Turn and Live - in the Time of Covid-19

A Book Recommendation by Frank Frank Tyler

Since the US Supreme Court ruled abortion legal in 1973, abortionists have taken the lives of 61 million babies in America. Although social distancing forced the cancelation of many LGBTQ parades, the rainbow colored flag continues to prosper as a banner for counter-biblical morality. Is Covid-19 a temporal judgment from God? Many Christians believe so and are calling for repentance. But, just what is repentance? And, what role does it play in our lives as Christians? Dr. Robert Wilkin’s 2019 book Turn and Live: The Power of Repentance answers these questions biblically.

In the early 1980s, Wilkin wrote his doctoral dissertation for Dallas Theological Seminary on the doctrine of repentance, advocating the change-of-mind view (7).

People who still hold to the change-of-mind view like my dissertation. However, about a dozen years after I handed in my dissertation, I changed my mind about repentance. I came to believe that repentance is always changing your mind about your sins.It is always a decision to turn from one’s sinful ways to the Lord. In addition, I came to see that repentance is never a condition for everlasting life. (Underlining added; 105)

These two conclusions are the result of Wilkin’s systematic study of the Scriptures and are foundational to his current understanding of repentance.

Ten of the book’s eighteen chapters (Chapters 5-14) exposit specific biblical passages. For example, Chapter 5 reads, “Repent for the Kingdom of Heaven Is at Hand (Matthew 3:2; 4:17).” Likewise, Chapters 15 and 16 respectively, “Other Verses Thought to Link Salvation and Repentance” and “Repentance and the Gospel of John,” maintain Wilkin’s Scripture-first-approach. The remaining six chapters of the book either summarize repentance in church history and the Old and New Testaments or draw conclusions based upon biblical passages previously explored in the book. The Bible changed Wilkin’s mind about repentance; the Bible is what Wilkin teaches in Turn and Live.

Given such an important doctrine, you and I might expect a lengthy presentation. Afterall, the book has eighteen chapters, five appendixes, both Scripture and subject indexes and a study guide. Refreshingly, not so; the book is only 155 pages. Wilkin focuses first on the immediate context of each passage and then secondly on the larger context of the book or biblical author. This is especially important for passages “in which no specific object is stated.”

First, does the context provide some assistance? Second, does the meaning of the word elsewhere in the same book or the same author provide some help? (30)

As beneficiaries of this approach to the Scriptures, you and I enjoy a presentation that is both lively and suitable for group Bible study. For those of us familiar with Wilkin’s past work, this is his trademark—well-reasoned, hard-hitting, concise biblical exposition that even layman can understand.

What does Abraham mean when he responds to the rich man’s plea, “If one goes to them from the dead, they will repent” (Luke 16:19-31)? Read Chapter 8. What does the Apostle Peter mean when he writes, God is “not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9)? Read Chapter 14. As a mere reviewer of the book, I cannot reveal these answers. Thankfully, Dr. Wilkin has graciously permitted TTVF Journal to reprint the “Preface” and “Chapter One” of his book in this year’s journal.

Considering the current lawlessness in major American cities along with the ungodliness promoted by so many in our nation, Dr. Wilkin’s book could not be more timely or helpful. TTVF highly recommends you read Turn and Live: The Power of Repentance and discover the biblical meaning of repentance… you may well change your mind about repentance.