True Repentance

What does the Bible teach about repentance? Is repentance simply feeling sorry for sinful actions? Many view repentance as a convenient way to willfully and purposely sin against God, then go and “repent”, thinking that God will forgive such behavior. True Biblical repentance is much more than feeling sorry for what we have done. Repentance is a complete, total, and permanent change of action.

The Apostle Paul wrote a letter to the church at Corinth to set them straight regarding sin and immorality. Paul wanted them to get right with God and live good, moral lives. Paul stated, “I now rejoice, not that ye were made sorry, but that ye were made sorry unto repentance; for ye were made sorry after a godly sort, that ye might suffer loss by us in nothing” 2 Corinthians 7:9. Paul rejoiced because his letter had the desired affect. The people did not just feel sorry for what they had done, they felt so sorry they repented, or changed, the way they were living. It was not Paul’s intent to make these people feel bad about themselves, but to make them realize they needed to make things right with God.

Paul continues by saying, “For godly sorrow works repentance unto salvation, a repentance which brings no regret: but the sorrow of the world works death” 2 Corinthians 7:10. When a person truly repents of sin in his or her life, they have no regret about what they are leaving behind. True Godly repentance means changing one’s life in order to be saved by God. Notice also that simply feeling sorry for what you have done but not changing your actions, “the sorrow of the world”, brings spiritual death to people. A person is sadly mistaken if they think they can go out and sin willfully, then go to church the next morning and “repent” of their sin, just to go out and do it again and again. The Bible teaches that repentance is a change of action that leads to salvation.

Paul’s God given ministry was to “[declare] first to those in Damascus, then in Jerusalem and throughout all the region of Judea, and also to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, performing deeds in keeping with their repentance” Acts 26:20. This verse demonstrates that true repentance is a permanent change of behavior: Sinful actions must cease and Godly actions must begin. Jesus declares the vital importance of repentance when he stated, “No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish” Luke 13:3.

God wants people to feel sorry for the sinful mistakes they make. However, God also expects a change in our behavior. “Performing deeds in keeping” with our repentance means changing our lives to live the way God wants. The words of Hebrews 10.26 serve as a sobering reminder: “For if we go on sinning deliberately after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins”.

Faith in God

What does the Bible teach about faith in God? Many people believe that faith is something superstitious or unfounded, a belief in something improvable. Perhaps the phrase “a blind leap of faith” comes to mind when discussing faith. The Bible teaches something altogether different about faith, for faith is never defined as a “blind leap” into the unknown.

The Hebrew writer says “Now faith is assurance of things hoped for, a conviction of things not seen” Hebrews 11:1. The word ‘assurance’ as defined by Thayer’s Greek Dictionary means “that which has foundation, is firm, or that which has actual existence”. The Hebrew writer demonstrates that faith is a substance based upon “actual existence”, a substance having a firm foundation. Likewise, the word ‘conviction’ means “a proof, that by which a thing is proved or tested”. Therefore, Faith is not believing in something unfounded or improvable. Faith is knowing by a firm foundation of undeniable proof that God and all His wonderful works, His redeeming Son, His precious promises, and His commands to us, are actually in existence.

Where does faith come from? Paul told the Romans “So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” Romans 10:17. This firm foundation of proof comes to us when we hear the word of God. Each time we open our Bibles and study God’s word we increase our faith and make it even stronger. Paul told Timothy “Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth” 2 Timothy 2:15. Because “faith comes by hearing”, and we are told to “study to show ‘ourselves’ approved unto God”, we clearly see the need for proper Bible study. The person who truly knows God’s word has a firm foundation upon which to stand in times of trial or temptation. This foundation can keep us from doing the things we know are not approved by God.

Jesus shows the vital need for hearing his faith producing words and acting upon them. Jesus said, “Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it” Matthew 7:24, 26-27. Jesus’ words, when they are obeyed, create under us a firm rock upon which to stand. Jesus’ words, when we hear them and obey them, create the faith in God that we so vitally need. Jesus’ word, when disregarded, destroys our foundation and results in our falling away from God.

Only through study of Jesus’ word will faith be produced in our hearts, a faith both sure and steadfast grounded in the Gospel (Col. 1.23).

The Most Important Question

The Bible contains many different examples of people asking questions of Godly teachers. These questions are recorded for examples of what God wants us to do today. But of all these questions, none are as important as the question asked, “What must I do to be saved?”

When Peter was preaching in Jerusalem on the day of Pentecost he reasoned from the scriptures about Jesus being the Christ and Messiah. Peter stated, “Let all the house of Israel therefore know assuredly, that God hath made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom ye crucified” Acts 2:36. The people, after hearing this great condemnation, were terrified for what they had done. Peter had convinced them that they were guilty of crucifying the Lord! Fully believing in Jesus and in the fact that they had done wrong, they asked the question, “Brethren, what shall we do?” Acts 2:37.

Saul of Tarsus decided to travel to Damascus in order to persecute Christians. The Bible reads, “And as he journeyed, it came to pass that he drew nigh unto Damascus: and suddenly there shone round about him a light out of heaven: and he fell upon the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?” Acts 9:3-4. In the following verses, Saul learns that he is persecuting Jesus himself. Fully believing in Jesus and that he was Lord of all, Saul asked, “Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?” Acts 9:6.

Paul the Apostle was traveling on a missionary journey through Philippi. After being persecuted and thrown in prison, the Lord miraculously opened the prison so Paul could escape. Thinking the prisoners had escaped, the jailor decided to kill himself. Paul shouted out, “Do thyself no harm: for we are all here” Acts 16.28. The jailor, realizing that Paul was preaching for the living God asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” Acts 16.30.

The answer to these questions is always the same. Peter told the people “Repent ye, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ unto the remission of your sins; and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit” Acts 2:38. Jesus told Saul, “Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do” Acts 9.6. The prophet of God in the city asked Paul, “And now why do you wait? Arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on his name” Acts 22:16. Paul told the Jailor “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved”, Acts 16.31, and in verse 32 it is reported that he “was baptized”, fulfilling the command of Jesus, “He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that disbelieveth shall be condemned” Mark 16:16.

God clearly demonstrates that in order to be saved one must hear about Jesus, believe in him, and then be baptized. The answer was never “Just believe”, “Accept Jesus into your heart”, or “say the ‘Sinners Prayer’”. True belief in God means accepting God's word for what must be done in order to be saved.

Other Foundations

The Bible teaches the Christian that the foundation of all spiritual practices is Jesus Christ. Paul said “For other foundation can no man lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ” 1 Cor. 3:11. Jesus has all authority “in heaven and in earth” Matt. 28.18. Therefore, “whatsoever ye do, in word or in deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him” Colossians 3:17.

It is so important for those wishing to follow Christ to make certain that the foundation for their beliefs is none other than Jesus Christ. The reason for this is clearly seen; no other foundation exists. Everything that is to be done in our Spiritual lives is to be done by the authority of Jesus Christ.

It does not matter what I like to do. Paul stated, “Now we that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves” Romans 15:1. We have no right to simply please ourselves in Spirituality. We must please God.

It does not matter what my opinion is. The prophet said, “There is a way which seemeth right unto a man; But the end thereof are the ways of death” Proverbs 14:12. Just because it seems right to me does not make it right. Jeremiah said “O Jehovah, I know that the way of man is not in himself: it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps” Jeremiah 10:23. God directs our steps through Christ and his Holy Word.

It does not matter what I want to do. Paul told the Galatians “But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do” Galatians 5:16-17. Things pertaining to Spirituality are the “desires of the Spirit”. When it comes to Spirituality, I cannot do just anything I want.

It does not matter what my preacher says. Paul said “As we have said before, so now I say again: If anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to the one you received, let him be accursed” Galatians 1:9. Just because the preacher said it does not make it right. We must “examine the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so” Acts 17.11.

Jesus laid the foundation for our Spiritual lives. Remember the words of Peter found in Acts 5:29 “We must obey God rather than men”. We must obey God and reject any foundation laid by men or women. No counsels, conventions, colleges, or thrones can lay any foundation; it has already been laid. Let us seek the true foundation.

Baptism and Salvation

What does the Bible say regarding Baptism and salvation? Many believe that baptism comes after salvation; it is an “outward show of an inward grace”. However, the Bible never teaches that baptism is an outward show of grace after one is saved. The Bible states “The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ” 1 Peter 3:21. Baptism, an act of obedience towards God, saves us.

The Bible has many things to say regarding baptism. Paul states that one must put on Christ in order to be saved. Paul answers the question “how does one put on Christ” in Galatians 3:27: “For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.” Notice that we put on Christ by being baptized. Can a person be saved without putting on every aspect of our Lord Jesus Christ? Paul answers “No”.

Paul states that we must partake of Christ’s death by dying unto sin and being obedient to God. He states that we must be buried with Christ and rise up with him to walk in the new life. How does one do this? Paul answers, “Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection” Romans 6:3-5. We “walk in newness of life”, and share in Christ’s resurrection, by being “buried with him by baptism”.

We also must put off the body of the flesh (our sinful actions) and rise with Christ through faith in order to be saved. The Bible teaches how this is done in Colossians 2:11-12 “In whom ye were also circumcised with a circumcision not made with hands, in the putting off of the body of the flesh, in the circumcision of Christ; having been buried with him in baptism, wherein ye were also raised with him through faith in the working of God, who raised him from the dead.”

The Bible teaches so many things about Baptism: It saves us, it enables us to put on Christ, it raises us up to walk in newness of life, it takes our sins off of us, and allows us to be raised up with Christ through faith. Without these things a person cannot be saved. Without baptism, there is no salvation.

Have you been saved? Jesus stated in Mark 16:16 “He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that disbelieveth shall be condemned.” Many other passages also show the vital importance of baptism. Consider Acts 2.38, 8.12, 22.16, I Cor. 12.13, Mt. 28.18-20, Mark 16.16, etc.