Churches divide over carpet color, building additions and budgets. In the meantime, our fellow church members are going to hell by the boatload. A.W...
A.W. Tozer said, “It is my opinion that tens of thousands of people, if not millions, have been brought into some kind of religious experience by accepting Christ, and they have not been saved.”
D. James Kennedy said, “The vast majority of people who are members of churches in America today are not Christians. I say that without the slightest contradiction. I base it on empirical evidence of twenty-four years of examining thousands of people.”
Friend, we argue over so many petty things. May I suggest we have lost sight of the most important debate of all, “What is salvation?” My theology teaches that salvation happens when a man repents and places his trust in Jesus Christ (Acts 20:21).
I would like to present thirteen ways that we have re-defined how a person becomes a true convert. Have we done this intentionally? Certainly not. We have simply created lingo that has a grain of truth in Scripture, but it is so open to interpretation that the un-converted understand it in ways that lead to false conversions.
If I showed up at your door with a can of grapefruit juice and a roll of paper towels and offered to change your oil, you would say, “No thanks.” If we wouldn’t let someone mess with our car using the wrong method, why do we allow the Gospel to be presented so ambiguously?
Would you let a doctor operate on your child who was “sort of” accurate? The salvation of men is far more important than an appendix.
I beg you to consider how you share the Gospel. You and I know what we are talking about when we use these phrases, but do the unregenerate? Is it possible that we have so many backsliders today because they never slid forward in the first place? Is it because they were never told that they must repent and trust?
If we are willing to debate shag verse plush in the fellowship hall, shouldn’t we be more concerned about an issue that has eternal consequences?
D. James Kennedy said, “The vast majority of people who are members of churches in America today are not Christians. I say that without the slightest contradiction. I base it on empirical evidence of twenty-four years of examining thousands of people.”
Friend, we argue over so many petty things. May I suggest we have lost sight of the most important debate of all, “What is salvation?” My theology teaches that salvation happens when a man repents and places his trust in Jesus Christ (Acts 20:21).
I would like to present thirteen ways that we have re-defined how a person becomes a true convert. Have we done this intentionally? Certainly not. We have simply created lingo that has a grain of truth in Scripture, but it is so open to interpretation that the un-converted understand it in ways that lead to false conversions.
- Make Jesus your Lord and Savior. We cannot make Jesus our Lord and Savior, He is our Lord and Savior. We are living in rebellion to Him and He commands us to repent and trust Him.
- Ask Jesus into your heart. Does Jesus come into our hearts? Yes He does. The question is, “How does He get in there?” It is not by simply asking Him in; it is by repentance and faith.
- Just believe in Jesus. The demons believe and they tremble. We must repent and trust.
- You have a God-shaped hole in your heart and only Jesus can fill it. We have far more than a hole that needs to be filled so we can feel complete; we have a wretched, deceitful, sinful heart that needs cleansing. Repentance and faith applies the blood of the lamb for that cleansing.
- Accept Jesus. Whoa. We need to accept Jesus? This is entirely backward. We need Jesus to accept us–and He will, if we repent and trust.
- Make a decision for Jesus. Decisional regeneration puts man in the driver’s seat of salvation. When we repent and trust, Jesus decides to save us. That puts Him in the driver’s seat…where He demands.
- It is easy to believe. While the formula of repentance and faith sounds simple, a complete surrendering of self in repentance is anything but easy. It’s hard.
- God loves you and has a wonderful plan for your life. The only promises for the convert are trials, temptation and persecution. If that is how you define a wonderful life, fine. Otherwise we must command all men everywhere to repent and trust.
- Come to Jesus just as you are. We should come to Jesus just as the sinners we are, but He also expects a broken heart and contrite spirit demonstrated in repentance and faith.
- Come to Jesus and you will receive forgiveness of sins and ________________ (fill in the blank with money, health, a healed marriage). Jesus didn’t promise healed marriages; in fact He promised broken homes because we would divide when one member repents and trusts.
- Come to Jesus and experience love, joy, peace. Do we get the fruit of the Spirit upon conversion? Yes. But if we come seeking the gifts and not the giver, we will receive neither. Instead, we must repent and trust.
- Jesus is the missing piece. Um, no, the God of the universe is not the missing piece, He demands that He is the center of our lives when we repent and trust.
- Jesus is better than fame and fortune. That is an understatement, and frankly, it is insulting. Saying Jesus is better than money is like saying that a steak dinner is better than eating a dung hill. He defies comparison and we trivialize the Son of God. Instead, we should be pleading with all men everywhere to repent and trust.
If I showed up at your door with a can of grapefruit juice and a roll of paper towels and offered to change your oil, you would say, “No thanks.” If we wouldn’t let someone mess with our car using the wrong method, why do we allow the Gospel to be presented so ambiguously?
Would you let a doctor operate on your child who was “sort of” accurate? The salvation of men is far more important than an appendix.
I beg you to consider how you share the Gospel. You and I know what we are talking about when we use these phrases, but do the unregenerate? Is it possible that we have so many backsliders today because they never slid forward in the first place? Is it because they were never told that they must repent and trust?
If we are willing to debate shag verse plush in the fellowship hall, shouldn’t we be more concerned about an issue that has eternal consequences?
S. M. So, you're saying that we should repent & trust? lol
G. P. So what you are saying is that we must repent & trust. Amen preach it brother
A .D. I have to write this down.
r..e...pent...and....t...tru.....tru....
What was the last part?
r..e...pent...and....t...t
What was the last part?
A.C. I will say there are many faithful , truthful, Pastors and ministers , that preach the Gospel in all its TRUTH. Many do not accept the full message , because they choose not to repent. They just choose to believe and hope , but do not repent or change their ways. They sit in service and nod their heads and say Amen... and leave and live like they... See More always do. One of our Reverends spoke one nite and said in street terms...
"This isnt Burger King,,,you can't have it your way" Then she broke it down.. the full truth!! But some people left, because they want to hear sweet words that do not make them feel guilt.
Just keep preaching the truth to everyone "REPENT AND TRUST"... Holla!!
"This isnt Burger King,,,you can't have it your way" Then she broke it down.. the full truth!! But some people left, because they want to hear sweet words that do not make them feel guilt.
Just keep preaching the truth to everyone "REPENT AND TRUST"... Holla!!
P M.G.This is a great clarification, thank-you.
C.G. Thank you!
D. H. People should read this.
N.C. I believe it was supposed to be "shag versus plush".
D .M.This is to Amanda, girl you are on the money! I just left a church that started to water down the word and wants to tickle the ears of their congregation....I needed to be fed. The Lord finally gave me the ok to leave by placing it on my hubby's heart too. Now we are at a church that the Pastor doesn't care if people in the congregation get offended by preaching of the true gospel....not the watered down version.
V.A.Thanks Wretched for these words. I believe many have turned salvation into nothing more than a safety net instead of a total surrender of one’s life for Jesus. Without repentance and faith there is no salvation.
V.A.Thanks Wretched for these words. I believe many have turned salvation into nothing more than a safety net instead of a total surrender of one’s life for Jesus. Without repentance and faith there is no salvation.
D. W. Amanda. Step up to the mike and preach it. My NY friend. Holla back.
A.G. Repent
O .L.I share the concerns of the author to preach the gospel clearly and biblically yet in our zeal we some times go beyond where God has commanded us to go. When we "rightly divide the Word " we find that the scriptures declare w/ great boldness that salvation has one single condition.In 150 passages in the new testament it states that the sinner can only be saved by faith or believing in Jesus Christ alone apart from any works . Romans 4:3-5 (NKJV)
3 For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.” Now to him who works, the wages are not counted as grace but as debt.
David Celebrates the Same Truth
5 But to him who DOES NOT WORK but believes on Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness, ... See More... See More
The word most often translated repent in the new testament is the word "meta-noia" meta=to change noia=the mind thus when we trust in Christ we are quite literally changing our mind. By nature we trust ourselves and our own efforts but we are commanded to "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and be saved..."
Sometimes if we are not careful we make repentance a work so we can eliminate shallow professions of faith but this is a dangerous departure from the grace of God . Paul was very emphatic to say- Romans 4:16 (New King James Version)
16 Therefore it is of faith that it might be according to grace, so that the promise might be sure to all the seed, not only to those who are of the law, but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all
3 For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.” Now to him who works, the wages are not counted as grace but as debt.
David Celebrates the Same Truth
5 But to him who DOES NOT WORK but believes on Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness, ... See More... See More
The word most often translated repent in the new testament is the word "meta-noia" meta=to change noia=the mind thus when we trust in Christ we are quite literally changing our mind. By nature we trust ourselves and our own efforts but we are commanded to "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and be saved..."
Sometimes if we are not careful we make repentance a work so we can eliminate shallow professions of faith but this is a dangerous departure from the grace of God . Paul was very emphatic to say- Romans 4:16 (New King James Version)
16 Therefore it is of faith that it might be according to grace, so that the promise might be sure to all the seed, not only to those who are of the law, but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all
T.A.Some of the points here are theologically incorrect.
#2. Jesus doesn't come into your heart by "repentance & faith." Repentance & faith only come after Jesus comes into your heart.
#5. Jesus doesn't accept us because we "repent & trust." Repentance and trust only come after Jesus accepts & saves us.
#6. Again, Jesus doesn't "DECIDE" to save us because we repent & trust. The decission to save the chosen elect happened before creation.
#7. Repentance isn't hard, it is impossible unless God first removes our heart of stone and replaces it with a heart of flesh making us born again.... See More
I wholeheartedly agree with points #8 & #13, we do need to command all men to repent and trust in Jesus. The gospel is the means God uses to reach the elect and only when God raises the dead sinner to life will he have the ability to repent and trust.
Blessings brother.
#2. Jesus doesn't come into your heart by "repentance & faith." Repentance & faith only come after Jesus comes into your heart.
#5. Jesus doesn't accept us because we "repent & trust." Repentance and trust only come after Jesus accepts & saves us.
#6. Again, Jesus doesn't "DECIDE" to save us because we repent & trust. The decission to save the chosen elect happened before creation.
#7. Repentance isn't hard, it is impossible unless God first removes our heart of stone and replaces it with a heart of flesh making us born again.... See More
I wholeheartedly agree with points #8 & #13, we do need to command all men to repent and trust in Jesus. The gospel is the means God uses to reach the elect and only when God raises the dead sinner to life will he have the ability to repent and trust.
Blessings brother.
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