Video on ‘I Can’t Repent,’ by Ichabod Spencer (A Pastor’s Sketches)

Amen this is how a Christian should respond to a person that says they cannot repent. Today this would be considered “unloving,” but this is a Biblical rebuke. This is why when I pray for people in the streets, you will often hear me say “Lord grant them repentance” (or something similar). Repentance and salvation is granted and initiated by the Lord, we simply respond to Him in obedience. Salvation is of the Lord. It is Christ-centric, and Gospel-centric; not man-centric.

It’s repentance not penance, as he said “That is your grand difficulty. You have been trying to save yourself. You are trying now. When you tried to repent, your heart aimed after repentance, as something to recommend you to God, and constitute a reason why he should forgive and save you. It was just an operation of a self-righteous spirit. It was just an attempt to save yourself, to have your religion save you, instead of relying by faith upon Jesus Christ, to be saved from wrath through him.” – Ichabod Spencer

Side note: For a great video that better describes what repentance is, click here. This is important, because there is no salvation without repentance. Don’t believe postmodern churchianity that tells others to merely “accept Jesus,” or “repeat this prayer” to be saved.