DP 280 - repentance and forgiveness

DP 280
Another error of the age
is to suppose that when sins have been forgiven
they are also put away.
People caught up in that error are those
who believe that sins are forgiven them by the Holy Supper,
even if they have not put them away from themselves by repentance.

. . . repentance precedes forgiveness,
and apart from repentance
there is no forgiveness.
Therefore the Lord commanded His disciples
to preach repentance for the remission of sins (Luke 24:47)

. . . and repentance and forgiveness of sins
will be preached in his name to all nations . . .

And John preached a baptism of repentance
for the remission of sins (Luke 3:3)

He went into all the country around the Jordon,
preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.

The Lord forgives all people their sins.
He does not accuse or impute.
But He still cannot take those sins away
except in accordance with the laws of His Divine providence.
For when Peter asked Him
how often he should forgive a brother sinning against him,
whether he should do so up to seven times,
the Lord said that he should forgive not only seven times,
but up to seventy times seven (Matthew 18:21, 22).

That being the case,
what will the Lord not do,
who is mercy itself?