YOU'VE HEARD IT PREACHED - "GOD HAS A PURPOSE FOR YOU"

     Often, more so than not, you hear it said, "God has a purpose just for you...".  This often sounds like a motivational speech from the HR department or the recruiters from one of the branches of the military.  All this does is cause an individual to spend worthless time searching for that unreachable "purpose" instead of obeying what God has already ordained.  This human call draws attention and hooks one to the line to be dragged in only to be told again and again that there is a "special purpose" waiting just for that individual.  As of yet I have not heard anyone of the "motivators" state with precision exactly how to locate and identify this "purpose".  People ask, yes they do and I believe legitimately, "what is God's will for my life?"  Unfortunately they look for His will to be something that is beneficial for them.    

    

     Jesus said to His disciples to follow Him and that He would make them "... fishers of men." (Mark. 1:17).  He commanded them to go and "... make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit" (Matt. 28:19).  Why the command given to all disciples to preach the good news, to make disciples and to baptize the new believers?  Because it is God's will that all, because He "so loved the world that He gave His only begotten, [one of kind] son that whosoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life" (John3:16). 

 

     So then one asks if there isn't more that God wants me to do?  There must be more in this "purpose" He has for one, more for one in His will for a person?  Yes there is; His will also is that we worship Him, that we bow and prostrate ourselves in adoration to Him, for that is the sole purpose for why God created all that has been created; all created for His glory.  “For my own sake, even for my own sake, will I do it. For how should my name be polluted; and I will not give my glory to another,” (Isa. 48:11).  God is saying in as much, that He will obtain His end; not fore go His glory; and no other will take this prize from Him. It is evident, that God’s name and his glory are the same.  God makes Himself His end in His works for His own sake, and thereby making His glory His end as to creating the world, [Johnathan Edwards, A Dissertation Concerning The End For Which God Created The World]. 

   

     So then what is God's will for a believer, a Christian?  What is the "purpose" God has for one?  What is a true purpose driven life? What it is not is obeying for the purpose of obtaining for material rewards from God. What it is, is as  David Platt puts it, to "walk in God’s will on a moment-by-moment, day-by-day basis," (Follow Me). Dietrich Bonhoeffer wrote that discipleship is costly because "..the command of Jesus is hard, unutterably hard, for those who try to resist it..." yet it "is easy for those willingly submit.." [Cost of Discipleship].  To walk in God's will is to worship and praise God; that He be glorified always for ever and ever without end, amen..

¿Eres un Jugador?

Vamos a mantenerlo simple. Usted tiene libre albedrío, que es que usted puede elegir creer lo que quieras. El problema surge entonces, quién tiene razón y quién no es correcto. Si dos o más hombres o dos mujeres o más quieren tener relaciones sexuales entre sí y quieren entrar en un acuerdo contractual para vivir en el matrimonio, que es una elección que estan haciendo. ¿Está bien o está mal. Para el relativista la respuesta depende de los deseos del individuo.
 ¿Es la homosexualidad (masculina y femenina) mal? Sí lo es. ¿Es entonces un hombre o mujer homosexual condenado a la separación eterna de Dios? Sí lo son. ¿Puede un homosexual masculino o femenino estar a salva? Sí pueden, al creer en el Señor Jesucristo. ¿Pueden continuar en sus viejas costumbres? ¡No! En el momento de nacer de nuevo Dios mismo morará en su interior. ¿Van a luchar con las viejas costumbres? Sí, pero el Señor está allí para ayudarlos a cambiar.
¿Qué pasa con todos los ministros y predicadores que afirman que continúar en relaciones homosexuales está bien? Los ministros son apóstatas y predican un evangelio que es anatema, y ​​si no cambian de los errores de sus caminos, ellos también se quemará en el lago de fuego preparado para el diablo y sus ángeles. ¿Estoy juzgando? Sí, lo soy, puedo juzgar la conducta de aquellos que se proclaman ser ministros ordenados de Dios.
El fondo es éste, puedes creer lo que quieras, haz lo que quieras, pero un día, y no sé cuándo, se va a morir. Usted va a estar muerto. Usted seguramente sabe en ese momento si estaban en lo cierto o equivocado. El problema va a ser que va a ser demasiado tarde. Usted ya ha sido juzgado, se le condenó en ese instante.

Romanos 1:18-32
18 Porque la ira de Dios se revela desde el cielo contra toda impiedad e injusticia de la gente, que detienen la verdad con injusticia, 19 porque lo que de Dios se conoce les es manifiesto, pues Dios se lo manifestó. 20 Porque desde la creación del mundo, Dios invisible cualidades, su eterno poder y deidad, se hacen claramente visibles, siendo entendidas por medio de las cosas hechas, de modo que las personas que no tienen excusa.
21 Pues habiendo conocido a Dios, no le glorificaron como a Dios, ni le dieron gracias, sino que se envanecieron en su pensamiento y su necio corazón fue entenebrecido. 22 Aunque afirmaban ser sabios, se hicieron necios 23 y cambiaron la gloria del Dios inmortal por imágenes que eran réplicas de un ser humano mortal y los pájaros y los animales y reptiles.
24 Por lo cual también Dios los entregó a los malos deseos de sus corazones, a la impureza sexual de modo que degradaron sus cuerpos entre sí. 25 ya que cambiaron la verdad de Dios por la mentira, honrando y dando culto cosas creadas antes que al Creador, quien es bendito por siempre. Amen.
26 Por esto Dios los entregó a pasiones vergonzosas. Pues aun sus mujeres cambiaron las relaciones naturales por las sexuales antinaturales. 27 De la misma manera también los hombres, dejando el uso natural de la mujer, se encendieron en su lascivia unos con otros. Los hombres cometieron actos vergonzosos con otros hombres, y recibiendo en sí mismos la retribución debida a su extravío.
28 Por otra parte, al igual que no creo que merezca la pena conservar el conocimiento de Dios, así que Dios los entregó a una mente depravada, para que hicieran lo que no debían hacer. 29 Se han llenado de toda clase de maldad, perversidad, avaricia y depravación. Están llenos de envidia, homicidios, contiendas, engaños y malignidades. Son chismosos, calumniadores, aborrecedores de Dios, 30, insolentes, soberbios y arrogantes; inventan maneras de hacer el mal, desobedientes a los padres, 31 no tienen entendimiento, ni la fidelidad, ni amor, ni compasión. 32 quienes habiendo entendido el juicio de Dios, que los que practican tales cosas son dignos de muerte, no sólo las hacen, sino que estas mismas cosas también se complacen con los que las practican.

Are You A Gambler?

Let’s keep it real simple. You have a free will, which is you can choose to believe whatever you want. The issue comes up then, who is correct and who is incorrect. If two or more men or two or more women want to have sex with each other and they want to enter a contractual agreement to live in marriage, which is a choice they are making. Is it right or is it wrong. For the relativist the answer is dependent on the desires of the individual. For the time of recorded history it has been considered wrong, or better said a perversion same as an adult having sexual relations with a child.
    Let’s get back to keeping it simple. Is homosexuality, (male and female) wrong? Yes it is. Is then a homosexual male or female condemned to eternal separation from God? Yes they are. Can a homosexual male or female be saved? Yes they can by believing on the Lord Jesus Christ. Can they continue in their old ways? No! At the moment of being born again God himself will dwell inside them. Will they struggle with the old ways? Yes, but the Lord is there to help them change.
   What about all the ministers and preachers that state that continuing in homosexual relations is alright? Those ministers are apostates and preach a gospel that is anathema and if they do not change from the errors of their ways, they too will burn in the lake of fire prepared for the devil and his angels. Am I judging? Yes I am, I can judge the conduct of those who proclaim themselves to be ministers ordained of God.
The bottom line is this, you can believe what you want, do what you want, but one day and you do not know when, you are going to die. You are going to be dead. You will most certainly know at that moment if you were right or wrong. The problem is going to be that it is going to be to late. You have already been judged, you will be sentenced at that instant.

Romans 1:18-32
18 The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of people, who suppress the truth by their wickedness, 19 since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. 20 For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.
21 For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22 Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools 23 and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like a mortal human being and birds and animals and reptiles.
24 Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another. 25 They exchanged the truth about God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator—who is forever praised. Amen.
26 Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural sexual relations for unnatural ones. 27 In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed shameful acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their error.
28 Furthermore, just as they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, so God gave them over to a depraved mind, so that they do what ought not to be done. 29 They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and depravity. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit and malice. They are gossips, 30 slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant and boastful; they invent ways of doing evil; they disobey their parents; 31 they have no understanding, no fidelity, no love, no mercy. 32 Although they know God’s righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death, they not only continue to do these very things but also approve of those who practice them.

SALVATION Part 4

III. BELIEVE AND BE BAPTIZED

In the blog posted on March 2, 2013 on Salvation, Repent and Believe, the following was stated: “To believe in Jesus Christ is one act – it is not turning from something to something, but a turning to something from something  …   to turn to Jesus Christ is one act joined together with believing; one cannot turn to Jesus, (change of mind – repent), without believing and one cannot believe (that is have faith) without first receiving the ability to believe - (faith) – from the Holy Spirit by grace. In order for one to have a change of mind that person must believe, but to believe the person must have a change of mind and turn to Jesus Christ – but neither will happen without the Holy Spirit. One (repentance) does not go without the other (belief), and then it is a gift, one cannot work for it, cannot go after it and obtain it – it is all the work of God.”

Today in the Sunday school classes the subject was John the Baptist from Matthew chapter 3.   In one of the classes there was discussion concerning the word repentance. It would have interesting to have heard the various comments. But here I wish to cover briefly believing and being baptized.  John, as recorded in Matt. 3:2, 5, 6, would preach “repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand . . . Then went out to him Jerusalem and all Judea and the entire region about the Jordan, and they were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins.”  We see in Luke’s documentation he writes in what is chapter 3:3, “… and he went into the entire region about the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.”  When discussing the word baptism, bαπτιxv, as used in the New Testament we need to see that this one word represents two different things, a real baptism and a symbolic ritual; The real baptism being of the Holy Spirit where the believer is joined in union with Jesus, the baptism of the Holy Spirit, and the ritual baptism with water. John makes clear the distinction between the two types when he states, as recorded in Chapter 3 of Matthew and Luke and chapter 1 of Mark, “. . . I baptize you with water but one is coming who will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.”  There is an affiliation between the two baptisms but as Paul writes in his letter the Ephesians, (4:5), “there is one Lord, one faith, one baptism.”

Jesus appeared to the eleven remaining disciples and after “scolding” them he said, “…And he said to them, "Go into the entire world and preach the gospel to the whole creation. He who believes and is baptized [emphasis is mine] will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned,” (Mark 16:15, 16). Which baptism is being referred to here? If it is baptism by water, then water baptism is essential for salvation. Yet we read in Ephesians that there is but one baptism, and Paul when was speaking at Ephesus and learned that the disciples there had been baptized by John yet never heard of the Holy Spirit and Paul laid hands on them and, “. . .   the Holy Spirit came on them; and they spoke with tongues and prophesied,” (Act 19: 6).

Believing and repenting is one act one cannot be done without the other, and neither can be done without the Holy Spirit. The moment the Holy Spirit moves the individual to believe/repent there is a new relation to Jesus Christ of being in Him and this is brought about by the Holy Spirit’s baptism which is accomplished, to say it in this term, the instant one believes/repents.  Those saved have been saved apart from the ritual of baptism.  The ritual of baptism, however it is administered, is not a condition that has to be added to believing as a necessary step in or for salvation.

Capítulo 3 La Salvación

II. Creer y confesar
"Pero, ¿qué dice? "La palabra está cerca de ti, en tu boca y en tu corazón", es decir, la palabra de fe que predicamos: que si confiesas con tu boca que Jesús es Señor y crees en tu corazón que Dios le levantó de los muertos, serás salvo, que si confiesas con tu boca que Jesús es Señor y crees en tu corazón que Dios le levantó de los muertos, serás salvo, porque con el corazón se cree para justicia, pero con la boca se confiesa para salvación. "(Romanos 10: 9-10)

El significado sugerido de confesar es hablar el uno al otro. Como se ha dicho muchas veces que no se puede encender una vela y colocarla debajo del tanque y esperar a ver en la oscuridad - así que confesar a Jesucristo como Señor es la respuesta a la vida nueva recibida de Dios, nacer de nuevo - nacido de Dios, que nos hace gritar: ¡Abba¡ siendo en arameo “papá.”  Hay dos actividades en estos versículos: 1) Creer: "... si crees en tu corazón que Dios Lo levantó de los muertos, serás salvo;..."; salvación con la condición de creer. 2) Confesar: "y con la boca se confiesa para salvación." Confesar es aquel inevitable acto de reconocimiento a Dios por parte de quien ejerce la fe salvadora - reconociendo a Jesucristo como su Salvador y Señor. Debe tenerse en cuenta que no hay dos responsabilidades humanas distintas, no hay más que uno con dos actividades. Hay algunos que dicen que la confesión es un requisito para la salvación pero esto es lo contrario a la salvación por gracia. creer en Jesús como Señor y Salvador da lugar a confesar a Él como Señor. Confesar Él en el momento de la salvación puede llevarse a cabo, pero no es una condición para la salvación por la gracia, de lo contrario se introduce los méritos de las obras en el que sólo la obra de Dios reina.

 

SALVATION PART 3

II. Believe and Confess

“But what does it say? "THE WORD IS NEAR YOU, IN YOUR MOUTH AND IN YOUR HEART"—that is, the word of faith which we are preaching, that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses,  resulting in salvation.” (Romans 10: 9-10)

The suggested meaning of confess is to speak out to one another.  As it has been said many times one cannot light a candle, place it under a bushel, and expect to see in the darkness – so confessing Jesus Christ as Lord is the answer to the new life received of God; being born again – born of God which makes one cry out ‘Abba’, which is Aramaic meaning, 'Papa'.

There are two activities in these verses: 1) Believing, - “… believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; …”; Salvation on the condition of believing. 2) Confessing, - “and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation.”

Confessing is that unavoidable act of acknowledgment to God on the part of the one who is exercising saving faith – acknowledging Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.  It must be noted that there are not two distinct human responsibilities, there is but one with two activities.  There are some who say that confession is a prerequisite for salvation but that counters salvation by grace.  Believing has as a result the confessing of Jesus Christ as Lord.  Confessing Jesus as Lord the moment one is saved may be undertaken, but it is not a separate prerequisite condition of salvation by grace, otherwise the merits of works is introduced where only the work of God reigns.

LA SALVACION Prte 2

Salvación

"Entonces el diablo lo dejó, y unos ángeles acudieron a servirle. . . Dejando Nazaret, vino y habitó en Capernaum, que estaba cerca del lago en la región de Zabulón y Neftalí. . . Desde entonces comenzó Jesús a predicar: "Arrepiéntanse, porque el reino de los cielos se ha acercado" (Mateo 4: 11, 13, 17). "Y todo aquel que invocare el nombre del Señor, será salvo. Al oír esto, se afligieron de corazón y dijeron a Pedro ya los demás apóstoles: "Hermanos, ¿qué debemos hacer?" Pedro les dijo: "Arrepentíos, y bautícese cada uno de vosotros en el nombre de Jesucristo ..." (Hch 2, 21, 37, 38). "El carcelero pidió luz, entró precipitadamente y se quedó temblando ante Pablo y Silas. Luego los sacó y les preguntó: "Señores, ¿qué debo hacer para ser salvo?" Ellos respondieron: "Cree en el Señor Jesucristo, y serás salvo, tú y tu casa" (Hechos 16:30, 31). "Pero Dios, habiendo pasado por alto tal ignorancia, pero ahora manda a todos, en todas partes, que se arrepientan" (Hechos 17: 30).

Entonces, ¿qué hay que hacer para ser salvo? Jesús comenzó su ministerio predicando la Buena Nueva, el Evangelio, diciendo: "Convertíos y creed ..." Cuando Pedro habló a la multitud el día de Pentecostés y pidió a la gente lo que se puede hacer, respondió diciendo: "... Arrepentíos ..." Cuando Pablo y Silas fueron por el carcelero lo que debe hacer para ser salvo, Pablo respondió: "Cree ...", e hizo al hablar a los hombres en el Areópago de Atenas diciéndoles que el Ser divino no sea semejante a oro, o plata, o piedra por el diseño del hombre y habilidad, pero Dios pasó por alto tal ignorancia y ahora manda a todos a arrepentirse.

I. El Arrepentimiento y El Creer.

Debido a su uso en la Escritura es esencial tener en cuenta el significado bíblico de arrepentimiento. Podemos rastrear esta consideración de la siguiente manera: 1) El significado de la palabra, 2) La relación de arrepentimiento a creer.

1): El significado de la palabra.
La palabra traducida al inglés como el arrepentimiento viene de la palabra griega, μετανοια, (metanoia) "un cambio de mente". La práctica común ha sido la lectura de la palabra en el pensamiento de tristeza y angustia del corazón, que ha sido la causa de mucha confusión en el área de la salvación. Ahora el dolor se puede acompañar y, posiblemente, puede llevar a alguien al arrepentimiento, pero lo que sea, el dolor en sí mismo no es el arrepentimiento. "La tristeza según Dios produce arrepentimiento para salvación. . . Pero la tristeza del mundo produce muerte "(2 Cor. 7:10). Un significado preciso de la palabra se encuentra en Mat. 21: 28,29 cuando Jesús cita la respuesta del hijo: "Un hombre tenía dos hijos, y acercándose al primero, le dijo:" Hijo, ve hoy a trabajar en la viña. “‘No-respondió-, pero luego cambió de idea y se fue "(NVI)," pero después, arrepentido, fue "(RV).
El llamado al arrepentimiento en el Nuevo Testamento no es un 'impulso' a la auto-condenación, sino una voluntad de "un cambio de mente" que promueve un cambio en el curso que se persigue. Tal como se usa en el Nuevo Testamento la definición de esta palabra es fundamental; poco o ningún progreso se hará en la Palabra de Dios acerca de la salvación a menos que un significado preciso y verdadero de la palabra se encuentra.

2): La Relación entre el Arrepentimiento y  Creer.
Cuando se hace una afirmación que el arrepentimiento no es "añadido" a la creencia como un requisito separado para la salvación, entonces se asume que el arrepentimiento no es necesario para la salvación. Debido a esta afirmación hay que señalar dogmáticamente en lo que el lenguaje puede declarar, que el arrepentimiento es esencial para la salvación, y nadie puede ser salvo sin arrepentimiento, sin embargo, está incluido en el creer y no puede ser separado de ella.
Vamos a restringir el tema a la persona no regenerada y sin guardar y el problema que se desarrolla. El mayor obstáculo para la salvación de los perdidos es la práctica de exigir del individuo una angustia de alma antes  del ejercicio de la fe (creencia) en Jesucristo, esta necesidad de tener un mirar hacia dentro de sí mismos en vez de alejarse de ellos mismos hacia Cristo Jesús. Las emociones no se pueden producir a voluntad - todo esto hace es hacer que la salvación condicionada en los sentimientos y la fe no. Este remordimiento, la angustia, el dolor del corazón se convierte en una forma muy sutil de la meritoria labor y por lo tanto una contradicción de la gracia. Bajo la idea de que debe haber angustia y lágrimas para que haya salvación establece la idea de que Dios, entonces no es propicio, para que Él tiene que ser movido a la compasión o suavizado por la pena personas. La Biblia dice claramente que Dios es propicio a causa de la muerte de Jesús en la cruz, así que no hay motivo para fundir o templar el corazón de Dios. La actitud de Dios hacia el pecado y el pecador es un asunto de revelación. Dar a entender o decir que Dios tiene que ser apaciguada por la agonía humana es una forma desesperada de la incredulidad. Los no salvados tienen la Buena Nueva, el Evangelio, el creer justo. La buena noticia es que Dios no tiene que ser inducidas a una actitud de ahorro, es que Jesús el Cristo ha muerto y la gracia se extiende a partir de Dios, que es propicio para el punto del infinito.
Los seres humanos son propensos a imaginar que existe alguna forma de expiación por el pecado, por ser lo siento por él. Un cristiano puede tener un lugar de dolor por una transgresión comprometido con lo que el cristiano a la restauración - pero para los incrédulos que no se puede decir, sin poner suficiente énfasis en que no hay motivo para propiciar a Dios o para proporcionar alguna satisfacción por la miseria o la angustia de alma. Los maestros y predicadores que enseñan que los perdidos debe experimentar algún tipo de sufrimiento mental o sufrimiento antes de que puedan ser salvos no se en informar a sus oyentes acerca de exactamente cuánto tortura y la agonía que realmente debe asegurar.
El arrepentimiento - un cambio de la mente - se incluye en el creer. Una persona no puede acudir a Jesucristo de alguna otra fuente o de confianza sin un cambio de mente - Todo esto es una estafa persona muerta espiritualmente nunca efecto, toda persona que puede hacer, y que el "cambio de mente" es la obra del Espíritu Santo , "Porque por gracia sois salvos por medio de la fe, y no de vosotros, pues es don de Dios" (Ef. 2:8).
También hay que considerar que la preparación esencial del corazón se logra por el Espíritu Santo en la persona no salva para que sean capaces de hacer una aceptación inteligente y voluntaria de Jesús el Cristo como su Señor y Salvador. Los que no son salvos, por el Espíritu Santo, sea puesta en conocimiento de un solo pecado - es decir "Ellos no creen en mí" (Juan 10:25).
Creer en Jesucristo es un solo hecho - no es giranso de algo a algo, pero un giro a algo a partir de algo - casi un juego de palabras, pero hay una distinción clara aquí y es vital. Para activar el mal forma es un acto y la acción puede terminar allí. Pero para convertir a Jesucristo es un acto unido con creer, no se puede recurrir, (cambio de mente - arrepentimiento), sin creer y no se puede creer (fe) sin fe antes recibir - la capacidad de creer, del Espíritu Santo por la gracia. Para que uno tenga un cambio de mente que esa persona tiene que creer, pero para creer que la persona debe tener un cambio de mente y volverse a Jesucristo - pero tampoco va a pasar sin el Espíritu Santo. Un (arrepentimiento) no va sin la otra (creencia), y entonces es un regalo, no se puede trabajar por ello, no puede ir tras él y obtenerlo - es toda la obra de Dios.
La responsabilidad humana se limita a creer acerca de la salvación o la fe. No se puede añadir nada a esto si la gloria de la gracia ha de ser preservado.

SALVATION - Part 2

Salvation

“Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him . . .  Leaving Nazareth, he went and lived in Capernaum, which was by the lake in the area of Zebulun and Naphtali . . .  From that time on Jesus began to preach, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near," (Matt. 4: 11, 13, 17). “And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.  When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, "Brothers, what shall we do?" Peter replied, "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ . . .” (Acts 2: 21, 37, 38). “The jailer called for lights, rushed in and fell trembling before Paul and Silas. He then brought them out and asked, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?" They replied, "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household,” (Acts 16:30, 31). “In the past God overlooked such ignorance, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent” (Acts 17: 30).

 

So what then must one do to be saved? Jesus began His ministry by preaching the Good News, the Gospel, saying “Repent and believe…”  When Peter spoke to the multitude on the day of Pentecost and was asked by the people what to do, he replied saying “… Repent…”  When Paul and Silas were by the jailer what he must do to be saved, Paul replied “Believe…”; and when speaking to the men at the Areopagus in Athens telling them that the divine Being is not like gold, or silver, or stone made by man’s design and skill, but God overlooked such ignorance and now commands all to repent.

I.                    REPENT AND BELIEVE

              Because of its use in Scripture it is essential to consider the Biblical meaning of repentance. We may trace this consideration as follows: 1) The meaning of the word; 2) The relation of repentance to believing.

 

1): The meaning of the word.

                The word translated to the English as repentance is from the Greek word, μετανοια, (metanoia) ‘a change of mind’. The common practice has been in reading into the word the thought of sorrow and anguish of the heart which has been the cause of a lot of confusion in the area of salvation.  Now sorrow can accompany and may possibly lead someone to repentance, but whatever it may be, sorrow in and of itself is not repentance.  “Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation . . . , but worldly sorrow brings death” (2 Cor. 7:10).  A precise meaning of the word can be found in Matt. 21: 28,29 when Jesus cites the reply of the son,  “A man had two sons, and he came to the first and said, ' Son, go work today in the vineyard.' 'I will not,' he answered, but later he changed his mind and went” (NIV); “but afterward he repented, and went” (KJV).

The call to repentance in the New Testament is not an ‘urge’ to self-condemnation, but a will to ‘a change of mind’ that promotes a change in the course being pursued.  As used in the New Testament the definition of this word is fundamental; little to no progress will be made in the Word of God concerning salvation unless an accurate, true meaning of the word is found.

 

2): Relation of Repentance to Believing.

 

                When an assertion is made that repentance is not ‘added’ to belief as a separate requirement for salvation it then is assumed that repentance isn’t necessary then for salvation.  Because of this assertion it must be stated dogmatically as far as language can declare, that repentance is essential for salvation and no one can be saved apart from repentance, yet it is included in believing and cannot be separated from it. 

Let’s restrict this issue to the unregenerate person, the unsaved and the problem that develops. The greatest hindrance to the salvation of the lost is the practice of demanding of the lost individual an anguish of soul before the exercise of faith (belief) in Jesus Christ, this need of having one to look inward at themselves instead of away from themselves towards Christ Jesus. Emotions cannot be produced at will – all this does is make salvation conditioned on feelings and not faith. This remorse, anguish, sorrow of the heart becomes a very subtle form of meritorious work and thereby a contradiction of grace.  Beneath the idea that there must be anguish and tears in order for there to be salvation sets up the notion that God then is not propitious, that He has to be moved or softened to pity by the persons grief.  The bible clearly states that God is propitious because of Jesus’ death on the cross so there is no occasion to melt or temper the heart of God.  God’s attitude towards sin and the sinner is a matter of revelation. To imply or to state that God has to be mollified by human agony is a desperate form of unbelief. The unsaved have the Good News, the Gospel, to just believe. The Good News is not that God has to be coaxed into a saving attitude; it is that Jesus the Christ has died and grace is extended from God who is propitious to the point of infinity.

                Humans are prone to imagine that there is some form of atonement for sin by being sorry for it. A Christian may have a place of sorrow for a transgression committed bringing the Christian to restoration – but for the unsaved it can’t be said without putting enough emphasis that there is no occasion to propitiate God or to provide any satisfaction by misery or distress of soul. Teachers and preachers who teach that the unsaved must experience some sort of mental anguish or suffering before they can be saved fail themselves in informing their listeners about exactly how much torture and agony they must actually secure.

                Repentance – a change of mind – is included in believing.  A person cannot turn to Jesus Christ from some other source or confidence without a change of mind - This is all a spiritually dead person con ever effect, all that person can do, and that ‘change of mind’ is the work of the Holy Spirit, “For by grace are you saved, through faith, and not of yourselves, it is a gift of God” (Eph. 2:8).

                Also it has to be considered that essential preparation of the heart is accomplished by the Holy Spirit in the unsaved individual for them to be able to make an intelligent and voluntary acceptance of Jesus the Christ as their Lord and Savior.  The unsaved will, by the Holy Spirit, be brought to the knowledge of just one sin – that is “They believed not in Me” (John 10:25). 

                To believe in Jesus Christ is one act – it is not turning from something to something, but a turning to something from something – almost a play on words but there is a clear distinction here and it is vital.  To turn form evil is one act and the action can terminate there. But to turn to Jesus Christ is one act joined together with believing; one cannot turn to, (change of mind – repent), without believing and one cannot believe (faith) without first receiving faith – the ability to believe, from the Holy Spirit by grace. In order for one to have a change of mind that person must believe, but to believe the person must have a change of mind and turn to Jesus Christ – but neither will happen without the Holy Spirit.  One (repentance) does not go without the other (belief), and then it is a gift, one cannot work for it, cannot go after it and obtain it – it is all the work of God.

                Human responsibility is limited concerning salvation to believing or faith. One cannot add anything to this if the glory of grace is to be preserved.