Repentance and Faith (Systematic Theology 2)

Repentance is a requirement for fellowship with God

2 Kings 17:13 NKJV

13 Yet the Lord testified against Israel and against Judah, by all of His prophets, every seer, saying, “Turn from your evil ways, and keep My commandments and My statutes, according to all the law which I commanded your fathers, and which I sent to you by My servants the prophets.”

1 Th 1:9

1 Thessalonians 1:9 NKJV

9 For they themselves declare concerning us what manner of entry we had to you, and how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God,

See also Ps 34:14; Is 55:7; Ac 14:15; Jas 4:7–10

Repentance involves turning from sin

Sorrow for sin

Ps 51:17; 2 Co 7:8–10

2 Corinthians 7:8–10 NKJV

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.

See also Job 42:6; Ps 34:18; Is 57:15; Is 66:2; Joe 2:12–13; Lk 18:13

Confession of sin

Luke 15:17–19 NKJV

17 “But when he came to himself, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger! 18 I will arise and go to my father, and will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you, 19 and I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired servants.” ’

See also Le 5:5; Ps 51:1–3; Pr 28:13; Ho 14:1–2

Forsaking specific sins

Ezr 10:10–11; Eze 14:6; Ac 15:19–20

Acts 15:19–20 NKJV

19 Therefore I judge that we should not trouble those from among the Gentiles who are turning to God, 20 but that we write to them to abstain from things polluted by idols, from sexual immorality, from things strangled, and from blood.

Making appropriate restitution

Nu 5:6–7 Lk 19:8

Numbers 5:6–7 NKJV

6 “Speak to the children of Israel: ‘When a man or woman commits any sin that men commit in unfaithfulness against the Lord, and that person is guilty, 7 then he shall confess the sin which he has committed. He shall make restitution for his trespass in full, plus one-fifth of it, and give it to the one he has wronged.

Luke 19:8 NKJV

8 Then Zacchaeus stood and said to the Lord, “Look, Lord, I give half of my goods to the poor; and if I have taken anything from anyone by false accusation, I restore fourfold.”

Salvation by faith in the OT

Habakkuk 2:4 NKJV

4 “Behold the proud, His soul is not upright in him; But the just shall live by his faith.

The faith of Abraham and other individuals

Genesis 15:6 NKJV

6 And he believed in the Lord, and He accounted it to him for righteousness.

See also Ro 4:9–16 Abraham, the father of those righteous by faith; Heb 11:4 Abel; Heb 11:5 Enoch; Heb 11:7 Noah

Salvation by faith in the NT

Romans 1:16–17 NKJV

16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. 17 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “The just shall live by faith.”

See also 1 Co 1:21; Php 3:8–9

Salvation through faith alone

Ephesians 2:8–9 NKJV

8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast.

See also Ro 3:27–28; Ro 4:1–8; Ps 32:1–2; Ro 9:30–32; Ga 3:10–14; Dt 27:26

Salvation is by faith in Jesus Christ

Jn 3:14–16 Being “lifted up” is a reference to Jesus Christ’s death on the cross; Ro 10:9–10 The necessity of outward confession, as evidence of personal faith in Jesus Christ.

See also Jn 8:24; Ac 8:37; Ac 13:38–39; Ro 3:21–26; Ro 4:24; 2 Co 4:13–14; Ga 3:22

Salvation is for all who believe

Ro 10:4 Jesus Christ is the “end of the law”, in the sense that he brings it to its goal and fulfilment, and accomplishes its intentions.

See also Ac 15:7–9; Ro 3:29–30

Salvation is for those who persevere in their faith

Colossians 1:21–23 NKJV

21 And you, who once were alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now He has reconciled 22 in the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy, and blameless, and above reproach in His sight— 23 if indeed you continue in the faith, grounded and steadfast, and are not moved away from the hope of the gospel which you heard, which was preached to every creature under heaven, of which I, Paul, became a minister.

See also Heb 3:14; Heb 6:11–12

Saving faith shows itself in action

James 2:14 NKJV

14 What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him?