How to win souls

[Samer]

Repentance means a change of mind, and isn't a work. To repent of our sins means to change our mind about our sins. It means to see God is holy and we are sinful and in need of salvation, and that our sins are wrong in God's perfect eyes.

We know Christ was in hell--the Bible says as much. But what was He doing there?

For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit: By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison; (1 Peter 3:18-19)

I do not believe He was suffering. He once suffered--on the cross. So what He was doing in hell had some purpose instead of suffering. I believe this passage gives us some clue on that. Also the teaching from Luke 16 on "Abraham's bosom," and the fact from that chapter that the righteous went to the heart of the earth, which we can assume was until Jesus died.

[BroJesse]

Clarification on what easy believism is:

I am also against "123 pray after me", but someone can easily get saved after being given a clear and thorough presentation of the gospel using the Word of God. The Bible compares getting saved to taking a drink of water. (See Revelation 22:17) The doctrine that I am opposed to is that one must "repent of their sins" to get saved.

You may be opposed to the idea of repenting of sin, but let's see what scripture has to say and in particular, what Jesus Himself taught:

Matt 21:28-32
28 But what think ye? A certain man had two sons; and he came to the first, and said, Son, go work to day in my vineyard.
29 He answered and said, I will not: but afterward he repented, and went.
30 And he came to the second, and said likewise. And he answered and said, I go, sir: and went not.
31 Whether of them twain did the will of his father? They say unto him, The first. Jesus saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That the publicans and the harlots go into the kingdom of God before you.
32 For John came unto you in the way of righteousness, and ye believed him not: but the publicans and the harlots believed him: and ye, when ye had seen it, repented not afterward, that ye might believe him.

The type of repentance that Jesus portrayed here is not merely changing one's belief but it led to a forsaking of the old actions and leads to a change in what that person does. Simply put: Repentance with respect to salvation has to do with forsaking sin.

The Thessalonian church gave testimony of this kind of repentance in the lives of the new believers:

(1Th 1:9,10)
9 For they themselves shew of us what manner of entering in we had unto you, and how ye turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God;
10 And to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come.

There was a turning FROM idols and a turning TO God. There was a forsaking of service to idols to serving God.

If that belief never changed what you do (from the inside out), it never saved you.

(Ac 20:20,21)
20 And how I kept back nothing that was profitable unto you, but have shewed you, and have taught you publickly, and from house to house,
21 Testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.

If repentance has to do with changing one's beliefs, then why does Paul talk of Repentance AND Faith? Doesn't faith have to do with belief? It is possible to have faith in the finished work on the Cross and still have unbelief (unrepentance as you define it) at the same time?

[Guest Guest]

There's a lot of misinterpretation of the Bible going on here. :nono:
I'm moving on to another thread....

[Samer]

Wag the finger...or answer the Scripture?

He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy. (Proverbs 28:13)

[matie-k]

You may be opposed to the idea of repenting of sin, but let's see what scripture has to say and in particular, what Jesus Himself taught:

Matt 21:28-32
28 But what think ye? A certain man had two sons; and he came to the first, and said, Son, go work to day in my vineyard.
29 He answered and said, I will not: but afterward he repented, and went.
30 And he came to the second, and said likewise. And he answered and said, I go, sir: and went not.
31 Whether of them twain did the will of his father? They say unto him, The first. Jesus saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That the publicans and the harlots go into the kingdom of God before you.
32 For John came unto you in the way of righteousness, and ye believed him not: but the publicans and the harlots believed him: and ye, when ye had seen it, repented not afterward, that ye might believe him.

The type of repentance that Jesus portrayed here is not merely changing one's belief but it led to a forsaking of the old actions and leads to a change in what that person does. Simply put: Repentance with respect to salvation has to do with forsaking sin.

The Thessalonian church gave testimony of this kind of repentance in the lives of the new believers:

(1Th 1:9,10)
9 For they themselves shew of us what manner of entering in we had unto you, and how ye turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God;
10 And to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come.

There was a turning FROM idols and a turning TO God. There was a forsaking of service to idols to serving God.

If that belief never changed what you do (from the inside out), it never saved you.

(Ac 20:20,21)
20 And how I kept back nothing that was profitable unto you, but have shewed you, and have taught you publickly, and from house to house,
21 Testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.

If repentance has to do with changing one's beliefs, then why does Paul talk of Repentance AND Faith? Doesn't faith have to do with belief? It is possible to have faith in the finished work on the Cross and still have unbelief (unrepentance as you define it) at the same time?

Amen Bro. Jesse!

[Guest Guest]

Samer and KJB Princess,

I'm sorry to hear you are against easy-believism. Repentance is a change of mind about your beliefs. Salvation is by grace through faith. I went to Regency for years and I'm sorry to hear that Regency is going downhill doctrinally.

Janine
Url deleted

How long ago were you at Regency? Pastor Nichols hasn't changed his doctrine, and he isn't going downhill doctrinally. However, he does preach against this thing called "easy-believism". It's not easy for someone to believe, but salvation is easy to receive. Big difference :wink

[Guest Guest]

I was there from 99-04 so I think I know what the church was teaching