Sunday, 19 February 2012

Must I repent to be saved Week 8, 2012

“Why did you write that people have to repent before being saved? Do you not know that we are not saved by works but by faith? Therefore it is faith in Jesus’ sacrifice alone that saves and not any action like repentance.” Did you actually read the bible well? When anyone wants to have a new life in Jesus, before anyone can actually be born again, repentance must first happen. When the apostles began preaching after Jesus ascended to heaven Peter answered them, "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. Then you will receive the Holy Spirit as a gift.”Act 2:38. “I knew you would go there. The early disciples misunderstood the gospel. They did not fully appreciate the work of grace until the emergence of Apostle Paul. They emphasized works you know.”
Is Peter preaching a salvation by works here as you suggest? No: clearly he understood the gift of God for he describes the Holy Spirit as a gift. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to him Rom 8:9(ISV). However he insists on repentance for forgiveness. Listen to the next recorded sermon: Therefore, repent and turn to him to have your sins blotted out Act 3:19. “I still maintain Peter and other apostles did not fully understand the gospel of grace and faith, and that their message was more suited to a Jewish audience. When Paul began to preach to Gentiles he said "Believe on the Lord Jesus, and you and your family will be saved." Act 16:31(ISV). Nothing said about repentance. Paul had a clearer revelation of the gospel of grace, that is why Paul says by the Spirit: For we conclude that a person is put right with God only through faith, and not by doing what the Law commands Rom 3:28(GNB).
This argument does not agree with what Jesus told Paul: I want you to open their eyes, so that they will turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God. Then their sins will be forgiven, and by faith in me they will become part of God's holy people Act 26:18 (CEV). “This passage does not say repent.” What is repentance but to have your eyes opened and then turn from darkness and Satan to God? Repentance and faith are necessary for us to be forgiven and become God’s people. Note repentance always comes first. Therefore let us leave the elementary doctrine of Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God Heb 6:1(ESV). We are saved by grace through faith all right, but no one has true faith unless he first repents.

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