Repentance and Faith

I believe repentance is part of faith in Christ...not separate. Depending on what you mean, I can't either agree or disagree at this point.

 

RB, it has been a while, but good to know that you're still faithfully standing for the gospel heralded by the apostles.

I give an invitation at the end of my sermons. I never know when God is going to draw another sinner to himself.

I plant, another water, but God causes the growth (1 Cor 3).

 

Yes, we must preach repentance. But groundwork must be laid by explaining the seriousness of sin and the need to repent. Our knowledge of sin comes from a knowledge of the law. Here are what some well-known preachers have said about that:

John McArthur: “It’s got to be 75 per cent law and judgment and 25 per cent grace. God’s grace cannot be faithfully preached to unbelievers until the Law is preached and man’s corrupt nature is exposed. It is impossible for a person to fully realize his need for God’s grace until he sees how terribly he has failed the standards of God’s law.

J. C. Ryle: “Those whom the Spirit draws to Jesus are those whom the Spirit has convinced of sin. Without thorough conviction of sin, men may seem to come to Jesus and follow Him for a season, but they will soon fall away and return to the world.”

D. L. Moody: Do not offer the consolation of the gospel until he sees and knows he is guilty before God. We must give enough of the Law to take away all self-righteousness. I pity the man who preaches only one side of the truth-always the gospel, and never the Law.

A. W. Pink: The unsaved are in no condition today for the gospel till the Law be applied to their hearts, for "by the Law is the knowledge of sin." It is a waste of time to sow seed on ground which has never been ploughed or spaded. To present the vicarious sacrifice of Christ to those whose dominant passion is to take fill of sin, is to give that which is holy to the dogs.

A proper sermon introduction might be "I have some good news for the lost--but first I have some bad news."

You've heard some preachers say, "God has a wonderful plan for your life."

Nope. If you're lost, God has a terrible plan for you, unless you repent.

 

I guess I'm still not quite clear. Since an unregenerated person cannot know what turning from sin is, I see repentance and faith as two sides of the same coin. Faith in Christ is repentance. It is a turning away from self and turning to Jesus.
The Gospel is salvation by grace through faith. Since we know faith doesn't occur without repentance, it must be part of faith.

 

There can be no salvation without repentance.

 

Sure wish Paul would have told that poor jailor that he needed to repent :tear:. Wonder how Paul just slipped up on that day and I wonder why Luke recorded his error for us on that day? Then I guess he lied to the Ephesians too, because he said they "were saved" by God's grace through faith. By some accounts folks think the Holy Spirit did a poor job of selecting the wording used to pen Scripture in at least a couple of places.

 

Jesus Said "Unless you repent, you will likewise perish". It is obvious that EVERYTHING Paul and the apostles said, was NOT recorded in the Bible. However, since Jesus has already stated repentance is necessary, we know it was part of all salvation accounts: otherwise, Jesus is a liar. Personally, I will believe my Lord.

 

If your not preaching repentance, your not preaching the gospel of Christ Jesus.

Where there is no godly repentence there has been no salvation!

 

What about the thief on the cross?

 

I must agree with WD.

 

Web, we're agreed that repentance and faith are two sides of the same coin. We agree that salvation is by grace through faith.

I'm not quite clear on your statement that an unregenerate person cannot know what turning from sin is. I would expect a Calvinist to make such a statement, adding "without the illuminating work of the Holy Spirit."

Would you elaborate a bit on how you, a non-Calvinist, could make that statement and be consistent with what I think you believe. Or please correct me if I'm off base.

 

The problem comes with the confused definitions. I LOVE John Macarthur, Piper, etc. (IN FACT I am going to the Together for the Gospel conference, I like the so much).

However, there wrong on there definition of repentance. Of Course, Ryrie, Stanley and Hodges are wrong too...Repentance (metanoia) is a change of mind/heart about who God is, the seriousness of sin, self etc., that RESULTS in a turning from sin: it is not turning from sin, itself.

It is completely a work of the Holy Spirit, through conviction, and it actually precedes faith (You cannot have faith in someone you still hate). It is, in some sense, a precursor of faith, or even the beginnings of faith.

When the Thief on the cross says "Remember me when you come into your kingdom", he is demonstrating faith, which shows, by default, that he had repented.

Take it how you will: I am not going to waste to much time debating the issue. Whatever it is, it causes a change in the individual, that is instantly and increasingly different from the world.

 

Isn't biblical repentance simply a change of mind toward God?

Is sin ever the object of repentance in conversion?

 

No.

metanoeō
Thayer Definition:
1) to change one’s mind, i.e. to repent
2) to change one’s mind for better, heartily to amend with abhorrence of one’s past sins


If one lacks an abhorrence for their sins, especially an indifference, how could they possibly have repentance toward a infinitely righteous and Holy God?

 

I think the way I view this is what Paul called a work of faith.

1Th 1:3 because we recall in the presence of our God and Father your work of faith and labor of love and endurance of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.

So it seems that we should preach the gospel, etc., and our response to it, which is repentance. But not repentance as humanity considers it, but godly sorrow, that is, a repentance from or because of, sin, unrighteousness, etc., that is enabled by the Spirit.

Since I don't subscribe to things like accepting Christ as your personal Lord and Saviour, I also find it hard to quantify a new believers faith and response. But I don't know that doesn't fit the Biblical model. I don't know that it does either, lol.

IMO

 

What then is the meaning of "repentance from acts that lead to death?

"Therefore let us move beyond the elementary teachings about Christ and be taken forward to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from acts that lead to death, and of faith in God" (Heb 6:1, TNIV, emphasis mine).