Shawn had put a notice in our partner’s newsletter that I have started work on a book on repentance and salvation. Actually I’m only on Chapter 5 of 16. It will probably be six months or more before it is done, I think. Here is the email question:
I am looking forward to your book on repentance. In the meantime could you help me with a couple of issues I have on this topic?
My first issue is that Joseph Dillow in Final Destiny appears to view repentance differently than what Zane Hodges and yourself believe. And you are all Free-Grace believers. So how can someone such as myself decipher on who is right?
Also as far as the true definitions of repentance (Greek meanings) I don’t have the ability to know what is correct. So I will give an observation that I have made and then ask you a question.
I do see that the Gospel of John doesn’t mention repentance even implicitly and John’s purpose is to show you how to get Eternal Life. That is very clear. So I have been studying every instance of repentance in the NT.
Ninety-nine percent of the time the context has to do with a change in direction (works), not a change of mind. One percent of the time repentance seems to be synonymous with believing; and those instances are all in the book of Acts. Even the context seems to be in believing.
So I have drawn the only conclusion I can with these seemingly contradictions. I believe that repentance is a condition for eternal life only if repentance is synonymous with believing; but not if it means a change of life. Can you shed some light on my problem, please? Thanks Bob.
I think the layperson’s comment and question show he is quite astute. I agree with his conclusion. If repentance is on rare occasion a condition for everlasting life, then in those contexts repentance is a synonym for believing. But the normal use of repentance is a call to turn from one’s sinful ways and to turn to God.
However, I go a step further. I no longer believe, though I did when I wrote my dissertation in 1985, that there are any Biblical texts which identify repentance as a condition of everlasting life. Not one. See this journal article by me for an explanation of why I changed my mind about repentance.
Repentance in the NT is always turning from sins. Note these texts:
“Repent therefore of this your wickedness” (Acts 8:22).
“I gave her time to repent of her sexual immorality” (Rev 2:21).
“…unless they repent of their [immoral] deeds” (Rev 2:22).
“But the rest of mankind…did not repent of the [idolatrous] works of their hands” (Rev 9:20).
“And they did not repent of their murders or their sorceries or their sexual immorality or their thefts” (Rev 9:21).
“They…did not repent of their deeds” (Rev 16:11).
I will now give one-sentence summary explanations of the ten Biblical texts which seem to suggest that repentance is a condition for everlasting life:
- Repent for the Kingdom of Heaven Is at Hand (Matt 3:2; 4:17).
In order for the kingdom of heaven to come for the first-century generation of Jews, they corporately had to 1) repent and 2) believe in Messiah Jesus; individual regeneration is by faith alone; but the corporate deliverance of the nation of Israel requires both faith in Christ and a nation in fellowship with God.
2. Repent and Believe the Gospel (Mark 1:14-15).
The good news that the kingdom had drawn near (Mark 1:14) should lead the nation 1) to believe it and 2) to turn from their sinful ways; once that happened the nation would come to faith in Christ as well (John 5:39-40).
3. Unless You Repent You Will All Likewise Perish (Luke 13:3, 5).
Just as Jews physically died under Pilate and when a tower fell, likewise many Jews (over one million) would die in AD 70 if the nation did not repent during the ministry of Jesus and His Apostles.
4. If One Goes to Them from the Dead, They’ll Repent (Luke 16:19-31).
The rich man thought that the way to escape the torment he was in would be to repent; he was wrong; Abraham made clear the issue is believing in the promised Messiah.
5. Repentance and Forgiveness Shall Be Preached (Luke 24:47).
The Apostles did preach the need to repent to gain forgiveness (cf. Acts 2:38); but not in order to gain everlasting life, which is by faith alone.
6. Repent and You’ll Receive the Gift of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:38).
The audience came to faith under Peter’s preaching (Acts 2:36-37) and gained everlasting life; but they had not yet received the Spirit or been forgiven; they needed to repent and be baptized for those things to occur.
7. God Has Granted the Gentiles Repentance to Life (Acts 11:18).
It is not certain what Peter’s friends meant; they might mean that the Gentiles must have previously repented since repentance leads to eternal life (though is not a condition of it); they might mean that repentance leads to extended physical life; for Peter’s view see Acts 15:7-11.
8. Godly Sorrow Produces Repentance to Salvation (2 Cor 7:10).
Paul is telling born-again people that the repentance of believers leads to deliverance from temporal judgment in this life; Paul is not talking about salvation of unbelievers from eternal condemnation here.
9. Turning to God from Idols (1 Thess 1:9).
Paul is simply saying what is reported concerning the Thessalonian believers; they turned to God from idols; he does not say or imply that this turning is a condition of everlasting life; the sole condition is faith in Christ.
10. God Wishes None to Perish But for All to Repent (2 Pet 3:9).
The context in 2 Pet 1:1-9 concerns the coming Rapture and Tribulation during which billions will die; the reason why “the promise of His coming” hasn’t been fulfilled is because God doesn’t want anyone to die prematurely; repentance around the world forestalls the Rapture and Tribulation.
Repentance is turning from sins. The result of turning from sins is a lessening or removal of temporal judgment (compare Jonah 3:5-10; Matt 12:41). Anyone who rebels against God, believer or unbeliever, must repent in order to escape the deadly consequences of his sin (cf. Luke 15:11-32). When an unbeliever repents it normally makes him more open to the Word of God and the promise of life. But in order to be born again, the only condition is to believe in Christ. Many things can lead to faith in Christ (church attendance, Bible reading, personal prayer, the prayers of others, repentance, etc.). However, none of those things is a condition of everlasting life. Faith in Christ is the sole condition as can easily be seen in Scripture. See this recent blog by me for 100+ faith-alone verses.
Alvin
Do you realize that saying that repentance is a condition for eternal life is calling into question whether it is a gift or not~?
And it would make so many childlike Scriptures in the Gospel of John insufficient to bring about new birth~?
And that sin is an issue calls in to question whether Jesus really took away the sin of the world~?
We’re told why when the Spirit comes He will convict the world of sin. Because they didn’t believe in Jesus (of sin because they do not believe in Me John 16:9).
Jesus Himself gives us the definition of repentance in the NT:
“The men of Nineveh will rise up in the judgment with this generation and condemn it, because they REPENTED at the preaching of Jonah; and indeed a greater than Jonah is here.
Jonah 3:10 Then God saw their WORKS, that they TURNED from their EVIL WAY; and God relented from the disaster that He had said He would bring on them, and He did not do it.
It’s crystal clear from this verse repentance is a WORK. Jesus own definition should settle the case right here, that repentance is a work.
Jesus didn’t even start preaching repentance until John was put into prison:
Matt 4:12,17. John was still free in John 4:1 also see 3:24.
Repentance was to be preached (kerusso, meaning “to proclaim out loud). It’s awful hard to to proclaim repentance without ever mentioning one time in the Gospel of John which was written to the unbeliever that he might have life, but just believe over and over again~!
Also FORGIVENESS the only one time it is mentioned in the Gospel of John is not free gift language (John 20:23 you see why it isn’t in Acts 2:38 repentance and water baptism conditions for remission of sins and the gift of the Spirit) but the gift of eternal life is offered over, and over again in John.
You can’t just pluck one Scripture out and force it on all the Childlike ones such as John 1:12; 3:16, or John 5:24, or 6:47, or 4:10 where just as Jesus asked the Woman at the Well for a drink of water, He offered her a spiritual drink. Which is all about the giving and receiving of a gift, with no mention of repentance.
Here is a key to the Gospel being broader than eternal life, but still showing that to simply believe saves you from eternal condemnation as in John 3:16-18.
And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.
“He who BELIEVES and is BAPTIZED will be SAVED; but he who DOES NOT BELIEVE will be CONDEMNED.
Did you notice there Jesus gave TWO conditions for salvation BUT only ONE for not being condemned~?
We know from John 3:16-18 as all through John the ONLY condition for not being condemned is to simply believe (see 5:24 will not come into judgment).
So what’s going on here~? It’s a summary statement, Jesus is using the word saved here because He is talking about a greater salvation not just eternal life but the gift of the Holy Spirit. He tells us in the following verses that this salvation will have signs that will follow believing, casting out demons and speaking with new tongues.
It will finally come to where in this TRANSITIONAL TIME anyone who doesn’t have the Spirit isn’t of God (Romans 8:9b Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His.)
But we can see that some had eternal life but yet not the Spirit (Acts 2:37 cut to the heart 1John 5:1 born of God; Acts 7:12-17 believed but not yet saved in this sense of having the Spirit until after the apostles laid hands on them, and only then did they have the Spirit.)
Finally it came to Cornelius a Gentile that when he believed he got everything (Acts 10:43-48). But for the Jews just as Paul as everyone else when they believed in Christ they were born of God, but had to repent and be baptized in Jesus name before He would give them forgiveness (fellowship forgiveness) and the gift of the Spirit. The Jew had rejected Jesus and John’s call to repentance in the Gospel’s, so even though they would get eternal life the moment they believed they had to be in harmony with God before He would forgive them and give the gift of the Spirit. Even though the Spirit was a gift in this transitional time they needed to be in harmony (Acts 20:21 the Jew had offended a holy God). That was what John 20:21-23 was all about: And when He had said this, He breathed on them, and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit.
“If you forgive the sins of any they are forgiven them, if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.”
This gives you a taste of why Jesus kept it so simple in the Gospel of John so that a little child can believe and be saved.
The same living water is offered in Revelations 22:17, and the only requirement is to believe in Jesus for eternal life or the equivalent (Jesus for your eternal well-being, the Christ).
Leo Z
Hello Pastor Bob,
Thanks for your clarification. The meaning of repentance and it’s relationship to salvation, indeed has been and always will be a strongly contended subject.
Since the majority of passages refer to repentance as a turning from sin to be saved from God’s temporal judgment (and is never a condition for receiving everlasting life), those passages that seem to show that it is a condition can not be so because Scripture can not contradict itself. God never contradicts Himself. It has to be revisited and interpreted another way to resolve the contradiction.
The Scripture is clear that everlasting life is received by “faith alone in Christ alone, apart from works” (that includes the work of turning from sin). That is an established and non-negotiable biblical truth. Any passage that is interpreted in a way that contradicts that, is an erroneous interpretation and misunderstanding of its meaning.
Thank you for your tireless devotion to teaching and defending God’s precious truths. I am in continued prayer for you and GES.
Alvin
I’m a believer-priest who has the Holy Spirit to teach me, anyways that’s what God says~!
Here is a good question I believe: How can the gospel be a gospel of grace but yet have works as in Mark 16:15-16 or Romans 10:16~?
Look at the context in both passages, water baptism is in Mark 16:15, and in Romans 10:16 the salvation in that context is being delivered from God’s temporal wrath by calling on the name of the Lord Jesus who was risen from the dead, which was to confess with the mouth. Which are works~!
And we know that Paul said that you can’t mix works with grace and it still be grace (Romans 11:6). So, what gives~? The difference is being BY grace and being OF grace, or BASED upon grace. Only believers for one thing are to be baptized, and only believers can call on the name of the Lord. That is you couldn’t even do these things unless you were already born again, so there based upon grace.
In Romans it’s faith to faith. It’s called faith’s obedience. That is our initial faith SHOULD bring about obedience from love. In Romans it’s not about the just living by faith, although that is true in Galatians 2:20. In Romans faith is reserved for the justification section. The Christian life section has obedience. What am I getting at~? Initial faith has been given righteousness. So our initial faith can produce righteousness, faith to faith. Whenever a believer calls on the Lord, or is water baptized they are producing righteousness or holiness. Even though these are works and are rewarded they are part of the gospel of grace, because we couldn’t even do them unless we were born again.
Zane’s note in Romans 10:16-17 not all have obeyed the gospel.
Israel as a whole has not obeyed the gospel precisely because it has neither believed the message of Christ in the heart nor confessed the Lord Jesus with the mouth (cf. vv 8b-10). End quote.
This shows the gospel is much broader than eternal life.
Mark 1:14-15
Now after John was put in prison, Jesus came to Galilee, preaching the gospel of the Kingdom Of God, and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the Kingdom is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel.”
It’s only the one who is righteous by faith who can live~!
What does this have to do with repentance~? For the believer he’s restored to experiential life. For the unbeliever it can bring about coming to life, that is being open to the saving message.
Where did I go wrong~? Or did I go wrong~?
And if I’m wrong, I’m not to big to repent, and make it right~!
As my buddy Bad (Gary) who has went on to be with the Lord would say, I’ll bite the bullet~!
Ken Tamashiro
Hi Pastor Bob,
Thank You for writing this article because many Lordship Pastors misuse the word Repentance incorrectly by saying it is a requirement for Eternal Life, to which it is not.
I can understand what you meant that in most cases it is used to turn away from sin and in one sense it is true, but where the Lordship Pastors use it wrong, is they say that this is the proof text for turning away from sin for entrance into Eternal Life, but that is not so because in some cases it is Christians who are caught up in some worse sin themselves. So that will cancel the idea that Repentance from Sin is a requirement for receiving Eternal Life.
There was a scene where some in the Church of Thyatira were involved in Satanic practices. Jesus addressed the issue in Rev. 2:20-23 But I have this against you, that you tolerate the woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess, and she teaches and leads My bond-servants astray so that they commit acts of immorality and eat things sacrificed to idols.
Jesus also said,…21 I gave her time to repent, and she does not want to repent of her immorality. 22 Behold, I will throw her on a bed of sickness, and those who commit adultery with her into great tribulation, unless they repent of her deeds. 23 And I will kill her children with pestilence, and all the churches will know that I am He who searches the minds and hearts; and I will give to each one of you according to your deeds.
I’m seeing also on the other hand where the Religious Leaders during John the Baptists Ministry were told to Repent themselves.
Here is what John the Baptist said: Mathew 3:7-10, But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming for baptism, he said to them, “You brood of vipers, who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? 8 Therefore bear fruit in keeping with repentance; 9 and do not suppose that you can say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham for our father’; for I say to you that from these stones God is able to raise up children to Abraham. 10 The axe is already laid at the root of the trees; therefore every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.
For me, I believe that every circumstance is different about Repentance and to understand the differences rather than allowing a blanket statement about Repentance, to which many Lordship Pastors misuse its purposes nor give an explanation about different scenarios.
My hope is this, that we will defend the Grace of God correctly and put to shame those who stop unbelievers from entering in because of His Free Gift to them.
Grace and Peace to You,
Ken Tamashiro
Ken Tamashiro
Hi Pastor Bob, …As I’m thinking more about Repentance, it seems to me when using that in an Evangelical Encounter it can seem like a Spiritual Threat by God, rather than an Open Invitation by Jesus himself. …..A good example of this would be when Jesus talked to the Woman at the well, there Jesus offered her Eternal Life by metaphorically saying by drinking the Living Water He offered her, she had Eternal Life because she believed Jesus was the promised Messiah, there was no need to ask her to repent and turn from her sin because she was open to the fact of who the Messiah was. ……..On the other hand, there were many Unbelieving Jews who resisted the idea that Jesus came from God and that he was indeed the Messiah, and Jesus basically told them if they did not Repent they will die in their sins because of their unbelief in Him…..So for me, the proper usage of Repentance regarding Salvation is for those who were resisting Gods will, of their Savior, because Jesus alone can Justify them before God because of their Faith in Him.
Alvin
The whole nation of Israel was told to repent, Jesus told the twelve when He sent them out to only go to the lost sheep of the house of Israel (Matt 10:5-7). Jesus was proclaiming the acceptable year of the Lord (Luke 4:18-19). Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand (Matt 3:17). Repentance was for the forgiveness of sins (Luke 3:3). They were to repent, and believe the Gospel…”The time is fulfilled, and the Kingdom Of God is at hand. Repent, and believe the gospel.”
It was the good news of the Kingdom, but for it to come every Jew had to have the baptism of repentance for the forgivnesss of sins. That would put them in harmony with God who they had offended. Then they were ready to believe in their King. But, as we see in the Gospel of John, Nicodemus only has to believe in Jesus for eternal life to be born again. Even though Nicodemus and the rest of the rulers thought they were ALREADY sons of God (Ex 4:22 Thus says the Lord: “Israel is My son, My firstborn.) Jesus was not yet preaching repentance when He spoke to Nicodemus because John the Baptist was yet not in prison (John 3:24; Matt 3:12,17 From that time Jesus BEGAN to preach and to say, ‘Repent, for the Kingdom Of heaven is at hand.”
Then as we see in Acts 2:38 the Jews who had rejected Jesus and John’s baptism of repentance, that is the baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. Before they would be given the Holy Spirit and forgiveness of sin they had to repent and be baptized in Jesus name. Even though in Acts 2:37 they were cut to the heart, when they had heard….God has made this Jesus whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ (v 36) that is to believe that Jesus is the Christ is to be born of God (1John 5:1) even though it doesn’t say it in that verse that they believed we know that they did and were born again right then BEFORE they were in harmony with God.
hey believed and were born again.
Danny
If you believe and don’t repent, are you thrown in the lake of fire? Somewhere the scriptures talk about the great feast and how we should do all we can to be invited. If we don’t repent do we miss it (i.e. back in the lake of fire)? Your thesis is based on John, this somehow is at variance with James (Luther’s straw gospel.. he thought straw as it will burn up in the last day). But none the less, can we emphasize the one and throw out the other? I live in northern Denton County
Alvin
Hi Danny, you asked: If you believe and don’t repent, are you thrown in the lake of fire?
Danny, anyone who believes has passed from death into life, and will not even come into the judgment of the Great White Throne where unbelievers are cast into the lake of fire, as this verse shows:
Jesus speaking,
John 5:24 Most Assuredly, I say to you, He who hears My word and believes Him who sent Me HAS everlasting life, and SHALL NOT COME INTO JUDGMENT, but has PASSED from DEATH into LIFE.
(Emphasis mine)
Danny at the moment someone believes Jesus promise of eternal life they are eternally saved. And to believe means simply to take Jesus at His word. It’s not a decision but a persuasion. Once the Scriptures have persuaded you that what Jesus in a verse like John 5:24 or John 3:16 is true you have passed from death into life. Assurance is guaranteed to the one who believes Jesus in those verses. The one who believes Jesus in John 3:16 knows they will never perish and has everlasting life. If they don’t know that, then they haven’t understood what Jesus is saying to the believer in those verses. It’s that simple, so simple a little child can believe Jesus promise and know they will never be cast into the lake of fire (perish).
Here is another Scripture which states this fact:
John 10:27-30 Jesus speaking,
My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.
And I give them eternal life, and they shall NEVER PERISH; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand.
My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and NO ONE is able to snatch them out of My Father’s hand.
I and My Father are one.
Danny, that includes the believer himself if he stops believing. We’re talking about a gift eternal life. A beautiful story is the story of the Woman at the Well in John 4 which is all about the giving and receiving of a gift. Drinking there is the same as believing (synonym) as John 6:35 proves. Once she believes she will never thirst again.
Danny you asked: Somewhere the scriptures talk about the great feast and how we should do all we can to be invited. If we don’t repent do we miss it (i.e. back in the lake of fire)?
I believe the feast you are talking about is in Matthew 22:1-14. This has to do with rewards not the gift of eternal life which you can take freely:
Rev 22:17
And the Spirit and the bride say, “Come!”
And let him who hears say, “Come!”
And let him who thirsts come.
Whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely.
Danny you asked:
Your thesis is based on John, this somehow is at variance with James (Luther’s straw gospel.. he thought straw as it will burn up in the last day). But none the less, can we emphasize the one and throw out the other?
Danny, we must rightly divide the word of truth as Paul says in 2 Timothy 2:15. The Gospel of John is written to the unbeliever that he might have life, and escape the final judgment (John 20:30-31; 3:16-18; 5:24). James is written to believers who already have the gift of eternal life (brethren). In fact James speaks about the perfect gift that comes down from the Father of lights. And that He brought us forth by the word of truth (James 1:17-18). The born again believers that James is speaking to have been born again by the word of God which has all the potential of saving their lives. This salvation of their lives has to do with rewards not the free gift of eternal life which they already have.
I believe two good points to help you in your Bible study is when you see the word “salvation or saved,” don’t automatically think it must be saying saved from the Lake Of fire. Just as Peter when walking on water began to sink called out to Jesus to save him~! Peter didn’t mean from the Lake Of Fire But from drowning. The majority of verses in the Bible that speak of saving are from other things rather than from the Lake Of Fire.
And the analogy of faith. We always interpret the difficult Scriptures by the child like ones, as John 3:16. John 3:16 proves that God loves everyone and desires to save everyone. And that He has ALREADY made the provision in Christ’s death concerning sin, He has taken it all away (John 1:29). So, your sin is no longer a barrier it has all been paid for and taken out of the way. That is why sin as sin is never mentioned at the Great White Throne of Judgment. They are cast into the lake of fire because their names are not found in the Book Of Life, that is they don’t have eternal life which they could have taken FREELY~!
Alvin
Another point. John and James both speak about the saving of the life:
John 12:25. He who loves his life will lose it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.
Note: I believe that John avoids the word “save” in this verse which is used in the other Gospels (Matt 17:25-26; Mark 8:35-36; Luke 9:24-25) because he wants the subject of salvation in John for being saved from eternal condemnation by faith alone in Christ alone. There is one verse that save has to do with Christ. (Save in John 3:17; 5:34; 10:9; “12:27”; 12:47)
James 1:21. Therefore lay aside all filthiness and overflow of wickedness, and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.
The whole human race has come under a slavery to sin. Jesus said that the one who sins, is a slave to sin (John 8:34; Romans 5:18).
Just because a believer has the implanted word Seed (Gal 3:16,19; 1 Peter 1:23). Doesn’t automatically save his life, it is who he PRESENTS himself to which makes all the difference (Romans 6:16).
But the saving of the life has to do with discipleship and is rewarded at the bema (Believers judgement which happens 1000yrs before the Great White Throne where the DEAD ARE JUDGED). That is those who have lost their lives for Christ will co-reign with Christ in His Kingdom. This is all about rewards. (Verses pertaining Rev 20:12 the dead, after the 1000yrs; Rev 20:4 reigned with Christ 1000yrs; 2 Cor 5:10 Judgment seat of Christ bema; 1 Cor 3:10-15 saved as by fire)
Revelations:22:12 Jesus said,
And behold, I am coming quickly, and My REWARD is with Me, to give to every one according to his WORK.
THE DIFFERENCE:
Ephesians 2:8,9
For by GRACE you HAVE BEEN SAVED through FAITH, and NOT of yourselves; it is a GIFT of God, NOT of WORKS, lest anyone should BOAST.