How does Proverbs 1:23 connect with the call to repentance in Acts 3:19?

◄ Link Proverbs 1:23 to Acts 3:19's repentance. ►

Key Texts

• Proverbs 1:23: “If you turn to my rebuke, behold, I will pour out my Spirit on you; I will make my words known to you.”

• Acts 3:19: “Repent therefore, and turn back, so that your sins may be wiped away, that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord.”

Shared Vocabulary—“Turn” and “Repent”

• Both verses hinge on the Hebrew/Greek ideas of turning around—shūb in Proverbs, metanoeō/epistrephō in Acts.

• Scripture treats repentance as more than apology; it is an about-face that reorients life toward God’s instruction.

Repentance: The Front Door to God’s Blessings

• Proverbs frames repentance as accepting correction (“my rebuke”).

• Acts presents it as abandoning sin and returning to God through Jesus.

• In each case, turning is not merely avoiding punishment; it is God’s chosen pathway to blessing.

Promise of the Spirit in Proverbs 1:23

• “I will pour out my Spirit on you” anticipates the fuller New-Covenant outpouring (Joel 2:28; Ezekiel 36:26-27).

• God links repentance with deeper revelation: “I will make my words known to you.” Spiritual insight follows surrendered hearts.

Promise of Refreshing in Acts 3:19

• “Times of refreshing” echoes the Spirit’s life-giving ministry (Isaiah 44:3; John 7:37-39).

• Forgiveness (“sins wiped away”) clears the way for fellowship, just as Proverbs promises understanding to the teachable.

One Unified Call Across Testaments

• Old Testament wisdom and New Testament gospel speak with one voice:

– Turn to God’s correction.

– Receive His Spirit’s presence.

– Enjoy cleansing and renewal.

• The continuity underscores that salvation has always been by grace through faith expressed in genuine repentance (Psalm 51:17; Romans 2:4).

Living the Connection

• Welcome God’s rebuke through Scripture and conviction (Hebrews 4:12).

• Confess and forsake sin immediately (1 John 1:9).

• Expect the Spirit’s ongoing filling and the Lord’s refreshing after every course-correction (Ephesians 5:18; Isaiah 30:15).

Supporting Passages

• Isaiah 55:6-7 – Seek the LORD… “let him return… He will abundantly pardon.”

• Joel 2:12-13 – “Return to Me with all your heart… for He is gracious.”

• Proverbs 28:13 – “He who confesses and forsakes [sin] will find compassion.”