Repentance - Biblical Viewpoint

[Standing Firm In Christ]

You've got to turn from the desire sin in order for belief that leads to Salvation.

Edited November 13, 2011 by Standing Firm In Christ

[LindaR]

REPENTANCE IS NOT MERELY CHANGING FROM UNBELIEF TO BELIEF

The late Pastor Jack Hyles, First Baptist Church, Hammond, Indiana, who was an influential independent Baptist preacher, defines repentance to mean turning from unbelief to belief. He stated this in his 1993 book, The Enemies of Soul Winning. One chapter is titled “Misunderstood Repentance: An Enemy of Soul Winning.” He builds his doctrine of repentance largely on human reasoning: since unbelief is the only sin that sends men to Hell (so he claimed), unbelief is the only sin that must be repented of. That sounds reasonable, but it is contrary to the clear example and teaching of the Word of God. Biblical repentance as preached by John the Baptist, the Lord Jesus Christ, and the Apostles, involved a change of mind TOWARD GOD AND SIN. Note the following summary of Paul’s gospel message: “But showed first unto them of Damascus, and at Jerusalem, and throughout all the coasts of Judaea, and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, and DO WORKS MEET FOR REPENTANCE” (Acts 26:20). The gospel message preached by Peter on the day of Pentecost and by Paul after Pentecost required repentance and defined that as a turning to God from evil works. Biblical repentance is a change of mind toward God and sin that results in a change of life. To say that it has nothing to do with one’s attitude toward sin is to throw away 19 centuries of Christian preaching.

REPENTANCE IS NOT MERE CHANGING ONE’S MIND

Another man who has widely influenced the doctrine of repentance held by independent Baptists is the late Curtis Hutson, former editor of the Sword of the Lord. His 1986 booklet “Repentance: What Does the Bible Teach?” has been distributed widely. Hutson boldly denied that repentance means to turn from sin (p. 4). He denied that repentance is sorrow for sin (p. 8). He even denied that repentance means “a change of mind that leads to a change of action” (p. 16). He claimed that repentance simply is “to change one’s mind” and that it did not necessarily result in a change of life. In an attempt to build his doctrine of repentance, Curtis Hutson quoted Scripture that appears to support his position but he ignored the Scriptures that plainly denounce his position. He misquoted the writings of men like his predecessor John R. Rice. He also mixed in a heavy dose of human reasoning. For example, he stated that repentance couldn’t mean to turn from sin because man cannot turn from all sin. That is a smokescreen, because no one has defined repentance as turning from all sin. The historic definition of repentance, as it applies to salvation, is a change of mind toward God and sin that results in a change of life. Repentance is not turning from all sin in the sense of some sort of sinless perfection; it is a change of mind toward sin so that the sinner no longer intends to walk in rebellion against God. Dr. Hutson also reasoned that to say repentance involves turning from sin is a works salvation. That is nonsense. The Thessalonians turned from the sin of idolatry (1 Thess. 1:9). Obviously, that does not mean they thought that their works had a part in their salvation. The fact that God requires that we turn from sin does not mean that salvation is by works. We know that the works are the fruit of genuine salvation, not the cause of it. Repentance, defined as turning to God from sin, is not a works salvation, as Dr. Hutson falsely claimed. It is the sinner’s obedient response to the Holy Spirit’s conviction (John 16:8). Dr. Hutson’s entire line of reasoning about repentance was unscriptural.

Hutson even carried his false doctrine of repentance so far that he modified the 1989 edition of “Soul-Stirring Songs and Hymns,” which is the hymnal published by the Sword of the Lord. Under the direction of Pastor Tom Stastny the members of Beaver Valley Baptist Church of Montrose, British Columbia, went through the hymnal and documented many changes. In an open letter to Independent Baptists of Canada dated April 1, 2000, Pastor Stastny wrote: “Several of the changes center around the doctrine of repentance i.e. #245 (The Old Account Was Settled”), #288 (“I Am Resolved”), #318 (“Give Me Thy Heart”), #444 (“Almost Persuaded”). The 1989 version greatly weakens this doctrine in its overall message.” Following are the changes that were made to these four hymns:

“The Old Account Was Settled”
4th verse -- “O sinner seek the Lord, repent of all your sin, For thus He hath commanded if” CHANGED TO “O sinner, trust the Lord, be cleansed of all your sin, For thus He hath provided for.”

“I Am Resolved”
4th verse DELETED (“I am resolved to enter the Kingdom, leaving the paths of sin...”)

“Give Me Thy Heart”
2nd verse -- “turn now from sin and from evil depart” CHANGED TO “trust in me only, I’ll never depart.”

“Almost”
1st and 2nd verses DELETED -- “Almost I trusted in Jesus, Almost I turned from my sin; Almost I yielded completely to the sweet striving within.” “Almost I said, ‘Jesus, save me.’ Almost submitted my will; Almost persuaded to serve Him, but I rejected Him still.”

In a letter to Pastor Statsny dated March 31, 2000, Shelton Smith promised that the Sword would publish a new edition of the hymnal that would “use the original editions” of the hymns. As of 2007 this has not been done, and the changes themselves in the 1989 edition under Hutson’s administration speak for themselves

http://www.wayoflife...repentance.html

Our church uses the 1989 edition of the Sword of the Lord "Soul-Stirring Songs and Hymns" hymnal and those changes are indeed there (deletions and changes). Our pastor was unaware of this until I pointed them out a few years ago. I wish we would go back to using the 1972 edition of that hymnal...before those deletions and omissions were made.

Edited November 13, 2011 by LindaR

[Seth Doty]

I do not believe either of us are leaving because we want to, only because it's pointless if we are going to lambasted all the time for the truth. The truth being that repentance is not a PREREQUISITE for salvation.

Yes, we are not going to agree with you that repentance, which is a directional change of the heart, is unnecessary for true belief and salvation to occur. Like the parable of the sower which Jesus told, some ground/hearts are in a condition that they can receive the seed and some are not. If the soil in a persons heart is stony it doesn't matter if you get them to pray a prayer or not, the seed cannot take root. The seed requires good soil in order to grow, it doesn't grow in any type of soil or on the rocks. Repentance of the heart changes that old stony soil that loves sin and doesn't care about what God says to that good soil that receives the seed and allows it to take root and grow.

[Standing Firm In Christ]

Ezekiel 33:11 Say unto them, As I live, saith the Lord GOD, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live: turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways; for why will ye die, O house of Israel?

Turn from what? Unbelief? Nope. Turn from your evil ways... turn from sin or die.

Sounds like repentance from sin to me.

[KJV1611]

Ezekiel 33:11 Say unto them, As I live, saith the Lord GOD, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live: turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways; for why will ye die, O house of Israel?

Turn from what? Unbelief? Nope. Turn from your evil ways... turn from sin or die.

Sounds like repentance from sin to me.

That IS repentance of sin in the quote from Ezekiel. Yet you cannot seem to grasp the most basic of concepts here. God told Israel in the Book of Joshua that if they obey his law and keep his commandments then he would do good to them, and if they did not, then he would do evil unto them. You see this concept illustrated over and over again throughout the old testament. Israel would sin, and God would punish them. Or, Israel would sin, turn from their sin, and God would repent of the evil he was going to do to them.

In Ezekiel he is saying that they turn from their evil ways so that they will not have to be punished and can live. This is not a "salvation" verse as pertaining to the salvation of the soul. No where does it imply that either if you read before and after that verse in Ezekiel.

I feel like I'm going over very basic Bible truths here that most Christians learn early on. Do you not know of the covenants God had with Israel? Or are you willingly ignorant of them and are trying to use verses out of context to prove something that is not there?

The word repent can be applied to sin, and often is, but never for SALVATION. You know what they are repenting of by the context of the verse. In Ezekiel it specifically says to turn from their evil ways. In reference to SALVATION though, it says "repent and BELIEVE" "repentance TOWARD God. The context says what you are repenting FROM and TOWARD. In order to believe you must first turn from unbelief.

[2Tim215]

Yes, we are not going to agree with you that repentance, which is a directional change of the heart, is unnecessary for true belief and salvation to occur. Like the parable of the sower which Jesus told, some ground/hearts are in a condition that they can receive the seed and some are not. If the soil in a persons heart is stony it doesn't matter if you get them to pray a prayer or not, the seed cannot take root. The seed requires good soil in order to grow, it doesn't grow in any type of soil or on the rocks. Repentance of the heart changes that old stony soil that loves sin and doesn't care about what God says to that good soil that receives the seed and allows it to take root and grow.

No where have I sated that "repentance, which is a directional change of the heart" is unbiblical. I just happen to believe as KJV1611 does that it it is from unbelief to belief. I can find nowhere in the bible that a person must seek forgiveness of sins from the Lord FIRST in order to be saved or that one must turn from sin on ones own strength before God will save them or else this is a lie:

Eph 2:7 That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.
Eph 2:8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
Eph 2:9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.

Do you believe that a person that is not baptized is going to hell? That without the full immersion in water the salvation is "incomplete"? Because the bibles says: Mar 16:16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned. I believe in dispational doctrine because it is clearly evident throughout the Word that God deals differently with man at differing times.Eph 2:7 That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.
There is no such thing as far as I know such as "dispensational salvation". Before Christ it was through works and the sacrificial atonement. Yes faith was a part of it, but it was not by faith alone as in the new testament after Christ. He is the sacrificial atonement for us now.
And we see that in Act 2:21 "And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved" that any who call on the name of the Lord shall be saved - no repentance, no baptism. Yet later in the same chapter Peter says : Act 2:38 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. Does this contradict his first statement? No, because further in Acts we see this: Act 15:1 And certain men which came down from Judaea taught the brethren, and said, Except ye be circumcised after the manner of Moses, ye cannot be saved. Dissent amongst the brethren concerning the manner of salvation:Act 15:2 When therefore Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and disputation with them, they determined that Paul and Barnabas, and certain other of them, should go up to Jerusalem unto the apostles and elders about this question.
Now they argue the question - is salvation based on works, works and faith or just faith alone:Act 15:5 But there rose up certain of the sect of the Pharisees which believed, saying, That it was needful to circumcise them, and to command them to keep the law of Moses.
God's plan is for mankind is now revealed: Act 15:7 And when there had been much disputing, Peter rose up, and said unto them, Men and brethren, ye know how that a good while ago God made choice among us, that the Gentiles by my mouth should hear the word of the gospel, and believe.
Act 15:8 And God, which knoweth the hearts, bare them witness, giving them the Holy Ghost, even as he did unto us;
Act 15:9 And put no differencebetween us and them, purifying their hearts by faith.
He then asks them why do they want to enslave us all to works and the law again: Act 15:10 Now therefore why tempt ye God, to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear? And now comes the crunch, the punch line, the finale say - Peter now tells them the way of salvation = Act 15:11 But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved, even as they.

Later in ch 15 they decide to go their seperate ways and teach this "new" doctrine: Acts15:24 Forasmuch as we have heard, that certain which went out from us have troubled you with words, subverting your souls, saying, Ye must be circumcised, and keep the law: to whom we gave no such commandment:
Act 15:25 It seemed good unto us, being assembled with one accord, to send chosen men unto you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul,
Act 15:26 Men that have hazarded their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Act 15:27 We have sent therefore Judas and Silas, who shall also tell you the same things by mouth.

And then in Acts 16 we see Paul telling the jailer how to be saved after he was thrown in jail because a woman possesed of a spirit warned all the people that this man Paul knew the way of salvation: Act 16:16 And it came to pass, as we went to prayer, a certain damsel possessed with a spirit of divination met us, which brought her masters much gain by soothsaying:
Act 16:17 The same followed Paul and us, and cried, saying, These men are the servants of the most high God, which shew unto us the way of salvation. And Paul says: Act 16:30 And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved?
Act 16:31 And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.

If you can not see how it changes over the course of the passages and the Word itself can not convince you then I can not either. If you can not see how God changes in His dealings with man over the course of the ages and at certain times reveals only a part of His plan to man then I can not show you either. God's end plan for salvation is revealed throughout the bible in the form of Jesus Christ and His sacrificial atonment on the cross. The Jews refused to see it and God gave it also to the Gentiles:Gal 3:14 That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.
We are taught in dispensation doctrine to "rightly divide the Word of thruth" (2Tim 2:15), to not take scripture out of context and create our own doctrines as God dealt differently with the Jews compared to how He dealt with the gentiles.
The Word is not stagnant nor static and neither is God. It is a history of God's dealing with man and changes as God's full plan is revealed. We know that God is constant but we also that God has not revealed all to us and as such we can see that how God dealt with those of the OT is not the same as how He deals with us now - That is dispensational doctrine - that in different dispensations (ages) God has dealt with man differently and like the charismatic prosperity preachers take a verse like Jer 29:11 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end. .and use it as the foundation of there prosperity Gospel by putting in "to prosper you" we can not and must not take the Word and change it nor take it out of context because any one who studies the Word knows that God was speaking to the nation of Israel through His prophet Jeremiah there and not to us and therefore it is not a promise to us. We are promised this: 2Ti 3:12 Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.

Dispensationalists normally have the same problem with the word saved. They think everywhere you see the term "saved" it means spiritually, when in reality, it can mean saved physically, or a number of other things. It just means to rescue, just like repent just means to turn.

KJV1611 - Like I said - we are taught to: 2Ti 2:15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. So take the Word literally to mean what is says as in the below verse saved does not mean spiritually.

Act 27:20 And when neither sun nor stars in many days appeared, and no small tempest lay on us, all hope that we should be saved was then taken away.
Act 27:31 Paul said to the centurion and to the soldiers, Except these abide in the ship, ye cannot be saved.

[KJV1611]

Hey 2Tim215,

I do not agree with dispensational salvation, and would be glad to discuss it with you further to see where you are coming from, but would rather not do it here because I think it might get confusing discussing two topics at once in the same thread.

[Standing Firm In Christ]

Repentance is not turning from unbelief to belief. Repentance is turning from sin and to God. Over and over in the Word of God we see people repenting of sin.

Yet some are too blind to accept it or too stiff-necked to believe it... or both.

[Standing Firm In Christ]

Man:
One, two, three
Repeat after me
Lord I believe
Now save me

God:
You hold to your sin
I can't let you in
Another has your heart
So I say depart.

Matthew 7:21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
Matthew 7:22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
Matthew 7:23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

[Standing Firm In Christ]

If man has no conviction for sin in his life, he can believe in the Lord until the Rapture, but his belief is dead.

[Standing Firm In Christ]

Spurgeon rightfully called such a religion that allowed one to believe in God yet hold onto one's sin a "Mongrel Religion".

Sadly, he was right.

[KJV1611]

Man:
One, two, three
Repeat after me
Lord I believe
Now save me

God:
You hold to your sin
I can't let you in
Another has your heart
So I say depart.

Matthew 7:21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
Matthew 7:22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
Matthew 7:23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

StandingFirm,

To say it is 1,2,3 repeat after me shows that you have no understanding. Saying words saves no one. It is truly BELIEVING that saves. Anyone can SAY they believe in Jesus Christ and are trusting him alone, but to ACTUALLY BELIEVE is different from just saying a prayer. You SAY that you believe in Jesus, and that he is the SAVIOUR, but then you want to make man have a part in salvation and say that man must turn from sins (WORKS).

Matthew 7:21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
Matthew 7:22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
Matthew 7:23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

John 6:40 And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.

Notice that God's will is not to "turn from sins" but to "BELIEVE on HIM"
If Jesus meant turn from sins he would have said turn from sins. He doesnt need some scoffer like yourself to correct him and say "well what he REALLY meant" was this or that. It ONLY says BELIEVE.

It's ONLY those who put their FAITH in Jesus ALONE that will ever enter into heaven. NOT those who trust their works plus Christ. You can do works till the day you die and will still split hell wide open. On the other hand, not one person that puts their faith in Christ alone by believing will ever perish.

[Standing Firm In Christ]

To say one does not have to repent of sin to come to a saving faith in Christ shows you have no understanding.

[Standing Firm In Christ]

God's will is not for man to turn from sin? You are teaching heresy.

[Standing Firm In Christ]

What you are teaching is a 1,2,3 easy believism gospel. You say man does not have to turn from his sins, that it is not God's will for man to turn from his sins.

Yet the Word of God over and over refutes your foolish teaching. Yes, I said it is foolish. It is foolish because it is contrary to the Word of God. Jesus came to save man from his sin, yet you teach man can be saved without turning from sin. You teach that it is not God's will for man to turn from sin.

Everyone that hears your message and believes that junk will one day find they were not saved at all. They were deceived into believing a false gospel.

God said over and over "Turn from sin", yet it is not God's will for man to turn from sin? You are not working for Christ, you are working against Him, scattering abroad.