The story is told of a preacher who moved into a new location and for several weeks in a row preached on no subject but repentance. The elders finally approached him and asked him if he didn't think it about time to preach on another subject. His response: "Why? Noboby has repented yet."

Before people will repent, they must be moved to repent. An awareness of the need change directions in one's life is necessary. Because there is something in this that seems to violate man's volition, that which moves him to repent may have to be extreme. No doubt that is why God has given two extreme motives to repentance.

One of the motives to repentance can be seen in the final remarks of Paul as he preached on Mars Hill. "And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commanded all men everywhere to repent: because he hath appointed a day, in which he will judge the world in righteousness" (Acts 17:30,31). Fear of judgement is a strong motive. All men will be judged, so all men must repent in readiness for that judgment. Otherwise, we shall fail to stand in the judgment. (cf. Psalm 1:5).

The other motive to repentance is found on the extreme other end of the pendulum from fear: it is love. "The goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance" (Romans 2:4). That goodness has gone to extremes beyond which man could have gone. It culminated in His love giving His only begotten Son to die for us.

Even if the fear of judgment might not move us to repentance, surely the knowledge of God's goodness should. One motive looks inwardly to our own unworthiness -- the other outwardly to what God has done for us. Whichever it may be with you, may you be motivated to repentance. When you have been so motivatied, we still cannot cease to preach on repentance, till "everybody has repented."