Repentance And The Gospel

2 Timothy 2:25 says, "In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth;"

Notice that is says God "will give them repentance," not that they will repent. This is not us repenting, it is God granting repentance. We empty ourselves and become an empty vessel fit for the Master's use, then He works through us to bring about His perfect will in us. This is the Christian's repentance, μετανοια metanoia, a change of attitude.

There are two problems with the modern-day theology taught in most churches, preachers today confuse the context of verses dealing with salvation with the verses relating to sanctification. There are different definitions of repentance for each, which brings me to the second problem, preachers using the secular dictionary definition for "repentance." One evangelist I heard said he had studied the word "repent" in the Bible and found there were two different kinds of repentance. I thought to myself, "Well you are half way there, there are four." There are four Greek words, all translated "repent," "repentance," "repented," etc. and none of them mean what the dictionary says the word means.

Sanctification is surrender to the Lordship of Christ. Salvation repentance is not about works or turning from sin, it is about turning from self-righteousness and trusting Christ's righteousness. "Salvation repentance (Luke 13:3, μετανοεω metanoeo) is a change of mind. It is two words, "meta" meaning change, we get our word "morph" from it or convert, and "noeo" meaning "mind." We change our mind; to literally agree with God that we are not able to merit heaven and need a Saviour. That is salvation repentance. Those with a lordship or dictionary definition of repentance will disagree, but that's the difference between grace and legalism. If it were possible to "repent of all our sins" then why do we still sin after we are saved and why do we need a Saviour at all? We repent of self-worth (our pseudo-righteousness), that is why it is impossible for anyone to be saved without repenting. It is that attitude has to be changed, that is necessary to trust the righteousness of Christ. The plan of salvation is simple and easily understood until preachers complicate it. Children can understand it and theologians are confused by it.

The idea taught in the Westminster Confession that involves confessing our particular sins particularly is ridiculous and unscriptural. You don't even know what all your particular sins are. If your salvation was dependent on your confessing and repenting of them the first time you sinned after conversion you would lose your salvation. Then according to Hebrews 6 you could never get your salvation back. If lordship salvation is the right Bible interpretation no one is going to heaven and no one ever has. The Westminster Confession and other creeds like it are a legalistic standard that no one can achieve. The law is our schoolmaster given only to teach us how far short we are of God's requirement (Romans 3:10-25). No man from Adam to ourselves has ever kept the law, except Jesus who kept and fulfilled it for us because we could not, He was not just the Son of God, He was and is God the Son. His righteousness, not ours is the only salvation for a sinner like us. Whenever someone asks me, "How are you doing?" I always say, "Better than I deserve," because I deserve hell.

We can't call upon the Lord, (lit. confess He is Lord) until after we are saved (Romans 10:14), and there are three kinds of salvation in the Scriptures too, physical salvation of the body, spiritual salvation (sanctification) of the life, and eternal salvation of the soul.

Paul wrote in Philippians 3:4-15 "Though I might also have confidence in the flesh. If any other man thinketh that he hath whereof he might trust in the flesh, I more: Circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee; Concerning zeal, persecuting the church; touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless. But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith: That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death; If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead. Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also, I am apprehended of Christ Jesus. Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded: and if in anything ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you."

From the context obviously "perfect" here means mature (Hebrews 5:14). Paul's goal (mark) was to strive for perfection, set the standard high, but he knew he had not attained it and could not. After salvation repentance we have a change of attitude (metanoia) and a change of heart (μεταμελομαι metamellomai). The lost repent (convert) naturally when they realize who Christ is (God, Isaiah 9:6), and what He has done for them (Hebrews 9), and trust Him (Hebrews 4:3). Christians should repent and follow after Christ becoming a "Christ - ian" meaning follower of Christ (2 Timothy 2:25).

We all are terrible judges of our own hearts. Practically every minute of every day, we sin without even knowing it. Thanks be to God through our Lord Jesus Christ, who took the penalty of sin for us with His own shed blood atoned for our sins and became our Passover (1 Corinthians 5:7)! All praise to Him alone!!!

Christ has washed (past tense) us though His blood (Romans 3:25; 5:9; Hebrews 9) 2000 years ago. If we go to hell, we go even though our sins are atoned for, men go to hell only because they have rejected Christ who already paid for them before we were born. The only thing then that is left to condemn us to hell is rejecting Christ. That and that alone will determine where we go after this life is over. The Bible says everyone is going to hell that doesn't trust Christ and that His atonement paid for all their sins 2000 years before they were born.  John 14:6 "Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me."  TV preachers who say that you can get to heaven through any religion are lying. The Bible says only Jesus saves. Acts 4:12, "Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved."

1 John 1:7 "But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin."

Everyone's sins have been atoned for 1 John 2:2. Names are not written in the Lambs Book of Life when people are saved by trusting the blood atonement paid for their sins as some think, their names were written there before the foundation of the earth. Everyone is elect because God does not want any to perish (John 3:16), and names are blotted out if people reject Christ and His gospel that I have already explained (Revelation 3:5). 

Ephesians 1 and Romans 8 are addressing Christians, not lost people. Properly dividing the word, it means we are saved to serve. God preordained that we should serve him after we receive salvation. It does not mean some were selected before creation to go to heaven or hell. This does not compromise His sovereignty in any way, in His sovereignty He ordained that man should have a free will to choose, just as we wanted our bride to choose us.

John 1:7 "The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe."

Romans 5:18 "Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life."

1 Timothy 2:4 "Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth."

1 Timothy 4:10 "For therefore we both labour and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is the Saviour of all men, specially of those that believe."

This article was taken from a chapter in my book, "The Truth About Salvation," which can be picked up at fine bookstores everywhere. If you have questions contact me, my contact information is on my homepage.

? 2015 Evangelist Art Shady --- Updated 3/28/2020

Anyone can reprint this as long as they give credit to the author and include this link. https://www.dhirubhai.net/pulse/repentance-gospel-arthur-shady

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