Repentance?


"Or do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God's kindness is meant to lead you to repentance?" - Romans 2:4

There is a common misconception of God in the world among "Christians." To get to the bottom line, I'll say that salvation is not a free ticket out of Hell. Its much more than that. Being saved from hell is just a part of it. When we view salvation from the stand point that its most important aspect is the fact that we are not going to hell; we are centering the universe, creation, sovereignty of God and his eternal plan around ourselves. It's not about us. Ask not what God can do for you, but what you can do for God. The most important aspect of salvation is that he becomes our Lord. We paint a pretty little of picture of God the way we want to see him so we can live our life the way we want. "God loves me, so he'll give me what I want; and I can live the way I want because he loves me anyway." The truth is that God is God and we have to deal with it. Yes, he loves us no matter what but he is just and will not tolorate sin. Thats why repentance is key in salvation.

God's word doesn't contradict itself, and I know of certainty that "whosoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved." (Romans 10:13) I also know that not everyone who says, "Lord, Lord will enter[his] kingdom." Some might say that salvation doesn't come in a prayer, but I find it difficult to call on the name of the Lord without praying. God wants to know us, but it is difficult to know anyone without an introduction. However, praying that prayer is more than just the words that role off the tongue. It must be from the heart; through a faith that only God can give. I will also say that that same grace is what gives us Godly sorrow thats works the only true repentance necessary for salvation.

If one prays a prayer of salvation(even if they have been granted saving faith), but is unwilling to repent, their prayer means nothing. There is no forgiveness without repentance. Peter said to people in Jerusalem, "repent and be baptized everyone of you in the name of the Lord Jesus for the remission of sins and you will be given the gift of the Holy Spirit." (Acts 2:38-9) When taken in context with Acts 10:44-7, we see that the thrust of Peter's statement was repentance, and baptism was the outward expression of the heart change. God's grace is to bring us to repentance necessary for salvation.

Back to Romans:
For "everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved." Romans 10:13

because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10:9

The two things that both of these verses has in common is the Word : Lord.

we are to confess Jesus as LORD, not just savior. That's to confess him as Lord from the heart in Spirit and in Truth. You can't take half of Jesus. It's all or nothing. Any thing less would leave out the aspect of repentance. Confessing Jesus as Lord means that we are no longer the Lord of our life. He is now our Lord. We turn away from our will and turn to him to seek his will in our lives.

Let me make this a little more clear. This doesn't mean we are going to be perfect from that day forward. If anyone disagrees with that, I would like to hear your interpretation of Romans chapter 7. The word Repentance means "change of mind." That doesn't mean that a total change in action takes place immediately.

"Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect." (Romans 12:2)

Once we become children of God, it is our responsibility(if it were not, no commandment here would have been necessary because we would become perfect naturally) to allow the "renewal of the mind" to transform our outward behavior.

I find it sad to know that many "Christians" live selfish lives not caring at all what God's will is in their lives and think they are going to heaven.

love, (I write these things because I love you and want you to know the truth...Oh yeah, the truth will set you free)

John (not the Apostle)