Are Hypergrace Preachers Opposed to Repentance?
“Hypergrace preachers say there’s no need for repentance. They dismiss repentance as unbelief.”
Actually, hypergrace preachers are for repentance. We say things like “repentance is essential” and “repentance is to be our lifestyle.” We are for repentance, for without it no one can receive the grace of God.
What is repentance?
Repentance is one of those words that means different things to different people.
Those with a performance-oriented mindset interpret repentance as turning from sin. It’s something you do (turn) as a result of something you’ve done (sinned). It’s fixing what you broke. It’s atoning for your mistakes. It’s stitching fig leaves together to hide your shame.
In contrast, faith-based repentance is done in response to something God has done. It’s the change of heart and mind that happens when you encounter his grace. It’s often evidenced by turning to God in praise and gratitude.
A mixed-grace gospel defines repentance in terms of a prescribed set of behaviors (e.g., turning from sin) and emotions (e.g., sorrow and grief). But insisting on the proper way to repent is tantamount to putting people under law.
The fruit of repentance may take 101 different forms—don’t limit God—but repentance itself is simply a change of mind. It’s what the word literally means.
In the words of Watchman Nee:
Repentance … means a change of mind! Formerly I thought sin a pleasant thing, but now I have changed my mind about it; formerly I thought the world an attractive place, but now I know better; formerly I regarded it a miserable business to be a Christian, but now I think differently. Once I thought certain things delightful, now I think them vile; once I thought other things utterly worthless, now I think them most precious. That is a change of mind, and that is repentance. No life can be truly changed apart from such a change of mind. (The Normal Christian Life, p.132)
We all agree that repentance is a good thing and that there should be more of it, but how do we get people to repent?
A mixed-grace preacher will use carrots (“Turn from sin if you want to see God”) and sticks (“If you don’t, you’ll pay the price”), but this is the way of the flesh, not faith. This sort of repentance will lead you to trust in your own repenting efforts and miss grace.
Consider the Pharisees. They turned from sin on a daily basis yet they did not recognize the Grace of God even as he came and stood among them.
Some say, “We need more preaching on repentance,” as though this would motivate people to repent. But it won’t. Only one thing is guaranteed in scripture to lead people to repentance and that is a revelation of God’s goodness:
God’s kindness is meant to lead you to repentance. (Romans 2:4b, ESV)
Repentance isn’t doing something about your sin. Repentance is responding positively to God’s kindness and grace.
Hypergrace preaching
How does a hypergrace preacher encourage repentance? By preaching the goodness of God as revealed in Jesus.
A mixed gospel says, “You gotta repent or else,” but the hypergrace gospel says, “See Jesus!” Old covenant repentance puts the focus on you and your badness, but new covenant repentance puts the focus on him and his goodness.
When you see the Lord of grace looking at you with love and affection, you will repent. You will turn from sin to him not because you have been bribed with carrots or threatened with sticks but because Jesus is more attractive than anything this world offers.
He is the Beauty who draws us to himself.
Adapted from The Hyper-Grace Gospel
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Great article, again! Thanks for your work writing all of this.
Yeah, thanxs Paul! We need to get that mind-set right, isn’t it?
I love how Thayer explains the word:
metanoeō:
1) to change one’s mind, i.e. to repent
2) to change one’s mind for better
… from the two Greek words
meta – with, after, behind
and from the word noieō – to understand, to have understanding, to think upon, ponder, consider.
As a man thinks, so is he.
Its getting a renewed mind.
To get the mind of Christ and think as He thinks.
To agree with the way He thinks of you (homologeō) … because already as He is, so are we in this world!
u r blessed!
Typical street evangelism message is: “You are a sinner. You are guilty. You are headed to hell and eternal damnation. The only way out is through what Jesus has accomplished. But you must repent and turn away from sins to receive this great salvation. Now pray with me and make Jesus the Lord of your life”.
There is some good in this approach and also some shortcomings. The effectiveness of this approach comes from the power of fear and guilt. How would hyper grace evangelism go?
God knows you and all about you. He knows every ugly secret in your heart and still loves you deeply and intensely….Enough to give up his BEST for you, in hopes that you will believe in his demonstration of his love and come into a relationship with him. He is not condemning you or looking down ready to punish you but he is saying “COME”… I don’t remember your sins anymore because someone has borne the punishment for your sins.. John 3:16-17, Hebrews 8:12
Something like that…….
My struggle with this definition is that there is no warning of what’s at stake in the decision, that there’s a risk of the listener suffering an eternity apart from God if they reject the gospel. Don’t we see such warnings in scripture by preachers of the Gospel?
I use to look to my performance, but now I look to His. I was never going to improve on the righteousness of Jesus. #HisGiftofRighteousness
Paul, after learning repentance through grace i have concluded that, whenever i get a thought of guilt i must declare that i am already righteous in Christ.
Instead of going into debate with my mind.
Is that what repentance means?
What’s your thoughts on Isaiah 59:20?
“The Redeemer will come to Zion, to those in Jacob who repent of their sins,” declares the Lord.
Isaiah 59:20 is from the old testament and is a statement about the church and the old testament people under the law. The verse is most often translated to “The redeemer will come to Zion,AND to those who turn from or repent”
What is being said is Jesus will redeem the church and Israel.
This speaks of the future when Israel will repent of their sins,especially the rejection of Jesus,but this isn’t what the inspired Greek says.
Young’s literal translation
And come to Zion hath a redeemer, Even to
captives of transgression in Jacob, An affirmation of Jehovah.
This literal translation speaks of people who were captives of sin,not people turning from sin.
This make more sense,especially when we read Romans 11:26
And so all Israel will be saved, as it is written.
Then verse 27 which reminds us what was written in Isaiah59
“The deliverer will come out of Zion,
And he will turn away ungodliness from Jacob;
For this is my covenant with them,
When I take away their sins.”
This is the new testament explanation of Isaiah 59.
As we can see,Jesus turns their sins away from them first.
Then they turn from their sins.
A common Christian phrase is Jesus plus nothing which is true.
The Devil has to get you to believe the phrase Jesus plus something,which is a lie.
Repentance means changing your mind or turning your mind around. Old testament repentance is changing our minds about sin. It’s something we do IN ORDER TO get something from God.
New testament repentance is changing our minds about God. It’s something we do AFTER we get something from God.
Grace causes us to change our thinking from the idea that God is distant and stingy and demands things from us,to the idea that God is our father who is near and loving and supplies things to us.
This is what the prodigal son came to realize when he made an attempt to offer his rehearsed speech to his father. As soon as the son told his father that he had sinned against him, his father commanded his servants to put the best robe on him. The best robe is the robe reserved for important people of high honor who might visit. When the son realized that his sins against his father resulted in his father giving undeserved honor and favor to him,he changed his mind about his father from a father who demands to a father who supplies. The instant that he realized how good his father was,he couldn’t ask his father to make him one of his servants as he did in his rehearsed speech. He realized his father had bigger plans for him. The Fathers Grace caused the son to repent (change his mind) about the father.
Hi Mark. I looked at several versions of the Bible in English and unless it means something else in the Greek (which of course is possible), I don’t see how we can assume it was a rehearsed speech. What I do see in the English, is that he “came to his senses” ….a change of mind. An observation more in line with repentance and than he went to his father.
The son is hungry and then comes to himself. What does the story tell us about the son’s thinking when he came to himself? What did the son suddenly realize? He suddenly realized that his fathers servants always had plenty to eat and he had nothing. He wanted food and came up with a plan to get some. He rehearsed,in his mind,what he would say to his father.I will say to him I have sinned and am not worthy to be called you son. Make me like one of your servants. This is what he planned on saying to his father. This is his rehearsed speech.
While he was still a great way off,his father saw him. This means that the father was always/constantly looking for his son.Know that Jesus found you because you were lost,not the other way around. The father had compassion before the son changed his mind. The father ran to the son before the son Changed his mind. The father fell on the son’s neck before the son changed his mind. Then the father kissed the son before the son changed his mind. Then the son began to recite his rehearsed speech. He got as far as saying he was a sinner and a bad son and was unable to ask the father to make him like one of his servants because the father said to his servants bring the robe,a ring,and some sandals.
The son knows that the robe is something of high honor and that the ring gives him great authority and that the sandals give him the right to stand in the presence of his father. After all of this unmerited favor was given to the son from the father,the son changed his mind.
Something changed in the son’s thinking that stopped him from asking the father to make him like one of his servants.He changed his mind concerning his fathers character from that of a father who was demanding to a father who supplies. He did not become sorrowful about his sins,nor did the father mention them,nor did the son have any consciousness of his sins. In fact we are told that they began to be merry.
That’s good preaching, Paul! As believers I maintain we don’t live in a fallen world or mindset, instead we live in a redeemed, grace-filled world or mindset, never forgetting that there are many “out there” who have not joined us yet!
Hi John, Great way to look at things, thanks! I have just changed my view! Blessings!
The long promised Joel 2:28 End Time Revival is now global and we are missing it here in America because we do not understand that the prophesied revival is a repentance revival! Joel 2:12-17 comes before Joel 2:28 an I have seen it with my own eyes. Prepare the Way and your hearts for the Coming of the Messiah!
Amen…SHARED!!
Job says, “I had heard of You with the hearing of my ears, but now my eyes see you and I repent in dust and ashes.” Jesus said, “When I am lifted up, I will draw all men to myself.” How do you “see” Jesus? When I see Him on the cross, dying for my rebellion, my mind changes, my pride turns to humility, my emotions change from fear to love. When I see Him lifted up to the Father and seated at His right hand my attitude changes from resistance to prostrated adoration and a willing heart that concludes that if God was willing to deliver up His Son for me, He will not withhold any good thing.
I am really amazed that I hear so many people on these blogs have come from a works oriented preaching. I have attended several churches over the years here in Canada. I could never say they were works oriented churches, and so I can understand the refreshing news of His amazing grace. Repentance comes from God and yes it means a change of the mind but it also means a change of inner self, a heart change which would naturally lead to an abhorrence for the sin we have done against God and would lead to turning from the sin. When Jesus touched my heart and forgave me, it brought me to my knees and to tears of joy (initially tears due to sins against someone that loved me soooo much) The words of the Bible for the first time came “alive” and I could not get enough of Jesus. Do I think that tears are always required? Of course not. Do I believe that repentance will lead to turning from sin? Yes because Jesus Love Me! How many times have we heard from our brothers & sisters in which the Holy Spirit, moving in their lives, brought them to their knees with tears in repentance, thanksgiving and joy!
Hi Wayne, I don’t want to put words in your mouth, but it’s sounding to me like you’re putting the emphasis on turning from sin. I would put the emphasis on turning to Jesus. As we turn to Jesus we are naturally turning from sin and our focus is not looking back to the sin we came from, but it’s where it should be – on Jesus. Blessings
Hi LGP. Not the intention. Just a natural result. Thanks
I’m slowly( sorry it’s only slowly some resistance still lurks) coming round to the realisation that my thought pattern of repentance is that I need to say sorry to God that I got it wrong to be forgiven and will try harder not to do it again and hope he gives me the strength not to. I’ve lived with that all my 30 years as a Christian. That thought pattern sucks and beleive you me it don’t work. It just grinds you down. I am a classic product of works based teaching on 1 John 1v9. One thing I would like to ask though is it wrong to confess what you have done wrong and thank God you are forgiven? If so how does one deal with a character trait that persists?
Bill,don’t ever be sorry that Gods word (food for your soul) is moving your thoughts in the right direction. I’ve not seen a speed limit which we must observe during this transformation of our minds. Only that his word is the food that transforms our minds and,again, he does the transforming,not us.
Salvation is a gift not a reward.
1 John 1:9 tells us that if we admit that we are sinners who need him as our Savior,he will forgive us from our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. This happens one time in a sinners life,the day we accept Gods gift of Jesus. Bill,you have been spotless and blameless since that day.
The word tells me that Bill IS the righteousness of god in Christ. Does Bill want to dispute this truth? The word tells me that as Jesus IS,so IS Bill in this world NOW. The word tells me that Bills flesh HAS BEEN condemned. Bill,this means that your flesh can never say to God “Hey God,look at what Bill just did”. The word also tells me that Bill is to have no consciousness of sin. We know from the Law that when we focus on our sins, sin increases.
Bill,don’t make confessions about how bad you are,but how good and generous you heavenly father is.Focusing on how good your Father is and how much Joy that knowledge brings to your life ,and speaking it with your mouth,is the only way you can change your heart. Jesus came to heal bad hearts not bad behaviors because he knows that a better heart will produce better behavior.
Thanks Mark.
On the day of Pentecost Peter said ‘Repent and be baptised for the remission of your sin and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit’. Baptism is part of repentance, It is where we humble ourselves before God, die to our old lives and are raised with the Messiah into new life. We are saying that our old lives are worthy of death and that we need God’s new life. Through baptism we become God’s children and receive the HOLY Spirit that will continue to make us Holy. Yes, we need to remember what we have become in the Messiah Jesus through baptism and faith. Remembering this may not be the whole answer to the problem of sinfulness but it is certainly an important aspect to achieving actual holiness in our everyday lives.
It sounds like you believe that Peter is saying you need to change your mind and be baptized in order to be saved. It also seems as if you believe that changing your mind and being baptized is required to receive the Holy Spirit. These two statements are false. The word clearly tells us that Faith and Faith alone saves us. Not any work we do. We have Faith in the work Jesus did. In the inspired Greek,Peter is saying Change your mind and be baptized because of the remission of your sin.
I can clearly see that you believe that we become children of God after we are baptized. This is not true. We become Children of God the instant we believe in the finished work of Jesus.
Some of this is off topic as we are talking about changing our minds and the question,”Do hyper Grace preachers preach about changing our minds?”. I see that Paul Ellis believes that Grace leads us to change our minds. Romans 2:4 clearly states that God’s goodness leads us to change our minds. We have two questions to ask. Do we need to change our minds in order to receive Gods goodness. The answer is no and in fact,the opposite is true
according to Romans 2:4 it is God’s goodness that causes us to change our minds.
The second question is “what are we to change our minds about?
I will show what the word says regarding this some more in another reply.
If I believe these things it is because Peter says these things. I dont believe Peter says these things because I believe these things. Paul in Rom 6.3 says that the reason we may now walk in newness of life (free from sin and sinfulness) is because we have been baptised into Messiah Jesus. The repentance of baptism leads to freedom from sin. In 1 Peter 3.21 we are informed that baptism saves us.
When Peter said, ‘Repent for the remission of YOUR SIN’, what sin was he thinking of? What sin were his listeners required to turn away from?
Was it watching adult movies on cable TV? (Altho that is a sin, for sure!)
Again,Paul is saying change your mind because your sins have been forgiven. He doesn’t specifically tell us what we are to change our minds about in this sentence. Repentance is not a word that means change your mind about your sins. It simply means change your mind period. Again,as stated in Romans 2:4,it is God’s goodness that causes us to change our minds. So this answers the question” Do I need to change my mind to receive God’s grace?” Because of Romans 2:4,we know the answer is no.
So the second question is “What are we to change our minds about?”
We are told exactly what we are to change our minds about in Acts 20:21.
Paul is talking to the Ephesians about how he had taught them by testifying to Jews,and
also to Greeks, repentance(changing their minds) toward God and Faith toward our Lord Christ Jesus. This tells us in no uncertain terms that we are to change our minds from a father who is demanding to a father who supplies freely. Also we are to change our minds from believing that our works produce righteousness to Faith in the work of Christ Jesus.
It’s not our righteousness that saves us,but Jesus’ righteousness.
The prodigal son had a mindset that he would be one of his father’s servants and work for the father’s blessings so he still had a mindset of self righteousness. When the father ran to him and kissed him and restored him to the house with high honor and authority and good standing and threw a party because of the joy it gave to him,the son could see that he didn’t need to work for his fathers love. It was given to the son freely.
The son changed his mind about the father from that of a father who demands to a father who loves and supplies freely. He also changed his mind from self righteousness to righteousness as a gift and this is exactly what Paul is saying in Acts 20:21.
You will never achieve holiness, but God will take you there through his Son.
Hello Brian Midmore,
Ephesians 2:8-9 is too clear to misinterpret
For by grace are you saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God;
Their are no amount of physical or emotional actions/works that are also required to be saved
Abraham lived 400 years before the Law and was living under God’s grace.
Genesis 15:6 And Abraham believed the LORD, and the LORD counted him as righteous because of his faith. We receive our Father’s Grace by believing. If we work for our salvation, we get a reward instead of a gift. God is very clear about what that reward will be. God’s Grace Is a gift not a reward. What did Abraham have to do to receive his righteous status?He didn’t have to do anything,he had to believe.
Galatians 3:9 So then, those who are of Faith are blessed with the faithful Abraham.
If we want the same blessings that Abraham enjoyed,we need only believe.
Abraham was made righteous because he believed.
Immediately after the thief on the cross asked Jesus to remember him when he came into his kingdom,Jesus told the thief and us very clearly that the thief would be with him in paradise later that day. His faith was counted to him as righteousness. Nothing else.
Their is a very important reason why we are called believers and not doers.
I pray this is good food for you.
Regards,Mark.
.
I Peter 3:21 speaks of baptism as the work of Christ which saves us, just as other verses speak of armor and so on. Armor isn’t metal suits, but rather the business of spirit, just as, water is not the bodily experience, but the spiritual reality – achieved by Christ.
“For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive in the Spirit. After being made alive, he went and made proclamation to the imprisoned spirits — to those who were disobedient long ago when God waited patiently in the days of Noah while the ark was being built. In it only a few people, eight in all, were saved through water, and this water symbolizes baptism that now saves you also—not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a clear conscience toward God. It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ…”
Baptism is that Living Water which saves us by and through the resurrection of Christ, that All-Sufficient Sacrifice, my all sufficient resume’ which, He having filled out, I hand to God. Such is the Water which saves. Such is our Baptism. Such is His Sacrifice, which actualizes a clear conscience toward God. Such takes place whether or not I have a physical pool of water to jump into.
I think I’m starting to get this. My wife and I have had a similar mindset when it comes to repentance but we have been discussing this and delving deeply. We both find ourselves a little confused as we are agreeing with this thread but are confused as what to do with the negative emotions that we have when we do get it wrong. My wife (Tori) is the most beautiful christian lady I know off, she attracts non Christians like a light does moths. Yet a times when we have prayed she is in tears when she has got it wrong. I would say I’m less emotional but do have regrets when I get it wrong that does inhibit me coming before God but Tori not so. So our question is when we go against something that Jesus would have done how do you reconcile the negative emotions, how do we deal with shame and pain, knowing/feeling we have let him down? Up till know we have dealt with it with the “saying sorries and please forgive me”
Hi Bill, I think the emotional response will differ from person to person and situation to situation. Grace has room for that. The Bible says we can grieve the Holy Spirit. When we sin we make him sad because we hurt the objects of his affection – us! And when we sin we can feel regret that we have let people down – ourselves, our loved ones, and Jesus. This is normal.
My problem is with the mindset that says UNLESS we repent with tears and sackcloth, our repentance is somehow less genuine. Dead religion prescribes certain behaviors but God examines the heart. I have repented with tears – many times – but on most occasions I repent with great joy.
Hi Paul. Thanks for taking the time to respond. Thanks for the link also which I have read. It’s funny really. As I read it and other posts you have made I read them and I find myself saying this is too simple to be true for me, yet I don’t believe it not to be true for others and to be honest some of the stuff you post on here about grace I have said to others before I read what you say, I’m sure you will see from my previous posts it’s all about my understanding for me and why I don’t see it.
Anyway your latest post dropped into my e-mail today and as I read it I clicked the link through to “those who haven’t can’t relate” Thanks to people like you even though I can’t see the ship I know it’s there and I’m not going to give up looking. I have jumped off the ship I’ve sailed as a battered Christian and asking for as you say it the revelation of the grace. I realise that as I have jumped off one ship then the ship of grace will find me.
God bless you and thank you.
Hi Bill.
It looks like your term “getting it wrong” are your words for sin and you equate Jesus behavior with your behavior. Good news,Jesus does not tell us to do as he does,but to believe what he says and did. He tells us to believe something. More good news,he also tells us that he did all the work we can’t do for ourselves and it is finished. More good news,we are told that as he is so ARE we in this world now. More good news,we are told that because our sins have been forgiven,we should have no consciousness of sin so that we can come boldly before our father. We are not to have regrets and sorrow that inhibit us from coming to our father. We are to rejoice and be glad. These are all things that we are to believe. We are told to believe things,not do things.We are believers not doers.
Since we still have to deal with the flesh and will sin every day, 1 John 1:7 tells us that Jesus is faithful to forgive our sins. The Devil knows these truths so he doesn’t waste his time trying to get us to sin. He tries to get us to not believe these truths and feel condemned.. The fact is,we still sin. The truth is we are the righteousness of God in Christ. We are to believe the truths that God tells us and not the facts of the flesh.
The Devil want’s us to focus on how bad we are. Our father wants us to focus on how good he is. The more we do this,the more our minds and hearts change about countless things. We don’t change our minds. The goodness of God causes our minds to change.
Don’t tell me to repent/change my mind. It’s not my job. It’s my father’s job. My job is to believe and speak,sit down,receive gods word of living water for the renewal of my mind,eat of his body,drink of his blood and REST.
Believe What You Are Told To Believe! You’re A Believer! Amen?
Sorry to pain and a burden. I’m working through this whole issue. Can I ask the following questions please. The bible states that God will remember our sins no more, blot them out, remove them as far as the East is from the West. I googled “Does God remember or choose to forget a Christians sin or not hold it against them. There is quite a lot out there that mentions past sins and leaves it at that, others we need to repent to be forgiven of our current sins.
Heb 8:12 “I will remember their sin no more”
If I sin tomorrow whether it be by omission or knowing I am doing wrong has God chosen to remember it no more? Has he really chosen not to hold it against me because of what Christ has done? (Please note that I don’t t take my sin that I know I do lightly as an excuse to sin. I wouldn’t say that I fall foul of Romans 6:1-3)
Am I wrong to say that if Heb 8:12 applies for my sin tomorrow then my convential idea of repentance is blown out of the water and in fact what has been posted here is correct?
Can I really walk in the comfort of not having to tell God what I’ve done wrong to be forgiven and just thank him I’m free from the guilt of sin and acknowledge in my mind I got it wrong, and repent as per the grace posting here?
If so how do we ask God for help where and when we get it wrong?
Sorry Paul lots of questions and I may come across as being a little thick but it’s your fault.
You posted and God has led me. For the last year I have really been searching for God’s true grace and I googled a while ago for this and here I am.
God bless you fella
Bill, you are not a burden. You can look to the internet, which teaches that only past sins have been forgiven, or you can trust Jesus, who said “every sin will be forgiven” (Mk 3:28). To forgive literally means to carry away and on the cross the Lamb of God, whom John said would carry away the sins of the world, did exactly that. This extra-Biblical teaching that says Christ’s perfect work is imperfect and the blood of the Lamb only applies to past sins makes no sense. When Christ carried your sins, you hadn’t been born. All your sins were future sins. So the cross is definitive proof that you have been completely redeemed and eternally forgiven.
When God the Father and God the Holy Spirit jointly testify in Hebs 8 and 10 that they choose not to remember your sins, they are implicitly saying to you, “Remember Jesus.” If they are choosing to be Son-conscious rather than sin-conscious, should we not live the same way? You can ask God for help anytime you need (Heb 4:16).
Bill,Judas was sorry about his sin and in his sorrow he hanged himself.
John had a habit of telling people that Jesus loved him and ended up with Jesus’ mother and the other Mary at the foot of the cross.
Peter boasted of his love for Jesus and then denied knowing him 3 times with cursing and swearing.
Judas focused on his sin.
John focused on Jesus’ love for him.
Peter focused on his love for Jesus.
Focusing on the wrong thing leads to death.
Focusing on the right thing leads to life and life more abundantly.
The law was given by Moses,but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.
This tells us that the law and the truth are two different things.
The law is not the truth.
The law is not grace
Grace( the only thing that Jesus brought to save you)is the truth that sets you free.
Grace is the truth that will cause you to change your mind about countless things.
It is your fathers job to change your mind.
It happens when you behold your fathers love for you.
Along with Joseph Prince’s “Destined To Reign” this is the best book on the Grace of God that I have read. I “read” Michael Brown’s book “Hyper-Grace” and I am amazed with the knowledge he has that he doesn’t see or refuses to see that our walk with God is about relationship not our performance. I am also amazed that many Pastors and Preachers share a mixed message. What is taught in seminary? I haven’t been to seminary yet I see it. I thank God I don’t have to be perfect yet because of “one offering I have been made perfect” Anyway, thank you Paul for your work.
Everything I have written here comes directly from Pastor Joseph Prince. I would still be one of the legal captive if it were not for Pastor Prince’s correct teachings. Our father is a God of justice meaning we all have legal rights. Even Satan has rights and he is allowed,by us,to exercise them when we believe the wrong thing,not when we do the wrong thing. The only thing that stops the flow of God’s grace is working for it. It is only when we believe the wrong things that we start working for God’s favor. When we believe the right things we are thankful as we sit down and rest in the finished work of Christ Jesus.
Of course I am for repentance it is for those that have not yet accepted hyper grace they need to repent of their self righteousness and turn to Jesus.
Interestingly, I learned that the word repent does not even exist in the original NT texts. The original Greek word metanoia was translated as the Latin word for repent, then into the word we say as repent. The two words carry with them important distinctions that have led us to pressure people to respond to it in a way the Bible does not truly call us to respond. When it comes down to it, belief and metanoia are one in the same. If one believes, they automatically metanoia. However, just because one believes, they don’t necessarily repent, because repentance requires a work on our part.
Repentance, Step to Salvation
Jesus and His earlier followers preached repentance. Why should we avoid it today? Is it for respect for men so that they would not hate us (John 7:7)? Is it for us to preserve the glory that we receive from men? If we do not like the word “repent”, can we tell the people what Jesus told the woman: “Sin no more (John 8:11)”?
Whatever feeling we may have of it, repentance is an important message in the life of a Christian, and we shall continue to preach it as our Lord and Saviour, Christ Jesus, commanded (Luke 24:47).
• Sin forgiven after repentance (Luke 17:3-4, Acts 3:19, 8:22)
• Repentance to be preached to all the nations (Luke 24:45-47)
• Bringing joy to heaven by leading sinners to repentance (Luke 15:7-10)
• Repentance, a sign of grace that is received not in vain (Titus 2:11-14, 2 Corinthians 6:1)
• God commands all men to repent (Acts 17:30, Revelations 3:19)
• God is patient with all men so that they may come to repentance (2 Peter 3:9, Revelations 2:21)
• Apostles followed Jesus’ example and commanded sinners to repent (Acts 2:38, Acts 3:19, Acts 8:22)
• Paul preached repentance (Acts 20:21, 26:20)
• Paul even inflicted godly sorrow to induce repentance (2 Corinthians 7:8-10)
• Repentance to avoid punishment (Revelations 2:5, 16, 22)
Will avoiding the message of repentance not be following another agenda rather than Christ’s?
Paul, I have been reading a lot on your posts, and they have made me feel so much better about my salvation. I’ve seen so many videos saying I must turn away from worldliness and repent from sin or I will go to hell. I was terrified! However, I do have a question about something that Jesus said ( I’m not sure where in the bible ). He said not all who call me “lord” will go to heaven? Can you please enlighten me on what means. Does it mean not everyone who believes in him will go to heaven? I don’t want to lose my salvation. Thanks
I really encourage you to read the scriptures and find out exactly what the Bible says, for that will put your mind at rest. This time only, I’ve done it for you: “Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity” (Mat 7:22-23).
Who are the people Jesus sends away? Those he never knew. Not Christians, not people he once knew, but people he never knew. And why did he not know them? They were “evildoers” meaning they didn’t put Jesus’ words into practice meaning they built on the sand of self-righteous instead of the Rock of our Salvation, i.e., they weren’t saved. Those who have been born again can’t be unborn. Those that have come to Christ he will never cast away.
I’ll be sure to have the right scripture next time. Thanks for putting my mind at rest.
I thank God for this site.
I teach repentance like this: I was taking my wife out to dinner, headed to McDonald’s – but then I repented and went to a Steak House instead – and I didn’t even want the things of McDonald’s anymore because the Steak House was a much better deal. “Repent, for the Kingdom of God is at hand.” (Matthew 4:17) The way you overcome the lies of the world is by repenting to the Truth of the Kingdom – it’s a much better deal. God bless!!
Great illustration, Dave.
I agree, great illustration! It’s the same with the new creation’s (that’s us) confession — we now confess Jesus Christ, not sin!
Blessings to you all, this day!
Hi Paul. Loved his latest post. I’ve been thinking about this topic for some time and a question keeps coming up but curious your thoughts:
Can a person repent by mentally deciding to agree on Christian doctrines and yet have no plans to live any differently and aim have repented? Put another way what is the state of a person who suddenly believes in Jesus deity, the single sacrifice for man’s sins, his resurrection etc but has no intention to follow Christ and leave behind his addictions, selfishness etc? They have changed what they believe about the basics and even trust God has died for him but simply thinks “thanks God.” But no thinking he’s going to heaven goes back to loving how he was yesterday.
Is he saved?.is he heaven bound regardless?
Blessings to you!
I would say that a person who intellectually accepts certain doctrines is a philosopher, while a person who decides to follow an ancient teacher is religious. A Christian, on the other hand, is someone who has encountered the Risen King and has been fundamentally changed as a result. Our plans and intentions – these are all irrelevant, immaterial fluff when your heart has been undone and captured by the Lover of your soul.
If that sounds too mystical, let me put it in plainer language. When I met my future wife, my desires to run after other women melted away. I did not consciously decide to change my old ways; they just no longer had any appeal. My love for her exceeded those inferior pleasures.
Similarly, when you have tasted the goodness of the Lord, the counterfeit pleasures of sin are revealed for the shams they are. You no longer want to do those things for the same reason a liberated prisoner no longer wants to live in his cell. I hope this helps.