This is the apostle's own argument: "God commands all men
everywhere to repent; because he has appointed a day, in the which he will
judge the world" (Acts 17:3031). There is that in the day of judgment, which
may make a stony heart bleed. Will a man go on thieving—when the the
Judge is looking upon him! Will the sinner go on sinning—when the day of
judgment is so near? You can no more conceal your sin—than you can defend
it. And what will you do when all your sins shall be written in God's
book—and engraved on your forehead! O direful day, when Jesus Christ clothed
in his judge's robe shall say to the sinner, "Stand forth; answer to the
indictment brought against you. What can you say for all your oaths,
adulteries, and your desperate impenitence?" O how amazed and stricken with
terror will the sinner be! And after his conviction he must hear the sad
sentence, "Depart from Me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire
prepared for the Devil and his angels!" Then, he who would not repent of his
sins—shall repent of his folly! If there is such a time
coming, wherein God will judge men for their impieties—what a spur should
this be to repentance! The penitent soul shall at the last day lift up his
head with comfort and have a discharge to show—written by the Judge's own
hand!
- Thomas Watson (The Doctrine of Repentance, Chapter 7)
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