Foundations pt2 – Five Points of Real Repentance
Foundations pt2—5 Points of Repentance
[Heb 6:1-3 NASB95]
Change is change. Some are sorry they got caught. Some are ready to make a change.
Christianity is not an accessory. It is an abandonment. Change in values. Change in goals. Everything. Not adding to our lives. We burn everything to live for Him.
The nominalism in today’s church is partly due to the lack of understanding of what “repentance from dead works” involves.
Definition: Repentance from dead works is REAL CHANGE.
Repentance means to turn FROM sin/self/Satan TO Jesus/Gospel/Kingdom. FROM and TO. Very important.
Dead works means sin. Dead in sins, transgressions, trespasses. (Eph. 2:1,5 & Col. 2:13)
Christians are just ignorant of it OR have deluded themselves into thinking is not necessary OR (a deeper situation) they do not understand the difference between positional righteousness and personal righteousness.
There are many voices in the church who teach this differently. Armenian vs Calvinism. John Bevere vs Jonathan Shuttlesworth. Let’s let the Word of God settle the issue.
If you do not have a functional understanding of repentance from dead works, you will fall. That is what the writer of Hebrews is saying in the passage.
What does a functional understanding of repentance from dead works involve?
Here are five points of understanding of repentance from dead works (real change.)
Repentance from dead works involves a decision.
Notice the preaching of John the Baptist, Jesus, and Peter.
[Mat 3:2 NASB95]
[Mat 4:17 NASB95]
[Act 2:38 NASB95]
In each case, the preacher is calling on the people to make the decision to respond. The response: repent. Jesus preached repentance (present, active, imperative) as an ongoing action.
It is a change in mind and action from something (sin/self/Satan) to another (Jesus).
Repentance from dead works is a work of God.
V. 3 – if God permits.
[2Ti 2:24-26 NASB95]
Repentance requires a dependency upon the Holy Spirit. Human will is not powerful enough to fully produce genuine repentance.
Repentance from dead works will be accompanied by deeds or actions.
Jesus said it like this. [Mat 5:29-30 NASB95]
Paul preached “performing deeds appropriate to repentance, as did John the Baptist (Luke 3:8). [Act 26:20 NASB95]
Sorrow only is dead. Sorrow that leads to change is salvation. They changed what they were doing. [2Co 7:9-10 NASB95]
From sin. Make whatever changes are necessary. If it causes you to stumble, aggressively deal with it.
To Jesus. Prayer life. Bible reading. Faithful participation in church. Fasting.
Not just from sin, but to God. Not 90 degrees, but 180 degrees.
Repentance from dead works is a regular process.
This is not a one-time occurrence.
Jesus – Lord’s Prayer. [Mat 6:12 NASB95]
John, the Apostle – [1Jo 1:8-9 NASB95]
Paul – [Rom 8:13 NASB95]
Live a life that regularly processes repentance through faith and prayer.
Repentance from dead works is a response to the goodness and severity of God.
The motivation is the goodness and severity of God.
[Rom 2:4 NASB95]
[Rom 11:22 NASB95]
The more we consider how much God loves us, the more we want to serve Him.
Jesus is calling us to live a life of repentance of dead works from a decision empowered by the Holy Spirit, accompanied by action that is part of a regular process motivated by the goodness and severity of God.
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