So many pulpits are teaching falsely what the word REPENT actually means in the Bible.
Repentance GOES BEFORE WE BELIEVE for Salvation. Salvation is not of our self righteous works. Do not confuse the free gift of Salvation with our sanctification and works after Salvation.
REPENT as a word simply means ‘change your mind’. The Greek word for the English word ‘repent’ is ‘metanoia’. It is not defined as ‘turn from your sin’. Should we be turning from sin?… of course! YES! But that is not what the word repent is defined as in the Bible and it is so important to understand this! Turning from your sins is a RESULT of repenting; it is not the repenting itself.
You can change any Scripture that says ‘repent’ with ‘change your mind’ and then see the real meaning of the passage based on the context of the passage.
“The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: REPENT ye, and believe the gospel.” (Mark 1:15 KJV)
is same as….
“The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: CHANGE YOUR MIND ye, and believe the gospel.” (Mark 1:15 KJV)
The free gift of Salvation is about BELIEF and not good works for our justification.
“For by GRACE are ye saved THROUGH FAITH; and that NOT OF YOURSELVES: it is the GIFT of God: NOT OF WORKS, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus UNTO GOOD WORKS, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.” (Ephesians 2:8-10 KJV)
Using the word ‘unto’ means AFTER our Salvation good works will flow out of us from within, by the Holy Spirit through us. But it is not something we should boast about! Why? Because it is the work of CHRIST CRUCIFIED that has redeemed us and not our own works in any manner! And certainly not our own self righteous forced works.
Jesus Himself is very clear on our Salvation and how to be saved. The simplicity of the Gospel is mind boggling to some who just cannot believe they do not have to work their way to justification. But believing your works are required is the sin of Pride. Yes, the same sin the devil deceived Adam and Eve with. The same sin that had Lucifer, closest to God’s throne, turned into Satan, the adversary of God and man.
Jesus is so clear in John 3 that all other Salvation Scriptures need to agree with it to see the proper interpretations.
“And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up:
(Don: This is referring to the Exodus of Moses’ day. The people had snakes biting and killing them. All they had to do was BELIEVE that looking upon the serpent raised up that the snakes bites would not kill them. This belief saved them. This is Jesus showing us an analogy that Salvation is by belief on His finished work alone and nothing else.)
That WHOSOEVER BELIEVETH IN HIM should not perish, but have ETERNAL LIFE. For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that WHOSOEVER BELIEVETH IN HIM should not perish, but have EVERLASTING LIFE. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that BELIEVETH ON HIM is not condemned: but he that BELIEVETH NOT is condemned ALREADY, because he hath not BELIEVED in the name of the only begotten Son of God.” (John 3:14-18 KJV)
Jesus no where in John 3 states that good works not never sinning again is a requirement of our justification and Salvation. Why add it then? This is JESUS talking here!
BELIEVE, BELIEVE, BELIEVE.
Not just believe Christ existed. Believe the Gospel. Believe Jesus is the Christ, God in the flesh, the foretold prophesied Messiah who never sinned and willingly died on the cross as punishment for OUR sins. Whosoever believes this is now ETERNALLY SAVED and SEALED by the Holy Spirit.
“In whom ye also trusted, AFTER that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also AFTER that YE BELIEVED, YE WERE SEALED with that holy Spirit of promise, Which is the EARNEST (in Greek means ‘guaranteed down payment’) of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession (until our bodily resurrection), unto the praise of his glory. ” (Ephesians 1:13-14 bracket comments added by mean for further clarification)
BELIEVE!
“And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved? And they said, BELIEVE ON the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.” (Act 16:30-31 KJV)
