This episode continues the focus on God's lovingkindness that leads to repentance. A balanced preaching of the gospel always includes the demand to repent. Coupled with the convicting work of the Spirit, godly sorrow leads to repentance without regret. (2 Corinthians 7:10) The Holy Spirit also leads people to repent by imparting on the soul a sense of God's unmerited kindnesses. The evangelist ideally follows the Holy Spirit's leading in "wounding the conscience" (Acts 2:38), while bringing out the gracious character of God in His care of us when we deserve the opposite. The episode concludes with an exhortation to be living epistles of God's lovingkindness. The evangelist himself/herself should be the embodiment of the grace extended to all. So just as God is "kind to ungrateful and evil people," so the evangelist should be gracious to ALL, ready to bless.
Both Godly Sorrow and His Many Kindnesses Lead to Repentance
This episode mostly focuses on the kindnesses of God that lead to repentance. The last program emphasized cooperation with the convicting Holy Spirit, as He works godly sorrow leading to repentance without regret. The temptation for some evangelists (and churches) is interrupting or sidestepping the Holy Spirit's work of conviction, resulting in shallow repentance without genuine sorrow. The result at best, is a shallow repentance with regret. The evangelist instead needs to cooperate with the Holy Spirit's "sorrowful" work, while at the same time bringing to mind His more "positive" gracious works. "The kindnesses of God lead you to repentance." (Romans 2:4) Many unbelievers have experienced kindnesses of God that smack of divine intervention: miraculous survival from normally "fatal" accidents, instantaneous answers to prayer, and rescue from dire circumstances. God can't help Himself, for "He is kind to ungrateful and evil people." (Luke 6:35) The evangelist can then hopefully elicit acknowledgment of God's kindnesses while articulating God's call to repent. Godly sorrow coupled with God's kindnesses, embodied in the cross, are the means of repentance.