Bible Repentance: Path to Love - Robert J. Wieland

ordinance implying guilt, virtually confessing, by
the symbol of baptism, pollution to be washed
away. . . , Christ came not confessing His own sins;
but guilt was imputed to him as sinner’s substitute.
He came not to repent on His own account; but in
behalf of the sinner. ... As their substitute, He takes
upon Him their sins, numbering Himself with the
transgressors, taking the steps the sinner is required
to take; and doing the work the sinner must do.
(Review and Herald, January 21, 1873.)
Let us take a second look at the important
points in these statements:
1. Though Christ was utterly sinless, He did in
His own soul experience repentance.
2. His baptism indicated that He felt in His own
sinless heart the burden of guilt that oppresses the
heart of the sinner. In other words, He knows
exactly how the sinner feels, including “every
repenting sinner”. In our self-righteousness we
cannot feel such sympathy with “every repenting
sinner” because only a Perfect Man can experience
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