Leaves Of Gold

A Call To Return To Biblical Teaching

“…to contend earnestly for the faith…”

Year Two, Number 11 NOVEMBER 2007

MASTER OUTLINE NUMBER TWENTY-TWO These outlines are from “The Christian Life Bible”, published by Thomas Nelson. Notes by Porter L. Barrington

Repentance

"He who covers his sins will not prosper, but whoever confesses and forsakes them will have mercy" (Prov. 28:13).

God desires truth in the inward parts (Ps. 51 :6) and commands all men everywhere to repent (Acts 17:30).

(1) The sinner must repent before he can become the recipient of salvation by grace through faith (Eph. 2:8, 9).

(2) The Christian must practice daily repentance if he is to enjoy unbroken fellowship with God (Job 42:1-6). Someone said, "I repented at conversion, before I understood the meaning of repentance, but since then as a Christian I have repented many times:'

Repentance is a gift of God (Acts 5:31; 11 :18); "the goodness of God leads you to repentance" (Rom. 2:4). The goodness of God is not merited by the act of repentance. Repentance, like faith, is a gift. This gift of repentance is an inward change produced by the convicting power of the Holy Spirit as the Word of God is proclaimed (Acts 2:37, 38; cf. John 16:7, 11). The results are "repentance toward God and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ" (Acts 20:21); also faith that Christ died for our sins, that He was buried, and that He rose from the dead (1 Cor. 15:14).

Repentance alone does not qualify a sinner for salvation; faith is also necessary in the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ. True repentance is always coupled with faith. It is impossible to have saving faith and not repent. "Repentance toward God and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ" are essential and inseparable in salvation.

Faith without repentance is the ultimate of hypocrisy, and repentance without faith in the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ is futile.

/\. Repentance Defined (2 Peter 3:9)-First, let us see that repentance is not:

(I) Merely sorrow-"godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation" (2 Cor. 7:9, 10). , " Godly sorrow is a guilty feeling that leads to repentance, but it is not repentance.

(1) Penance-an act on the part of the guilty to render payment for sin, an effort to atone for wrongs done against God or man. God calls all men to repentance, not to do penance.

(a) Jesus did not say, "Do penance and believe in the gospel" He said, "Repent, and believe in the Gospel, (Mark 1 :15).

(b) Peter did not say, "Do penance and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ."

He said: "Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins" Acts 2:38).

(c) Paul did not say, "God ... commands all men everywhere to do penance." He said, "God ... commands all men everywhere to repent" (Acts 17:30). If penance is repentance, then salvation is not the gift of God, and we are not saved by grace through faith (Eph. 2:8,9).

(3) Reformation-a change brought about by the efforts of man for self-glorification (Matt. 12:43-45), such as:

(a) turning away from known sin

(b) giving up a bad habit

(d) turning over a new leaf

(e) making restitution

Second, let us see that repentance is:

(1) A change, always evidenced in three elements:

(a) the intellectual element-a change of mind

(b) the emotional element-a change of heart

(2) The parable of the prodigal is a perfect illustration of repentance. He had a change of mind, a change

,,( heart, and a change of will (Luke 15:11-32): .

(a) the intellectual element-"He came to himself"

(b) the emotional element-"I have sinned"

Repentance is a change. The prodigal son had a change of mind; his change of mind caused a change of heart, and his change of heart effected a change of will. No one is ever saved until he wills to be (Rev. 22:17). Repentance is a change of mind, of heart, and of will.

Point 22-B: Repentance Preached, Mark 1:1-4

Repentance was preached in the Old Testament before the birth of Jesus, during His life and ministry, was preached on the Feast Day of Pentecost, in the Book of Acts and in the Epistles and in the Book of Revelation. It is a doctrine to be preached and practiced in all dispensations and ages.

(1) John the Baptist preached repentance:

(2)

(a) He preached the baptism of repentance (Luke 3:3, page): "Repent, for the kingdom of raven is at hand!" (Matt. 3:2).

(b) He was thus "The voice of one crying in the wilderness: 'Prepare the way of the LORD'" (Matt. 3:3).

John's preaching of repentance exalted Christ, denounced sin, and warned of judgment; it also cost him is head (Matt. 14:6-11).

(2) Jesus preached repentance:

(a) He preached, "Repent, and believe in the gospel" (vv. 14, 15). He went about doing mighty works, calling sinners to repent and have faith in the good news of God.

(b) His preaching was an ultimatum: repent or perish (Luke 13:1-5). Salvation by grace is for the repentant soul, and judgment without mercy is for those who resist.

(3) Peter preached repentance:

(a) At Pentecost he commanded, "Repent, and let everyone of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins" (Acts 2:38).

(b) In his second epistle he wrote that the Lord "is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance" (2 Pet. 3:9). Every soul that goes to hell makes that choice contrary to the revealed will of God, who calls upon all to repent.

(4) Paul preached repentance. He declared that God "commands all men everywhere to repent" (Acts 17:30). This message was given on Mars Hill to the intelligentsia of Athens. The results were threefold: some mocked, some procrastinated, but some believed (Acts 17:32-34).

22-C. Repentance from Dead Works (Hebrews 6:1)-What does the writer of Hebrews mean by "repentance from dead works" (v. 1)? First, we need to see two other categories of works:

(1) Good works. Only saved souls can do works that please God (Matt. 5:16). Of the lost He said, "There is none who does good, no, not one" (Palms 14:1-3). The believer is not to hide his good works, but let them be seen to the glory of God.

Mary of Bethany anointed the head and feet of Jesus with precious ointment while He sat at the table of Simon the leper. Some of the disciples called her deed an extravagant waste. But Jesus said, "She has done a good work for Me .... She has done what she could" (Mark 14:3-9,3). Like Mary, we are to do all we can to the glory of God, not in order to be saved but because we are saved. This is the way to do good works.

(2) Wicked works (Gal. 1:20, 21). These deeds are done by the unregenerate, natural man (1 Cor. 2:14). He lives according to this world system. He is motivated by the "prince of the power of the air [Satan]." His talk is filled with the lust of the flesh, and he lives to gratify the desires of the flesh and the natural mind. He is a child of wrath, and his works are wicked because he is dead in sin (Eph. 2:1-3).

Dead works (v. 1) could be called "religious" works. They are done for the purpose of meriting eternal life. They are legalistic efforts to keep the moral and ceremonial laws of God for the purpose of winning God's favor, and being saved by works (Eph. 2:8, 9). Paul said, "Therefore by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight" (Rom. 3:20). Dead works are performed by the kind of religious people who, "ignorant of God's righteousness, and seeking to establish [by dead works] their own righteousness, have not submitted to the righteousness of God" (Rom. 10:1-4).

Paul is a good illustration of repentance from dead works. He dearly stated that he had "no confidence in the flesh." Then he listed his dead works of which he had to repent (Phil. 3:1-9). When he compared this righteousness which is by dead works of the law, with the righteousness of Christ which is by faith, he counted the former but rubbish. He knew the meaning of "repentance from dead works" (v. 1).

22-D: Repentance and God, Hebrews 7:21. “God is not a man, that He should lie, nor a son of man, that He should repent”, Numbers 21:19. Yet the Bible tells us that He can be sorry, Genesis 6:5-7. This is not a contradiction. It is paradoxical, but not contradictory. In a man, a change is real; in God, however, a change of mind is only apparent .

God makes two covenants with man:

(1) Unconditional. When He makes an unconditional covenant He never repents. He made such a covenant with Abraham, Gen. 12:1-3. It will stand forever because “The LORD has sworn and will not relent”, Ps. 110:4. He made such a covenant with Israel, Rom. 11:25-36.

(2) Conditional. “And the LORD said, My Spirit shall not strive with man forever, for he is indeed flesh, yet his days shall be one hundred and twenty years”, Gen. 6:3. In the days of Noah, God gave t he human race 120 years to repent. Only Noah and his family repented and “found grace in the eyes of the LORD”, Gen. 6:8. They met God`s condition and were not judged with the rest of the human race who refused to repent. “The LORD is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance”, 2 Pet. 3:9.

It is clear that God invites all lost souls to be saved. He is “…not willing that any should perish…”. To be save, the lost must meet His condition “…repentance toward God and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ”, Acts 20:21. Now if a man does not repent and believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, God will judge that man. In love God bestows grace, but is salvation is rejected, in justice He terminates it. In that way God appears to change His attitude toward man.

22-E. Repentance, Impossible to Renew To (Hebrews 6:4-6)- The key that unlocks the mystery of this difficult Scripture is the word "impossible" in verse four. The writer is saying that the person who so sins will find it impossible to repent again.

(1) Let us see what the writer does not mean. He does not mean a backslidden Christian. Simon Peter backslid (Matt. 26:69-7), repented (John 21 :3-17), and was restored to fellowship with the lord. King David sinned (2 Sam. 11:1-27), repented (Ps. 51:1-19), and was restored to fellowship with the lord (2 Sam. 12:13). Any backslidden Christian can repent and be restored to fellowship with God.

Let us see what the writer does mean. Verses 4-6 are proof that being outwardly "religious" is not enough to save from sin. Some professed, but did not possess eternal life. In outward appearance they might be called Christians. But Jesus said, "Not everyone who says to Me, 'lord, lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven" (Matt. 7:21-23). Such persons cannot be restored because they have not first repented.

Esau so sinned against the Lord when he sold his birthright to Jacob for a bowl of stew, Gen. 25:27-34. Later he tried to repent, but found it impossible to do so. “He found no place for repentance, though he sought it diligently with tears”, Heb. 12:16, 17.

At the Great White Throne Judgment, where only the wicked dead are judged, Rev. 20:11-15, they too will try to repent but will find it impossible.

22-F. Repentance: Its Importance (Acts 17:30)-Repentance is so important that God commands "all men everywhere to repent" (v. 30).

(1) The lost are to repent. Jesus said, "I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance" (Matt. 9:13). Again He said, "Unless you repent you will all likewise perish" (Luke 13:3-5).

(2) Backsliders are to repent. Paul said, "Now I rejoice, not that you were made sorry, but that your sorrow led to repentance" (2 Cor. 7:9). There were carnal Christians in the church at Corinth. In Paul's first letter to them, he called upon the church to discipline the guilty. In his second letter he rejoices because the guilty repented.

(3) Local churches are to repent. In the book of Revelation, chapters 2 and 3, our Lord sent seven letters to seven local churches. He called upon five of the seven to repent:

(a) The church at Ephesus was to repent because she had left her first love.

(b) The church at Pergamos was to repent because she permitted the doctrine of Balaam to be taught, as well as allowing the people to eat things sacrificed to idols, and to commit fornication.

(c) The church at Thyatira was to repent because she allowed "Jezebel" to teach and seduce God's servants to commit fornication.

(d) The church at Sardis was to repent because she was a dead congregation.

(e) The church at Laodicea was to repent because she thought she was rich and needed nothing. In her opinion she was self-sufficient. She did not know that she was neither hot nor cold, but lukewarm, and God was ready to spit her out of His mouth.

The Lord called upon these five local churches to repent, or else He would remove their lamp stands, and they would cease to be a light in darkness.

The lost are to repent or perish. The backslider is to repent, or be disciplined. The local church is to repent, or lose its effectiveness in a world lost in sin.

Point 22-G: Repentance: The Evidence. Acts 26: 19, 20. The evidence of repentance toward God and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ is seen in many cases:

(1) Unbelieving Thomas repented, John 20:24-29.

(2) Three thousands changed their minds, hearts, and wills on the Feast Day of Pentecost, and immediately gave evidence of repentance, Act. 2:41-47.

(3) Saul of Tarsus experienced repentance when he meet Jesus on the Damascus road, Acts 9:1-22.

(4) Cornelius, his family and friends repented when they heard the Gospel, Acts 10:24-48.

(5) The Philippians jailer and his house repented when Paul and Silas witnessed to them, Acts 16:26-34.

The proof of repentance is:

(1) turning from sin, Ezek. 18:30.

(2) Turning to God

(3) Good deeds following. (These studies will continue)

These “Leaves of Gold” are published by James A. Nelson (jan@twinvalley.net) and are sponsored by David R. Pickett (dr_pickett@hotmail.com) Our Web Master is Pastor Martin Gutzmer (mrgutzer@gmail.com)

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