WesleyGospel Ministries

Redeeming the time.
Eph. 5:16.

1. “See that ye walk circumspectly,” says the Apostle in the preceding verse, “not as fools, but as wise men, redeeming the time;” saving all the time you can for the best purposes; buying up every fleeting moment out of the hands of sin and Satan, out of the hands of sloth, ease, pleasure, worldly business; the more diligently, because the present “are evil days,” days of the grossest ignorance, immorality, and profaneness.

2. This seems to be the general meaning of the words. But I purpose, at present, to consider only one particular way of redeeming the time,” namely, from sleep.

3. This appears to have been exceeding little considered, even by pious men. Many that have been eminently conscientious in other respects, have not been so in this. They seemed to think it an indifferent thing, whether they slept more or less; and never saw it in the true point of view, as an important branch of Christian temperance.

That we may have a more just conception hereof, I will endeavour to show,

I. What it is to “redeem the time” from sleep.

II. The evil of not redeeming it. And

III. The most effectual manner of doing it.

I. 1. And, First, What is it to “redeem the time” from sleep It is, in general, to take that measure of sleep every night which nature requires, and no more; that measure which is the most conducive to the health and vigour both of the body and mind.

2. But it is objected, “One measure will not suit all men; — some require considerably more than others. Neither will the same measure suffice even the same persons at one time as at another. When a person is sick, or, if not actually so, yet weakened by preceding sickness, he certainly wants more of this natural restorative, than he did when in perfect health. And so he will when his strength and spirits are exhausted by hard or long-continued labour.”

3. All this is unquestionably true, and confirmed by a thousand experiments. Whoever, therefore, they are that have attempted to fix one measure of sleep for all persons did not understand the nature of the human body, so widely different in different persons; as neither did they who imagined that the same measure would suit even the same person at all times. One would wonder, therefore, that so great a man as Bishop Taylor should have formed this strange imagination; much more, that the measure which he has assigned for the general standard should be only three hours in four-and- twenty. That good and sensible man, Mr. Baxter, was not much nearer the truth; who supposes four hours in four and twenty will suffice for any man. I knew an extremely sensible man, who was absolutely persuaded that no one living needed to sleep above five hours in twenty-four. But when he made the experiment himself, he quickly relinquished the opinion. And I am fully convinced, by an observation continued for more than fifty years, that whatever may be done by extraordinary persons, or in some extraordinary cases (wherein persons have subsisted with very little sleep for some weeks, or even months,) a human body can scarce continue in health and vigour, without at least, six hours’ sleep in four-and-twenty. Sure I am, I never met with such an instance: I never found either man or woman that retained vigorous health for one year, with a less quantity of sleep than this.

4. And I have long observed, that women, in general, want a little more sleep than men; perhaps, because they are, in common of a weaker, as well as a moister, habit of body. If, therefore, one might venture to name one standard, (though liable to many exceptions and occasional alterations,) I am inclined to think this would come near to the mark: Healthy men, in general, need a little above six hours’ sleep, healthy women, a little above seven, in four-and-twenty. I myself want six hours and a half, and I cannot well subsist with less.

5. If anyone desires to know exactly what quantity of sleep his own constitution requires, he may very easily make the experiment which I made about sixty years ago: I then waked every night about twelve or one, and lay awake for some time. I readily concluded that this arose from my lying longer in bed than nature required. To be satisfied, I procured an alarum, which waked me the next morning at seven; (near an hour earlier than I rose the day before,) yet I lay awake again at night. The second morning I rose at six; but, notwithstanding this, I lay awake the second night. The third morning I rose at five; but, nevertheless, I lay awake the third night. The fourth morning I rose at four; (as, by the grace of God, I have done ever since;) and I lay awake no more. And I do not now lie awake (taking the year round) a quarter of an hour together in a month. By the same experiment, rising earlier and earlier every morning, may anyone find how much sleep he really wants.

II. 1. “But why should anyone be at so much pains What need is there of being so scrupulous Why should we make ourselves so particular What harm is there in doing as our neighbours do — suppose in lying from ten till six or seven in summer, and till eight or nine in winter”

2. If you would consider this question fairly, you will need a good deal of candour and impartiality; as what I am about to say will probably be quite new; different from anything you ever heard in your life; different from the judgment, at least from the example, of your parents and your nearest relations; nay, and perhaps of the most religious persons you ever were acquainted with. Lift up, therefore, your heart to the Spirit of truth, and beg of him to shine upon it, that without respecting any man’s person, you may see and follow the truth as it in Jesus.

3. Do you really desire to know what harm there is in not redeeming all the time you can from sleep suppose in spending therein an hour a day more than nature requires Why, First, it hurts your substance; it is throwing away six hours a week which might turn to some temporal account. If you can do any work, you might earn something in that time, were it ever so small. And you have no need to throw even this away. If you do not want it yourself, give it to them that do; you know some of them that are not far off. If you are of no trade, still you may so employ the time that it will bring money, or money’s worth, to yourself, or others.

4. The not redeeming all the time you can from sleep, the spending more time therein than your constitution necessarily requires, in the Second place, hurts your health. Nothing can be more certain than this, though it is not commonly observed, because the evil steals on you by slow and insensible degrees. In this gradual and almost imperceptible manner it lays the foundation of many diseases. It is the chief real (though unsuspected) cause of all nervous diseases in particular. Many inquiries have been made, why nervous disorders are so much more common among us than among our ancestors. Other causes may frequently concur; but the chief is, we lie longer in bed. Instead of rising at four, most of us who are not obliged to work for our bread lie till seven, eight, or nine. We need inquire no farther. This sufficiently accounts for the large increase of these painful disorders.

5. It may be observed, that most of these arise, not barely from sleeping too long, but even from what we imagine to be quite harmless, the lying too long in bed. By soaking (as it is emphatically called) so long between warm sheets, the flesh is, as it were, parboiled, and becomes soft and flabby.” The nerves, in the mean time, are quite unstrung, and all the train of melancholy symptoms — faintness, tremors, lowness of spirits, (so called,) come on, till life itself is a burden.

6. One common effect of either sleeping too long, or lying too long in bed, is weakness of sight, particularly that weakness which is of the nervous kind. When I was young, my sight was remarkably weak. Why is it stronger now than it was forty years ago I impute this principally to the blessing of God, who fits us for whatever he calls us to. But undoubtedly the outward means which he has been pleased to bless was the rising early in the morning.

7. A still greater objection to the not rising early, the not redeeming all the time we can from sleep, is, it hurts the soul, as well as the body; it is a sin against God. And this indeed it must necessarily be, on both the preceding accounts. For we cannot waste, or (which comes to the same thing) not improve, any part of our worldly substance, neither can we impair our own health, without sinning against Him.

8. But this fashionable intemperance does also hurt the soul in a more direct manner. It sows the seeds of foolish and hurtful desires; it dangerously inflames our natural appetites; which a person stretching and yawning in bed is just prepared to gratify. It breeds and continually increases sloth, so often objected to the English nation. It opens the way, and prepares the soul, for every other kind of intemperance. It breeds an universal softness and faintness of spirit, making us afraid of every little inconvenience, unwilling to deny ourselves any pleasure, or to take up or bear any cross. And how then shall we be able (without which we must drop into hell) to “take the kingdom of heaven by violence” It totally unfits us for “enduring hardship as good soldiers of Jesus Christ;” and, consequently, for “fighting the good fight of faith, and laying hold on eternal life.”

9. In how beautiful a manner does that great man, Mr. [William] Law treat this important subject! [Viz., Redeeming time from Sleep] Part of his words I cannot but here subjoin, for the use of every sensible reader.

“I take it for granted that every Christian who is in health is up early in the morning. For it is much more reasonable to suppose a person is up early because he is a Christian, than because he is a labourer, or a tradesman, or a servant.

“We conceive an abhorrence of a man that is in bed when he should be at his labour. We cannot think good of him, who is such a slave to drowsiness as to neglect his business for it.

“Let this, therefore, teach us to conceive how odious we must appear to God, if we are in bed, shut up in sleep, when we should be praising God; and are such slaves to drowsiness as to neglect our devotions for it.

“Sleep is such a dull, stupid state of existence, that, even among mere animals, we despise them most which are most drowsy. He, therefore, that chooses to enlarge the slothful indolence of sleep, rather than be early at his devotions, chooses the dullest refreshment of the body, before the noblest enjoyments of the soul. He chooses that state which is a reproach to mere animals, before that exercise which is the glory of angels.

10. “Besides, he that cannot deny himself this drowsy indulgence, is no more prepared for prayer when he is up, than he is prepared for fasting or any other act of self-denial. He may indeed more easily read over a form of prayer, than he can perform these duties; but he is no more disposed for the spirit of prayer, than he is disposed for fasting. For sleep thus indulged gives a softness to all our tempers, and makes us unable to relish any thing but what suits an idle state of mind, as sleep does. So that a person who is a slave to this idleness is in the same temper when he is up. Every thing that is idle or sensual pleases him. And every thing that requires trouble or self-denial, is hateful to him, for the same reason that he hates to rise.

11. “It is not possible for an epicure to be truly devout. He must renounce his sensuality, before he can relish the happiness of devotion. Now, he that turns sleep into an idle indulgence, does as much to corrupt his soul, to make it a slave to bodily appetites, as an epicure does. It does not disorder his life, as notorious acts of intemperance do; but, like any more moderate course of indulgence, it silently, and by smaller degrees, wears away the spirit of religion, and sinks the soul into dullness and sensuality.

“Self-denial of all kinds is the very life and soul of piety; but he that has not so much of it as to be able to be early at his prayers cannot think that he has taken up his cross, and is following Christ.

“What conquest has he got over himself What right hand has he cut off What trials is he prepared for What sacrifice is he ready to offer to God, who cannot be so cruel to himself as to rise to prayer at such a time as the drudging part of the world are content to rise to their labour

12. “Some people will not scruple to tell you, that they indulge themselves in sleep because they have nothing to do; and that if they had any business to rise to they would not lose so much of their time in sleep. But they must be told that they mistake the matter; that they have a great deal of business to do; they have a hardened heart to change; they have the whole spirit of religion to get. For surely he that thinks he has nothing to do, because nothing but his prayers want him, may justly be said to have the whole spirit of religion to seek.

“You must not therefore consider how small a fault it is to rise late; but how great a misery it is to want the spirit of religion, and to live in such softness and idleness as make you incapable of the fundamental duties of Christianity.

“If I was to desire you not to study the gratification of your palate, I would not insist upon the sin of wasting your money, though it is a great one; but I would desire you to renounce such a way of life, because it supports you in such a state of sensuality as renders you incapable of relishing the most essential doctrines of religion.

“For the same reason, I do not insist much upon the sin of wasting your time in sleep, though it be a great one; but I desire you to renounce this indulgence, because it gives a softness and idleness to your soul, and is so contrary to that lively, zealous, watchful, self-denying spirit, which was not only the spirit of Christ and his Apostles, and the spirit of all the saints and martyrs that have ever been among men, but must be the spirit of all those who would not sink in the common corruption of the world.

13. “Here, therefore, we must fix our charge against this practice. We must blame it, not as having this or that particular evil, but as a general habit that extends itself through our whole spirit, and supports a state of mind that is wholly wrong.

“It is contrary to piety; not as accidental slips or mistakes in life are contrary to it; but in such a manner as an ill state of body is contrary to health.

“On the other hand, if you was to rise early every morning, as an instance of self-denial, as a method of renouncing indulgence, as a means of redeeming your time and fitting your spirit for prayer, you would soon find the advantage. This method, though it seems but a small circumstance, might be a means of great piety. It would constantly keep it in your mind, that softness and idleness the bane of religion. It would teach you to exercise power over yourself, and to renounce other pleasures and tempers that war against the soul. And what is so planted and watered, will certainly have an increase from God.”

III. 1. It now only remains to inquire, in the Third place, how we may redeem the time, how we may proceed in this important affair. In what manner shall we most effectually practise this important branch of temperance

I advise all of you who are thoroughly convinced of the unspeakable importance of it, suffer not that conviction to die away, but instantly begin to act suitably to it. Only do not depend on your own strength; if you do, you will be utterly baffled. Be deeply sensible that as you are not able to do anything good of yourselves, so here, in particular, all your strength, all your resolution, will avail nothing. Whoever trusts in himself will be confounded. I never found an exception. I never knew one who trusted in his own strength that could keep this resolution for a twelve-month.

2. I advise you, Secondly, cry to the Strong for strength. Call upon Him that hath all power in heaven and earth, and believe that he will answer the prayer that goeth not out of feigned lips. As you cannot have too little confidence in yourself, so you cannot have too much in him. Then set out in faith; and surely his strength shall be made perfect in your weakness.

3. I advise you, Thirdly, add to your faith, prudence: Use the most rational means to attain your purpose. Particularly begin at the right end, otherwise you will lose your labour. If you desire to rise early, sleep early; secure this point at all events. In spite of the most dear and agreeable companions, in spite of their most earnest solicitations, in spite of entreaties, railleries, or reproaches, rigorously keep your hour. Rise up precisely at your time, and retire without ceremony. Keep your hour, notwithstanding the most pressing business: Lay all things by till the morning. Be it ever so great a cross, ever so great self-denial, keep your hour, or all is over.

4. I advise you, Fourthly, be steady. Keep your hour of rising without intermission. Do not rise two mornings, and lie in bed the third; but what you do once, do always. “But my head aches.” Do not regard that. It will soon be over. “But I am uncommonly drowsy; my eyes are quite heavy.” Then you must not parley; otherwise it is a lost case; but start up at once. And if your drowsiness does not go off, lie down for awhile an hour or two after. But let nothing make a breach upon this rule, rise and dress yourself at your hour.

5. Perhaps you will say, “The advice is good; but it comes too late! I have made a breach already. I did rise constantly and for a season, nothing hindered me. But I gave way by little and little, and I have now left it off for a considerable time.” Then, in the name of God, begin again! Begin to-morrow; or rather to-night, by going to bed early, in spite of either company or business. Begin with more self-diffidence than before, but with more confidence in God. Only follow these few rules, and, my soul for yours, God will give you the victory. In a little time the difficulty will be over; but the benefit will last for ever.

6. If you say, “But I cannot do now as I did then; for I am not what I was: I have many disorders, my spirits are low, my hands shake; I am all relaxed,” — I answer: All these are nervous symptoms; and they all partly arise from your taking too much sleep: Nor is it probable they will ever be removed, unless you remove the cause. Therefore, on this very account, (not only to punish yourself for your folly and unfaithfulness, but,) in order to recover your health and strength, resume your early rising. You have no other possible means of recovering, in any tolerable degree, your health both of body and mind. Do not murder yourself outright. Do not run on in the path that leads to the gates of death! As I said before, so I say again, In the name of God, this very day, set out anew. True, it will be more difficult than it was at the beginning. But bear the difficulty which you have brought upon yourself, and it will not last long. The Sun of Righteousness will soon arise again, and will heal both your soul and your body.

7. But do not imagine that this single point, rising early, will suffice to make you a Christian. No: Although that single point, the not rising, may keep you a Heathen, void of the whole Christian spirit; although this alone (especially if you had once conquered it) will keep you cold, formal, heartless, dead, and make it impossible for you to get one step forward in vital holiness, yet this alone will go but a little way to make you a real Christian. It is but one step out of many; but it is one. And having taken this, go forward. Go on to universal self-denial, to temperance in all things, to a firm resolution of taking up daily every cross whereto you are called. Go on, in a full pursuit of all the mind that was in Christ, of inward and then outward holiness; so shall you be not almost but altogether, a Christian; so shall you finish your course with joy: You shall awake up after his likeness, and be satisfied.

[Jan. 20, 1782]

Originally from here.

No, you won’t listen. So you are storing up terrible punishment for yourself because of your stubbornness in refusing to turn from your sin. For there is going to come a Day of Judgment when God, the just judge of all the world, will judge all people according to what they have done.
–Romans 2:5-6, NLT–

Repent, and believe in the Gospel.
–Mark 1:15–

The doctrine of Hell is perhaps the most important of all theological subjects to study. I used to think that “soteriology” was the most important; and, in a way, it is, because it is through that study that we get a handle on what the Gospel is. But the doctrine of Hell, which most theologians would put in the “eschatology” category:–I say is the most important of all theological subjects. If studied carefully from a Reformed or Puritan view, it will become clear that the doctrine of Hell should really be treated as a section of soteriology. When we understand the Biblical doctrine, or revelation of eternal punishment in Hell, only then do we see the great need for repentance from sin and faith in the bloodshed of Christ. Our view of Hell should guide our view of salvation. If the Gospel we preach does not “save from wrath” (Rom. 5:9), then we are preaching “another gospel” (Gal. 1:8). The deep spiritual concern of all mankind is the fear that you may end up in Hell after you die. If this concern is not sufficiently addressed by evangelists, then I say all their preaching is useless. Leonard Ravenhill said: “WE NEED SOME HELL-FIRE PREACHING ON REPENTANCE!” That is, preaching sermons on the subjects of Hell and Repentance; or, man’s deepest problem and solution. When you study books on the Puritan view of Hell, you see it in Bunyan, in Baxter, in Edwards, in Whitefield, in Wesley, in Spurgeon:–that the grand reason why Scripture condemns the great majority of mankind to the “lake of fire and brimstone” (Rev. 21:8) … is impenitence—not just a lack of repentance, having not thought of it. But impenitence—or having an unrepentant heart towards known sin. Impenitence, or an unrepentant heart, is when someone is repeatedly confronted by Scripture about their sins, but they refuse to change their hearts, refuse to resist the sin, refuse to give it up. They don’t want to change their evil ways. They want to “enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season” (Heb. 11:25); and ignore the reality that they’re on their way to “eternal fire” in Hell (Matt. 25:41). There is only one true Gospel:–that salvation from the eternal wrath of God in Hell is available only through REPENTANCE (actively striving to turn away from sin, and obeying God’s moral commandments) and FAITH (in the bloodshed of Christ on the cross, as a sin offering to the Father, a substitute for our eternal damnation). Without repentance and faith there is no salvation, no Gospel. So, it makes sense that when we examine the whole New Testament doctrine of Hell (for that is where most of it comes from), we see the two great causes of damnation to Hell are impenitence and unbelief; and the two great causes of salvation to Heaven are repentance and faith.

This is why John the Baptist erupts on the scene with a message of “REPENT! For the kingdom of Heaven has come near…His winnowing fork is in His hand, and He will clear His threshing floor, gathering His wheat into the barn and burning up the chaff with UNQUENCHABLE FIRE!” (Matt. 3:2, 12). Thus, the first sermon ever preached in the New Testament is a message of “Hell-fire preaching on repentance.” This repentance-or-Hell connection is immediately asserted:–TURN OR BURN! John the Baptist, of whom Christ said, “Among them that are born of women there is none greater” (Luke 7:28), clearly saw the reason why God has wicked men “thrown into Hell” (Luke 12:5):–it is because they refuse to repent from their sins, change their ways, amend their doings, etc. Thus the role of the evangelist, the missionary, the pastor, the street preacher is to urgently, and passionately, point men to REPENTANCE as the greatest EMERGENCY RESPONSE possible…it is the first and most immediate route away from Hell…it is “fleeing from the wrath to come” (Luke 3:7). But that’s not all, after repenting, after running away from sin and wrath and Hell, you must CLING TO THE CROSS FOR DEAR LIFE, or else you will die the “second death” (Rev. 21:8). HANGING ON TO THE CROSS, is living by faith in the blood of Christ, as the only means of turning away the anger of God for your sins. If you only have repentance, then you will become religiously prideful, and consider yourself better than others, because of your good works. You need the atonement of Christ, so the anger of God is satisfied (Isa. 53), and your pride extinguished at the thought: that your sins are so bad, that the only means God could employ to allow you into Heaven, was to give His Holy One over to the torments of Pontius Pilate! That thought should humble you!

This sprouts the question: “If my sins are so bad, then why isn’t faith in the cross enough? Why is repentance from sin necessary for salvation from Hell?” Because the cross is “for the forgiveness of sins that are past” (Rom. 3:25). Scripture never says Jesus died for your “past, present, and future sins.” The Christian must maintain his state of forgiveness before God, by “serving Him without fear, in holiness and righteousness all the days of his life” (Luke 1:75). After forgiving sinners, Christ says, “Go, and sin no more” (John 8:11). He offers God’s grace to sinners, but after that, He lays moral responsibility on them as well. Temptations will come, and the Christian will have to fight and resist temptations to commit sin, most of which will occur in his thought life; he will be expected to “fight the good fight of faith” (1 Tim. 6:12). So, “faith without works is dead” (Jas. 2:17); faith without repentance is not Biblical faith. The ONLY ANSWER TO HELL is FAITH-REPENTANCE or REPENTANCE-FAITH. It is a compound word for a compound concept and a compound spiritual experience. The man who tries to separate repentance from faith, and seeks to be saved from Hell by faith alone, without repentance, is truly deceived, and on his way to Hell! The only kind of faith that saves men from Hell is REPENTANT FAITH or PENITENT FAITH in the cross of Jesus. James said, “By works a man is justified and not by faith alone!” (Jas. 2:24) And John: “And each was judged according to his works, as recorded in the books” (Rev. 20:13).

But does this contradict the Protestant doctrine of “justification by faith alone”? No. I’m not really speaking about justification (the first time an ungodly sinner experiences God’s forgiveness, Romans 4:5). I’m referring to a man’s final and absolute salvation from Hell, which occurs at the end of his life (Luke 16:22). It’s important that we don’t confuse the concepts. Justification is not the same thing as salvation from Hell. (I used to think it was.) Justification by faith is an experience of God’s forgiveness that leads up to final salvation, continues throughout the Christian life, and finds its finalization, and culmination at death, when a godly man finally experiences salvation from Hell, and is perfected in holiness after entrance into Heaven. This is called “final justification” or “final salvation.” It is the “for sure”, irreversible, salvation from Hell after death, without the possibility of losing that conditional salvation the Christian has been living with all his life. The possibility of losing repentance, faith, and the grace of God lingered as a haunting reality all the Christian’s life:–but after the death of the saint, there is an “eternal life” bestowed by Christ that no man can take away! (John 3:16; 10:29). I think there are many evangelical Christians who are confused about this whole subject. And it is a tragic thing that so many take their salvation for granted, as if Heaven were already theirs, because they were one-time-forgiven, and that God does not expect them to “be holy, as He is holy” (1 Pet. 1:16). These Christians are not indwelt by the Holy Spirit; nor are they on their way to Heaven. A true experience of God’s forgiveness will lead men by the Spirit to “pursue peace with all men, and HOLINESS, WITHOUT WHICH NO ONE WILL SEE THE LORD!” (Heb. 12:14).

It’s not about what’s “judgmental” and “non-judgmental” that matters; it’s about the Scripture way of salvation from eternal Hell-fire! REPENTANCE AND FAITH:–or, PENITENT FAITH. And this is the judgment: They are “condemned already” who do “not believe” in Christ. Why? “Because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son” (John 3:18). It’s not just that those doomed to Hell haven’t believed in Jesus that’s the issue; what the real problem is, is that in not believing in Him, they die without Christ’s atonement for the sins of their lives, which is something that only “God’s one and only Son” could accomplish. If you “die in your sins” (John 8:24), then “the wrath of God abides on you” forever in Hell (John 3:36). Thus, repentance from sin is a necessary prerequisite for faith in the cross; and it is faith in the cross that secures atonement for sin, forgiveness of sin, and ultimately, salvation from Hell (if persisted in until death): “He that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved” (Matt. 24:13, HCSB).

But if Christ did not command Christians to “go, and sin no more” (John 8:11) after they receive their cross-based atonement, it would be ludicrous for Christ to have died on the cross at all! It would be just as ludicrous as a stranger bailing out a thief in court, and knowing he had an orientation for compulsive stealing (kleptomania), telling him that it would be okay if he stole again, as many times as he liked, and he could trust him to post bail every time he got caught! But Scripture calls Jesus the “Holy One” (Acts 2:27); and it is against His nature to be some “enabler” for wicked hypocrites, who are not committed to repentance. On the contrary, on Judgment Day, Jesus will tell the hypocrites, “I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!” (Matt. 7:23, NKJV). So, you can see that in the end, repentance and faith must go together, or you go to Hell. If there is no faith, there is no Heaven—true. But the nature of that faith brings forth repentance and “fruits worthy of repentance” (Matt. 3:8) (good works). I don’t mean a real Christian will never slip and fall and sometimes give into temptation and commit a sin. I just mean, the general orientation of a repentant Christian’s life is one of “going,” and of “sinning no more” (John 8:11). That’s the orientation of a saved Christian. There is a definite moral changing process going on, and less sinning (this is called regeneration and sanctification). That’s what repentance is. It’s not the total stopping of sin; its turning away from sin. In the Greek and Hebrew, the word “repent” means to turn away from or to put behind you. Repentance is not a “Stop” Sign, it’s a “U-Turn” Sign. Those who see repentance as the stopping of sin are perfectionists, and are deceived. Scripture says, “If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us” (1 John 1:8). And “all liars…shall be cast into the lake of fire” (Rev. 21:8).

So, TURN away from sin, and turn to Christ! Receive God’s forgiveness, and spiritual peace, and joy! But don’t have unrealistic notions about the nature of that turning. The turning is imperfect. You will still experience some amount sin, no matter how hard you turn from it. But what matters to God, is that you make a strong effort to turn, that you do “REPENT, for the kingdom of God is near” (Matt. 3:2). And mark my words, if you don’t turn at all, then “you are condemned already!” (John 3:18). I have warned you in love.

¹ Do not judge, or you too will be judged. ² For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. ³ “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? ⁴ How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? ⁵ You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye. ⁶ “Do not give dogs what is sacred; do not throw your pearls to pigs. If you do, they may trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces.
–Matthew 7:1-6 (NIV)–

¹⁹ The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; ²⁰ idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions ²¹ and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God. ²² But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, ²³ gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. ²⁴ Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. ²⁵ Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. ²⁶ Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.
–Galatians 5:19-26 (NIV)–

THE SPIRIT ITSELF BEARETH WITNESS with our spirit,
that WE ARE THE CHILDREN OF GOD.
–Romans 8:16–

Did not our HEART BURN WITHIN us while He talked with us on the road,
and while He opened THE SCRIPTURES to us?
–Luke 24:32 (NKJV)–

I was mute with silence,
I held my peace even from good;
And my sorrow was stirred up.
MY HEART WAS HOT WITHIN ME;
While I was musing, THE FIRE BURNED.
Then I spoke with my tongue.
–Psalm 39:2-3 (NKJV)–

I said, “I will not make mention of Him,
Nor speak anymore in His name.”
BUT HIS WORD WAS IN MY HEART LIKE A BURNING FIRE
Shut up in my bones;
I was weary of holding it back,
And I could not.
–Jeremiah 20:9 (NKJV)–

HE WILL BAPTIZE YOU WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT AND FIRE.
–Matthew 3:11 (NKJV)–

There appeared to them divided tongues,
AS OF FIRE, and one sat upon each of them.
–Acts 2:3 (NKJV)–

I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I COULD WISH YOU WERE cold or HOT. So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor HOT, I will vomit you out of My mouth.
–Revelation 3:15-16 (NKJV)–

With the spirit of every true believer, by A TESTIMONY DISTINCT FROM that of his own spirit, or the testimony of a good conscience. Happy they who enjoy this CLEAR AND CONSTANT.
—Wesley’s Explanatory Notes, Romans 8:16–

That same Spirit, the Spirit of adoption; that is, the Spirit who witnesses this adoption; which can be no other than the Holy Ghost himself, and certainly cannot mean any disposition or affection of mind which the adopted person may feel; for such a disposition must arise from a knowledge of this adoption, and the knowledge of this adoption cannot be given by any human or earthly means; it must come from God himself: therefore the αυτοτοπνευμα must have reference to that Spirit, by whom alone the knowledge of the adoption is witnessed to the soul of the believer…In our understanding, the place or recipient of light and information; and the place or faculty to which such information can properly be brought. This is done that we may have the highest possible evidence of the work which God has wrought. As the window is the proper medium to let the light of the sun into our apartments, so the understanding is the proper medium of conveying the Spirit’s influence to the soul. We, therefore, have the utmost evidence of the fact of our adoption which we can possibly have; we have the Word and Spirit of God; and the Word sealed on our spirit by the Spirit of God. And this is not a momentary influx: if we take care to walk with God, and not grieve the Holy Spirit, we shall have an abiding testimony; and while we continue faithful to our adopting Father, the Spirit that witnesses that adoption will continue to witness it; and hereby we shall know that we are of God by the Spirit which he giveth us.
—The Adam Clarke Commentary, Romans 8:16–

In the evening I went very unwillingly to a society in Aldersgate Street, where one was reading Luther’s preface to the Epistle to the Romans. About a quarter before nine, while he was describing the change which God works in the heart through faith in Christ, I felt my heart strangely warmed. I felt I did trust in Christ, Christ alone, for salvation; and an assurance was given me that He had taken away my sins, even mine, and saved me from the law of sin and death.
–John Wesley–

The inward witness, son, the inward witness,
that is the proof, the strongest proof, of Christianity.
–Samuel Wesley–

—

1. The sum of all this is: The testimony of the Spirit is an inward impression on the souls of believers, whereby the Spirit of God directly testifies to their spirit, that they are children of God. And it is not questioned, whether there is a testimony of the Spirit; but whether there is an direct testimony; whether there is any other than that which arises from a consciousness of the fruit of the Spirit. We believe there is; because this is the plain natural meaning of the text, illustrated both by the preceding words, and by the parallel passage in the Epistle to the Galatians; because, in the nature of the thing, the testimony must precede the fruit which springs from it and because this plain meaning of the word of God is confirmed by the experience of innumerable children of God; yea, and by the experience of all who are convinced of sin, who can never rest till they have a direct witness; and even of the children of the world, who, not having the witness in themselves, one and all declare, none can know his sins forgiven.

2. And whereas it is objected, that experience is not sufficient to prove a doctrine unsupported by Scripture; — that madmen and enthusiasts of every kind have imagined such a witness that the design of that witness is to prove our profession genuine, which design it does not answer; — that the Scripture says, “The tree is known by its fruit;” “examine yourselves; prove your ownselves;” and, meantime, the direct witness is never referred to in all the Book of God; — that it does not secure us from the greatest delusions; and, Lastly, that the change wrought in us is a sufficient testimony, unless in such trials as Christ alone suffered: — We answer, 1. Experience is sufficient to confirm a doctrine which is grounded on Scripture. 2. Though many fancy they experience what they do not, this is no prejudice to real experience. 3. The design of that witness is, to assure us we are children of God; and this design it does answer. 4. The true witness of the Spirit is known by its fruit, “love, peace, joy;” not indeed preceding, but following it. 5. It cannot be proved, that the direct as well as the indirect witness is not referred to in that very text, “Know ye not your ownselves, that Jesus Christ is in you.” 6. The Spirit of God, witnessing with our spirit, does secure us from all delusion: And, Lastly, we are all liable to trials, wherein the testimony of our own spirit is not sufficient; wherein nothing less than the direct testimony of God’s Spirit can assure us that we are his children.

3. Two inferences may be drawn from the whole: The First, let none ever presume to rest in any supposed testimony of the Spirit which is separate from the fruit of it. If the Spirit of God does really testify that we are the children of God, the immediate consequence will be the fruit of the Spirit, even “love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, fidelity, meekness, temperance.” And however this fruit may be clouded for a while, during the time of strong temptation, so that it does not appear to the tempted person, while Satan is sifting him as wheat; yet the substantial part of it remains, even under the thickest cloud. It is true, joy in the Holy Ghost may be withdrawn, during the hour of trial; yea, the soul may be “exceeding sorrowful,” while “the hour and power of darkness” continue; but even this is generally restored with increase, till we rejoice “with joy unspeakable and full of glory.”

4. The Second inference, is, let none rest in any supposed fruit of the Spirit without the witness. There may be foretastes of the Spirit without the witness. There may be foretastes of joy, of peace, of love, and those not delusive, but really from God, long before we have the witness in ourselves; before the Spirit of God witnesses with our spirits that we have “redemption in the blood of Jesus, even the forgiveness of sins.” Yea, there may be a degree of long-suffering, of gentleness, of fidelity, meekness, temperance, (not a shadow thereof, but a real degree, by the preventing grace of God,) before we “are accepted in the Beloved,” and, consequently, before we have a testimony of our acceptance: But it is by no means advisable to rest here; it is at the peril of our souls if we do. If we are wise, we shall be continually crying to God, until his Spirit cry in our heart, “Abba, Father!” This is the privilege of all the children of God, and without this we can never be assured that we are his children. Without this we cannot retain a steady peace, nor avoid perplexing doubts and fears. But when we have once received this Spirit of adoption, this “peace which passeth all understanding,” and which expels all painful doubt and fear, will “keep our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.” And when this has brought forth its genuine fruit, all inward and outward holiness, it is undoubtedly the will of Him that calleth us, to give us always what he has once given; so that there is no need that we should ever more be deprived of either the testimony of God’s Spirit, or the testimony of our own, the consciousness of our walking in all righteousness and true holiness.

—

John Wesley (1954 film), 38:11.

John Wesley, “The Witness of the Spirit,” Part II, 5.1-4.

—. The Journal of the Rev. John Wesley (Kershaw, 1827), vol. 1, pp. 97-98.

Richard J. Foster, Prayer: Finding the Heart’s True Home (HarperCollins, 1992), p. 133.

Jim Goll, Wasted on Jesus (Destiny Image, 2000), p. 164.

Richard Rolle, The Fire of Love (Penguin, 1995).