upon this foundation must needs fall to the ground.
Repentance is a grace required under the gospel. Some think it is legal; but the first sermon that Christian preached, indeed, the first word of his sermon, was ‘Repent’ (Matt 4.17). And his farewell that he left when he was going to ascend was that ‘repentance should be preached in his name’ (Luke 22.47) . . . Repentance is not arbitrary. It is not left to our choice whether or not we will repent, but it is an indispensable command. God has enacted a law in the High Court of heaven that no sinner shall be saved except the repenting sinner, and he will not break his own law.
Some bless themselves that they have a stock of knowledge, but that is knowledge good for without repentance? It is better to mortify one sin than to understand all mysteries. Impure speculatists do but resemble Satan transformed into an angel of light Learning and a bad heart is like a fair face with a cancer in the breast. Knowledge without repentance will be but a torch to light men to hell. (The Doctrine of Repentance [Edinburgh: Banner, 1987], pp. 12-13, 59, 77)
R.L. Dabney
The manner in which faith and repentance are coupled together in Scripture plainly shows that, as faith is implicitly present in repentance, so repentance is implicitly in faith. (Systematic Theology [Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1980], pp. 606-607)
Repentance unto Life is an evangelical grace, the doctrine whereof is to be preached by every minister of the gospel, as well as that of faith in Christ (Conf. xv.1). The brevity, and in some cases neglect, with which this prominent subject is treated by many systems, is surprising and reprehensible. (Systematic Theology [Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1980], p. 651)
John DeWitt
Repentance is the first conscious sept in a person’s experience of the divine grace, the entrance for all believers into life, hope, and salvation . . . Repentance—the repentance of which the Scriptures speak as a godly sorrow, the repentance which is unto life—is not only a persuasion of sinfulness, but it is also, and very distinctly, a turning from sin . . . Everywhere the Word of God reminds us that repentance is not simply honesty with oneself, or even the open confession of one’s sins; it must also lead to a forsaking of them. If it does not do that, if it is only the fear of punishment and hell, only a trembling before the just judgement of God, without at the same time the purposing to turn away from sin and to undertake a new obedience to God, then it is not repentance at all. (Amazing Love [Edinburgh: Banner, 1981], pp. 66, 74-76)
A.A. Hodge
The essence of repentance consists . . . in our actual turning from all sin unto God. This is that practical turning or ‘conversion’ from sin unto God, which is the instance and necessary consequence of regeneration. It is a voluntary forsaking of sin as evil and hateful, with sincere sorrow, humiliation, and confession; and a turning unto God as our reconciled Father, in the exercise of implicit faith in the merits and assisting grace of Christ . . . Repentance unto life can only be exercised by a soul after, and in consequence of, its regeneration by the Holy Spirit. God regenerates; and we, in the exercise of the new gracious ability thus given, repentant . . . If genuine, it infallibly springs from regeneration and leads to eternal life. (The Confession of Faith [Edinburgh: Banner, 1958], pp. 212-213)
Jonathan Edwards
The apostasy of man summarily consists in departing from the true God, to idols; forsaking his Creator, and setting up other things in his room. When God at first created man, he was united to his Creator; the God that made him was his God. The true God was the object of his highest respect, and had the possession of his heart. Love to God was the principle in his heart, that ruled over all other principles; and everything in the soul was wholly in subjection to it. But when man fell, he departed from the true God, and the union that was between his heart and his Creator was broken: he wholly lost his principle of love to God. And henceforth man clave to other gods. He gave that respect to the creature, which is due to the Creator. When God ceased to be the object of his supreme love and respect, other things of course became the objects of it.
The gods which a natural man worships, instead of the God that made him, are himself and the world. He has withdrawn his esteem and honour from God, and proudly exalts himself. As Satan was not willing to be in subjection; and therefore rebelled, and set up himself; so a natural man, in the proud and high thoughts he has of himself, sets up himself upon God’s throne. He gives his heart to the world, worldly riches, worldly pleasures, and worldly honours: they have the possession of that regard which is due to God. (The Works of Jonathan Edwards [Edinburgh: Banner, 1974], volume 2, Discourse: Men Naturally are God’s Enemies, pp. 132, 138-139)
Not only are Evangelical Protestants who claim that repentance is not necessary going against the explicit witness of the Bible but they are also going against their theological forefathers.
