A Gift God Gives
One of the first points we need to understand about repentance is that it’s fundamentally a gift. In Acts 11:18: “When they heard these things they fell silent. And they glorified God, saying, ‘Then to the Gentiles also God has granted repentance that leads to life.’” It is a gift that God gives.
Paul says something similar in Timothy. He says to young pastors, concerning those who oppose him, that he must gently instruct and hope that God will grant them repentance, leading them to a knowledge of the truth. So repentance is a gift that God gives.
The Way of Repentance
Chris Brauns
Drawing on Scripture and the Westminster Shorter Catechism, this practical theology on repentance invites readers to experience abiding gladness by turning away from sin and toward Jesus.
Now, when we understand that, it changes how we pray for ourselves and how we pray for other people. God, would you give me the gift of repentance? Would you show me those blind spots I don’t even know about? And that’s the thing about blind spots. You don’t see them. Would you grant the gift of repentance to people I love?
Now, there’s a mystery there because we still have to repent, and the people we’re concerned about still have to repent, and we get huge theological discussions trying to put all of that together. But we need to know fundamentally that repentance, as the Westminster Standards say, is a saving grace. It is a gift God gives.
Chris Brauns is the author of The Way of Repentance: Embracing God’s Gift for a Transformed Life.
Chris Brauns (DMin, Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary) is the senior pastor at the Red Brick Church in Stillman Valley, Illinois. He has served in pastoral ministry for over thirty years. His books include Unpacking Forgiveness and When the Word Leads Your Pastoral Search.
Related Articles
How Do We Know If Repentance Is Genuine?
April 27, 2026Fake repentance can look remarkably like the real thing. But even if it is difficult to distinguish godly grief from worldly sorrow, we need not despair that it is impossible.
10 Things You Should Know About Repentance
March 31, 2026Scripture repeatedly emphasizes that repentance is a time of celebration. If you long for a place of joy, gladness, and rejoicing, then repentance is for you.
How to Repent of Sin and Rejoice in Christ Together with a Discipleship Group
February 26, 2026How can we fight the good fight of faith? I want to explain the concept of “discipleship groups” as a way for all disciples to fight for what is noble and beautiful.
Podcast: What Is Repentance, and Am I Doing It Right? (Chris Brauns)
April 06, 2026Chris Brauns discusses the doctrine of repentance and how it is not just the way into the Christian life, but the way of the Christian life.
Related Resources
Crossway is a not-for-profit Christian ministry that exists solely for the purpose of proclaiming the gospel through publishing gospel-centered, Bible-centered content. Learn more or donate today at crossway.org/about.
English (US) · 