"Repentance must go with forgiveness for the completeness of divine mercy. That which could forgive the sin and let the sinner continue to live in it would be scant and superficial mercy. It would be unequal and deformed mercy. It would be lame and withered mercy.
Which is the greater privilege: cleansing from the guilt of sin, or deliverance from the power of sin? Both are immeasurably great, and neither would have come to us apart from the precious blood of Jesus... If we were forgiven and were permitted to continue to love sin, to riot in iniquity, and to wallow in lust, we wouldn't really need forgiveness after all. In such a case, forgiveness would turn out to be a "poisoned sweet", which would eventually destroy us. To be washed and then to return to wallow in the mire would be pointless. To be pronounced clean and yet have leprosy would be a mockery of mercy.
Thank God, He forgives our iniquities and heals our diseases. He who washes us from the stains of the past also lifts us up from the foul ways of the present and keeps us from failing in the future" (Charles Spurgeon, All of Grace, 92-93).
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