Repentance: What it Means to Repent and Why We Must Do So

by J.C. Ryle

It is indifference that leaves people alone and allows them to go their own way. It is love, tender love, that warns them and raises the cry of alarm. The cry of “Fire! Fire!” at midnight might sometimes rudely, harshly, and unpleasantly startle a person out of his sleep, but who would complain if that cry was the means of saving his life? The words Except you repent, you will all likewise perish might at first seem stern and severe, but they are words of love, and they could be the means of delivering precious souls from hell.

1.The nature of repentance: What is it?
2.The necessity of repentance: Why is repentance needful?
3.The encouragements to repentance: What is there to lead people to repent?

Genres: Christian, Theology, Christian Living, Nonfiction, Christian Non Fiction, Religion, Christianity

65 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 19, 2012

About the author

(John Charles Ryle) Ryle started his ministry as curate at the Chapel of Ease in Exbury, Hampshire, moving on to become rector of St Thomas's, Winchester in 1843 and then rector of Helmingham, Suffolk the following year. While at Helmingham he married and was widowed twice. He began publishing popular tracts, and Matthew, Mark and Luke of his series of Expository Thoughts on the Gospels were published in successive years (1856-1858). His final parish was Stradbroke, also in Suffolk, where he moved in 1861, and it was as vicar of All Saints that he became known nationally for his straightforward preaching and firm defence of evangelical principles. He wrote several well-known and still-in-print books, often addressing issues of contemporary relevance for the Church from a biblical standpoint. He completed his Expository Thoughts on the Gospels while at Stradbroke, with his work on the Gospel of John (1869). His third marriage, to Henrietta Amelia Clowes in 1861, lasted until her death in 1889.

Reviews

[Ashley Bacon · Rating 5 out of 5]

JC Ryle.. all day everyday! Whatever he writes is gold.

[Jason Atkinson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic read from Ryle

This short paper can be read in less than an hour and I plan to read it regularly to remind myself of the importance of repentance my life as a believer.

[Ian Crosby · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great short read on repentance. No reason not to read it.

[Trevor Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent, short work on the nature, need, and benefit of repentance.

[Logan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Short and succinct. Ryle gets to the heart of repentance and exhorts the reader to repent, whether you’re a Christian or not. The concluding chapter was rife with the urgency of repentance and being saved through faith in Christ. Very enjoyable read if you need a reminder on why repentance is important and/or it’s role in the life of the Christian.

[Willow Grimaldi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book with such a rich and important theme of the Christian life. I picked up this book after leading someone in the prayer of repentance and I think this book does a good job of saying the ability to even do that is God's love.

[Bjørn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Short easy to understand

Short easy to understand, sound doctrine on repentance. That we all need to enter the Kingdom Of God. It's a blessing to read, iv been blessed, and so can you.

[Theo Milos · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great book filled with great quotes (4.4 stars). All are about repentance and why thou shall do it. Repentation is to think about the sins you have done, and seeking to clean your soul with Jesus Christ. Every man sins, and because this is a fact every man has to repent. No matter how much money you have or how much materials you may own, the feeling in you and your sould will not just disappear. Seek a life with Jesus. Never be ashamed of God in the pursuit of seeking Him. He will judge you on the final day, but sees everything you do because He is everywhere. Even though you may see yourself as a bad person you can change that, with love and repentation.

“There are many things which are not needful. Riches are not needful. Health is not needful. Fine clothes are not needful. Noble friends are not needful. The favour of the world is not needful. Gifts and learning are not needful. Millions have reached heaven without these things. Thousands are reaching heaven every year without them. But no one ever reached heaven without "repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.”

“The door of mercy is set wide open. The door is not yet locked. The door can be opened. God’s heart is full of love. God’s heart is full of compassion. Whoever and whatever a person might have been, at midnight or at any time, whenever he returns to God, he will find God willing to receive him, ready to pardon him, and glad to have him at home. All things are ready. Whoever desires to enter can come in.”

“Wherever faith is, there is repentance. Wherever repentance is, there is always faith.”

“Heaven is a prepared place, and those who go to heaven must be a prepared people. Our hearts must be in tune for the business of heaven, or else we would find heaven itself a miserable place to live. Our minds must be in harmony with those of the inhabitants of heaven, or else the society of heaven would soon be unbearable to us.”

[Joshua Pearsall · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful & short read/listen (found here: https://anekopress.com/product/repent... for free both audio & reading). It is not deep theological treatise walking through every part of Scripture, but it is a short & direct treatment meant to help define what Repentance is, call all to it, and share the great promise and soothing balms attached to it.

"I think it might be possible that some readers are afraid to repent. You think you are so bad and unworthy that Christ will not have you. I urge you once more to cast away such fear forever. Never, never be afraid to repent. The Lord Jesus Christ is very gracious. He will not break the bruised reed, nor quench the smoking flax (Mt 12.10). Do not be afraid to draw near to Him. There is a confessional ready for you. You do not need one made by man. The throne of grace is the true confessional. There is a Priest ready for you. You do not need any ordained man - no priest, no bishop, no minister - to stand between you and God. The Lord Jesus is the true High Priest. There is none as wise and loving as He. None but He can give you absolution and send you away with a light heart and in perfect peace. Oh, take the invitation I bring to you. Fear nothing. Christ is not an austere man (Lk 19.21). He despises none (Job 36.5). Arise today and flee to Him. Go to Christ and repent now without delay."

1: What is repentance
2: The necessity of repentance
3: The encouragements to repentance.

[Sophia Ferguson · Rating 5 out of 5]

So much wisdom packed into 65 pages!! Ryle does an amazing job citing Scripture on the foundational stone of repentance in Christianity. He opens his sermon with one of Jesus’ commandments found in Mark 1:15 “Repent, and believe the gospel.” He then goes into what repentance is, why it’s necessary, and how only through God’s grace and mercy is what leads us to repentance! J.C. Ryle’s writing is always so enjoyable and encouraging, this book was such a blessing and I highly recommend it!

“Repentance is a thorough change of a person’s natural heart regarding the subject of sin.”

“However, when this heart of ours is changed by the Holy Spirit, when this natural love of sin is cast out, then that change takes place that the Word of God calls “repentance””

“Wherever faith is, there is repentance. Wherever repentance is, there is always faith.”

“Without repentance, there is no real happiness in the life that now is.”

[Liam · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great lengthy Ryle sermon on repentance.

[I got this one thinking it would be a full book length dive into the subject - so was a little disappointed with it only being one sermon (though a lengthy one!).]

[Dan Mingo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Shorter book on the topic, but explains it well. I really appreciated the ending. The concept of not being ashamed to repent was something I had not thought of in that way.

[Amanda (aebooksandwords) · Rating 4 out of 5]

A short but in depth book about repentance from Anglican J.C. Ryle. I was especially impacted by the survey of Scriptures about repentance and related parables even though I have read these at some point in the past. The book ends with an extra section of a biography of Ryle.

[Teresa · Rating 5 out of 5]

“There will always be sins to lament and faults to confess. Take them daily to the Lord Jesus Christ, and obtain from Him daily supplies of mercy and grace.”

[Kenneth G · Rating 5 out of 5]

A short, yet important work on a foundational topic within Christianity. An absolute must-read!

[Luke Beauchamp · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful call for Christians and non-Christians alike to sorrow over sin, confess sin, forsake sin, and strive after holiness.

[Autumn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Booklet breaking down repentance. Loved the short bio at the end.

[Sam Hopper · Rating 5 out of 5]

J.C. Ryle is an oddly comforting author. He is direct and brutal with the Truth, but it always leads me closer to Christ.

‘Repentence’ is no different. It is a short read, capable of being finished within an hour, but is more profound than many thousand page books put together by men who considered themselves wiser.

I pray every day that I have the Repentence that leads to sanctification.

[James · Rating 5 out of 5]

10/10

[Arthur · Rating 5 out of 5]

epic.

[Miles Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best short admonitions on repentance from the famous Anglican divine.

[Mathew Nix · Rating 4 out of 5]

A brief but moving book expounding what it means to repent and encouraging the need to do so. Like Ryle's A Call to Prayer, this book will motivate you to take positive actions for Christ.

[Nick Suire · Rating 3 out of 5]

Solid, short read. Mainly an exhortation to practice repentance. I liked it.

[Pat Baird · Rating 4 out of 5]

For those of us that have been walking with Jesus for a while we can be tempted to dismiss the words like, “repentance”. Oh how guilty I am of that. Primers like Ryle’s help us realign the wheels of the heart. Christian’s repent. And yet how forgetful and neglectful am I of that truth.

As I read this work I thought about my momentary repentance in my conversion, but then I thought about the how I am called to be repenting every hour of my Christian walk. I wonder how thick callus is around my heart towards repenting? Am I of the few in history who have been quick to this? Have I grieved the Spirit? Seared my conscious? What have I set in the corner and deemed “okay”?

These are the questions that Ryle provoked in my soul. Primers are deeply needed for those of us that think we are varsity Christians. Patrick has not arrived. Christ is the one who has arrived.

I read this book with the intention of leading a variety of young college interns through the book. I had the privilege of reading papers that at times felt more like diary entries that served as surgical reports of the work that Ryle did on their hearts.

Timeless, approachable, worth the 2hrs it will take you to read it, and will be one I revisit.

4/5

[Clayton · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have never read any of the works of JC Ryle. I have to say that the writing style is very similar to that of CS lewis, though that is because they were roughly around the same time. (If I'm not mistaken in fact, Ryle died in 1880 and Lewis was born in 1898)

As for the book itself, it was a good book and I think it was a very good introduction into repentance and the topic of that. It focused all around the theme of Jesus's words when he said, unless you repent you will all likewise perish. It's a good reminder and a good focus. For me, I think it receives the three stars because it just wasn't as engaging in captivating as it could have been but then again that is probably because of the time period that this was written. Despite this, I did enjoy it and I think it is a fitting book to end the month of January with.

[Johann · Rating 5 out of 5]

Straightforward

I think there is a lot of confusion in regards to what Repentance actually looks like. The author, it seems, was attacked a lot for being "legalistic" in his theology on Repentance but after reading this I see that he's just a fellow brother who wants God's Will to be submitted to while everything else that we try to do in our own strength pales in comparison.
The book of James simply states that sin is simply knowing to do good and not doing it. That's humanity as a whole. None of us are perfect. But Jesus is Perfect and when we accept Him as our substitute then we come to the realization we have a complete clean slate and it gives us the desire to want to do what He wants us to do more and more every day.

[Kyle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Do you know the condition of your own soul? Repent or you shall surely perish twice. Repentance is the first doctrine Jesus preached. It is the foundation upon which our glorification stands or falls. Professing faith without it is no saving faith at all. Repent and flee from sin, find rest in Christ. This book is 63 pages, it is clear, concise, quick and a great example of duplex gratia (Christ for Pardon and Christ for Power)

[TM Murphy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well worth the short read....

A fundamental understanding of what is repentance and how we should understand the seriousness of the lack of.
JC Ryles writings are always
Edifying to the soul.Well worth the short read.

[Mozelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Questions answered

Repentance is not discussed or taught anymore. Repentance is required to enter Heaven. Search your spirit and follow Rules advice for eternal life. Read all of his works. Good words to hear!

[Anga Kyla · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very consise and straightforward. Easy to understand while touching and moving. It makes you think about everything you may think is important but important can it really be in the face of eternity. My first Christian literature outside the Bible, but it definitely won't be my last.