By David J. Stewart
January 2002 | Updated November 2022
“Then
Judas, which had betrayed him, when he saw that he was condemned,
repented himself,
and brought again the thirty pieces of silver to the
chief priests and elders.” —Matthew 27:3
Did you know that Judas repented? Read our text verse above in Matthew
27:3. Yes, Judas repented, but he still hung himself and went straight to
Hell forever. Why? It's because Judas was only sorry for what he had done.
A different Greek word is used for “repented” in Matthew 27:3 (which means
“to feel remorse afterwards”) than the Greek word “repent” in Mark 1:15
(which means, “a change of mind”). Mark 1:15b, “...repent ye, and
believe the gospel.”Notice that the Bible doesn't say to “repent
and turn from sin”; but rather, “repent ye, and BELIEVE THE GOSPEL.”
You cannot show me anywhere in the Holy Bible
where it says to “turn from sin” or “repent from sin” to be saved.
Biblical “repentance” is the Greek noun metanoia, which means “a change of mind.” It is not a change of
mind that leads to a change of behavior. The only turning from sin that God requires for
salvation is the admission of our sinnership, the realization of our guilt
as a condemned sinner.
It simply means that whereas we used
to defend our sins as an unsaved person (John 3:20), now we've had a
change of mind and say, “I have sinned and am guilty in God's eyes.” God gave us
His law (i.e., Ten Commandments) to show us the awfulness of
our sins (Romans 7:13), to convince us of our GUILT OF SIN (Romans 3:19).
Therefore, we MUST come to Christ for salvation as a sinner. This is the only
extent to which a person must “turn from sin” to be saved. God only saves
“THE UNGODLY” (Romans 4:5-6).
Here is one of the best quotes that I've found on
repentance, by Dr. Harry A. Ironside (1876-1951):
“Which comes first, repentance or
faith? In Scripture we read, 'Repent ye, and believe the gospel.' Yet we
find true believers exhorted to 'repent, and do the first works.' So
intimately are the two related that you cannot have one without the other.
The man who believes God repents; the repentant soul puts his trust in the
Lord when the Gospel is revealed to him. Theologians may wrangle over this,
but the fact is, no man repents until the Holy Spirit produces repentance in
his soul through the truth. No man believes the Gospel and rests in it for
his own salvation until he has judged himself as a needy sinner before God.
And this is repentance.” (Except Ye Repent,
p. 16)
To require a
change of lifestyle for salvation is a works-based false Gospel. To “repent” concerning
salvation means “a change of mind” (not a change of lifestyle). Whereas an
unsaved person used to defend their sins and live shamelessly in shameful
sin
without guilt, now there has been a change of mind and they desire
forgiveness in Christ, knowing that they've broken God's law and deserve to be
punished. The law of God points SINNERS to Jesus Christ the SAVIOR to be saved (Galatians
3:24-26). Repentance is a change of mind unto the Gospel itself. We
are saved by BELIEVING the Good News of Christ crucified on the
cross, buried and bodily risen (1st Corinthians 15:1-6), and not by
repenting from anything! Albeit, no one has ever believed who didn't
repent!
Judas is a perfect example of
false repentance. The Bible says that Judas “repented” (Greek: metamellomaiin, meaning, “to regret”) in Matthew 27:3. Yet, Jesus said
Judas had a devil (John 6:70). Judas didn't repent toward God in faith to
be saved; but rather, he felt regret that he got caught for betraying the
Lord. Judas brought the 30 pieces of silver back to the Pharisees, but
they refused it. Judas cast down the coins down on the floor, then went and
hung himself (Matthew 27:5). Turning from sinful behavior is not
part of the Gospel. The false repentance of Judas evidences this truth.
This is why I wrote this article. I am NOT adding a step to salvation
which the Holy Bible does not teach. There are NO STEPS to salvation. I am
simply warning everyone that there is a false form of repentance and salvation,
which cannot produce the new birth in Jesus Christ. It is not
enough to place one's faith in Christ, unless you admit you are a sinner.
God only saves ungodly sinners. You've got to know what you're being saved
from!
Contrawise, it is not enough to admit you are a
sinner and turn over a new leaf. You must believe on the Lord Jesus
Christ. You must address the SIN question and the SON question. That is,
you must acknowledge your sinnership, and also trust upon the Savior to be
saved. You'd be shocked if you knew how many professed Christians in the
churches today are not really born again. They are still in their sins, hellbound
without Christ, possessing churchianity without Christianity. Satan's
greatest weapon is to con people into living the Christian life without
ever being born again. That's what Jesus meant in Matthew 7:13-14 when He
warned “strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto
life, and few there be that find it.” Most religious people are not
born-again. Religious wants to fit you with glasses, but the Lord Jesus
Christ wants to open your eyes to the truth of the Gospel.
Evangelist Paul Washer errantly teaches
that you cannot be saved unless you travel the narrow way of holy living,
which is a gross misinterpretation of this passage of Scripture. The false prophets in
Matthew
7:21-23 said “Lord, Lord,” but they were not saved. They had amended their
ways—speaking in Jesus' name, performing “many wonderful works” in Jesus'
name, and performing miracles in Jesus' name, but
they were unsaved and went to Hell forever in their sins, because they had
never believed on Jesus' name. They failed to do
God's will concerning salvation. John 6:40 tells us God's will, “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.” Lordship Salvationists are not saved because they
think repentance means to change your lifestyle to be saved, which is
self-righteousness. If you're wrong on repentance, you're not saved (just
like Judas)!
As mentioned, Judas is a perfect example of
false repentance. The Bible says that Judas “repented” (Greek: metamellomaiin, meaning, “to regret”) in Matthew 27:3. Concerning salvation, the Bible
uses a different word for “repent.” Mark 1:15, “And
saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye,
and believe the gospel.” The word “repent” here in Mark 1:15 is the
Greek metanoeo, a verb meaning, “to think differently.” Hebrews 6:1,
“Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on
unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead
works, and of faith toward God.” Lordship Salvationists need to repent
from their dead works (not from sins) of religious self-righteousness and trust the simple
Gospel of Jesus Christ. Please read,
The Great
meaning Of “Metanoia”. A man must repent of anything and everything that
is hindering him from doing the only thing that brings salvation, which is
to BELIEVE ON THE GOSPEL OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST!!! (Romans 1:16).
Confession Of Individual Sins Is Not
Necessary For Salvation
Please don't misunderstand what I am teaching.
Salvation is very simple. You don't have to make a list of your sins to be
saved, nor try to remember every sinful thing that you've ever done. I'm
not teaching that. I'm simply saying that God saves sinners! God does NOT
save the self-righteous. The majority of the religious Pharisees in Jesus'
day errantly thought they were going to Heaven, but they were not saved at
all, and went to Hell forever. They had never been born-again. Thankfully,
some of the leaders, like Nicodemus, did get saved. The Bible says in John
12:42 that many of the chief rulers believed on Him. The question is
simply this: Do you admit that you are a sinner? GOD SAVES SINNERS, NOT
THE SELF-RIGHTEOUS!
The Bible teaches easy-believism. Getting saved
is as simple as going through a door. John 10:9, “I am the door:
by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and
find pasture.” Getting saved is easy! Jesus is the door through which
we enter into Heaven. There is no other name by which a person can be
saved (Acts 4:10-12). To renounce one's sins simply means to admit that we
have sinned and are guilty in God's eyes; hence, we see our need for
redemption and run to Calvary to be saved by faith in the Gospel of Jesus
Christ.
There are no requirements to be saved. There are
no steps to salvation. There are no strings attached to be saved. The
Bible simply and clearly tells us to believed THE GOSPEL, which is defined
in 1st Corinthians 15:1-4, “Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and
wherein ye stand; By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I
preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. For I delivered unto
you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for
our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried,
and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures.”
Believe that Christ DIED, was BURIED and RAISED
UP FROM THE DEAD after three days and you will immediately be saved. We
are born-again (that is, born from above) by the Spirit of God the very
moment that we place our trust in the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The second
birth is a one-time miracle, just like the physical birth. It is
IMPOSSIBLE to be born twice physically. Likewise, once a Christian, always
a Christian. Once a person is born, they are born and cannot be born again
and again and again and again. When a person claims that they “used to be
a Christian,” what they really mean is that they once ascribed to the
philosophy of Christianity, or some religious organization; but they never
experienced the miraculous second birth by faith in Christ Jesus.
Eternal life is a gift that cannot be earned or
merited in any way. Romans 6:23, “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”
Sorrow Is Not Necessary For
Salvation
Please note that this is not the same as feeling
sorry for one's sins. Sorrow is an emotion, which may or may not accompany the
realization of one's guilt of sin. A person DOESN'T have to feel sorry or
remorseful for their sins to be saved; but rather, must simply admit that they
are guilty of violating God's commandments. Judas was sorry that he got caught
betraying the Lord, but he didn't realize his guilt in God's eyes. Judas went
to Hell. Clearly, this evidences that feeling sorry for one's sins is NOT
required to be saved. And it also shows that even if a person is sorry for
their sins, sorrow alone cannot save someone from Hell. Ye must be born again!
The miracle of regeneration must happen, when God's Spirit enters into a
person, forever to be with them. The very moment that you trust Jesus as the
Christ, the Son of God, by receiving the gospel (Jesus died, was buried and is
risen) as payment for your sins, you are saved eternally.
Many preachers attempt to use the following
Scripture to require being sorry for one's sins as part of salvation.
2nd Corinthians 7:10, “For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to
be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death.” May I say,
this Scripture was given by the apostle Paul in relation to the adulterous man
in 1st Corinthians 5:1-5. The man was confronted by church elders about his
sin of fornication. The woman is never mentioned again, but the man did repent
and is still a member of the church at Corinth. Amen! Now Paul tells them in
his second Epistle that he didn't mean to be unkind, but rebuked them because
godly sorrow works repentance.
It's important to keep in mind that Paul applied
this Scripture to saints who were already saved. When a person repents
(changes their mind) at the time of salvation, that is just the beginning of a
whole new life in Christ (2nd Corinthians 5:17). Lordship Salvationists who
pervert the gospel, expect a person who's not even yet a babe in Christ to
feel remorse over their sins, which is impossible. The sorrow over sin comes
AFTER the Spirit of God enters into a man. Jesus said in John 3:20 that the
unsaved world avoids the light at all cost “lest his deeds should be
reproved.” When a person changes their mind, trusting upon Christ to forgive
their sins, then the new life in Jesus Christ begins. Let me put it this way—a
changed life is the FRUIT of genuine repentance, and not a part of the ROOT of
saving-faith.
The change comes AFTER a person gets saved. I
live right because I AM saved, not TO GET saved. When I sin, God's Spirit Who
lives in my body (1st Corinthians 3:17-18) convicts me, chastises and scourges
me (Hebrews 12:6-8). Feeling sorry for one's sins is the result of our new way
of thinking. Since we repented (had a change of mind) when we were saved, now
we view sin differently and feel remorse over our sins. Hence, sorrow and
remorse are character traits that can only come AFTER a person is saved. A
person may feel sorry for their sins at the time of salvation, but the truth
is that they are feeling sorrow as a new believer in Christ.
Being sorry (an emotion) for sins is NOT
mandatory for salvation. God only requires that we acknowledge that we are
guilty sinners; thus, we need the Savior. The entire purpose of God's Law is
so that we'll realize our guilty condition for breaking God's Law, and then
turn to the Savior to be forgiven and cleansed by His precious blood sacrifice
(Hebrews 9:12,22-24; 1st Peter 1:18-19; 1st John 1:7; Revelation 1:5). Some
gospel tracts and ministries tell others to feel sorry for their sins to be
saved. It's a completely innocent mistake, yet very serious (Proverbs 14:12;
16:25 - the road to Hell is paved with good intentions). Roman Catholics
require penance, a period of remorsing over one's sins, as part of their
process of religious redemption. Of course, in reality they're the blind
leading the blind into the fires of Hell.
Will a person go to Hell for adding feeling sorry
over sins as part of the gospel? I think not. It's like telling someone that
they can be saved if they'll walk down the church isle to the front. How many
people have gone to Hell because they were too embarrassed to walk down an
isle, or physically didn't feel good that particular day? No minister should
force anyone to walk an isle to get saved. Every preacher should tell people
how to be saved right there in their pew. My point here is that you won't go
to Hell because you were told to walk down an isle to learn about the gospel.
But the risk is that some people won't hear the gospel because they didn't
want to walk down an isle. Likewise, you won't go to Hell because someone told
you to feel sorry for your sins to be saved. But the risk is that some people
may not feel that they are ready or worthy to be saved if they don't feel any
remorse or emotions over their sins.
This is the danger of
Jack
Chick's gospel. In all of his Chick tracts he tells people to admit that
they have sinned. But then he goes a step further and requires people to be
willing to turn from sin, which he understands is the meaning of repent. I do
believe that many people have been saved from reading Chick tracts. However,
the woeful risk is that some people won't feel like they can be saved unless
they are willing to stop living in adultery or stop cheating on their taxes or
stop stealing at work or stop being a homosexual. No one can stop sinning. The
only difference is that some people are trying not to sin and others aren't.
I'm sure that's what Jack Chick means, but it has nothing to do with being
saved.
I think Jack Chick teaches what he does because
of people who live in gross immorality while simultaneously claiming to be
saved. So Jack Chick adds the requirement to “be willing to turn from sin” to
write them all off as unsaved reprobates. The problem takes care of itself in
reality. John 3:20 says that wicked people run from the light, they don't come
to it. Evildoers don't want anything to do with Jesus or the King James Bible.
So you don't have to require people to be willing to stop sinning to be saved,
because they don't want to be saved in the first place (not God's way at
least). As the church becomes more worldly, so also is the world becoming more
churchy. Lesbian and homosexual couples are pastoring churches all across
America. It's demonic!!!
I love this video. God used a drunk Christian man to
rebuke Ray Comfort's damnable Calvinist heresy that you must "repent of your
sins" to get to Heaven...
John 3:20 Explains The Proper
Biblical Meaning Of “Turn From Sin”
Personally, I don't like the terminology “turn from sin” and don't use it.
The phrase is NOT found in the Bible. However, I don't believe that it
does any injustice to the Scriptures, because a change of mind is a turn
about in one's thinking. Albeit, preachers have to be a lot more careful
these days with their choice of words, because Satan is attacking and
redefining words to change the very foundation of Christianity to destroy
it.
Notice
in the following Scripture that the Bible tells the “unrighteous”
(unsaved) man to forsake his “THOUGHTS,” not lifestyle. A Christian can
backslide into a wicked life; but never become unrighteous once saved.
Salvation cannot be undone nor lost, ever. So God tells the wicked person
to repent, as with the adulterous man in 1st Corinthians 5:1-5.
Isaiah 55:7, “Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man
his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy
upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.” A
believer still commits sin. We can live above reproach, but no one can
live above sin. A believer who is living in adultery is wicked. The Bible
commands that person to repent of their ways and return to God. However,
an unsaved person has never been born-again and needs to get saved. The
Bible commands the unsaved (or unrighteous) person to forsake their
thoughts, which is exactly what the Greek word for “repent” in Mark
1:15 means, that is, “a change of mind.”
Jesus
said in John 3:20, “For every one that doeth evil hateth the light,
neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.”
This Scripture is why preachers say to “turn from sin” to be saved. It's
because sin keeps men from coming to the light of Jesus and the Bible to
be saved. Jesus said that the love of sin hinders people from coming to
Him to be saved. Notice what Jesus said in John 5:40, “And ye will
not come to me, that ye might have life.” Jesus said, “Ye will not
come,” He didn't say “Ye cannot come!” God's grace reaches out to ALL
humanity. God will save anybody who desires to be saved, no matter how
wicked or unwilling to depart from your sins. So in view of John 3:20, the
old-time preachers used to say “turn from sin” because they knew that
holding onto the love of sin is what prevents people from coming to Jesus
to be forgiven and cleansed. This is acceptable Biblical doctrine.
The
problem is
today's false doctrine of Lordship Salvation, which teaches that it's
not enough to admit you're a sinner and place your trust in the Lord. They
also claim that a person must
cease from old sinful bad habits, forsake the sinful world, make a
commitment to God, surrender their will and life to Jesus Christ and
endeavor with God's help to live a new life. They require all this to be
saved, or a combination thereof. Biblically, you just have to believe the
gospel to have your sins forgiven. That's it!
All God
requires is that you realize your guilt of sin and thus, need for the
precious Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. Do you believe? Do you believe
that Jesus is the Christ, the only begotten Son of God, Who came into the
world to be crucified for your sins and mine? Do you believe that Jesus is
the perfect Lamb of God? Do you believe that He died in our place on the
cross, taking all our sins upon Him? If you believe that Jesus died, was
buried and miraculously rose up three days later, and you receive that as
full-payment for your sins, then you are saved eternally and 100% certain
my friend.
Either
sin will try to keep you from getting saved, or getting saved will try to
keep you from sin. Albeit, salvation itself is a free gift, paid for in
full by Jesus' blood sacrifice (1st Peter 1:18-19).
A Person Cannot Be Saved Without God's
Law That Makes Us Guilty
There
can be no salvation without the Law, without repentance, without
acknowledging one's own sinnership. I am NOT saying that a person must
turn from committing sins to be saved, God forbid. That would be
self-righteousness. I am simply saying that to be saved, the Bible teaches
that a person must acknowledged their SINNERSHIP. This is the only way
that a sinner must “turn from sin” to be saved. It simply means that
whereas you used to be an unsaved sinner who denied your sins, now you say
as a Christian “I have sinned.” There has been a turn about in your
thinking. Whereas you used to defend and try to justify your sins, now you
acknowledge your sinfulness for breaking God's Laws. I am the biggest
sinner that I know. I'm not proud of it. I hate sin, all sin, especially
my own sins. I look forward to the Rapture, when the Lord is going to
change our earthly bodies from corruption to incorruption. Amen!
Romans 3:19, “Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith
to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all
the world may become guilty before God.” Many preachers are
aware of the issue and attempt to be vague in their words, trying to take
a middle of the road position. For example:
Jack Jack errantly teaches that
it's not enough to admit that one is a sinner; but also, he teaches that a
person must “be willing to turn from sin,” which he understands means to
be willing to cease from living a sinful lifestyle. That is heresy and not
what the Bible says. Repentance is not a willingness to stop sinning; but
rather, acknowledging one's sinnership. The only sin which a person must
literally turn from is the only sin which can prevent a person from
entering Heaven, that is, the sin of unbelief.
I
DON'T label a ministry or website as heresy unless they
clearly teach that a person
must stop living in sin to be saved, because that is a false gospel of
self-righteousness. There is a fine line between faith and foolishness.
Many
preachers use the phrase “turn from sin,” but they don't mean Lordship
Salvation.
Evangelist John R. Rice (1895-1980) speaks of turning from sin with
all of one's heart in his popular gospel booklet,
WHAT MUST I DO TO BE SAVED? Yet, from reading the entire tract
(and not taking words out of context) it is clear that
Dr. Rice does not believe in Lordship Salvation (which is the false
doctrine that a sinner must cease from committing sins to be saved).
The Biblical word “repent”
means “a change of mind.” When a person believes upon the Gospel of the
Lord Jesus Christ, they have simultaneously repented. When a person repents toward God, they
have turned their back to sin. One cannot repent without believing, and
cannot believe without repenting. Repentance and belief are two separate
parts to ONE STEP in salvation, and they happen simultaneously. Salvation
is NOT a process. It is a new birth, the second birth, instant and
irrevocable.
God intentionally used the noun “metanoia”
for “repent,” which means “a change of mind.” We do not know what the
change of mind is about. Thus, we need supplemental information, that is,
additional information, to know what to change our mind about. God did
this on purpose, to be all-inclusive of anything and everything that
hinders a man from coming to the light to be saved. Repentance is from
whatever is hindering you from believing the Gospel.
Dr. John R. Rice (1895-1980) states...
“Repentance is
inseparable from faith. The Greek word for repentance in the Bible
simply means a change of mind; that is, a wholesome change of attitude
toward sin and toward God. One who turns his heart to trust in Christ
has, naturally, turned his heart away from the love of sin.”
SOURCE: Dr. Rice, Here
is My Question...; pg. 248, by Dr. John R. Rice, Sword Of The
Lord Publishers; ISBN: 0-87398-158-8
Let us ponder the words of Jesus, who said in
John 6:37, “...him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.” Any
sinner who sincerely wants to be saved, may be saved, if he'll simply come
by way of the precious blood of Jesus.
Does
a person have to stop sinning to be saved? No, that would be impossible.
Acts 26:20 says, “that they should repent and turn to God, and do
works meet for repentance.” The word “meet” in the Greek is axios
and means “deserving, comparable or suitable-worthy.” The Bible is saying
that we ought to do works worthy of the salvation that we've been freely
given in Christ Jesus. Scriptural evidence for this teaching is found in
1st Corinthians 6:20, “For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God
in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.” Carefully notice
that the Bible does not say to do works to make one worthy of being saved;
but rather, to do works meet (worthy) for repentance. No one is worthy of
salvation. No one!
Repentance and belief happen simultaneously. The words “believe” and
“believed” are mentioned 85-times in the Gospel Of John, but the word
“repent” is not mentioned even once. Clearly, one who has believed HAS
repented concerning sin. The only repentance which God requires to be
saved is the admission that one is a guilty sinner deserving of Hell. So,
repentance unto salvation does NOT mean forsaking sinful bad habits; but
rather, admitting one's guilt of sin as Romans 3:19 teaches. That's the
purpose of God's Law, that is, to show us our sinfulness and need for the
Savior (Galatians 3:25-26). There is a witch-hunt on the internet against
any preacher who dares use the term “turn from sin,” but I see no harm in
those words unless it is made clear that it is a false Gospel of
self-righteousness (aka, Lordship Salvation).
ALBEIT, I WOULD NEVER USE THOSE WORDS BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT FOUND IN THE
BIBLE. For example:
Dr.
Kent Hovind's Creation Science Evangelism (CSE) plainly teaches a
false gospel. Dr. Hovind's website, like Ray Comfort, says that it's
not enough to be sorry for one's sins. Well the Bible doesn't even teach
that. Never once are we told that we must “be sorry” (an emotion) for sin.
Judas was sorry, but he still went to hell. Hovind's website says you must
turn from sin and “endeavor” with God's help to change. That's damnable
heresy. Eternal life is a free gift. You DON'T have to endeavor to get
saved. You don't have to clean up your life, before or after salvation, as
part of obtaining salvation. You don't have to feel sorry. You don't have
to do anything except ADMIT that you are a big sinner and believe on the
Lord Jesus Christ Who died, was buried and rose up three days later. Jesus
shed His precious blood to pay for our sins.
Mark 1:15, “...repent ye, and
believe the gospel.” Notice carefully that
the object of the word “repent” is to
believe the Gospel. The object of repentance is NOT turning from sins.
That phrase is not found in the Bible. Yet, we do know that the Greek
meaning for the word repent is “a change of mind.” Whereas a person
used to live in sin and make excuses for them, now they admit that they
are a guilty sinner. But repentance cannot exist by its own otherwise it's
just turning over a new leaf, which is religious humanism. You must
believe on the Lord Jesus, that He is the Christ, the Son of God Who died,
was buried and resurrected 3-days later. If you believe, then you HAVE
repented. You cannot turn to the Lord without your back being turned
against sin. Try it, face forward any direction you want and notice that
your back is facing the other way.
Biblical repentance is turning to Jesus Christ to be forgiven of our sins;
not turning from the act of sin as a prequalification to believing on
Christ. Anyone who says that you must “turn from sin” to be saved needs to
explain what they mean, so you can determine
whether it is a false gospel or the truth. If they mean to be sorry, they
are wrong. If they mean to cease from sinful bad habits, they are wrong.
If they mean to admit that a person has sinned, they are correct.
We must
be careful when denouncing any particular preacher who dares to mention
turning from sin to be saved, because Dr. John R. Rice, Brother Lester
Roloff, Dr. Oliver B. Greene and other great men of God used that term,
and I have read enough of their writings to know that they do not teach
that a person must forsake a sinful lifestyle in order to be saved. It is
the satanic ecumenical movement that has
built a bridge between Roman Catholicism and Christian Evangelicalism
which has spawned the hell-sent monster of Lordship Salvation in these
last days.
“Turning
from sin” is a vague term by itself, which is why I am careful not to
refute anybody just for using the phrase. So if you mean turning from sin in
the sense of changing one's mind about sin, then I agree, because
repentance is “a change of mind.” The change is in one's mind, not in
one's lifestyle (and that's the big difference between Biblical salvation
verses the Lordship Salvation heresy). Same-sex couples today defend their
sins, which is how I know that they are not saved. They have never
repented concerning their sins. A Christian may be living a homosexual
lifestyle, but they know it is wicked sin if they are saved and won't
attempt to defend such wickedness (and God will chastise and scourge that
person if they are a genuine child of God, Hebrews 12:6-8). Many
Christians are shamefully living a sinful lifestyle of sexual immorality,
as did Solomon and Samson. Christians don't defend their sins and
deny their sinfulness. 1st John 1:8-10 plainly teaches that the truth is
not in anyone who denies their sinfulness.
Judas Had False Repentance, Was Never
Saved, And Went To Hell
Does a person have to stop living in sin to be saved? This is a highly
debated issue these days in churches and theological circles. What saith
the Scripture (Romans 4:3)? With all
the talk nowadays about forsaking sins to be saved, I present Matthew
27:3 to you for consideration. Judas “repented” for betraying Jesus, and even tried to make amends by returning
the money; but it wasn't genuine repentance. The Greek word for
repentance here is different than in other Scriptures which concern
salvation. Obviously, forsaking sins
is not Biblical repentance. If it was, then Judas would have been
justified; but he went to Hell. Jesus called Judas a devil (John 6:70). Biblical repentance must be rooted in
the Law of God.
Judas
was sorry that he got
caught, and likely wouldn't have committed the same sin again; but
he never repented TOWARD God for his sins. So we see that the
emotion of sorrow, forsaking the act of sin itself, and trying to make
amends are not Biblical repentance. Many preachers in recent
decades have fallen into the trap of Lordship Salvation, which is no
salvation at all. You cannot get saved cleaning up your act, turning
over a new leaf, nor by amending your ways. Salvation is completely of
the Lord. Our part is to believe; God does all the saving!
There is a lot of fighting and misunderstanding
today over the issue of repentance, and I believe God has laid it upon my
heart to write this needful article. On
the one-hand we have the Lordship Salvation crowd, and on the
other-hand extreme those who want to label every preacher who dares mention
the phrase “turn from sin” as a heretic.
Many sincere believers have differences regarding doctrinal issues, but when
it comes to disagreement over the doctrine of salvation, which the very foundation
of Christianity, the false must be exposed and the truth firmly established in
the heart of every believer. If we're wrong on repentance, then we're
wrong on everything else too. This necessity is markedly seen today in
the debate between Lordship Salvation and Free Grace. It's not
just a matter of semantics.
John
MacArthur's Heresy On Lordship Salvation
Let's start with the
obvious. John
MacArthur is wrong on repentance when he states:
“Eternal security
is a great spiritual truth, but it should never be presented merely as a
matter of being once saved, always saved—with no regard for what
you believe or do. The writer of Hebrews 12:14 states frankly that
only those who continue living holy lives will enter the Lord's presence.
[emphasis added]
SOURCE: Kingdom
Living Here and Now (pg. 150).
This is clearly
unscriptural. Dr. MacArthur is teaching works salvation. Hebrews
12:14 doesn't mean that at all. To read more about what this verse
does mean, and also read Dr. Oliver B. Greene's correct interpretation of
this Scripture, please read
John MacArthur
Perverts Hebrews 12:14!
Interestingly,
MacArthur's recent “Revised
and Updated” The MacArthur Study Bible correctly interprets this
Scripture. So either Nelson Publisher's helped him write his
commentary (i.e., a ghost writer); or else he's changed his doctrine and refuses to recant his
previous heretical writings. The fact is that MacArthur contradicts
himself often, which certainly doesn't bode well with being touted as a
“world-class scholar.”
Dr. Jack
Hyles and Dr. Curtis Hutson are 100% Correct Concerning Repentance
So, from what must a
person repent in order to be saved? He must repent of that which makes
him lost. Since "believing not" makes him lost, "believing" makes him
saved. In repentance there is a turning from the thing that keeps him
from being saved to the thing that saves him. So, yes, there is a repentance
from unbelief in order to believe. It is simply a change of direction. It means
a turning around. You are going away from believing, and you decide to turn
around and believe. You change your direction; you change your mind. With your
will you believe and rely upon Christ to save you. In order to believe, you have
to repent of unbelief. That which makes a man lost must be corrected.
Former Sword Of
The Lord editor and faithful man of God, Dr. Curtis Hutson, also
believed the same thing:
Dr. Curtis Hutson is 100%
Correct on Repentance! Without question, Pastor Hyles and Bro. Hutson make the
best presentation of Biblical repentance and salvation. One must never forget that
eternal life is a free gift, paid in full by Jesus' precious blood (1st
Peter 1:18,19). Please read: To
Him That Worketh Not and
You Need HIS Righteousness!
Brother Lester
Roloff
Taken at a glance the
following statement might seem as if Bro. Roloff taught Lordship Salvation;
but a careful review of his sermons evidence that he did not teach that.
Here's a quote from Bro. Roloff . . .
“Repentance is a godly sorrow for sin. Repentance is a
forsaking of sin.Real repentance is
putting your trust in Jesus Christ so you will not live like that
anymore. Repentance is permanent. It is a lifelong and an eternity-long
experience. You will never love the devil again once you repent. You
will never flirt with the devil as the habit of your life again once you
get saved. You will never be happy living in sin; it will never satisfy;
and the husks of the world will never fill your longing and hungering in
your soul. Repentance is something a lot bigger than a lot of people
think. It is absolutely essential if you go to heaven” (Lester
Roloff, Repent or Perish, 1950s).
Carefully notice
that Bro. Roloff says, “Real repentance is putting your trust in
Jesus Christ so you will not live like that anymore.” Pastor Roloff is
correctly teaching that genuine repentance brings forth a changed life;
but he is not requiring a changed life to get saved. I agree that
preachers need to be very careful in how they word their speeches and
writings, especially in these Last Days when Satan is deliberately
causing so much confusion in the churches. I won't defend a man
for one second who perverts the Gospel, not for one second!
However, I don't
condemn a preacher as a heretic either just because he believes that salvation
should produce a changed man. That is exactly what the Bible says ought to
happen (2nd Corinthians 5:17). The problem with Lordship Salvationists (like
MacArthur) is that they mandate the change as a requirement to be saved, and
that is a damnable false gospel that sends people to Hell.
Biblically, we are
saved by grace through faith in Christ, and whatever changes take place are
God's department. Lordship Salvationists place the burden of changing upon
the sinner as a prerequisite to saving faith. That is a false Gospel rooted
in one's own self-righteousness. Brother
Roloff didn't believe that a person has to stop sinning to be saved. This is clear from his
other sermons.
Evangelist Oliver B. Greene
Although some
students of the Bible have accused Dr. Greene of teaching Lordship
Salvation, a carefully review of his writings evidences that he did not
teach that. Oliver B. Greene believed just as the Bible teaches, i.e., that
a changed life is the FRUIT of genuine repentance; and not a part of the
ROOT of saving faith . . .
“True repentance is sorrow for sin committed against a holy God and not
only sorrow for sin, but TURNING FROM SIN, FORSAKING SIN AND TURNING
TO GOD. Sin nailed the Savior to the cross and certainly that fact
alone is sufficient reason why ALL WHO HAVE GENUINELY REPENTED HATE
SIN AND FORSAKE SINFUL WAYS” (Oliver B. Greene, Commentary
of Acts of the Apostles, Acts 2:37-38, 1969)
Carefully notice
that Dr. Greene says, “ALL WHO HAVE GENUINELY REPENTED...” The changes
are a result of being saved, and not a mandatory requirement to get
saved.
Dr. John R.
Rice
For some reason the author of The Repentance
Blacklist hasn't added Dr. Rice's name, but they need to if they're
going to be honest, because Dr. Rice
preached the same thing as Dr. Greene and Bro. Roloff:
To repent
literally means to have a change of mind or spirit towards God and
toward sin. It means to turn from your sins, earnestly, with all your
heart, and trust in Jesus Christ to save you.
Considering this quote by itself, one could be
misled to believe that Brother Rice was teaching Lordship Salvation; BUT, he
certainly is not. Dr. Rice goes on to state...
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.
Did you read what Dr. Rice said?, "The change
is in your heart..." This is exactly what Brother Hutson and Pastor
Hyles taught. Salvation is of the heart; not of works. Salvation is of God, not man. Our part is simply
to believe, but it is God who changes our heart. Dr. Rice further
states...
This statement alone by Dr. John R. Rice
clearly shows that he didn't believe in Lordship Salvation! Here is a
quote from Dr. Curtis Hutson, with a quote which he provides from Dr. John R. Rice...
In an
article in THE SWORD OF THE LORD, Dr. John R. Rice said:
"Sometimes the preacher does not himself fully understand the plan of
salvation. He thinks of salvation as a process. First, there is a period of
conviction, then a period of repentance, then an act of
faith."
He
[Dr. John R. Rice] went
on to explain that when one trusts Christ as Saviour he also repents.
Dr. Rice
is absolutely right. Faith and repentance are the same; they are not two
separate decisions. One cannot trust Christ as Saviour without repenting or
changing his mind. The very fact that he trusts Christ for salvation shows that
he has changed his mind regarding sin, salvation, and God.
If one
book of the Bible had to be considered "the salvation book," it would have to be
the Gospel of John. The Gospel of John is printed and distributed more than any
other book of the Bible. The purpose of this book is given in John 20:31, "But
these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of
God; and that believing ye might have life through his name."
According to this verse, the whole purpose of the Gospel of John is that
men might believe that Jesus is the Christ and believing they might have life
through His name. In other words, it is written that men might be saved. Yet
"repent" or "repentance" is not used one single time in the Gospel of John. On
the other hand, "believe" is used more than ninety times in the twenty-one
chapters.
Curtis Hutson and John R. Rice are 100% in
AGREEMENT on repentance! Dr. Rice further states...
"Repentance is inseparable
from faith. The Greek word for repentance in the Bible simply
means a change of mind; that is, a wholesome change of attitude toward
sin and toward God. One who turns his heart to trust in Christ
has, naturally, turned his heart away from the love of sin."
SOURCE: Dr. Rice, Here is My Question...;
pg. 248, by Dr. John R. Rice, Sword Of The Lord Publishers; ISBN:
0-87398-158-8
Let us ponder the words of Jesus, who said in
John 6:37, "...him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out."
Any sinner who sincerely wants to be saved, may be saved, if he'll simply
come by way of the precious blood of Jesus.
I also want to quote Dr. John R. Rice from his
excellent book, "Dr. Rice, Here Is My Question...", page 248:
Question 200. Is repentance
still necessary to salvation?
"Repentance is inseparable
from faith. The Greek word for repentance in the Bible simply
means a change of mind; that is, a wholesale change of attitude toward
sin and toward God. One who turns his heart to trust in Christ
has, naturally, turned his heart away from the love of sin ... It is a
mistake to make a process out of salvation with repentance and faith as
separate steps. They are really different parts of the same step
or different ways of speaking of the same attitude of heart. One
who repents, that is, has turned from rebellion and unbelief to trust
Christ, has believed, of course. One who trusts in Christ has
necessarily turned his heart from rebellion and rejection of Christ and
so has repented."
SOURCE: "Dr. Rice, Here Is
My Question..."; ISBN: 0-87398-158-8; copyright, 1962, by Viola M.
Walden
I agree with Dr. Rice 100%. Don't miss
what he said... "The Greek word for repentance in the Bible simply means a
change of mind; that is, a wholesale change of attitude toward sin and
toward God."
Brother Rice doesn't define "repentance" as
turning from the act of committing sin, nor even as a willingness to
turn from the act of sin; but rather, as simply a change of attitude
towards one's sin and the Savior. This is Biblical repentance.
If you know you are a GUILTY sinner, condemned under God's Law and deserving
of hellfire, then you need only believe on the Jesus Christ to be saved.
Romans 3:19 tells us that the Law was given that all the world might become
"GUILTY BEFORE GOD."
More Quotesfrom The Repentance Blacklist
Are these men all
heretics? Or is there a simple explanation for the misunderstanding?
...
Just now some
professedly Christian teachers are misleading many by saying that
‘repentance is only a change of mind.’ It is true that the original
word does convey the idea of a change of mind; but the whole teaching of
Scripture concerning the repentance which is not to be repented of is
that it is a much more radical and complete change than is implied by
our common phrase about changing one’s mind. The repentance that does
not include sincere sorrow for sin is not the saving grace that is
wrought by the Holy Spirit. God-given repentance makes men grieve in
their inmost souls over the sin they have committed, and works in them a
gracious hatred of evil in every shape and form. We cannot find a
better definition of repentance than the one many of us learned at our
mother’s knee: ‘Repentance is to leave the sin we loved before, and
show that we in earnest grieve by doing so no more’” (Charles
Haddon Spurgeon, “The Royal Saviour,” Metropolitan Tabernacle,
London, England, Feb. 1, 1872)
Notice that Spurgeon
said God-given repentance, "works in them a gracious hatred of evil
in every shape and form." Spurgeon is talking about the FRUIT of
genuine repentance; not works salvation.
The lack of
preaching against sin has brought in multitudes of false professions and
false beliefs. … In the New Testament concerning salvation,
repentance is always a change for the better and always a repentance
from sin. Biblical repentance is changing one’s mind about their
sin, the Saviour, and the Scriptures, which brings about a great change
of direction in their lives (Acts 3:19)” (Pastor John L. Graf,
Valiant for Truth, March 1997)
Notice that Pastor
Graf said Biblical repentance, "brings about a great change..."
Again, he is talking about the FRUIT of genuine repentance; not forsaking
one's sins to get saved.
"You cannot have
salvation without repentance and the evidence of salvation is a changed life
(2nd Corinthians 5:17, 2nd Peter 3:9). You don't make Jesus "Lord," He is Lord.
Salvation recognizes that and humbly submits to Him. Better to confess
it with the mouth and bow the knee in this life than the one to come!
(Romans 10:9, Act 16:31, Philippians 2:10-11). Repentance is not a work,
it is part of the salvation God grants. It is from God so we can expect
real and significant change in mind, heart, direction, motives,
philosophy, life (Acts 11:18, 2nd Timothy 2:25, Ephesians 2:8-10)" (Pastor
Steven Pawley, Antioch Bible Baptist Church, Lockport, New York)
Notice that Pastor
Pawley said, "the evidence of salvation is a changed life."
Each of these men of
God are talking about the FRUIT that follows genuine Biblical repentance;
and NOT the forsaking of the act of sin to be saved. I guarantee you that
not one of these men of God believe that you have to forsake the act
of
sin as a requirement to be saved. What they do believe is that
genuine repentance will bring about a changed life, as a result of saving
faith, and this is certainly
Biblical (James 2:18).
Repentance Towards God
You can put all the faith in Christ
you want, it means nothing if you're in denial about your sins. The entire matter of salvation deals with OUR SINS. Thus,
repentance is when we come to the realization that we have sinned AGAINST GOD.
Notice what Joseph said to Potiphar's adulterous wife, who tried to
seduce him in Genesis 39:9... "There is none greater in this house than I;
neither hath he kept back any thing from me but thee, because thou art his
wife: how then can I do this great wickedness, and sin AGAINST GOD?"
Joseph realized that if he did commit adultery, he would be sinning AGAINST
GOD! In Luke 15:21, the repentant prodigal son said... "Father, I have sinned AGAINST HEAVEN, and in thy sight,
and am no more worthy to be called thy son." Notice what king David
said in Psalm 41:4... “LORD, be merciful unto me: heal my soul; for
I have sinned AGAINST THEE.”
Notice what the Apostle Paul taught
in Acts 20:21... “Testifying both to the Jews, and also to the
Greeks, REPENTANCE TOWARD GOD, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.” You see, lost sinners need to repent TOWARDS GOD. Carefully
notice in Mark 1:15 what Jesus said... “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God
is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.” Notice that Jesus DIDN'T
say “repent ye, and forsake your sins.” No, rather, He said, “repent ye, and
believe the gospel.”
The Guilt of Sin
To “repent” means to turn toward God
to be forgiven of our sins. It means to confess our sinnership. Repentance is
renouncing (as Spurgeon taught) our every sin, not defending our wickedness. A
man who refuses to admit that homosexuality is a sin has not repented and is
not saved.
Repentance is a change of mind, which Romans 3:19 says, “Now
we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under
the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become
guilty before God.” God gave us the Law to show us our
guilt of sin, and then point us to Christ for salvation (Galatians 3:25-26).
If you see yourself as a dirty, guilty, sinner (deserving of the Lake of Fire)
and believe on Jesus, as the Christ, to be forgiven, then you are saved. You
are saved immediately and born-again by the Spirit of God.
Most preachers today have lost touch with
the reality of God's Law. Here's a brief quote from Jonathan Edwards'
classic sermon
Sinners in the Hands of An Angry God...
“Your
wickedness makes you as it were heavy as lead, and to tend downwards with
great weight and pressure towards hell; and if God should let you go, you
would immediately sink and swiftly descend and plunge into the bottomless
gulf, and your healthy constitution, and your own care and prudence, and
best contrivance, and all your righteousness, would have no more influence
to uphold you and keep you out of hell, than a spider's web would have to
stop a falling rock. Were it not for the sovereign pleasure of God, the
earth would not bear you one moment; for you are a burden to it; the
creation groans with you; the creature is made subject to the bondage of
your corruption, not willingly; the sun does not willingly shine upon you to
give you light to serve sin and Satan; the earth does not willingly yield
her increase to satisfy your lusts; nor is it willingly a stage for your
wickedness to be acted upon; the air does not willingly serve you for breath
to maintain the flame of life in your vitals, while you spend your life in
the service of God's enemies.” —Pastor Jonathan Edwards
Could you imagine Joel Osteen
speaking these same words to his coliseum of 44,000 followers? He'd be
preaching to empty seats mighty quickly. Could you imagine Pat Robertson
on The 700 Club speaking these words on national TV? He'd be finished.
2nd Timothy 4:3 tells us why... "For the time will come when they will not
endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves
teachers, having itching ears." Americans are spoiled rotten with
pride and self-righteousness. Most Americans today only want to hear about how to get
rich, prosper, and have better health. This is apostasy!
Pastor Dwight L. Moody
It was Pastor D.L. Moody who
stated in his sermon
Repentance:
The day will
come when you will wake up and know that you have been deceived by the
devil. No unrepentant sinner will ever get into Heaven,unless
they forsake their sin they cannot enter there. The law of God
is very plain on this point: "Except a man repent." That's the language
of Scripture. And when this is so plainly set down, why is it that
men fold their arms and say, "God will take me into Heaven anyway."
Was Mr. Moody teaching Lordship
Salvation? After reading the entire sermon with much scrutiny, I
am firmly convinced that Pastor Moody did NOT believe in Lordship Salvation.
In the sermon "What
Must I Do To Be Saved" by Moody, no mention is made of "forsaking
one's sins" to be saved. In the sermon Repentance, Moody
admits that he usually doesn't preach on repentance; but, due to
pressure from critics, he does so to
appease
them. It is clear to me that Mr. Moody would have chose his words more
carefully, if he knew someone was going to accuse him of teaching works
salvation. Respectfully, I think Mr. Moody could have chosen his words
better; but, in lieu of the overall context of this sermon, it is abundantly
clear to me that Mr. Moody did NOT believe a person must forsake the literal
ACT of sin
to be saved.
What Moody meant (which is
clear from reading his entire sermon) is that a person who is legitimately
saved, i.e., has experienced genuine repentance, WILL have a changed life. Moody makes the
following statement below which shows this...
"I heard of a man who said
he had been converted, A friend asked him if he had repented. "No,"
said he, "I never trouble my head about it." My friends, when a man becomes
converted the work has to be a little deeper than that. He has to
become repentant, and try to atone for what he has done. If he is at
war with anyone he has to go and be reconciled to his enemy. If he doesn't
his conversion is the work of Satan."
Mr. Moody is talking about the
FRUIT which evidences genuine repentance; he is not giving a plan of
salvation here. D.L. Moody was simply
reiterating 2nd Corinthians 5:17, which states: “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he
is a new creature...” Carefully notice that the Word of God states,
“...if any man BE IN CHRIST...” He's already in Christ.
Hence, you don't forsake your sins to get saved; but rather, you forsake your sins because you ARE saved. Moody's entire sermon on
repentance is aimed at the phonies who profess Christ; but, there is no
signs of Christ in that person's life. We see such false conversions
much today.
A Shallow Gospel vs. The
Simple Gospel
Many unrepentant people today, who
are proud and self-righteous, “think” they are saved simply because they “gave
their life to Jesus.” This is the nonsense being taught in apostate
churches today, and by greedy televangelists. Judas gave his life to Jesus
and went to Hell. The Pharisees gave their lives to God, and went to
Hell. You'd better get BORN-AGAIN! We are saved through Jesus'
blood which takes our sins away.
The great evangelist Charles Finney
said...
“The severity of the
Law should be unsparingly applied to the conscience until the sinner's
self-righteousness is annihilated, and he stands speechless and condemned
before the Holy God.”
This is the only way in which a lost
sinner needs to TURN FROM SIN to be saved, i.e., to stand condemned
before the Holy God. This is exactly what Romans 3:19 says,
“Now
we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under
the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become
guilty before God.” Salvation is simple, and we must not make it
complicated to where a small child could not be saved. If you
sincerely realize you are a guilty sinner in God's sight, and you by faith
believe that Christ died on the cross for your sins, was buried, and bodily
resurrected 72 hours later, you ARE immediately and permanently saved (Romans 10:13). Salvation
is that simple. Salvation is receiving, not giving. It is the gift
of God!
Now a false Gospel is when the law
of God is absent. Too many preachers today explain the
CURE without the CAUSE of sin. We don't hear much today about the GUILT
of sin. What we do hear a lot
about is the CURE. But faith in Jesus without admission of sinnership
cannot produce the new birth. Jesus can read your mind. The very moment that
you believe on Him—that He died on the cross for your sins, was buried, and
bodily raised up three days later—Jesus knows your thoughts and saves you
because of your trust.
Televangelists utterly fail to preach
against America's sins. All we hear nowadays is how someone was on the brink of
bankruptcy, but then sent in their last $20 to The 700 Club, and now
their life is a bed of roses. 2nd Peter 2:3 describes these greedy
imposters in exact Words... “And through covetousness shall they with
feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time
lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not.” Woe unto
America's phony televangelists!!!
Pastor Aiden W. Tozer was a
False Prophet!
Pastor Tozer unquestionably taught
the heresy of Lordship Salvation...
“In
the Bible the offer of pardon on the part of God is conditioned upon
intention to reform on the part of man. There can be no spiritual
regeneration till there has been a moral reformation.”
: The Best of A.W. Tozer, Book 2, p115-117. Compiled by
Warren W. Wiersbe
Wrong! Salvation is receiving, not giving. Mr. Tozer requires sinners to
reform before they can be saved. This goes contrary to the plainest
teachings in the Bible. Romans 4:5 states, “But to him that
worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his
faith is counted for righteousness.” Mr. Tozer is teaching
works salvation. For
some excellent meat to sink your teeth into, please read:
What Did Pastor Charles Spurgeon Believe About Repentance? (God
saves sinners AS IS!!!)
The “Salvation Army” Teaches Damnable
Heresy!
Now
here's a group that should be on The Repentance
Blacklist. I was
greatly saddened recently as I read the
official doctrinal statement of the Salvation Army. If you look at
the Salvation Army's list of doctrines, you'll come down to doctrine # 9,
which reads as follows...
“We believe that
continuance in a state of salvation depends upon continued obedient faith in
Christ.”
Doctrine # 9 above
is a lie of the Devil, NOT based upon the Word of God. Lordship
Salvation necessitates the doctrine of losing one's salvation. The Salvation Army is teaching the damnable heresy of works salvation. They
clearly believe that one's salvation is conditional upon works, and can be
lost if holy living is not maintained. If you think you can lose God's
salvation in any way, you don't have it my friend. Please listen to the
awesome MP3 sermon, titled: “How
Permanent Is Your Salvation?” (by Pastor Hank Lindstrom). Being “born
again” is not a state that can be entered into and out of again; but rather,
it is a new birth, just like the physical birth, which is irreversible and
permanent.
Ray Comfort is a False Prophet!
On Ray Comfort's website,
Wayofthemaster.com, under the
drop-down-menu “Get Equipped,” there's a link titled Answers to
100 Common Questions. In this section you'll find Ray's heretical
answer to the question... “Is Repentance Necessary for Salvation?” The answers are directly from The Evidence Bible, which was compiled
and commented by Ray Comfort. This heresy also appears on Mr.
Comfort's other website at...
Livingwaters.com. Here is
Ray's unbiblical answer to the question...
Is
Repentance Necessary for Salvation?
It is true
that there are numerous Bible verses that speak of the promise of
salvation, with no mention of repentance. These merely say to "believe"
on Jesus Christ and you shall be saved (Acts 16:31; Romans 10:9).
However, the Bible makes it clear that God is holy and man is sinful,
and that sin makes a separation between the two (Isaiah 59:1,2). Without
repentance from sin, wicked men cannot have fellowship with a holy God.
We are dead in our trespasses and sins (Ephesians 2:1) and until we
forsake them through repentance, we cannot be made alive in Christ ...
If
belief is all that is necessary for salvation, then the logical
conclusion is that one need never repent. However, the Bible tells
us that a false convert "believes" and yet is not saved (Luke 8:13); he
remains a "worker of iniquity." Look at the warning of Scripture: "If we
say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and
do not the truth" (1 John 1:6). The Scriptures also say, "He that covers
his sins shall not prosper, but whoso confesses and forsakes them
[repentance] shall have mercy" (Proverbs 28:13). Jesus said that there
was joy in heaven over one sinner who "repents" (Luke 15:10). If there
is no repentance, there is no joy because there is no salvation.
Kindly, Ray Comfort is a confused man, but I believe
sincere. He puts the cart before the horse. There is a fine line
between the “doctrine of Christ” (2nd John 1:9) and “doctrines of devils”
(1st Timothy 4:1). Mr. Comfort teach that a person cannot be saved
(i.e., made alive in Christ) until they forsake their sins. It's
supposed to be the other way around! Dr. John MacArthur, Ray Comfort,
Paul Washer, John Piper, Rick Warren, Joel Osteen, Billy Graham, Pat
Robertson and Aiden Tozer
all teach partial faith in Christ plus human efforts to be saved (aka,
Lordship Salvation).
Genuine
Biblical Repentance
All of the mighty
Gospel preachers in the past (and faithful preachers today) believed that
genuine Biblical repentance WILL produce a changed life. 2nd
Corinthians 5:17 tells us that a believer is a "new creature" in Christ,
former things are passed away, and all things new. I seriously doubt
the salvation of most professed "Christians" today, because they
have never repented. Phooey on a Gospel which preaches forgiveness
without repentance. A person must repent to be saved. But
repentance is NOT the forsaking of the act of sin to be saved; BUT rather,
it is a lost sinner realizing that he or she is GUILTY, condemned under
God's Law, deserving of hellfire—and simultaneously turning to the Lord Jesus by faith for
forgiveness, Whose precious literal blood washes our sins away forever.
Here is one of the best quotes that I've read on
repentance, by Dr. Harry A. Ironside (1876-1951):
“Which comes first, repentance or
faith? In Scripture we read, 'Repent ye, and believe the gospel.' Yet we
find true believers exhorted to 'repent, and do the first works.' So
intimately are the two related that you cannot have one without the other.
The man who believes God repents; the repentant soul puts his trust in the
Lord when the Gospel is revealed to him. Theologians may wrangle over this,
but the fact is, no man repents until the Holy Spirit produces repentance in
his soul through the truth. No man believes the Gospel and rests in it for
his own salvation until he has judged himself as a needy sinner before God.
And this is repentance.” [emphasis added]
Biblically,
the noun “repentance” means, “a change of mind,” which compels a lost sinner
to BELIEVE the Gospel. Jesus doesn't forgive sins. That is correct!
Jesus has already paid for our sins on the cross with His precious blood
(1st Peter 1:18-19). We receive the gifts of eternal life and forgiveness of
sins through faith in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.
If a person judges
them self as a needy sinner in God's sight, and receives Christ's sacrifice
on the cross as payment for their sins, believing that He was buried, and
bodily resurrected 72 hours later from the dead, they are saved immediately
and permanently. This is “the Gospel” by which we are saved, to them that
believe (1st Corinthians 15:1-4; Romans 1:16; 1st Corinthians 1:21). 1st
Corinthians 1:21, “For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom
knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of
preaching to save them that believe.” There has always been
only one way of salvation, that is, by believing on the Messiah. Acts
10:43, “To him give all the prophets witness, that through
his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins.”
Salvation is simple,
we are the sinners and Jesus is the Savior. We must not complicate
salvation, and pervert the Gospel message, by requiring sinners to commit
their life to Christ, invite Christ into their life, to cease from
committing sin, or to surrender one's life to
Jesus in order to be saved. If genuine repentance takes place, then
these changes should be evidenced over time, if there is proper mentoring in
a local New Testament church. It is the indwelling Holy Spirit that
produces changes in a believer's life, and not self improvement. It
sometimes takes awhile before a new believer grows in the Lord, to the point
where he or she is willing to present their “bodies a living sacrifice,
holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service” (Romans 12:1).
Without proper Christian mentoring, few believers are likely to mature in
the Lord to ever become soul-winners as Luke 8:15 teaches.
We must not confuse
the FRUIT of the indwelling Holy Spirit (James 2:18-21), with the ROOT of a
believer's faith (Romans 4:5). Just as with a tree, the root precedes
any fruit. Although the fruit and the root are inseparably related,
the fruit does not bring forth the root; but rather, the root brings forth
the fruit. It is just as ridiculous to expect a baby believer to live
the Christian life, as it would be to expect a newborn baby to run a
marathon.
Kindly, Jack Chick Teaches Heresy!
I
have received numerous letters from people over the years, asking me to expose
Chick Tracts. As you can see in the Chick Tract (title: “This Was
Your Life”) page 20 (pictured below), Brother Chick defines repentance as
“SURRENDER YOUR LIFE TO CHRIST...” This is the heresy of
Lordship Salvation.
Also, on the back page of all his tracts, in step # 2, he REQUIRES lost
sinners to “Be willing to turn from sin (repent)” to
be saved. This again is Lordship Salvation.
Beware Of 'Operation Somebody Cares' And Chick Tracts (a
nightmare plan of damnation!)
If I say to my son,
“You can use the car if you're willing to gas it” — the implication is clear — I
expect him to fill the gas tank before he returns the car. Likewise, to
require a person to “be willing to turn from sin” to be saved
is implying that they MUST stop sinning in order to be saved. In other
words, if you're required to be willing to do something, then it
effectively becomes obligatory. I sincerely wish Mr. Chick would
reword his tracts, but he is stubborn.
Brother Chick
contradicts himself. On his website, his statement of faith is vastly
different than his Gospel tracts:
“Salvation is the gift of God and
includes the forgiveness of sins, the imputation of the Righteousness of
Jesus Christ, and the gift of eternal life. Union with the triune God
provides all blessings in this life and the life hereafter. Salvation is
received by faith alone, apart from all good works and merit.”
Yet, as you can
clearly see in the Chick tract pages I've just presented to you, Jack Chick
teaches something very different. If I have to “surrender” my life to
Christ, or “be willing to turn from sin,” to be saved — that is Lordship
Salvation! Eternal life is a free gift. Salvation is
receiving, NOT giving. Jesus said, “I will give unto him that is
athirst of the fountain of the water of life FREELY” (Revelation 21:6). Did
you read that... “FREELY!” Jack Chick is wrong! Folks, he's
teaching millions of children through his cartoon tracts that they have to
forsake sin to be saved. I was a big supporter of Chick Tracts for many
years, until I was warned by a Christian friend, and I woke up. I realized that Jack Chick is teaching
heresy. It's a shame that Mr. Chick is more of an artist than a
preacher. He is doctrinally corrupt. Get mad at me if you
want, you DON'T have to “be willing to turn from sin” to be saved. You
simply need to BELIEVE the Gospel to receive the gifts of forgiveness of
sins and eternal life. Jesus doesn't forgive sins. Jesus has already paid
for everyone's sins. Forgiveness of sins is a gift that we receive by faith
in Jesus Christ.
People can easily be misled by the wording
in Chick tracts. 2nd Corinthians 5:17 tells us that
salvation brings a change, because of the indwelling Holy Spirit (i.e., the
new creature, Christ in us). We must never require a change, or
even a willingness to change, as part of saving faith. To do so
perverts the Gospel message. Salvation is WITHOUT WORKS (Romans 4:5-6).
The only requirement to be saved is to judge one's self as a needy sinner in
the sight of a holy God (Romans 3:19).
Saul (later renamed
Paul) had a miraculous conversion in Acts 9:5, and in the very next verse he
said, “What wilt thou have me to do?” Many
preachers use Paul's conversion as a benchmark for salvation. I think
this is wrong. It is important to notice that Jesus didn't require
Saul to surrender his life in order to be saved—Saul VOLUNTEERED
himself as a result of having been saved. It is the indwelling Holy
Spirit which produces the FRUIT of a changed life in a believer, and not our
own human effort. Galatians 2:20, “I am crucified with Christ:
nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me:
and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of
God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.”
Dr. Jack
Hyles Taught the Same Biblical Truth as Dr. John R. Rice
Dr. Hyles authored a
wonderful book titled
Enemies Of Soul Winning. Chapter is titled, “Misunderstood
Repentance,” and he is
countering the heresy of Lordship Salvation which is an enemy of
getting people saved. The ONLY sin which we must literally stop doing
to be saved is UNBELIEF. That's it. Does a person have to stop
getting drunk to be saved? No. Does a person have to stop
fornicating to be saved? No. Does a person have to stop stealing
to be saved? No. The only sin which a person must literally
forsake (in the sense of not doing anymore) is unbelief. To say
otherwise is to state the impossible, for who can forsake all their sin?
(Romans 7:14-24).
Now for those of you
who would wrongfully call Dr. Hyles “shallow,” let me correct you by sharing
with you chapter 7 from his book, Salvation Is More Than Being Saved. The chapter title is Salvation And The Law in which Brother Hyles
states:
“Coming to Christ does not
give us a license to sin; it gives us even more of a hatred for sin and causes
us to
desire to live a life of righteousness so that we can be pleasing to our God and
show our gratitude and our love to our Saviour... Jesus set me free FROM sin, not TO sin.”
Clearly, Bro. Hyles
believed that genuine repentance brings forth a changed life. This is
what Dr. Rice meant when he said
"to turn from your sins, earnestly, with all your heart." Dr. Rice was
referring to the "attitude" that genuine repentance produces.
Didn't Judas
Repent?
Yes, but it was false
repentance (basically it was Lordship Salvation). I quoted Matthew 27:3
way back at the beginning of this article because it evidences the fact that
there is indeed a false type of repentance... “Then
Judas, which had betrayed him, when he saw that he was condemned,
repented himself, and brought again the thirty pieces of
silver to the chief priests and elders.” Judas felt the emotion of
sorrow, and even tried to undo the sin he had committed, but this was not
genuine Biblical repentance. Judas went and hung himself, literally.
You see, unlike Peter
who remembered the Words of Jesus (i.e., God's living Word) and wept bitterly,
crying out to God for forgiveness; Judas experienced a shallow type of
repentance that was void of the law of God. Many unsaved people today
are joining apostate churches which never preach against sin. Since
the law of God is not preached, there is no guilt or conviction concerning
sin. There is no fear of burning in the fires of Hell. As a result,
tens-of-millions of Americans are giving their hearts and
lives to Christ, but they are not getting saved. They have
churchianity without Christianity. They think they have been forgiven
because they said a prayer, or have learned the philosophy of Christ; but
they've never addressed the GUILT and CONDEMNATION upon them because of sin. No
one has ever been saved who didn't admit that he is a sinner!
Conclusion
of the Matter
I trust that this
study of repentance has been beneficial to you. I have gladly spent
several hours writing this article, and it has been my sincerest heart's
desire to be as honest, Biblical and fair as possible in this critical
matter. one truth which we must never forget is that it only
requires a childlike faith to be saved. Salvation is easy and simple. So
simple that Jesus likened it to walking through a door (John 10:9). So
simple that Jesus likened it to drinking a glass of water—John 4:10, “Jesus
answered and said unto her, If thou knewest the gift of God, and who
it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of
him, and he would have given thee living water.” Man has
absolutely no part in God's gift of salvation. We are not saved by
good works, and we cannot be lost by bad works. How can we lose that
which was not ours to give in the first place? Salvation is receiving, not giving.
Salvation is not
doing your best, it is having Christ's best put to your account through
receiving Him by faith. God will not save anyone who is trying to be saved,
He will only save those who are trusting to be saved. There is a fine line
between the turning from sin that the conviction and fruit of the indwelling
Holy Spirit brings; verses the
turning from sin that false prophets require for people to get saved, which
is self-righteousness and dead religion (Hebrews 6:1).
Oh, listen my friend,
Matthew 6:33 says, “But seek ye first the kingdom of God and HIS
RIGHTEOUSNESS!” Do you have HIS righteousness? I mean the
imputed righteousness of God through faith in
Christ Jesus. We have no
righteousness of our own (Isaiah 64:6). To get to Heaven we need God's
righteousness, which is found only in Jesus Christ, Who is the end of the
law to all them that believe the Gospel (Romans 10:3-4; Romans 1:16; 1st
Corinthians 1:21; Philippians 3:9).
So, please remember dear
reader, you don't have to turn from your sinful bad habits to be saved,
because that would be works. In Jonah 3:10 the Bible says, “And
God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way; and God
repented of the evil, that he had said that he would do unto them; and he
did it not.”
Also, nobody repented in
the Holy Bible as much as God. Exodus 32:14, “And the LORD repented
of the evil which he thought to do unto his people.” We know that God
cannot commit sin. So, obviously, to “repent” cannot mean to turn from sin,
because God Himself sometimes repents. That is, God sometimes changes His
mind.
Did you know that Judas repented? Read our text verse above in Matthew
27:3. Yes, Judas repented, but he still hung himself and went straight to
Hell forever. Why? It's because Judas was only sorry for what he had done.
A different Greek word is used for “repented” in Matthew 27:3 (which means
“to feel remorse afterwards”) than the Greek word “repent” in Mark 1:15
(which means, “a change of mind”). Mark 1:15b, “...repent ye, and
believe the gospel.” Notice that the Bible doesn't say to “repent
and turn from sin”; but rather, “repent ye, and BELIEVE THE GOSPEL.”“Which comes first, repentance or faith? In Scripture we read, 'Repent ye, and believe the gospel.' Yet we find true believers exhorted to 'repent, and do the first works.' So intimately are the two related that you cannot have one without the other. The man who believes God repents; the repentant soul puts his trust in the Lord when the Gospel is revealed to him. Theologians may wrangle over this, but the fact is, no man repents until the Holy Spirit produces repentance in his soul through the truth. No man believes the Gospel and rests in it for his own salvation until he has judged himself as a needy sinner before God. And this is repentance.” (Except Ye Repent, p. 16)
Personally, I don't like the terminology “turn from sin” and don't use it.
The phrase is NOT found in the Bible. However, I don't believe that it
does any injustice to the Scriptures, because a change of mind is a turn
about in one's thinking. Albeit, preachers have to be a lot more careful
these days with their choice of words, because Satan is attacking and
redefining words to change the very foundation of Christianity to destroy
it. 
There
can be no salvation without the Law, without repentance, without
acknowledging one's own sinnership. I am NOT saying that a person must
turn from committing sins to be saved, God forbid. That would be
self-righteousness. I am simply saying that to be saved, the Bible teaches
that a person must acknowledged their SINNERSHIP. This is the only way
that a sinner must “turn from sin” to be saved. It simply means that
whereas you used to be an unsaved sinner who denied your sins, now you say
as a Christian “I have sinned.” There has been a turn about in your
thinking. Whereas you used to defend and try to justify your sins, now you
acknowledge your sinfulness for breaking God's Laws. I am the biggest
sinner that I know. I'm not proud of it. I hate sin, all sin, especially
my own sins. I look forward to the Rapture, when the Lord is going to
change our earthly bodies from corruption to incorruption. Amen! 
Carefully notice
that Bro. Roloff says, “Real repentance is putting your trust in
Jesus Christ so you will not live like that anymore.” Pastor Roloff is
correctly teaching that genuine repentance brings forth a changed life;
but he is not requiring a changed life to get saved. I agree that
preachers need to be very careful in how they word their speeches and
writings, especially in these Last Days when Satan is deliberately
causing so much confusion in the churches. I won't defend a man
for one second who perverts the Gospel, not for one second! 
For some reason the author of The Repentance
Blacklist hasn't added Dr. Rice's name, but they need to if they're
going to be honest, because Dr. Rice
preached the same thing as Dr. Greene and Bro. Roloff:
To “repent” means to turn toward God
to be forgiven of our sins. It means to confess our sinnership. Repentance is
renouncing (as Spurgeon taught) our every sin, not defending our wickedness. A
man who refuses to admit that homosexuality is a sin has not repented and is
not saved.
Now
here's a group that should be on The Repentance
Blacklist. I was
greatly saddened recently as I read the
Biblically,
the noun “repentance” means, “a change of mind,” which compels a lost sinner
to BELIEVE the Gospel. Jesus doesn't forgive sins. That is correct!
Jesus has already paid for our sins on the cross with His precious blood
(1st Peter 1:18-19). We receive the gifts of eternal life and forgiveness of
sins through faith in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.
I trust that this
study of repentance has been beneficial to you. I have gladly spent
several hours writing this article, and it has been my sincerest heart's
desire to be as honest, Biblical and fair as possible in this critical
matter. one truth which we must never forget is that it only
requires a childlike faith to be saved. Salvation is easy and simple. So
simple that Jesus likened it to walking through a door (John 10:9). So
simple that Jesus likened it to drinking a glass of water—John 4:10, “Jesus
answered and said unto her, If thou knewest the gift of God, and who
it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of
him, and he would have given thee living water.” Man has
absolutely no part in God's gift of salvation. We are not saved by
good works, and we cannot be lost by bad works. How can we lose that
which was not ours to give in the first place? Salvation is receiving, not giving.
