This product will be available on November 11th, 2025

Description

A Penitent People: The Doctrine of Repentance

In this refreshing exploration of a frequently misunderstood spiritual discipline, Harrison Perkins invites Christians to reconsider repentance not as a dreary obligation, but as a joyful gift of grace.

With theological depth and pastoral sensitivity, Perkins shows how repentance is about freedom—Christ freeing His people from sin's enslaving power.

Drawing from Scripture and Reformed tradition, A Penitent People illuminates repentance as both personal posture and communal practice. Through thoughtful examinations of key biblical passages, Perkins demonstrates that genuine repentance flows from faith, propels us toward Christ, and transforms both individuals and churches.

This book challenges common misconceptions, showing that repentance isn't about earning God's favor but experiencing the freedom Christ purchased. Rather than focusing on guilt, Perkins emphasizes how repentance allows believers to enjoy the ‘twofold benefit’ of Christ—justification and progressive sanctification.

Perfect for pastors, students, and everyday Christians seeking to deepen their spiritual life, A Penitent People offers a biblical vision of repentance that liberates rather than burdens—inviting readers to discover the sweet relief of turning from sin to embrace the goodness of God.

Endorsements

... helps us to understand how this vital work of the Holy Spirit leads to forgiveness, reconciliation, and a life lived in thankful submission to God’s sovereign will.

Ike Reeder
President, Birmingham Theological Seminary, Birmingham, Alabama

... a heartfelt invitation to see repentance as the joyful rhythm of the Christian life, grounded in the unwavering grace of Christ. Whether you’re a bruised soul needing assurance or a stubborn one needing a nudge, this book will point you to Jesus—the only Savior who frees us from sin’s penalty and its power. 

Patrick Abendroth
Pastor, Omaha Bible Church, Omaha, Nebraska

... Perkins alerts us to the danger of mistaking a routine practice for an inferior one. Here, “godly sorrow” is presented in its health and beauty, and it will particularly comfort those whose sorrow is never sorrowful enough. In all this discussion, the sufficient grace of God in Christ is ever present ....

A. Craig Troxel
Professor of Practical Theology, Westminster Seminary, Escondido, California

Repentance, both in theory and practice, is sadly neglected today. Perkins’ book is a wonderful tonic for that neglect, showing not simply the necessity and duty of repentance, but its gracious source in the ongoing ministry of the Lord Jesus. 

Donald John MacLean
President, Westminster Presbyterian Theological Seminary, Newcastle

Author

Harrison Perkins

Harrison Perkins (PhD, Queen’s University Belfast) is pastor at Oakland Hills Community Church (OPC), Senior Research Fellow at the Craig Center for the Study of the Westminster Standards, associate online faculty in church history at Westminster Theological Seminary, visiting faculty at Birmingham Theological Seminary, visiting lecturer in systematic theology at Edinburgh Theological Seminary, and author of ‘Reformed Covenant Theology: A Systematic Introduction’.

Specifications

ISBN 9781527112551

Author Harrison Perkins

Imprint Focus

Category Christian Life

Format Paperback

Page Count 136

Width 5.118113 in

Height 7.7952798 in

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