Repent and Believe

What is the Question or debate about?

Is there such a thing as a carnal Christian?

1 Corinthians 3:9–15 “9 For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, you are God’s building. 10 According to the grace of God which was given to me, as a wise master builder I have laid the foundation, and another builds on it. But let each one take heed how he builds on it. 11 For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12 Now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, 13 each one’s work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one’s work, of what sort it is. 14 If anyone’s work which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward. 15 If anyone’s work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.”

Notice that it isn’t sin that is burned up, but the works that he built his life on.

Is saying that there will be works after Salvation the same as adding works to salvation?

No, I don’t believe that it is.

Free Grace claims this is adding works to the Salvation. It does sound similar.

But what we are saying is totally different. If God comes and lives in you, and changes you heart supernaturally to love Him, you should expect some changes in life.

James 2:26 “26 For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.”

Matthew 7:17–20 “17 Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. 18 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 Therefore by their fruits you will know them.”

The works don’t save you.

But the works show the character of the tree.

Luke 6:43–45 “43 “For a good tree does not bear bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit. 44 For every tree is known by its own fruit. For men do not gather figs from thorns, nor do they gather grapes from a bramble bush. 45 A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil. For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.”

Why does Jesus use this illustration?

You can have a bad piece of fruit, but know that the tree is still good.

You have a yearly progression of growth and good fruit.

Matthew 7:21–23 “21 “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. 22 Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ 23 And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’”

Matthew 7:24–27 “24 “Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: 25 and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock. 26 “But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand: 27 and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell. And great was its fall.””

Repentance: Is repentance a Work of man?

1. This is part of the Gift of Salvation:

a. It is the first step on the road to Salvation, a recognition that we have sinned and are sinners.

b. We don’t look for the least definition, but the fullest explanation, the sum of God’s Word is truth. (Psalms 119:160)

1.5 What does Free Grace advocate?

c. Free Grace will look to Acts 16:30–31 “30 And he brought them out and said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” 31 So they said, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household.””

Book of John does not even once use the word repent / repentance.

John 20:30–31 “30 And truly Jesus did many other signs in the presence of His disciples, which are not written in this book; 31 but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name.”

2. Verses that link Repentance with Salvation.

a. Acts 5:30–31“30 The God of our fathers raised up Jesus whom you murdered by hanging on a tree. 31 Him God has exalted to His right hand to be Prince and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins.”

b. Acts 11:18“18 When they heard these things they became silent; and they glorified God, saying, “Then God has also granted to the Gentiles repentance to life.””

c. 2 Timothy 2:25“25 in humility correcting those who are in opposition, if God perhaps will grant them repentance, so that they may know the truth,”

d. 2 Peter 3:9“9 The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.”

e. Hebrews 6:6“6 if they fall away, to renew them again to repentance, since they crucify again for themselves the Son of God, and put Him to an open shame.”

3. How are we brought to Repentance?

a. This is part of God showing us the truth in 2 Corinthians 4:6“6 For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.”

b. We have light to see and we see our sin.

c. We also see God’s love, His purity and are humbled. It isn’t light per-say, but an exalting of God and His glories in some way.

d. Paul on the road to Damascus.

i. Heard the Lord, recognized Him as God.

ii. Heard it was Jesus. (enough! The light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus had arrived!)

iii. What would you have me to do?

4. It must be Godly Repentance.

a. 2 Corinthians 7:8–12“8 For even if I made you sorry with my letter, I do not regret it; though I did regret it. For I perceive that the same epistle made you sorry, though only for a while. 9 Now I rejoice, not that you were made sorry, but that your sorrow led to repentance. For you were made sorry in a godly manner, that you might suffer loss from us in nothing. 10 For godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, not to be regretted; but the sorrow of the world produces death. 11 For observe this very thing, that you sorrowed in a godly manner: What diligence it produced in you, what clearing of yourselves, what indignation, what fear, what vehement desire, what zeal, what vindication! In all things you proved yourselves to be clear in this matter. 12 Therefore, although I wrote to you, I did not do it for the sake of him who had done the wrong, nor for the sake of him who suffered wrong, but that our care for you in the sight of God might appear to you.”

b. 2 Chronicles 7:14“14 if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.”

c. Proverbs 28:13“13 He who covers his sins will not prosper, But whoever confesses and forsakes them will have mercy.”

5. We put no trust in these works and even admit that they are less then God deserves, but there will / must be a turning to the Lord.

a. Luke 9:23–26“23 Then He said to them all, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me. 24 For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it. 25 For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and is himself destroyed or lost? 26 For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words, of him the Son of Man will be ashamed when He comes in His own glory, and in His Father’s, and of the holy angels.”

6. Is repentance a second work? Are we denying Salvation by faith alone as some preach? (easy believism or free grace movement - Dallas Theological Seminary)

a. No.

b. They are parts of the same gift of salvation. It isn’t the change in our life that saves us, but the change in our life and our mourning over sin shows that we have been given the New Heart and have the Holy Spirit within us.

c. There are many groups who try to claim that you can have a salvation without repentance. Any true salvation will have repentance as the light of God’s word shines on them.

i. 1 John 3:9“9 Whoever has been born of God does not sin, for His seed remains in him; and he cannot sin, because he has been born of God.”

ii. 1 John 4:4–6“4 You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. 5 They are of the world. Therefore they speak as of the world, and the world hears them. 6 We are of God. He who knows God hears us; he who is not of God does not hear us. By this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error.”

iii. 1 John 5:1–5“1 Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves Him who begot also loves him who is begotten of Him. 2 By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and keep His commandments. 3 For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome. 4 For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. 5 Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?”

iv. James 2:26“26 For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.”

Belief

1. What is belief? (faith)

a. Faith is primarily knowledge of and in God.

i. Romans 10:17“17 So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.”

b. This is a knowledge that is so deep seated that we know it to be true, without any outside evidence.

i. Hebrews 11:1“1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”

c. It is knowledge that produces a change in our lives.

i. James 2:26“26 For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.”

ii. One author speaks of this faith as “reliance”. This is the sum total of these three, knowing, being convinced and acting on this conviction is relying on what you know.

2. So what do we believe?

a. That Jesus came, fully God, fully man to bear our sin to the cross, died on our behalf, and rose again.

i. 1 Corinthians 15:3–5“3 For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures, 5 and that He was seen by Cephas, then by the twelve.”

ii. Acts 16:30–31“30 And he brought them out and said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” 31 So they said, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household.””

iii. Acts 10:43“43 To Him all the prophets witness that, through His name, whoever believes in Him will receive remission of sins.””

Conclusion:

Could you give the gospel to someone? Would you feel comfortable?

Read “What is the Gospel” by Greg Gilbert.

Study the Gospel. It is encouraging to us as well.

Romans 4:16“16 Therefore it is of faith that it might be according to grace, so that the promise might be sure to all the seed, not only to those who are of the law, but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all”