truly sorry about our sins. We must feel deeply, as did the tax collector going up to the temple to pray, who, “standing at a distance was not willing even to raise his eyes heavenward, but kept beating his chest, saying: ‘O God, be gracious to me a sinner.’” Like sincere repentance was also expressed by Ezra, on behalf of the erring returned exiles, and by the apostle Peter after he had denied Jesus.—Luke 18:13; Ezra 9:3-15; Matt. 26:75.

To count with God, we must plead such sincere repentance on the basis of God’s provision for forgiveness: “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous so as to forgive us our sins.” This is done on the basis of the Helper we have “with the Father, Jesus Christ, a righteous one.” He is the “Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world.” Of course, this provision of the ransom seems foolish to those who do not feel any need to repent.—1 John 1:9; 2:1; John 1:29.

Also vital in repenting is right motive. Ours must be a godly sorrow, based on love of God and of righteousness, and not merely on fear of punishment. Only “sadness in a godly way makes for repentance to salvation which is not to be regretted.” ‘It is the kindly quality of God that is trying to lead us to repentance.’ A solely selfish remorse will profit us no more than it did Esau, Pharaoh or Judas.—2 Cor. 7:10; Rom. 2:4; Gen. 27:34-37; Ex. 10:16, 17; Matt. 27:3-5.

“FRUITS THAT BEFIT REPENTANCE”

To the crowds that traveled out to hear John the Baptist, he said: “Produce fruits that befit repentance.” Just as “faith without works is dead,” so repentance without befitting fruits is vain. What are these fruits?—Luke 3:8; Jas. 2:26.

The very first fruit of repentance is doing an about-face. As Peter told the Jews in his day: “Repent, therefore, and turn around so as to get your sins blotted out.” From then on we may live, “no more for the desires of men, but for God’s will.” Yes, the fruits befitting repentance require us to dedicate ourselves to do God’s will and to follow in the footsteps of Jesus Christ. And since the first thing Jesus did upon dedicating himself was to give a public expression of it, symbolizing it by water baptism, we may not delay being baptized once we have turned around and resolved to do God’s will.—Acts 3:19; 1 Pet. 4:2.

Chief among the fruits that befit repentance is witnessing to God’s name and kingdom. Without producing such fruits our repentance would be of no avail, for, while “with the heart one exercises faith for righteousness, . . . with the mouth one makes public declaration for salvation.” There are various ways in which this public confession can be made, and by making the most of our opportunities we can produce much Kingdom fruit.—Rom. 10:10.

To bring forth fruits befitting repentance we must also exercise care that we continue to abstain from the selfish works of the flesh. We must ever bear in mind that “the time that has passed by is sufficient for you to have worked out the will of the nations when you proceeded in deeds of loose conduct, lusts, . . . that are without legal restraint.” Instead of letting a longing for such things return, we must set our affections on God’s kingdom and its service and our minds on producing the fruitage of the spirit, which is “love, joy, peace, long-suffering, kindness, goodness, faith, mildness, self-control.”—1 Pet. 4:3; Gal. 5:22, 23.

Extending mercy and forgiveness to those who have sinned against us and who repent is a further fruit befitting repentance and without which our repentance would not count with God. Only the merciful will be shown mercy. Jesus taught us to pray, “Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.” And how often should we forgive? Jesus answered: “I say to you, not, Up to seven times, but, Up to seventy-seven times.”—Matt. 6:12; 18:22.

While being conscientious to bring forth such fitting fruits of repentance, we should not go to the other extreme of brooding over our sins all the time as though by making ourselves miserable we could atone for them. Rather, we must have faith that “the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.” Far from encouraging such brooding, the Scriptures tell us: “Happy is the one whose . . . sin is covered.”—1 John 1:7; Ps. 32:1.

From all the foregoing it is very apparent that there can be no such thing as salvation because of deathbed repentance.

DIVINE AIDS IN BRINGING FORTH FRUITS OF REPENTANCE

Outstanding among the aids God has provided for our bringing forth fruits befitting repentance is prayer. We need to commune with God in prayer, praising and thanking him as well as asking him continually for forgiveness, wisdom and strength to do his will. Unselfishly our prayers should include petitions for the prosperity of His cause and the welfare of our brothers.—Phil. 4:6; Col. 4:2.

Imperative also is the regular study of God’s Word together with the aids he has providentially provided so that we may get the sense of what we read in his Word. We cannot live “on bread alone, but on every utterance coming forth through Jehovah’s mouth.” Only by diligent study can we make progress and become “fully competent, completely equipped for every good work.”—Matt. 4:4; 2 Tim. 3:17.

Christian association is another aid God has provided for us in bringing forth fruits befitting repentance. Even as the members of a human body have need of one another, so do Christians. We may therefore not forsake assembling ourselves together at congregation meetings, where we can encourage and incite one another to love and right works.—1 Cor. 12:12-27; Heb. 10:23-25.

If any dedicated Christian finds himself overtaken in gross sin, he should make haste to repent of his wrong conduct. First to God and then to the responsible ones in His visible organization he should make open confession of his wrong, express his repentance and earnestly seek forgiveness. By thereafter making straight paths for his feet and humbly submitting to any discipline that may be administered he can demonstrate that his repentance is indeed due to godly sorrow and that he sincerely does want to walk in the ways of righteousness.

Truly the Scriptural truth about the repentance that counts with God satisfies heart and mind. It magnifies God’s wisdom and justice and, above all, his love and mercy.

Sleeping Pills

In his pastoral letter to the clergy of his diocese the new bishop of Lund, Nils Bolander, asks the question why so relatively few people enter in through the gates of the churches? And he himself gives this answer: “The foremost reason might be that we priests are standing in there under obscure vaults and telling neither rhyme nor reason.” He further says, about sermons: “There certainly is something to the saying that there is drowsiness in the Church. Sometimes our sermons may serve as sheer sleeping pills.”—The Stockholm Svenska Dagbladet, January 23, 1959.