Salvation - Repentance (and Other Responses in Faith)

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What Are Heaven's Membership Requirements?

Part VI - Repentance

Article Posted: July 31, 2004 (Revised January 20, 2006)

This is the sixth of a seven-part series of articles on salvation. The previous article examined the role of faith in God's plan for the salvation of mankind. It showed that while God established salvation through the sacrifice of His Son, faith is the vehicle through which that salvation is applied. This article continues where the previous one left off by revealing the specific faith-driven human responses God requires.

As stated throughout the earlier articles in this series, one must believe in Jesus (as God's propitiatory sacrifice for mankind) in order to receive the gift of salvation.

Here, John explains why he wrote his Gospel. Notice how belief fits into that purpose:
Therefore many other signs Jesus also performed in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these have been written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name.	John 20:30-31 (NASB)

Jesus explains that God has set things up to make belief in Jesus the way humans can please God:
Therefore they said to Him, "What shall we do, so that we may work the works of God?" Jesus answered and said to them, "This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He has sent."	John 6:28-29 (NASB)

However, believing in Jesus means more than merely acknowledging Jesus' existence. Rather, genuine faith involves committing one's life to serving Christ. One cannot say, "Jesus, come into my life!" and then continue living as a slave to sin. Of course, salvation cannot be earned through human effort. It is the sincere commitment, not any works of obedience in-and-of-themselves, that reveal a true belief in Jesus Christ.

Author's Note: All people, even those striving to do right, resist applying Jesus' instructions to certain areas of their lives. As one's faith matures, one's foundation in Christ strengthens—allowing one to more capably resist Satan's influences and fleshly lusts. But, when no genuine desire exists to sacrifice one's selfish ways in exchange for those of the Savior, one's faith is not properly placed. Is it better to serve one's self (for some temporary pleasures in this life) or to serve the Lord Jesus Christ (who was willing to sacrifice His own life so that humans could spend eternity in heaven)? Since one's eternal destination is at stake, this point is worth pondering.

This next verse does not speak directly to salvation. It is part of a larger passage attempting to motivate folks to live (do good deeds) according to their faith. Still, the verse expresses the futility of having knowledge of God, when that knowledge does not lead to acceptance of God's will. Satan and his angels believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God. But, these evil beings will not be spending eternity in heaven. Belief in Jesus Christ involves accepting Jesus as Lord (i.e. committing to Him).

[Author's Note: "Christ" is Greek for the Hebrew word "Messiah," which means "the promised or anointed One."]

You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder.

James 2:19 (NIV)

It is not enough to simply give Jesus the label of Lord; one's acceptance of Jesus as Lord must be genuine. The following are Jesus' words:
Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.	Matthew 7:21 (NIV)

Becoming a Christian involves giving up a lifestyle guided by selfish goals (and human ideals) in order to eagerly, unabashedly, and publicly serve a risen savior by accepting to live by godly ideals. In accordancde with God's will for His life, Jesus accepted His cross. Each Christian also has a cross to bear. This simply means that each Christian willingly commits to a life of service to Christ, whatever that may ultimately entail.

Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me and for the gospel will save it. What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul? If anyone is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when he comes in his Father's glory with the holy angels."

Mark 8:34-38 (NIV)

Sincere repentance is, therefore, very important. As used in the New Testament, the word "repent" is derived from a Greek word that means "to think differently." It implies a complete change of thought and lifestyle. Repentance is not simply saying, "I'm sorry." Rather, it is a decision to turn away from a former life guided by self-centered, worldly ideals and to, instead, face life anew with the Lord Jesus as absolute ruler. One could think of repentance as the sacrifice of an old lifestyle in exchange for the promises of a compassionate and honorable Lord.

Changes in an individual's thoughts, attitudes, and actions reflect the impact that the teachings and sufferings of Christ have had on that individual. When personal conviction leads to a decision to diligently seek and serve Christ, genuine repentance has occurred. Repentance has nothing to do with empty words. Repentance has everything to do with attitude and commitment.
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.	II Corinthians 7:10 (NASB)

Having agreed to strive to live for Christ, one must still confess the need for the atoning (cleansing) blood of Jesus. No individual is worthy to receive God's grace; all fall short of God's glory. Furthermore, there is nothing one can do to earn salvation by his/her own merits. Even good-natured, well-meaning, hard-working, genuinely repentant human beings fail to meet God's standard of perfection. One is not saved just for living a good life, but only through the blood of Jesus.

To one of His disciples, Jesus identifies Himself as the only path to heaven:
Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me."	John 14:6 (NASB)

Paul describes how God worked through Jesus to remove the condemning effects of sin from all who choose to accept this cleansing of sin through faith. Notice, that it is Jesus' blood sacrifice that provides forgiveness of sins, not human effort:

for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus; whom God displayed publicly as a propitiation in His blood through faith This was to demonstrate His righteousness, because in the forbearance of God He passed over the sins previously committed; for the demonstration, I say, of His righteousness at the present time, so that He would be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.

Romans 3:23-26 (NASB)

Even if an individual (other than Jesus Christ) could attain to God's perfect standards, God's curse/sentence would still be in effect. Due to the sin committed in the Garden of Eden, ALL mankind lost access to paradise. That sentence was (and is) nonnegotiable. The judge that handed-out the original sentence is the only One who can revoke it. Since Jesus death on the cross represents the sentence-lifting event of God's choosing, and since God wants people to choose to come to Him, only those who humbly confess Jesus as their Lord and Savior will receive salvation.

Paul, in a letter to the believers in Rome, summarizes mankind's need for and gift of justification:

So then as through one transgression there resulted condemnation to all men, even so through one act of righteousness there resulted justification of life to all men. For as through the one man's disobedience the many were made sinners, even so through the obedience of the One the many will be made righteous. The Law came in so that the transgression would increase; but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more, so that, as sin reigned in death, even so grace would reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Romans 5:18-21 (NASB)

Confessing one's lack of worthiness to receive God's blessings is a stumbling block for many people:

They choose to focus on the rights owed them rather than the respect due God.
They would rather determine their own destiny than seek God's plan for their lives.
They spend their lives trying to prove their worth to other self-serving people. But, they are unwilling to put their trust in a Savior who freely gave His life to save them.
They choose to attribute the penalties of hell to an uncaring God rather than accept that a righteous God must also be a just God.
They choose to focus on God's supposed narrow-mindedness for making Jesus the only way to heaven rather than rejoicing that God's gift of salvation is available to all people.
Furthermore, they look at the number of different Christian denominations and Biblical interpretations and see division and contradiction among Christians. Therefore, they fail to accept that Christians are not perfect, just forgiven.

One must be willing to humbly confess the personal inability to measure up to God's requirement of perfection.
for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,	Romans 3:23 (NASB)

Salvation is God's gift, claimed through faith.
For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.	Romans 6:23 (NASB)

Those claiming to be sinless deny the hope found in Christ Jesus.
If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar and His word is not in us.	I John 1:8-10 (NASB)

Due to His willingness to die on the cross, Jesus' love for humanity is demonstrated.
But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.	Romans 5:8 (NASB)

Aided by the Holy Spirit and the Holy Scriptures, God works in Christians—building up their faith. As this faith matures, the Christian's confidence in salvation is perfected. However, before faith can mature, the initial commitment to Christ must be made.

Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. We have come to know and have believed the love which God has for us. God is love, and the one who abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. By this, love is perfected with us, so that we may have confidence in the day of judgment; because as He is, so also are we in this world. There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves punishment, and the one who fears is not perfected in love. We love, because He first loved us.

I John 4:15-19 (NASB)

Confession is not merely a private communication between an individual and God. A willingness to publicly and unabashedly acknowledge Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior is a vital Christian characteristic.

The Apostle Paul contrasts the righteousness found by living according to the law of Moses (the Old Covenant) from the righteousness based on faith in Christ (the New Covenant). Under the law, righteousness is revealed by carrying out every part of the law. With faith, righteousness is exhibited when the believer holds the meaning of Jesus' life, death, and resurrection dearly in the heart and mind and openly proclaims it.

that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation.

Romans 10:9-10 (NASB)

As the passage above indicates, one cannot accept Jesus as Lord while refusing to publicly acknowledge Jesus and live for Him. Jesus instructs His disciples:
Therefore everyone who confesses Me before men, I will also confess him before My Father who is in heaven. But whoever denies Me before men, I will also deny him before My Father who is in heaven.	Matthew 10:32-33 (NASB)

God will not be fooled by false confessions (i.e. those made for the sake of "looking good" in front of others). In the following passage, Jesus responds to some Pharisees. They were sneering at Jesus' teaching that one cannot simultaneously serve God and another master (i.e. wealth). The Pharisees were a legalistic sect of Jewish leaders who were interested in enforcing the letter of the Jewish Law but had forgotten the spirit behind the Law. Lovers of money, they shamelessly misused the letter of the Jewish Law to benefit their personal financial conditions.

And He said to them, "You are those who justify yourselves in the sight of men, but God knows your hearts; for that which is highly esteemed among men is detestable in the sight of God."

Luke 16:15 (NASB)

The private and prayerful confession one makes to God—that he/she is a sinner and desperately needs the application of Jesus' sacrifice—is very important. But, confession involves risk (of embarrassment, punishment, etc.), sharing (a faith too powerful and exciting to remain hidden), and diligence (in serving the risen Savior). Confessing Jesus as Lord is more than a private/internal act.

See: Matthew 10:32; Luke 12:8; John 9:22; 12:42; Acts 19:18; 24:14; Romans 10:9-10; Philippians 2:11; I Timothy 6:13; I John 4:2-3; Revelation 3:5

Note: Make sure you read each passage in the context of its surrounding material.

Author's Note: I have difficulty supporting the "repeat this prayer to receive salvation" approach. I am not saying that people who have followed that approach are unsaved. Actually, many of these types of prayers do an excellent job of indicating the kind of commitment God desires. Bill Bright (founder of Campus Crusade for Christ) came up with one of the best of these sinner's prayers: Lord Jesus, I need You (confession). Thank You for dying on the cross for my sins (belief). I open the door of my life and receive You as my Savior and Lord (confession). Thank You for forgiving my sins and giving me eternal life (belief). Take control of the throne of my life. Make me the kind of person you want me to be (repentance). However, I cannot find any Biblical precedent for this "pray to receive Jesus" approach. To me it seems that God prefers action over words.

Have You Heard of the Four Spiritual Laws? is a link to the afore-mentioned sinner's prayer.

Finally, confession should be the inward and outward expression of a genuinely repentant believer. Confession merely reflects the heart and mind of the believer. The focus should always remain on the object of one's confession (Jesus Christ). Yes, God requires confession. But, confession is a response of saving faith, not a personal action used to inflate one's ego or an attempt to earn one's way to Heaven. Confession does, however, help the Christian to see where he/she is in his/her faith.]

So, a person has believed the Gospel message and has been convicted (intellectually and spiritually) to the point of repentance. Guided by this new attitude of service, confession of Jesus as Lord and Savior is a natural step. Is there more to be done? Baptism is the topic of the next article. Since, there is much confusion (and often contention) regarding baptism's role (if any) in salvation, an entire article has been devoted to this topic.