Harrison Perkins | Understanding the Doctrine of Repentance

Dec 5, 2025

Harrison Perkins, an OPC pastor and theologian, discusses his book, A Penitent People, exploring the often misunderstood doctrine of repentance. He redefines repentance not as a dreary duty but as a saving grace that liberates believers from sin's grip, emphasizing the joy it brings. They delve into key biblical psalms, the importance of a repentant church culture, and how true repentance leads to genuine life change. Perkins aims to help individuals see repentance as a compassionate, empowering act of faith.

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INSIGHT

Repentance As A Saving Grace

Repentance is a saving grace, not a dour duty or entrance fee for salvation.
Christ frees his people from sin's penalty and power, making repentance a merciful gift.

INSIGHT

Repentance Frees, It Doesn't Punish

Repentance involves being freed from sin's enslaving power, not merely feeling guilty.
Viewing repentance as removal of a spiritual 'tumor' reframes it as kindness and healing from Christ.

ADVICE

Come To Christ Then Repent

Come to Christ to be cleansed, not to cleanse yourself first; repentance follows faith as a fruit.
Treat repentance as Spirit-wrought fruit, not a human work that earns forgiveness.

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In this episode, Dr. Harrison Perkins speaks about his new book A Penitent People: The Doctrine of Repentance (Christian Focus). Perkins brings the warmth of pastoral ministry together with the clarity of confessional Reformed theology. He explains that repentance is often misunderstood—as if it were a dreary duty or an entrance requirement for grace. Instead, Scripture presents repentance as a saving grace, a divine gift through which Christ frees his people from sin's enslaving power and draws them into renewed joy. Repentance is not the price we pay to come to Christ; it is the fruit of having already been brought to Him by the Spirit through faith.

Together they explore key biblical passages (Psalm 51, Psalm 38, 2 Corinthians 7, Luke 3), the Reformed confessions, unhealthy distortions of penance, and the pastoral challenge of helping people see repentance not as a terror but as a mercy. Repentance doesn't merely involve feeling guilty—it involves embracing Christ, turning from sin, and tasting the joy that accompanies renewal. They also discuss what a repentant church culture looks like: a community marked by humility, honesty, grace, and a shared approach to the Lord's Table as those who come on equal footing—sinners saved by a gracious Redeemer.

Harrison Perkins (PhD, Queen's University Belfast; MDiv, Westminster Seminary California) is the pastor of Oakland Hills Community Church in Farmington Hills, Michigan. He is the author of Reformed Covenant Theology: A Systematic Introduction (Lexham Press 2024), Catholicity and the Covenant of Works (Oxford University Press, 2020), Righteous by Design: Covenantal Merit and Adam's Original Integrity (2024), Created for Communion with God: The Promise of Genesis 1–2 (Lexham Press, 2025), and a number of popular and academic articles. He regularly writes articles for Heidelblog and Modern Reformation.

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Chapters

0:00:07 Introduction
0:10:03 Background to the Book
0:16:22 Reframing Our Understanding of Repentance
0:20:39 The Joy of Repentance
0:24:35 The Reformed Confessions on Repentance
0:37:17 Psalms 38 and 143
0:43:26 Bearing Fruit in Keeping with Repentance
0:48:15 Distinguishing Fruits of Repentance from Acts of Penance
0:53:28 Illustrations of Repentance
1:00:41 Exodus 24, Covenant, and the Repentant Community
1:06:45 Hope for Readers of This Book
1:12:06 Conclusion

Participants: Camden Bucey, Harrison Perkins

This is Christ the Center episode 936 (https://www.reformedforum.org/ctc936)