Repentance #3

As I discussed in the last post that there are at least three different ways repentance is used in the bible.  The word means “a change of mind.”  The question is simply this – a change of mind about what.  Incorrectly, too many have termed sorrow and brokenness as repentance.  Although it is true that Godly sorrow does lead to repentance, it in itself is not repentance.  The first being discussed yesterday, I will discuss the other two today.

Secondly, there is a repentance that is unto eternal life.  What kind of repentance saves?  NOT a sorrow for sins or even a sorrow that results in reformation.  People, we all know, have repented – that is they change their mind about their past lives; their conduct.  However this does not save them.  The ONLY kind of repentance that saves is a change of mind about Jesus Christ.  The sense of sin and sorrow may stir up one’s mind and conscience to help them realize their need for a Savior, but where there is no change of mind about Jesus Christ there is no salvation.

Take Simon Peter.  After denying he even knew the Lord three times, and then several one on one encounters with the risen Christ, he is privileged to preach the first sermon after Pentecost.  Who is he preaching to?  It was mainly a Jewish audience, who was familiar with the Old Testament; many in that crowd responsible for the illegal trial and crucifixion of Christ.  There he is preaching along and he gets to the point where he says (Acts 2:36) “therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made this same Jesus whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ.”   In other words this One you crucified is Kurios Iseous – to them that is God!  They interrupted the sermon and asked (2:37) “now when they heard this (what was just said), they were pricked in their heart (Holy Spirit at work here), and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles – men and brethren – what shall we do?”  Now up to this point Peter has told them they have killed the Messiah.  They have not believed that He was the Messiah.  Peter says to them – repent (change your mind) – and then be baptized everyone of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.”  So Peter tells them to repent (remember the Holy Spirit is dealing with them here) – he tells them to change their mind – about what (who)?  About who Christ is!  They had not believed He was the Messiah – the Savior – they were to change their mind about who Jesus is – He is God.  Peter preached the Word of God (Rom 10:17) and the Holy Spirit is dealing with them – they then believed on Jesus Christ – they were saved. 

THAT REPENTANCE SAVES!  All of us prior to us coming to Christ had some idea of who we thought He was.  It may have been wrong or fuzzy, but we turned from whatever conception we had and turned to Him as Savior from sin.  The repent that Peter uses in Acts 2:38 is important to understand is a command – it is something we do.  Ryrie clearly says: God does give repentance (Acts 11:18) which is analogous to believing, which is a command as well (Acts 16:31).  The faith of the one who believe is counted for righteousness (Rom 4:5).  Yet the whole of salvation including faith is the gift of God (Eph 2:8-9).

The lordship/discipleship/mastery teaching apparently makes repentance and faith two distinct and necessary requirements for salvation.  J.I. Packer says “the demand is for repentance as well as faith.  It is not enough to believe that only through Christ and His death are sinners justified and accepted.  Knowledge of the gospel, and orthodox belief of it, is no substitute for repentance where there is no realistic recognition of the real claims that Christ makes, there can be no repentance, and therefore no salvation.”

Ryrie says: “Luke’s rendering of the Great Commission used repentance in the same sense as believing in Christ (Luke 24:46-47).  Clearly here repentance for the forgiveness of sins is connected to the death and resurrection of Christ.  Other passages where repentance stands for faith and refers to the conversion experience are Acts 5:31, 11:18, Hebrews 6:6, and 2 Peter 3:9.”  Peter says the same thing (Acts 17:30-31). 

So is repentance a precondition for faith?  I don’t believe it is, for if repentance is not a synonym for faith in these verses, then these verses don’t state the gospel.  Ryrie adds: if repentance is only part of conversion (faith being the other part), then these verses state only half the gospel.

As a closing observation, Jesus had plenty of time to discuss repentance for Nicodemus and the Samaritan woman, yet he stresses belief (John 3 and 4).  Acts 20:21 Paul says (seemly summarizing his ministry in Ephesus) “repentance toward God and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.”  The two words are joined by one article that shows the two are inseparable, though each focuses on the single requirement of salvation.  That is when you are lost you don’t believe that Jesus is who He says He is – for you to be saved you have to repent of that – change your mind about who Jesus is – believe Him.  Is repentance a condition for receiving eternal life? – yes if it is repentance or changing one’s mind about Jesus Christ.

The third way that repentance is used is what the believer does within the experience of their Christian life.  This is both individually as well as corporately.

Thanks for “stopping by”……

J.I. Packer – Evangelism and the Sovereignty of God (IVP); Charles Ryrie – Basic Theology (Moody)

Repentance – Huh?

Repent – about what?  “Now God commands all people everywhere to repent (Acts 17:30).”  It surely would be a wonderful thing to see more brokenness over sin today.  Is there a place for brokenness or even a determination to turn from sin in relation to salvation?  Or could we ask it this way – what is the place for repentance in salvation?  I believe most who read this will agree that salvation is by faith – but does repentance precede faith?  Salvation occurs when we are rescued from something.  If I find myself in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean after having gone overboard and then a search helicopter finds me floating along having a big time – my salvation came by way of that helicopter and the folks driving it.  Paul uses the word salvation in much the same way in Philippians 1:19.  But most of us know that he used it another sense as well.  For example he used it in the context of one being rescued from eternal damnation.  But the basic meaning is to rescue or to save someone. 

The same principle applies for the word redemption or redeemed – and it also applies to the word repentance.  So what does repentance mean?  It means to change one’s mind.  That being said, when we find the word dropped in various texts and contexts in Scripture we have to ask ourselves – Change of mind about what? Ryrie puts it well when he says “Biblical repentance also involves changing one’s mind in a way that affects some change in the person.  Repentance is not merely an intellectual assent to something; it also includes a resultant change, usually in actions.”  Again, what is the place for repentance in salvation?  Wayne Grudem says “when we realize that genuine saving faith must be accompanied by genuine repentance for sin, it helps us to understand why some preaching of the gospel has such inadequate results today.  If there is no mention of the need for repentance, sometimes the gospel message becomes only: believe in Jesus Christ and be saved – without any mention of repentance at all…Preaching the need for faith without repentance is preaching only half the gospel.”

Does repentance come prior to salvation, alongside it, or is it what we do after we come to Christ believing Him – trusting Him by faith?  I will attempt tomorrow to look at some of the various ways repentance is used – in the various contexts in Scripture.  Then come to a conclusion.  In preparation let us close with John 3:16 “For God so loved the world that He gave His only Begotten Son, that whosoever believeth on Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”  I have heard before (I don’t recall from who) that this verse is “the gospel in a nutshell.”  What do you think?

Lordship Salvation #4 (sanctification)

To elaborate some on sanctification I think it would help to define the word.  It means “set apart.”  It actually has the same root as holy and saint.  Now as best that I can tell for the one who has been born again sanctification has three aspects.  The first being the position in which the believer finds himself as a member of the family of God through faith in Christ. If you have been born again (saved; justified) this is true for you!  This is true no matter what level of spiritual growth or progress that you have made.  For example – Paul writes a letter to what most consider the more carnal church of his day; Corinth, and he addresses them as “sanctified in Christ Jesus (1 Cor 1:2).”  These folks were anything but sanctified practically – so this is referring to their position as believers.  We could also take (1 Cor 6:11) “but ye are (active) sanctified.” 

Secondly, sanctification has an aspect which is a present experience.  In other words we are all “being” sanctified – progressing along in our faith.  This process should take place until Jesus comes to get us.  When the Scriptures exhorts us as believer to a higher level of living, that is being progressively sanctified.  “Because it is written be ye holy for I am holy (1 Pet 1:16).”  This second stage is unlike justification.  Justification is a legal matter in which God “declares” the sinner righteous.  Sanctification is the process by which God is continually getting the sin out of us (actually) – legally & actually.  Not that one will attain a point of sinless perfection – Paul didn’t even get there – but a process which is ongoing until glory.  Now, I don’t think this sanctifying follows automatically on the heels of justification.  It involves our cooperation – our yielding to God’s sanctifying grace.  Follow these steps from Romans 6:

(v. 6) “Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.” 

(v. 11) “likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.”

(v. 13) “Neither YIELD ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin; but YIELD yourselves unto God, as those that ARE alive from the dead, and your members instruments of righteousness unto God.”

The biblical presentation of sanctification is a continual, lifelong process in which we are growing to become more and more like Jesus Christ – looking and waiting for His glorious return.

Thirdly, is what we can call ultimate sanctification.  This is what we will be in heaven – totally set apart from the taint of sin – made complete (Eph 5: 26-27).

Who is involved? – initially or positionally it is the Holy Spirit who sanctifies us when we believe the truth (2 Thess 2:13) on the basis of the death of Christ on Calvary’s cross.  Ultimately God will present us faultless and blameless.  In the mean time we are involved in a process of sanctification in which the trinity plays a role, along with our yielding.  The Word of God is foundational to our growth. 1 Cor 1:5:  “In everything you are enriched by him, in all utterance (logos) and knowledge (ginosko).”  It is Christ death that is the basis for us having the ability to progress in sanctification (Rom 6).  However it is the Holy Spirit who is the main person involved in our growth (Rom 5:5; 2 Cor 3:18).

The believer who is not yielded, will result in being controlled by the flesh – not the Spirit. What does this result in? – carnal Christian – rebellious (1 Cor 3).  Being controlled by the flesh – (Gal 5:16-21 – being yielded to the Spirit results in – (Gal 5:22-23).  “If we live in the Spirit let us also walk in the Spirit.”  In the sanctifying process we are being made into the image of Christ.  Isn’t that what we should all strive for – Christ’s righteousness!!!  God bless….

Next time (probably Monday) I will discuss repentance and the various ways the term is used in Scripture….

Lordship Salvation #3

I think at this point it will be helpful to look at justification and sanctification – salvation and sanctification.  It is in my humble opinion and study of the Scriptures that I think that the position of “lordship salvation” errs in not making a clear distinction between salvation (justification) and sanctification (what takes place after the sinner is declared righteous by God). 

What are the conditions of salvation or better yet for receiving salvation?  There are no conditions for God giving salvation – “If we believe not yet he abideth faithful: He cannot deny Himself (2 Tim 2:13).”  There is however a condition to our receiving it – we are saved by God’s grace alone – “and if by grace, then it is no more of works; otherwise grace is no more grace.  But if it be of works, then is it no more grace; otherwise work is no more work (Rom 11:6).”  How is this grace received?  By FAITH – “But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness (Rom 4:5).”  Now to quote John MacArthur “no one is truly saved unless he bears fruit, and no one has eternal life who does not accept Jesus as Lord of his life.  Any doctrine that makes surrender to Christ optional is bad teaching.”  Taking that at face value it seems to teeter on works.  Remember “his faith is counted for righteousness.”

Now I agree whole heartedly that if a man has the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit of God in his life; has been justified by God by grace through faith (Eph 2:8), that fruit will be produced.  But that is what happens after someone has been saved – sanctified positionally by God.  There is a balance that is taught in Scripture.  For example – the bible teaches faith (Rom 4:5, Eph 2:8) but it also teaches works (James 2:21).  Although the exhortation is issued in Scripture for the believer (one set apart positionally) to do good works, if the good works don’t immediately outflow, or if they stop for a period of time (and so on) – that does not mean that the individual isn’t going to heaven when they die.

Take this statement by Paul Washer, who in my opinion is an excellent preacher whom I enjoy listening to – “What you need to know is that salvation is by faith, and faith alone in Jesus Christ.  And faith alone in Jesus Christ is preceded and followed by repentance — a turning away from sin, a hatred for the things that God hates and a love for the things that God loves, a growing in holiness and a desire — not to be like Britney Spears, not to be the like world, and not to be like the great majority of American Christians; but to be like Jesus Christ.”  I got that from a YouTube video of one of his sermons. However take this quote from John Rice: “The change in your heart, sinner, is God’s part and you may be sure He will attend to that. Your part is to simply believe in Him. Whatever else is necessary in your eternal salvation, the Lord attends to when you trust in Him, or believe in Him (John Rice).”

Now please understand that we find ourselves in a sad state of affairs today in what is parading under the banner of Christianity.  The Ekklesia – the universal body of Christ – is alive and well.  However the local church finds itself for the most part in apostasy.  There is a strange silence in our pulpits in America.  Whatever happened to sin?  Adultery now is an affair, lying isn’t lying anymore; it is disguised under many sub categories.  I will discuss more tomorrow, but I think that the idea of lordship salvation to name just one, is a reaction to the condition of the local church today.  What needs to happen is the true believers in our churches need to stand up and hold the Scriptures HIGH and say this is not right.  Start holding professing believer’s accountable for their actions.  Too much of the world is in the church today.  It seems that every fad that blows by the church house – folks say – Lets jump on that!  “But I have a few things against thee, because thou hast there THEM that hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balac to cast a stumbling block before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed into idols, and commit fornication. So hast thou also THEM that hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans which thing I hate. REPENT!”

Listen – I know the “church” needs a cleansing; I know that there is a bad case of “easy believism” in our churches today.  That doesn’t negate the fact that the bible says we are saved by faith alone.  Friends the bible teaches that salvation is by faith – PERIOD!   

 

I have to go…..will write more tomorrow.  Look forward to any comments – Humbly in Christ…..     

 

MacArthur: The Gospel According to Jesus;  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uuabITeO4l8

 

Lordship Salvation #2

Part Two

Does one have to make Christ Lord of his life or be willing to do so in order to be saved?  Ryrie quotes Arthur Pink “Something more than believing is necessary to salvation.  A heart that is steeled in rebellion against God cannot savingly believe; it must first be broken.  No one can receive Christ as his Savior while he rejects Him as Lord! It is true the preacher adds that the one who accepts Christ should also surrender to Him as Lord, but he once spoils it by assertion that though the convert fails to do so nevertheless heaven is sure to him.  That is one of the devil’s lies.”

So the question is:  Does the lack of commitment to the lordship of Christ mean a lack of saving faith?  In other words is faith minus commitment true biblical saving faith?  Not – will a believer sin after he has been saved – or will the believer bear fruit in their lives – that is not what the question is.  The question is this – Is genuine saving faith enough to take someone to heaven?

MacArthur says that true faith involves both trust and obedience.  That seems to say that no one can receive God’s free offer of salvation without sanctification.  Dr. MacArthur and others just like him, who are very intelligent and wonderful men of God, say as well that faith without repentance does not bring salvation.  In that same vein we are told that repentance is more than a change of mind – “it involves turning from ones sin and forsaking it, as well as the change of one’s character.  It does seem to me that there should be, along the way, some sort of distinction between salvation and discipleship.  In the same vein MacArthur does admit that a true believer can be a secret believer who struggles with sin – much like Paul and myself (the sin part).  Geisler points out that MacArthur has “championed the lordship position” and quotes him as saying “any doctrine that makes surrender to Christ optional is bad teaching.”

Something to think about until tomorrow – did you know what repentance – or discipleship for that matter was – when God saved you?  I look back and know that I surely didn’t.  What I did know was I am a sinner and I need a Savior.  I will touch on the differences in sanctification and salvation some tomorrow.  Until then – to God be the glory great things HE hath done….

Lordship Salvation

I would like to discuss the next few days the term “Lordship salvation.”  J. I. Packer says in his book Evangelism and the Sovereignty of God – “The demand is for repentance as well as faith.  It is not enough to believe that only through Christ and His death are sinners justified and accepted.  Knowledge of the gospel, and orthodox belief of it, is no substitute for repentance…where there is…no realistic recognition of the real claims that Christ makes, there can be no repentance, and therefore no salvation.”  The lordship/discipleship/repentance teaching appears to make repentance and faith two distinct and necessary requirements for salvation. 

Wayne Grudem says in Systematic Theology “it is clearly contrary to the New Testament evidence to speak about the possibility of having true saving faith without having any repentance for sin.  It is also contrary to the New Testament to speak about the possibility of someone accepting Christ ‘as Savior’ but not ‘as Lord’, if that means simply depending on Him for salvation but not committing oneself to forsake sin and to be obedient to Christ from that point on.”

John MacArthur says in his book The Gospel According to Jesus “one cannot truly accept Christ as Savior without also accepting him as Lord, or, in other, that there can be no true saving faith with genuine repentance as well.”  He goes on to say that any other view preaches a cheap gospel that offers false security to the lost person.  MacArthur argues this position very well from several New Testament passages and holds the position that true saving faith is more than a mere intellectual assent to facts; it must include a heartfelt coming to Christ in personal dependence on him for salvation, COMBINED with a heartfelt repentance from sin.

Soteriologically, according to the Lordship view, we must accept Christ as Lord of our lives as well as Savior in order to be saved.  The next few days I will look at what I believe to be the biblical position as well as the meaning of repentance.