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Saturday, July 2, 2016

IS REPENTANCE ESSENTIAL FOR SALVATION?-BY STEVE FINNELL


Is repentance essential to receive forgiveness of sin? Most advocates of salvation by "faith alone" would not include repentance in God's plan of salvation. How is it possible to be saved without repentance?

2 Corinthians 7:10 For the sorrow that is according to the will of God produces a repentance without regret, leading to salvation, but the sorrow of the world produces death.

Looks like a connection of repentance and salvation to me.

Luke 15:7 I tell you that in the same way, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.

If repentance has no bearing on salvation why is there joy in heaven when one sinner repents?

Jesus said in: Luke 24:47 and that repentance for forgiveness of sins would be proclaimed in His name to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem.

     
Repentance for (in order to) forgiveness of sins was preached on the Day of Pentecost (the Day of Pentecost A.D. 33 was the birth of the church of Christ).

Acts 2:38 Peter said to them, "Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

The repentance spoken of in (Acts 2:38) is an intellectual commitment to turn from sin and turn toward God. REPENTANCE WAS FOR THE REMISSION OF SIN!

The three thousand people who were saved on the Day of Pentecost were saved the minute they believed that Jesus was God's Son, the Christ, that Jesus was resurrected from the grave, repented, confessed Jesus as Lord and Savior and were immersed in water. (It all happened on that day)

REPENTANCE DOES NOT STOP AT BAPTISM. IT JUST BEGINS.

The apostle Paul did not continue to persecute Christians after he was saved.

REPENTANCE=CHANGE IN LIFESTYLE AND WHAT YOU THINK ABOUT GOD.

1 Corinthians 6:9-11 Or do you not know that the unrighteous  will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters. nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals, 10 nor thieves , nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God. 11 Such were some of you, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God.

NOTICE; The apostle Paul says such were some of you. PAST TENSE! Paul warns them to keep it in the past tense if they want to inherit the kingdom of God.

REPENTANCE=CHANGE.

1 Corinthians 10:13 No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it.

When Christians sin it because they have made a conscience choice to sin.

REPENTANCE=CHANGE.

Romans 6:1-2 What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin so that grace may increase? 2 May it never be! How shall we who died to sin still live in it?

REPENTANCE=CHANGE.

Romans 6:3-4 Or do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus have been baptized into His death? 4 There we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life.

If you are Christian and you are still getting drunk, still fornicating, still a thief and remain a liar, still greedy, still using God's name in vain; is that an example of walking in newness of life?  

REPENTANCE=CHANGE.

WHEN YOU STAND BEFORE JESUS ON JUDGMENT DAY WHAT WILL BE YOUR EXCUSE?

1. I was saved by "faith only" I did not have to repent.
2. John Calvin said I was "once saved always saved."
3. I thought I was saved by "grace alone." I did not realize that  God would not force me to repent.
4. My church leaders told me if repentance was inconvenient for me I could repent at a later time.

REPENTANCE IS NOT OPTIONAL!   

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