Repentance & Faith

Saving Faith Includes Knowledge, Agreement, and Personal Trust

Knowledge is not enough

knowing the bible and the gospel are not enough for salvation. A person can have all the knowledge of the bible and have not commitment to it. They can have knowledge and not be influenced or have relationship with Jesus.

There are biblical scholars that know the bible much more than we do and challenge its authenticity and power. The reason is they only have knowledge of the information contained in the bible. They understand it intellectually but not experientially. Rom. 1:32

Romans 1:32 NASB95

and although they know the ordinance of God, that those who practice such things are worthy of death, they not only do the same, but also give hearty approval to those who practice them.

Here people know the ordinances of God, but choose not to be influenced by them but instead disobey them and approve of those who do the same.

Although knowledge alone does not constitute saving faith, knowledge is necessary for saving faith. Rom. 10:14

Romans 10:14 NASB95

How then will they call on Him in whom they have not believed? How will they believe in Him whom they have not heard? And how will they hear without a preacher?

We must have knowledge in order to respond in saving faith. This passage shows we must know Christ through hearing of the word.

Knowledge and Approval are not enough for saving faith

You can know the bible and facts of Jesus and even agree with them, but it does not constitute saving faith. John 3:2

John 3:2 NASB95

this man came to Jesus by night and said to Him, “Rabbi, we know that You have come from God as a teacher; for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him.”

Nicodemus rightly concluded that Jesus was from God, but had not trusted in Him as Savior.

Acts 26:27–28 NASB95

“King Agrippa, do you believe the Prophets? I know that you do.” Agrippa replied to Paul, “In a short time you will persuade me to become a Christian.”

King Agrippa knew the scriptures and even agreed with them, but refused to trust in Jesus for salvation.

Knowledge, agreement, and personal trust are necessary for saving faith.

Salvation comes through putting your trust in Christ through knowledge and agreement with the scripture.

John 3:16 NASB95

“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.

Jesus says that we must believe IN him. He does not say believe him. To believe in Christ is to know Christ . You are putting your personal trust in a person, not a doctrine. You put yourself in a place of dependency for Christ atonement for your sins.

Jesus does this by inviting us to come to Him.

John 6:37 NASB95

“All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will certainly not cast out.

John 7:37 NASB95

Now on the last day, the great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink.

Matthew 11:28–30 NASB95

“Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. “Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. “For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”

Saving faith requires us to know Jesus personally and depend on him. For example, I know that I am a sinner and cannot atone for my own sins. I depend on the sufficiency of Jesus sacrifice on the cross to atone for my sin.

Repentance

Repentance is a heartfelt sorrow for sin, a renouncing of it, and a sincere commitment to forsake it and walk in obedience to Christ. Repentance is more than just feeling sorry for what you did. It is a personal decision to turn from sin and follow Christ.

2 Corinthians 7:9–10 NASB95

I now rejoice, not that you were made sorrowful, but that you were made sorrowful to the point of repentance; for you were made sorrowful according to the will of God, so that you might not suffer loss in anything through us. For the sorrow that is according to the will of God produces a repentance without regret, leading to salvation, but the sorrow of the world produces death.

Sorrow of the world does not lead to change. Godly sorrow leads to repentance.

True repentance releases you from the bondage of sin and places you in the bondage of Christ. A truly repentant person will begin to hate their sin and eradicate it from their lives. They will replace sin with righteousness.

We even need Christ in repentance. Because repentance requires a changing of the will. For example, if you desire a particular kind of sin, how can you change your desire. You can’t Jesus must do it.

Even if you do not have a desire change you can live a repentant life. You can acknowledge sin as sin, have a desire for it, and choose to not give into it. This is self-control.

Repentance requires making Jesus Lord of your life.