If repentance has nothing to do with sin and is merely turning from unbelief to belief as many today teach, then surely these demons were saved.

Matthew 8:29  And, behold, they cried out, saying, What have we to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of God? art thou come hither to torment us before the time?
30  And there was a good way off from them an herd of many swine feeding.
31  So the devils besought him, saying, If thou cast us out, suffer us to go away into the herd of swine.
32  And he said unto them, Go. And when they were come out, they went into the herd of swine: and, behold, the whole herd of swine ran violently down a steep place into the sea, and perished in the waters.
 
These demons clearly believed in Jesus, recognizing him as the Son of God, and even acknowledging his authority over them.

The Bible tells us that they all believe and even tremble at the knowledge of God, but that is not repentance.

James 2:19  Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.

According to the apostle Paul, our repentance is toward God while faith is toward Christ. We turn from our disobedience and rebellion toward a holy God and put our faith in Jesus Christ, the only one who can save us from our sin.
Turning from sin to God is repentance. Turning to Christ in belief is faith.

Repentance is essential for belief; because it is sin that hardens us against belief.
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Hebrews 3:13  But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.
 

What will you do with your sin?  (To download and print this message in tract form go to Free Bible Tracts page.)

It is rare to meet a person who claims to have never sinned. The Bible tells us that anyone who would make such a claim is a liar.

Even those who argue against God’s laws, or our own civil laws cannot escape the one law that condemns them of their sin- that is their own conscience.

“For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves” Romans 2:14  

The truth is, we know that we have all sinned. Often, we attribute those sins to the foolishness of youth; but if we’re honest we  have to admit that we were never merely victims of youthful lust. We have all at some point enjoyed our sin, even loving it at times.

Despite our most sincere desires to repent and turn from our sins, the power that sin has over us is so strong that we cannot entirely cease from sin. We continue to sin in our thoughts and in our lives everday.

Even if we could stop sinning, the debt we owe for our sin does not go away when we turn from it. Much like credit, ceasing to charge on our account does not erase the debt we already owe.

“But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God;” Romans 2:5  

Our sin debt continues to accumulate until the day we die, unless we find a way to pay for it. If we die with that debt of sin still on our account, we will be separated from God for all eternity in a place called hell.

How can we be forgiven of our sins?

Can we do good things to pay for the sins? Many people believe that if our good outweighs our bad, that God will forgive our sins and allow us into heaven; but what does the Bible say?

Since we are sinful, even the good things we try to do are stained with our sin. To God, these works of righteousness that we offer are only filthy and sinful.

“But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags;” Isaiah 64:6  

 Only a good person can do good works. Our works can never pay for our sins. The Bible tells us that without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.

 “…without shedding of blood is no remission.” Hebrews 9:22

God required the blood of a sinless sacrifice. Only the blood of someone who had never sinned (who is good) can cover our sins.

Jesus Christ, the lamb without spot or blemish. shed his own blood to pay the price that we could not pay. He suffered and died in our place and then rose again the third day conquering death to pay our debt of sin.

Can we add our works to help Jesus Pay for Our Sins? 

God’s word tells us that we are saved by God’s GRACE through FAITH in what Christ has done on our behalf.

 “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.” Eph. 2:8 & 9

Grace means unmerited or unearned favor. If we earn it, then it is no longer grace.

“And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then is it no more grace: otherwise work is no more work.” Rom. 11:6

In other words, adding our works to God’s grace nullifies grace and makes salvation no longer possible.
 
We are saved- “Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;” Titus 3:5

Salvation is a free gift from God, received by faith in Jesus Christ, apart from our own efforts. Trying to earn salvation by our works, means it is no longer by God’s grace.

If righteousness could come through our works, or through our obedience to God’s law, then what need would there be for Christ to have died?

“… for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.” Gal. 2:21
When we receive Christ as our Savior, our penalty for sin has been paid. God then sees us as righteous because of what Christ has done on our behalf. We who are unrighteous are counted as righteous because of Christ. Forgiveness is then ours as well as eternal life in heaven.

How do we receive this forgiveness and eternal life through Jesus Christ?

The Bible says that we repent toward God and put our faith in Jesus Christ alone. That means that we must humble ourselves by acknowledging and turning from our sins against God, and renounce our efforts to save ourselves, putting our faith instead in the only one who can save us- Jesus Christ.

“For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” Romans 10:13

To call upon the name of the Lord means so much more than merely calling out his name or reciting a prayer. It means believing the message of Christ, embracing it, and then naturally, professing our faith in it.

To confess Christ means to turn to God and be reconciled to him according to his plan for our salvation through faith Jesus Christ, confessing publicly through our words and through our lives, which unashamedly associate ourselves with Christ.

It is essentially entering into a covenant relationship with Christ, taking on his name as a Christian.

Jesus has already paid the price for your sins. Will you trust him to be your Savior?

If you have believed the message of Christ today, find a Bible-believing Church, be baptized as a testimony of your faith, and read your Bible every day.

I was raised as a Catholic. I believe however, that even at a young age God was drawing me out of that religion. I can remember being in Church chanting prayers, smelling the incense, looking at all the statues we bowed down to and wondering, how is this any different than the ancient civilizations I read about in school that worshipped the sun and moon and other idols? I saw the Priests smoking and drinking and living sinfully and wondered how could they forgive my sins? I just knew that this could not be the way to God, but I had no idea what was the right way.

I visited a Charismatic Church a couple of times. It was so different from the strict ritualism of the Catholic Church. They were so comfortable and relaxed, almost to the point of irreverence it seemed to me. There was very little Bible preaching, but they had this strange excitement about being there that I had never seen before. It was nice at first, but then I began to see people swaying and waving their arms and women screaming and wailing some indistinguishable noises. I knew that this also could not be the way to God.

I eventually stopped going to church at all. I did however hold on to a few Catholic practices, maybe just to feel like I was in some small way close to God. I made the sign of the cross every time I passed a Church, said the three prayers I was taught every night and even read my Good news Bible occasionally.

All the while I lived a sinful life, that I suppose many people who grew up where I did, would think was fairly normal. I still considered myself to be a pretty good person though. After all I never robbed a bank or killed anyone.

At one point, a born-again Christian led me through a "sinner's prayer". She told me that if I really meant that prayer- that I was saved (that I was now a Born again Christian).

John 3:3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.

Well, I really did mean that prayer, just as much as I meant the other three prayers I said. I was not saved though. I did not become the new creature the Bible describes a Christian to be. Nothing changed and I continued to live in sin. I occasionally told others that I was a born-again Christian, polluting the name of Christ through my lifestyle. Deep inside, I knew I was not like other Christians I had met, but I told my self that I was normal and they were just fanatics.

Many years later, my Step-Mother gave me a book about the end times and the second coming of Jesus Christ. I didn't understand it, but I knew that if Jesus did come back, I didn't want Him to find me where I was in my sinful life. I decided that I'd better clean up my act.

I had been taught as a Catholic that you had to do good things as well as believe in Jesus in order to be saved. So I tried to do good things and to stop doing the things I knew were wrong.(repenting)

I thought that I had to accomplish this "born- again" thing by being really, really good, but had little success. As a matter of fact, the more I tried to be good, the more I realized how bad I actually was. I began to see how sinful my life really was. I had fooled myself for years thinking that I could live in sin and still call myself a Christian. I finally realized that I wasn't fooling God, and that he could not be pleased with me. I had been lying to myself.

1 John 1:6 If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth:

In the early part of 1998, I began attending an Independent Baptist Church with my husband. The Pastor there preached only from the Bible. When I had questions, he opened the Bible and showed me what God had to say about it. When he preached, it made sense and spoke to me about my sin and my need for a Savior.

I learned from the Bible that we have all sinned and come short of the glory of God, and that there is no such thing as little sins and big sins. They are all the same to God. James 2:10 For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.

In God's eyes lying falls into the same category as murder. Revelation 21:8 But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: Because of our sin, we have all earned a place in Hell, and there is nothing we can do to save ourselves.

Our good deeds or works will not pay the price; as a matter of fact they are actually dirty to God because of our sin. Isaiah 64:6 But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags;

If we could do anything at all to save ourselves it would not make sense for Christ to have died. Galatians 2: if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.

The truth is that our attempts to "help" God save us by adding our works to Jesus' death on the cross are actually an insult to the unimaginable sacrifice he made for us. It's as if we are telling Jesus, "Thanks for suffering and dying on the cross for me, but I'm already pretty good. I think I can get to heaven on my own. Thanks anyway."

The Bible tells us that because of our sin none of us is good enough to enter into the presence of a Holy and just God in heaven. Romans 3:10 As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one. That was the bad news and that is why we need a Savior.

The good news is that Christ has already paid for our sins by himself. When he died on the cross, he said, "It is finished." The only acceptable payment for sin has been made, once for all. Jesus Christ, the sinless Son of God died for your sins and mine and rose again so that we could be born again through faith in him alone. All that we can do is turn from our sins (repentance toward God) and believe in him (faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ).

John 3:18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already.

Ephesians 2:8&9 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast
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Christ has done for me what I was unable to do for my self. He saved me and gave me a new life. Through faith in Christ, I have been born again, with a new heart, new desires and a new life. Now I can stand before a Holy God justified, and no longer condemned because of what Christ has done for me.

Acts 24:24 And after certain days, when Felix came with his wife Drusilla, which was a Jewess, he sent for Paul, and heard him concerning the faith in Christ.
25 And as he reasoned of righteousness, temperance, and judgment to come, Felix trembled, and answered, Go thy way for this time; when I have a convenient season, I will call for thee.

Felix trembled at the preaching of Paul!

Trembled: STRONGS NT 1719- thrown into fear, terrified, affrighted:

It is pretty obvious that Paul did NOT merely preach a message of “accept Jesus” or “ask Jesus into your heart”. Instead, we read that Paul’s message was of righteousness, temperance and judgment to come,

When Paul (the apostle to the Gentiles) preached of faith in Christ, his message to Jews and Gentiles alike was a message of “…repentance toward God and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ” (Acts 20:21).
Shouldn’t we preach the same message?
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Acts 13:26 Men and brethren, children of the stock of Abraham, and whosoever among you feareth God, to you is the word of this salvation sent.

It has become so common these days to hear that “since it is unbelief that brings the wrath of God upon man and sends him to hell, that unbelief is the only sin that needs to be repented of”. They teach that repentance has nothing to do with sins, but only one sin- unbelief.
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I have even heard many state that the first sin committed by Adam was unbelief. They argue that the reason Adam sinned was because he did not believe God’s word when he said “thou shalt sure die”- thus the problem even then, was unbelief.

This certainly seems to be a logical conclusion. The problem is that it begins with a false premise. It is NOT the sin of unbelief that brought the wrath of God upon man. According to God’s word, it was Adam’s disobedience.

Romans 5:19 “For as by one man's DISOBEDIENCE many were made sinners…”(emphasis mine)

Remember- Adam was NOT deceived, but willingly chose to disobey. He did NOT dis-believe God or his promises as Eve did when she was deceived by the serpent. Adam CHOSE to disobey the one and only law given by God.

1 John 3:4 “Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: FOR SIN IS THE TRANSGRESSION OF THE LAW.” (emphasis mine)

It was this disobedience that was sin. Had God not told them and established that this was the one thing they were not allowed to do, it would not have been sin and would not have been imputed to them.

Romans 5:13  “… but sin is not imputed when there is no law.

Through Adam’s sin of disobedience, “…death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:” (Romans 5:12)  

Our condemnation to death as sinners was secured by Adam’s sin, not through unbelief.

Romans 5:19  For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners.

For us to believe that God’s wrath came upon us because of unbelief, we would also have to rewrite or simply ignore many other scriptures.

Ephesians 5:3  “But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints; 4  Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks. 5  For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. 6  Let no man deceive you with vain words: for BECAUSE OF THESE THINGS (not unbelief) cometh the wrath of God upon the children of DISOBEDIENCE.” (emphasis mine)

Colossians 3:6  “For which things' sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of DISOBEDIENCE:” (emphasis mine)

Romans 3:23  For all have SINNED,(missed the mark) and come short of the glory of God; (emphasis mine)

If repentance has nothing to do with sins, then how is it that God’s word declares that the law was our schoolmaster to bring us to Christ? By the law is the knowledge of sin- not unbelief.

Unbelief is one of the sins that will guarantee our continued condemnation and place in hell, but it is NOT the only thing that sends us to hell, or that needs to be repented of.

Revelation 21:8 “ But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.”

We are condemned because of the sin that dwells within us. We have a sin- nature. NOT an unbelief nature, that causes us to sin against God.

Certainly, if we do not believe in Christ, we will continue in our condemnation and face God’s wrath, but unbelief is not the only sin we are to repent of. It is the whole of our sin.

To turn from unbelief to belief is simply to believe, or to have faith in. That is the definition of faith, NOT repentance.

To repent means to change our mind about our sins and idolatry and see it as God does (filthy and wicked). It is to have a genuine sorrow for our sin, as well as a desire to turn from it and to be reconciled to God.

Paul preached “…repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Why? Because we repent of our sin against God- our transgression of his laws, rebellion, willful disobedience, and idolatry, …etc.

Then we place our faith in Christ - the propitiation for or sin against God. It is what Christ did that satisfies the debt we owe to God for our sin, not for our unbelief.

Proponents of this false doctrine will also claim that because John 16:8 (“And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin…”) The use of the word sin- singular, means one sin- the sin of unbelief; but what does sin really mean?

Sin- The KJV translates Strong's G266 in the following manner: sin (172x), sinful (1x), offense (1x).
equivalent to 264  to be without a share in, to miss the mark, to err, be mistaken, to miss or wander from the path of uprightness and honour, to do or go wrong, to wander from the law of God, violate God's law, sin, that which is done wrong, sin, an offence, a violation of the divine law in thought or in act, collectively, the complex or aggregate of sins committed either by a single person or by many.

To sin is to miss the mark- to fall short of God’s glory because of our wrong doing or violation of God’s law.

How do we even think that we can reach out and receive the precious gift of salvation God offers if we are running the other direction in our continued sin and rebellion? It is our sinfulness that must be repented of, not only our unbelief.  
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It is sin that hardens our hearts and prevents belief. The word of faith cannot penetrate or take root in the heart that is hardened in sin. That is why it is so necessary to preach repentance from sin, to plow up the soil of the hard heart.

Hebrews 3:13  “But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.”
 
Repentance does not save us but helps to prepare a broken and contrite heart which is then able to believe in the Savior He has provided.
 
Psalms 34:18 “The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a CONTRITE heart.
 
Psalms 119:155  “Salvation is FAR from the wicked: for they seek not thy statutes.”(emphasis mine)
 
To deceive people into believing that they can continue in their sin and rebellion against God and merely “accept” Jesus is to deceive them right out of salvation.  
 

None of us know how many days we have left here on earth. We may live many more years, or just one more day.

One thing we do know is that we will all give account one day to God for our sins. Since God cannot look upon sin; His demand is perfect righteousness.

Romans 3:23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;

We have all willingly chosen to sin against God. We have all come short of His perfect righteousness. Not one of us is righteous.
No matter how we try to live righteously or offer works of righteousness to God, we simply cannot erase the sin that is ever-present within us.

Even the works that we do are tainted by our sin and unacceptable to God.

Isaiah 64:6 But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.

God calls us to repent of our sin against Him. To repent means to see our sin as God does (filthy and wicked) and to have a genuine sorrow for our sin, as well as a desire to turn from it and to be reconciled to God.

Repentance does not save us but helps to prepare a broken and contrite heart which is then able to believe in the Savior He has provided.

Psalms 34:18 The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit.

When we repent and recognize our inability to make ourselves righteous through our own works, it becomes clear that we need something else to cover our sins.

According to God’s word, without the sacrifice of blood, there is NO forgiveness of sin.

Hebrews 9:22 And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission.

There is only one person who ever willingly shed His own sinless blood for the forgiveness of our sins. That is God’s own Son, Jesus Christ, the lamb without spot or blemish.

John 1:29 Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.

Only by the shedding of His own righteous blood can our sins be covered.

When we place our faith in Jesus, His righteousness is credited to our account. Because of what He has done, God can then see us as righteous, even though we are not.

Not only that, but Jesus promises that when we pray according to God’s will, in His (Jesus’) name, God will hear and answer our prayers.

1 Timothy 2:5 For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;

John 14:13And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.   14 If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it.

John 16:24 Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full.

John 16:23 And in that day ye shall ask me nothing. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you.
John 16:26 At that day ye shall ask in my name: and I say not unto you, that I will pray the Father for you:

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.

Today is the day to repent and trust in the name of Christ alone to save you from your sins and reconcile you to God once for all.

Hebrews 10:10 By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.
11 And every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins:
12 But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God;
 
 
1 Corinthians 10:14 Wherefore, my dearly beloved, flee from idolatry.
Exodus 20:4 Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth:
5 Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me.
 
 
All scripture taken from the King James Version of the Holy Bible. Bolding in any quotation indicates emphasis by the compiler.

Download and print PDF version for free as  8 1/2 x 11 tri-fold tract repentance_toward_god.pdf
 

I have to say that it was never my dream to become a writer, but when the Lord puts a message on your heart and it burns inside of you, it just has to come out.

When I was saved, it was such a dramatic, life-changing event. God truly opened my eyes to not only his glorious gospel, but also to all the lost souls in need of the same conversion. So I sought out all the teaching I could find to help me share the gospel with others. As I eagerly began to lead people through the sinner’s prayer, (as I had been taught) it quickly became obvious that they were not experiencing the same life changing salvation that I had had.

Not only did most of our converts not come to Church or get baptized as a testimony of their faith in Christ; but they also did not become new creatures. Instead, they continued to live  in their sin and rebellion against God, still blind and in the dark.  Something was terribly wrong.

The answer, I found was not in a new method, but in the truth of God’s word if we’re willing to hear it. Matthew 11:15  He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.

Sadly, we as Bible-believing Christians have put our own traditions and teachings of men above the word of God when it comes to Evangelism. No longer do we look to the law of God as a schoolmaster to bring us to Christ. No longer do we preach the fear of the Lord and genuine repentance of sin, but merely accept to Jesus. We invite the proud and rebellious, who have no desire to be reconciled to God or to turn from their sin, to simply ask Jesus into their hearts, and then we seal them with a prayer (rather than the Holy Spirit), assure them of salvation and leave them two-fold more children of hell than they were before.

We may be able to fool others with our false converts, but God knows the truth, and will judge our works. We should be ashamed of such gross negligence, especially when it comes to children- quite often someone else’s children. 

Matthew 18:7  Woe unto the world because of offences! for it must needs be that offences come; but woe to that man by whom the offence cometh!

I’d like to share my testimony to help illustrate some of the stumbling blocks that I had in coming to salvation:

As a child, growing up in the Catholic Church, I believed in Jesus. I believed that he was the sinless son of God who died for our sins, was buried, rose again the third day and was seated at the right hand of the Father. I even believed that he would come again someday to judge the world.  I was not however, saved.

Why not? Because although I believed and trusted in Christ, I also trusted in my works to pay for the sins that I was unwilling to repent of.  I was so deceived by sin, false religion and my own self-righteousness that I did not even really believe that I was separated from God. The truth was, I didn't really need a Savior, because I didn't really think I was that bad. I thought I was doing alright on my own.

"When Jesus heard it, he saith unto them, They that are whole have no need of the physician, but they that are sick: I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance" (Mark 2:17).

As a young adult, I learned that you must be born again. It was around that time that I was led through a sinner's prayer by a well-meaning Christian. I was told that as long as I really meant that prayer that I was saved. Well, I certainly did mean that prayer- just as much as I meant the Hail Mary's and Our Father's I prayed regularly. I was not however, saved.  

It wasn't until well into my adult life, that I finally became convicted by the Holy Spirit of God for my sins. I knew then that I was not alright on my own. I honestly feared that if Christ came back and found me where I was in my life, that I was in big trouble. 

At that point I knew I needed to do something to repair my standing with God, but what? My husband and I began visiting Churches, looking for the answer. We finally settled on a Fundamental, Independent Baptist Church, where we found that answer.  By then, I was well aware of my sin and inability to free myself from it. I knew that I deserved God's punishment and quickly learned that there was nothing I could do to pay for my sins on my own because they just kept piling up. It was then that I heard the truth of the gospel that Jesus Christ paid it all, that he did for me what I could not do for myself.

"For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:  Not of works, lest any man should boast" (Ephesians 2:8-9).

That precious verse was the final piece of the puzzle for me. That was what I needed to understand  in order to truly believe in Christ alone as my Savior. For me, repentance included not only turning from sin, but also turning from dead works and false beliefs. Trusting in Christ without repentance toward God is not really trusting in Christ at all.

Salvation is indeed simple once we truly understand our lost condition as sinners condemned by  a holy and just God.  The essential difficulty in coming to salvation is not in merely accepting Jesus or even believing the facts of what he has done. It is in believing that we truly need a Savior.

I pray that Why Are We Losing the Kids? will be a blessing and a message of truth to those who are willing to hear it.

Looking at the celebration of Passover today. The Lord commanded the children of Israel to celebrate the Passover as a memorial. This is such a beautiful picture of salvation: the searching and removal of leaven (sin) from every crack and crevice of the home, (pictures self examination and repentance of sin) prior to the sacrifice of the lamb whose blood would cover their sins.
In preparation, they were to remove every speck of leaven (a picture of sin) from their homes.

Exodus 12:18 In the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month at even, ye shall eat unleavened bread, until the one and twentieth day of the month at even.
19 Seven days shall there be no leaven found in your houses: for whosoever eateth that which is leavened, even that soul shall be cut off from the congregation of Israel, whether he be a stranger, or born in the land.
20 Ye shall eat nothing leavened; in all your habitations shall ye eat unleavened bread.

On the night of the fourteenth of Nissan, the night before the Passover seder, an intentional, ritual search of the house is performed. To do this, these items are needed: a candle, a feather (or toothbrush), a wooden spoon, and a piece of cloth (or a small paper bag). It is customary to place items of chametz (something that doesn’t make crumbs) in ten different places in the house, so that the searcher will actually find something. A child can be given the task of hiding the chametz.

All the lights in the house are turned off, and the candle is lit. Since it is a mitzvah to remove the leaven, it is begun with a blessing:
“Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the Universe, Who sanctified us with His commandments, and commanded us concerning the removal of leaven.”

Every corner of the house is searched by candlelight. When chametz is found, it is swept onto the spoon with the feather, and then put in the cloth or bag.

After all of the chametz has been found, this declaration is made:
“All manner of leaven that is in my possession, that which I have not seen, and that which I have not removed, shall hereby be annulled, and accounted as the dust of the earth.”
The next morning, chametz may no longer be eaten. The cloth bag of chametz, along with the feather and the spoon are burned outside. Before burning, this declaration is made:
“All manner of leaven that is in my possession, that which I have seen and that which I have not seen, that which I have removed, and that which I have not removed, shall hereby be annulled and accounted as the dust of the earth.”-Passoverleavensederunleavened breadchametzkosher for Passover

Now, did the removing of leaven cover their sins? No, it was the blood of the lamb that God looked at, and yet he still commanded them to remove the leaven before the blood was applied.

Exodus 12:21 Then Moses called for all the elders of Israel, and said unto them, Draw out and take you a lamb according to your families, and kill the passover.
22 And ye shall take a bunch of hyssop, and dip it in the blood that is in the bason, and strike the lintel and the two-side posts with the blood that is in the bason; and none of you shall go out at the door of his house until the morning.
23 For the LORD will pass through to smite the Egyptians; and when he seeth the blood upon the lintel, and on the two side posts, the LORD will pass over the door, and will not suffer the destroyer to come in unto your houses to smite you.
24 And ye shall observe this thing for an ordinance to thee and to thy sons for ever.

It is the same today. God still commands us to repent of our sins and rebellion toward him and to put our faith in Christ, the crucified lamb of God.

Thinking recently about the law as a schoolmaster and these verses from Hebrews came to mind:

Hebrews 10:1  For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect.

Hebrews 10:10 But in those sacrifices there is a remembrance again made of sins every year.

Those sacrifices demanded by the law were in themselves, a continual reminder of sin. This was no accident or mistake on God’s part, but God’s way of showing us our need for a Savior. Through his law God gives us every building block we need to come to faith in Christ (like a good schoolmaster would).  

What is it that shows each and every one of us our need for a Savior? The knowledge that we have sinned and that even when we try our best, we cannot keep God’s law perfectly or atone for our own sin. This is exactly the lesson pictured by the continual sacrifices of the law.

The law pictures sin/separation, repentance, sacrifice/covering of sin, repeat: sin/separation, repentance, sacrifice/covering of sin…

It is a continual reminder of our sin and separation from God, as well as the cost of sin: a blood sacrifice-a life for a life.

-The law teaches us what sin is-
Romans 7:7  What shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid. Nay, I had not known sin, but by  the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet.

-The law is a continual reminder of our separation from God and need for reconciliation

-The repetitive nature of the sacrifices was a lesson of not only the cost of sin, but also inability to atone for our own sin.

-Our repeated failure to keep the law teaches us our inability to conquer our own sin and thus our need for a Savior

-The insufficiency of the animal sacrifices offered (as a temporary covering of sins) shows us our need for a perfect sinless sacrifice.

What an amazing lesson to bring us to faith in Christ. God truly knows best how to teach us our need for a Savior. Sadly, many today have tossed aside the use of the law as unnecessary in Evangelism of adults and children. Often our lessons begin instead with the death burial and resurrection of Christ- the answer to sin’s problem, rather than teaching as God does, the problem of sin first.

Mark 2:17  When Jesus heard it, he saith unto them, They that are whole have no need of the physician, but they that are sick: I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.

Only they that know their sinful condition and their need for a Savior can truly embrace the glorious gospel of Christ, how that he suffered and died, shedding his own precious blood to pay, once for all the debt of sin we owed, was buried, and how he rose again.

1 Timothy 1:8  But we know that the law is good, if a man use it lawfully;
9  Knowing this, that the law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and for sinners, for unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers,
10  For whoremongers, for them that defile themselves with mankind, for menstealers, for liars, for perjured persons, and if there be any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine;
11  According to the glorious gospel of the blessed God, which was committed to my trust.
 
Deuteronomy 6:7  And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.
8  And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes.
9  And thou shalt write them upon the posts of thy house, and on thy gates.
 

I remember being a new Christian and so hungrily devouring God’s word. I had so many questions, so many things I wanted to understand. My Step Mom was such a blessing to me then, guiding and discipling me. In all my questions, she patiently encouraged, pointed and helped to guide me to find the Biblical answer I was searching for. As I studied, she would offer additional questions, scriptures and contextual information relevant to my question, but did just toss out pat answers. I’m sure she knew how much more meaningful it would be for me to see the scriptures myself and allow the Lord to teach me by his Holy Spirit.

I was speaking with a young lady recently who has begun to study the book of Ephesians. It absolutely thrills my heart to see young people searching the word of God

Here are some questions that I knew would help her more. Maybe they will be a help to others studying this wonderful book.

Often those studying the book of Ephesians simply skim over the introduction in chapter one, assuming that since it is written to the “saints” (a term used interchangeably between both Jew and Gentile elsewhere in scripture), that everything there is about every born-again believer. This misunderstanding has led to multitudes of doctrinal errors throughout Christian history.

The questions we need to ask are:

-What two groups of people is this written to?

-Who is Paul referring to when it says “us” and “we” in the first twelve verses?

-Who is Paul referring to when the focus shifts to “ye” in verse thirteen? (Ch 2 v. 11)

-So then, according to these facts, what group of people was predestinated from the foundation of the world?

-What were they predestinated to? (Ch 1 V. 5 &12)

-What was God’s eternal “purpose” which they were predestinated according to? (the mystery revealed) (Ch 1 vs 9-11, ch 3 1-11)

      God’s eternal purpose is an amazing study in itself (Romans 8:28 ,9:11, 9:17,       2 Corinthians 1:17,  Ephesians 1:11, 3:11, 2 Timothy 1:9)  
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-Who were the strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world:? But now have become fellowcitizens “with” the saints?  (ch3 v 6)

I pray that someone else may be blessed by this study.
 

I heard a message recently about Goliath and how he defied the men of Israel, mocking them as cowards unwilling to stand and fight against this giant of the Philistines.

It reminded me of one of the biggest problems in the church today- pornography addiction. Although the Bible states, in Ephesians 5:3 “But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you;” I hear regularly how porn use is at epidemic proportions within professing Christianity.

This problem is so big and so widespread that Christians now tremble at the feet of this Goliath as though there is no hope. Porn mocks our great God and our Christianity as it destroys homes and ministries. Men, as helpless victims enslaved to the lust of their flesh, just don’t seem to know how to get victory over this Goliath.

We make excuses for it, citing the accessibility of it on cable and the internet. We justify struggling against this sin for years and even decades, claiming that it is just such a great temptation for men.  

Well, here’s a thought- How about we view it and treat it as the sin it is?

In the Old Testament, those participating in acts of fornication (homosexuality, bestiality, incest, illicit sexual intercourse, adultery) were to be put to death. However, in New Testament Christianity where men claim to be indwelt with the Holy Spirit of God, they just can’t get enough of it.  

Watching these abominable acts is such a huge temptation that Christians willingly invite it into their homes and lives, supporting and increasing the demand for sex trafficking, prostitution, child abuse and every other sexual sin.  

How have we come to a place where we now stand and tremble as though we have no hope? Are we not children of God?

Instead of loving porn and making excuses for it, why not stand and fight? Why not put it out of the church as we are commanded?

1 Corinthians 5:11  But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat.
12  For what have I to do to judge them also that are without? do not ye judge them that are within?
13  But them that are without God judgeth. Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person.

Can I suggest that if you have been losing the battle to this sin for that long, you’re not fighting, you’re willingly enslaved. Why should a Christian who has been freed from the power of sin be enslaved to such wickedness?

​You are enslaved to your sin because you love your sin. Not only do you love porn more than you love your wife, but more than you love Christ. You fall because you choose to.

Don’t be deceived, God does not accept this as your personal weakness. He is not ok with it. If you think your god understands and overlooks your sin, you are not worshipping the God of the Bible. You’ve created your own god. Could this be why immorality and idolatry always seem to go hand in hand?
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1 Corinthians 6:9  Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind,
10  Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. 

Instead of holding up David's example of sin to justify your own, why not stand and fight this giant in the power of the Lord instead?
 
1 Corinthians 6:18  Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body.
19  What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?
20  For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's
 

Ephesians 2:1  “And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins;”

Can a dead man repent and believe? This is a question posed often by Calvinists. They reason that if a man is (spiritually) dead in sins and trespasses then he is completely unable to do that which God commands. He is unable to turn to God in repentance, to believe, or even to desire anything which God commands. According to the Calvinist, God must first quicken man, bringing him to new life before he can believe or desire to be right with God.

If we are going to apply this interpretation to this verse, we must also apply it to others (in the proper context). The same Apostle who penned Ephesians 2:1 also penned the following verses.  Speaking of born again believers, Paul writes:

Romans 8:10  “And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.”  Applying this same interpretation, it would have to be suggested that if our bodies are now dead, that we could no longer walk or talk or breathe. Can a born again believer yet walk, talk and breathe?

Romans 6:11  “Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.”  Can and do we yet sin? The obvious and logical answer to all these questions is a resounding Yes.

We should never base our theology only on our human reasoning or philosophies, but on the word of God itself.  So, what does the word of God tell us? Can a spiritually dead man do as God commands -turn to him in repentance and believe? Can an unsaved man desire to worship God?

Acts 16:14  “And a certain woman named Lydia, a seller of purple, of the city of Thyatira, which worshipped God, heard us: whose heart the Lord opened, that she attended unto the things which were spoken of Paul.”

The example of Lydia is often used to prove that man cannot.  But notice here that Lydia is a described as a worshipper of God prior to God’s opening her heart. Of course, we cannot hang our beliefs on this one verse.

Acts 10:1  “There was a certain man in Caesarea called Cornelius, a centurion of the band called the Italian band, 2  A devout man, and one that feared God with all his house, which gave much alms to the people, and prayed to God alway.”

Cornelius also worshipped God prior to regeneration. We are told that he feared God, gave alms and prayed to God. It sure sounds like he desired to be right to God and turned to him.

We are also told of many Old Testament saints who repented and believed God. It would be difficult, I believe, to find anyone who would suggest that they were regenerated. 

John 7:39 “ (But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.)”

Old Testament saints had faith that was counted for righteousness and were saved, but they were not regenerated as we are. They were looking forward to the coming of the Savior who would in the future complete the way of Salvation. But we are told that these died, IN FAITH not having yet received the promise. The Holy Spirit was not an indwelling presence, tabernacling with men while the Old covenant was still in effect.  We are told that these things were a shadow of things to come, but not the very things themselves.

The Holy Spirit was known to come upon individuals for a time, empowering them for service as God’s purposes demanded, but also departed from them at times. We know that a regenerated person with the indwelling Holy Spirit can quench that a Spirit, but never lose it. The Old Testament saints were forgiven, but not born again. They were justified by faith (saved) but they were not regenerated; and yet we are told that :

Romans 4:3  “…Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness.”

Romans 4:6-9  “Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works,  Saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered.  Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin. Cometh this blessedness then upon the circumcision only, or upon the uncircumcision also? for we say that faith was reckoned to Abraham for righteousness.”

As a solution to this obvious problem posed by scripture itself, some would suggest that regeneration and faith happen at the exact same time. (To me, this seems like faulty reasoning at best. Logic itself would demand that one must come before the other. Just as if we were entering a house, we might describe it as one singular act, but that act is made up of more than one element. Clearly we must open the door before we can go through it, and not the other way around.)

Again we have to look to scripture for the answer. Do we repent and believe to be saved? Or are we saved so that we CAN repent and believe? Are we saved through faith? or through regeneration? Does faith come by hearing or by regeneration?

John 20:31  “But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.”

Mark 16:16  “He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.”

John 3:16  “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”

John 3:18  “He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.”

John 3:36  “He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.”

Notice the idea here: The believing are saved to everlasting life, while the unbelieving are condemned. Can a man be regenerated prior to belief? Not according to the scriptures, for then would a regenerate man yet be condemned, and still have the wrath of God abiding on him. He would still be damned.

Romans 8:1  “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.”

According to the bible, we are either in the flesh or in the spirit. We cannot be both. Romans 8:9  “But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. 

Can we actually say that someone is regenerated who has not yet repented or believed? Are they washed, and renewed prior to repentance and belief? The bible tells us that God resists the proud and gives grace to the humble. And that He “saveth such as be of a contrite spirit” Psalms 34:18. Will God go against His own word and regenerate an unrepentant, proud sinner?

Psalms 119:155  “Salvation is far from the wicked: for they seek not thy statutes.”
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If that is not clear enough, there is more:

Ephesians 1:13  “In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also AFTER THAT YE BELIEVED, YE WERE SEALED with that holy Spirit of promise,” {emphasis mine}

The bible is exceedingly clear here when it tells us that after they heard the word, they trusted (believed). After they believed, they were sealed with the Holy Spirit.


So then, if man is capable of repenting and believing before he is regenerated, who gets the glory? Of course God does. Man cannot anymore regenerate himself than he can sprout wings. It is only by the great and merciful grace of God, that salvation is possible. If God had not planned from the foundation of the world, to provide his son as a sacrifice for sin, no one could ever be saved. 

John 6:44  “No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.”

How does God draw sinners to Christ? Christ said, “And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.” John 12:32  God draws us through the preaching of the word. Romans 10:17 “Faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the word of God.”  Faith cometh by hearing, not by regeneration.

How many does God desire to draw? All.
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2 Peter 3:9  “The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.”
Repent & Believe!
 
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Romans 10:13  For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

Many today insist that in order to be saved, one must “call” upon the Lord through prayer. For this reason, many equate this “call upon the Lord” with a sinner’s prayer, asking Christ to save them. Often those with little or no interest in God or genuine faith in Christ led through prayers as although the mere act of speaking such a prayer is the catalyst for salvation rather than the evidence of it.  This is usually based on an immature or superficial understanding of Romans chapter 10. 

While praying is not wrong and even confessing our faith through a sinner's prayer is not wrong; the tendency to view a sinner’s prayer as the catalyst or a guarantee of salvation certainly is wrong.

1.  God does not, and never has settled for mere lip service.

Matthew 15:8  This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me.

"The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise." Psalm 51:17

That's why Paul preached repentance toward God and faith toward our Lord and Saviour. Jesus Christ

2. We do not enter into salvation by prayer. We are saved by grace, through faith, not prayer. Genuine faith in Christ will show forth in a profession of the mouth as well as a changed life.
 
Luke 6:45  A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh.

As a matter of fact, the idea of calling upon the name of the Lord is so much more than merely speaking words of acknowledgement. It was a turning to God in faith. We are to confess the Lord Jesus Christ, which of course includes acknowledging his person as well as his work as Saviour; but to confess is so much more than just a prayer.

Romans 10:9  That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
10  For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
11  For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.
12  For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him.
13  For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. Although there are no biblical accounts of praying to receive salvation, it is now commonly taught that in order to be saved, one must call upon the name of the Lord through prayer. Many equate this call with reciting a sinner’s prayer.
14  How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?
 
The word confess here- Strong’s #3670 is different from the word confess #1843used in other New Testament passages such as:

Romans 14:11  For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess (1843) to God.
Philippians 2:11  And that every tongue should confess (1843) that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Both words contain the idea of acknowledging Christ publicly; but when we look at confess/confession in Romans 10:9& 10, it also conveys the sense of a covenant relationship with Christ not merely as lip service through a one- time prayer, but as the public profession of an ongoing relationship, and association with Christ- to assent, i.e. covenant.

3670   μολογέω homologéō, hom-ol-og-eh'-o; from a compound of the base of G3674 and G3056; to assent, i.e. covenant, acknowledge:—con- (pro-)fess, confession is made, give thanks, promise.

1843 ἐξομολογέω exomologéō, ex-om-ol-og-eh'-o; from G1537 and G3670; to acknowledge or (by implication, of assent) agree fully:—confess, profess, promise.

When Paul was speaking here in Romans 10 of his desire to see his Jewish brothers come to Christ, he spoke as a Jew in a language they would understand, contrasting the Old Covenant of the law with the New Covenant through faith in Christ. The Jews, (just as the Gentiles) were to now submit to the righteousness of faith which is by the New Covenant. The Old covenant evidence of faith was obedience to the law, while the New Covenant evidence of faith is public testimony of association with Christ, obeying Christ as they would have the law. Again, this was not as a one-time spoken prayer, but as a covenant relationship with Christ. It is turning form our sin and being reconciled to God according to his plan for our salvation which is now through faith Jesus Christ confessing publicly as a lifestyle which unashamedly associates itself with Christ.  So much more than the mere sinner’s prayer that offers lip service without a heart for God.

As a matter of fact, when the Jews confessed the name of the Lord in the Old Testament, it was always as believers, coupled with turning to or returning to God in repentance, from sin, idolatry or disobedience.

1 Kings 8:33  When thy people Israel be smitten down before the enemy, because they have sinned against thee, and shall turn again to thee, and confess thy name, and pray, and make supplication unto thee in this house:

1 Kings 8:35  When heaven is shut up, and there is no rain, because they have sinned against thee; if they pray toward this place, and confess thy name, and turn from their sin, when thou afflictest them:

2 Chronicles 6:24  And if thy people Israel be put to the worse before the enemy, because they have sinned against thee; and shall return and confess thy name, and pray and make supplication before thee in this house;

2 Chronicles 6:26  When the heaven is shut up, and there is no rain, because they have sinned against thee; yet if they pray toward this place, and confess thy name, and turn from their sin, when thou dost afflict them.

Many insist that since the Apostle Paul did not mention repentance in this section, that repentance is not part of the gospel for today; therefore, it is not necessary to preach repentance. Now, we know that Paul did indeed preach repentance.

“But shewed first unto them of Damascus, and at Jerusalem, and throughout all the coasts of Judaea, and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, and do works meet for repentance.” (Acts26:20) 
“And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent:”(Acts 17:30) 

So, did something change prior to the writing of this passage that prompted Paul to leave out repentance? Certainly, not! Why did Paul not mention repentance when he speaks of the gospel here?

In reading 1Corinthians in its proper context, 2 points stand out which shed light on this question.

1.The Audience
Paul’s letter to the Corinthians is obviously, a letter to a church, which means that he is speaking to believers. When preaching to those who claim to be believers, or “Brethren”, the message is often quite different than a message for unbelievers or those whom you are seeking to evangelize.

 e.g.: “I wrote unto you in an epistle not to company with fornicators: Yet not altogether with the fornicators of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or with idolaters; for then must ye needs go out of the world. But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat.  For what have I to do to judge them also that are without? do not ye judge them that are within? But them that are without God judgeth. Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person.” (1Corinthians 5:9-13) 

Here we see that Paul’s instructions for believers were very different than the instructions he would have for unbelievers. Quite simply, the reasons Paul’s letters to the Churches did not specifically address repentance regarding salvation could be that he was addressing those who were already saved and had already come to repentance.

We do not see specific instructions for Evangelism or sermons to the unsaved recorded within these letters because they were written to the churches (believers). However, when we look at the book of Acts, which does tell us in detail what Paul preached, we see that Paul’s message to the unsaved was clearly a message of repentance and faith.

“Testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.” (Acts20:21) 

 “Which when the apostles, Barnabas and Paul, heard of, they rent their clothes, and ran in among the people, crying out, And saying, Sirs, why do ye these things? We also are men of like passions with you, and preach unto you that ye should turn from these vanities unto the living God, which made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all things that are therein:” (Acts14:14-15) 

“And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent:” (Acts 17:30) 

While that may seem to oversimplify the issue, I believe the next point answers the question a bit more clearly.

2. The Purpose.
1 Corinthians was written by Paul to address various issues that had arisen within the Church. He spends the first 15 chapters addressing sin and error and establishing doctrine regarding questions raised.

E.g. Division, carnality, fornication, going to law against one another, marital issues, the eating of meats offered to idols, liberties, and a rather large section on correcting misunderstanding regarding spiritual gifts, ending in chapter 14. 
In chapter 15, he lays the groundwork to address yet another error that had begun to trouble the church- the question of the resurrection of the dead. He sets forth the message of Christ’s death, burial and resurrection, reminding them how that he has already taught them this, pointing out the eyewitnesses which testified to these. Then he goes on to ask:

“Now if Christ be preached that he rose from the dead, how say some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead? But if there be no resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen:” (1Corinthians 15:12-13) 

He explains to them that without Christ’s resurrection, his preaching would be in vain, and our faith would be pointless, for we would be without hope. When he describes the gospel in this passage, it is not to unbelievers for evangelization, but to believers, proving Christ’s resurrection.

“For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures: And that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve:  After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep. After that, he was seen of James; then of all the apostles.  And last of all he was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time.” (1 Corinthians 15:3-8) 

His focus is on showing Christ’s resurrection and why it is essential to believe it. His intent is to correct and instruct believers, it was not to evangelize the lost or to teach evangelism.

He then goes on to teach of the rapture and deliverance of those who died already (which hinge upon the resurrection). He finishes the letter with chapter 16 which discusses the collection for the saints and his closing thoughts.

These are just 2 likely reasons Paul did not specifically mention repentance within this passage. His message did not change, dropping repentance as some would suggest.

The Gospel message preached by Paul and the apostles, to Jew and Gentile alike, has always been Repentance toward God and Faith Toward Jesus Christ.

“And how I kept back nothing that was profitable unto you, but have shewed you, and have taught you publickly, and from house to house, Testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.” (Acts 20:20-21) 

Paul tells us that he did not keep anything back. He gave them the whole counsel of God- repentance toward God and faith toward our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

 In the book of Acts, we read of Paul reasoning and disputing in the synagogue for days at a time. In chapter 17 we see him preaching to the men of Athens. He did not simply give an ABC’s or 123’s gospel message; he preached to them the true identity of God, who He is, His hand in creation & His personal relationship & availability to men. He preached God’s righteous judgment and the coming resurrection as well as the good news of Jesus Christ.

Then when some said, “we will hear you again”, and clung to him, he continued preaching to them. As a matter of fact, NEVER did he lead anyone through a prayer or pronounce them saved, even if they were convicted. Instead, he simply instructed those who repented and believed to be baptized. 

When Peter preached on the day of Pentecost, “they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?” (Acts 2:37)

Why? Because Peter preached to them about their sin against God first, how that they had rejected and crucified their long-awaited Savior that died to bring salvation to them.

“Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ.” (Acts 2:36) 

In the horror of their realization they asked, “what shall we do?” (to take away their sins and be made right with God). Peter’s answer certainly was not, “Repeat this prayer after me.” No, Peter told them to repent and be baptized.
“Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.” (Acts 2:38) 

We read in Acts 7:54 that when Stephen preached, his hearers were so angered that they gnashed upon him with their teeth and finally stoned him to death. Was this because he preached a positive message of “Hey, do you want to know how you can go to Heaven when you die? Just say this simple prayer?”

No. (I would suggest that if he had said something like that, he would have lived considerably longer than he did.)  He too, told them of their sin and condemnation before God. The true biblical Gospel always included repentance toward God.

The Gospel in a nutshell is this: Repentance toward God and faith toward Jesus Christ.

The good news of the gospel is not only that Christ died and rose again the third day to save us from our sins. The good news is that our creator, a thrice holy God would love sinful man enough to desire a relationship with him, that He wants so much to bridge the separation caused by our sin that He was willing to sacrifice His only son to reconcile us to Himself.

What is the message of salvation that we should be proclaiming?

“Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God.” (2 Corinthians 5:20)

The gospel message preached by the apostles is a message of reconciliation to God through faith in Jesus Christ. What is it that separates us from God? Sin. Without repentance from sin, there can be no reconciliation and of course, no salvation.

“Salvation is far from the wicked: for they seek not thy statutes.” (Psalms 119:155)
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 Any gospel message that does not include repentance is a false gospel.

Easy Believe-ism/Prayer-ism  is a method of Evangelism that is easily refuted by scripture, and only supported by tradition and teachings of men; yet it is widely accepted throughout modern Christianity. Why?

​“…but every man did that which was right in his own eyes.” (Judges 17:6)
 
Easy Believe-ism: Promotes a means of salvation reduced to a mechanical device (work)-the act of saying a prayer.
 
Bible: Titus 3:5  Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;

 Ephesians 2:8  For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9  Not of works, lest any man should boast.

 
Easy Believe-ism:  Promises salvation to all who profess to believe . 
 
Bible: The bible tells us of many who profess to believe, but are not truly saved.
 Titus 1:16  They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate.
 
Matthew 7:21  Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
22  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?
23  And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
 
 
Easy Believe-ism:  Offers assurance of salvation upon merely reciting the sinner's prayer.

Bible: Offers assurance of salvation to all who are born again by the regeneration of the Holy Spirit.
1 John 4:13  Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit.
 
1 John 3:24  And he that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him, and he in him. And hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us.
 
Romans 8:9  But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.
 
 
Easy Believe-ism: Instructs converts to never doubt their salvation. Many soul-winners will instruct the new convert to write down the day they prayed a prayer and hold fast to that in times of doubt.
 
Bible: Instructs us to examine ourselves to be sure we are in the faith, and lists many proofs of the evidence of the indwelling holy spirit, as well as evidences of deception. (see 1John)
2 Corinthians 13:5  Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves.
 
Philippians 2:12  … work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.
 
 
Easy Believe-ism: Claims that salvation is as easy as ABC or 123- just say this simple prayer.
 
Bible: The bible says to STRIVE to enter in at the strait gate of salvation and that many will desire to enter and NOT be able.
 Luke 13:23  Then said one unto him, Lord, are there few that be saved? And he said unto them,
24  Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able.
 
 
Easy Believe-ism: Instructs its hearers to make a decision (an act of the will) for Christ.  
 
Bible: The bible tells us to BELIEVE, and makes it clear that we are NOT born again by the will of the flesh or the will of man. It is a miraculous spiritual regeneration which comes at the point of true belief (faith). Faith cometh by hearing, not by deciding.
John 1:12  But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:
13  Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

John 3:8  The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.​
 
Romans 10:17  So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
 
 
Easy Believism: Tells the unsaved to admit that they are  sinners, or confess their sin.

Bible: Tells us to repent. Anyone can admit to being a sinner, or even confess their sins and not be repentant. Catholics confess their sins regularly. This is in no way the same as repentance.
Matthew 3:2  And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.
Matthew 4:17  From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.
Mark 1:15  And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.
Mark 6:12  And they went out, and preached that men should repent.
Luke 13:3  I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.
Luke 13:5  I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.
Luke 16:30  And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent.
Luke 17:3  Take heed to yourselves: If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him; and if he repent, forgive him.
Luke 17:4  And if he trespass against thee seven times in a day, and seven times in a day turn again to thee, saying, I repent; thou shalt forgive him.
Acts 2:38  Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.
Acts 3:19  Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord;
Acts 8:22  Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee.
Acts 17:30  And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent:
Acts 26:20  But shewed first unto them of Damascus, and at Jerusalem, and throughout all the coasts of Judaea, and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, and do works meet for repentance.
 

Easy Believe-ism: “Seals the deal” with a prayer.

Bible: True believers are sealed with the Holy Spirit.
Ephesians 1:13  In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,
 
2 Corinthians 1:21  Now he which stablisheth us with you in Christ, and hath anointed us, is God;
22  Who hath also sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts.
 
 
Easy Believe-ism: Omits, or distorts repentance so that the way of salvation is plenty broad enough for any to enter in (along with their false beliefs, sin, and self-righteousness).
 
Bible: Declares that salvation is the narrow way
Matthew 7:13  Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:
14  Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.
 
Easy Believe-ism/Prayer-ism is at best, ignorance of the way of salvation and at worst, sinister and devilish.

If you are reading this post, then ignorance is no longer an excuse. Will you continue to stand on tradition or will you stand on the bible? What reasons could you possibly have for holding to something so clearly unbiblical?

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