"Chapter 3—Repentance How shall a man be just with God? How shall the sinner be made righteous? It is only through Christ that we can be brought into harmony with God, with holiness; but how are we to come to Christ? Many are asking the same question as did the multitude on the Day of Pentecost, when, convicted of sin, they cried out, “What shall we do?” The first word of Peter's answer was, “Repent.” Acts 2:37, 38 . At another time, shortly after, he said, “Repent, ... and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out.” Acts 3:19 . SC 23"
"Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord;"
Ellen White directly references Acts 3:19 in this passage.
"Repentance includes sorrow for sin and a turning away from it. We shall not renounce sin unless we see its sinfulness; until we turn away from it in heart, there will be no real change in the life. SC 23.2"
"Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord;"
Both passages connect repentance with turning away from sin. The EGW passage expands on the internal aspect of repentance (sorrow, seeing sinfulness) which is implied in the call to 'be converted' in Acts 3:19.
"For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death."
The EGW passage echoes the sentiment of godly sorrow leading to repentance. The 2 Corinthians verse provides the basis for the 'sorrow for sin' component of repentance mentioned by EGW.
"Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, every one according to his ways, saith the Lord God. Repent, and turn yourselves from all your transgressions; so iniquity shall not be your ruin."
Ezekiel 18:30 directly commands repentance and turning away from transgressions, which aligns with EGW's description of repentance. The connection is more than thematic; it's a direct instruction that EGW elaborates on.
"There are many who fail to understand the true nature of repentance. Multitudes sorrow that they have sinned and even make an outward reformation because they fear that their wrongdoing will bring suffering upon themselves. But this is not repentance in the Bible sense. They lament the suffering rather than the sin. Such was the grief of Esau when he saw that the birthright was lost to him forever. Balaam, terrified by the angel standing in his pathway with drawn sword, acknowledged his guilt lest he should lose his life; but there was no genuine repentance for sin, no conversion of purpose, no abhorrence of evil. Judas Iscariot, after betraying his Lord, exclaimed, “I have sinned in that I have betrayed the innocent blood.” Matthew 27:4 . SC 23.3"
"Saying, I have sinned in that I have betrayed the innocent blood. And they said, What is that to us? see thou to that."
Ellen White directly references Matthew 27:4 in this passage.