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Of course the sinner must repent. But why? Simply because otherwise he would be unable to realise what he had done. The moment of repentance is the moment of initiation. More than that. It is the means by which one alters one’s past. The Greeks thought that impossible. They often say in their gnomic aphorisms “Even the Gods cannot alter the past.” [123.1] Christ showed that the commonest sinner could do it. That it was the one thing he could do[123a]. Christ, had he been asked, would have said—I feel quite certain about it—that the moment the prodigal son fell on his knees and wept[123.2] he really made his having wasted his substance with harlots, and then kept swine and hungered for the husks they ate, beautiful and holy incidents in his life. It is difficult for most people to grasp the idea.I dare say one has to go to prison to understand it. If so, it may be worth while going to prison.
当然，罪人必须悔改。 可为什么呢？只因为不这样他无从领悟自己干下了什么。悔改的一刻便是新生的开始。不只这样。它是一个人改变自己的过去的手段。希腊人认为这是不可能的。他们的格言里常常说 “即使众神也无法改变过去。” 基督却显明了这连最下贱的罪人都办得到。这就是他们能做的一件事[123a]。要是有人问他，基督会说——我很肯定他会说的——当浪子下跪痛哭时，他这真的是让自己那为妓女散尽钱财、放猪而与猪争吃豆荚的作为，成为自己生活中美好神圣的往事。大多数人很难理解这一点。我敢说要进了监狱才能理解。果真这样的话，那监狱就值得一进了。
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