It seems
that whenever writers on this site reference repentance,
they receive comments suggesting that they are
teaching salvation by works. Over the years my writings have
generated similar responses. Those who object to the
preaching of repentance generally hold two basic
premises: 1) Faith is mental assent to the facts about
Jesus; 2) Repentance is either an action taken by Christians
who wish to live a better life (but it’s not necessary for
salvation) or repentance is merely a synonym for
faith as mental assent. A corollary belief is that if a
person momentarily gives mental assent to the facts about
Jesus that person is assured of salvation even if he or she
never gives evidence of any change of life. Those who would
disagree with this perspective are charged with denying
salvation by faith alone and with teaching salvation by
works.
John MacArthur receives the bulk of the ire from
those holding this view because his books The Gospel
According to Jesus and The Gospel According to the
Apostles reject this viewpoint so clearly.
Some years ago I wrote an article on this topic as well
here . That article
resulted in my having to engage in some rather long
disputations with those who defend the “faith as mental
assent” position. So I’ve had some practice in this
discussion.
Today in this article, I will defend from Scripture the
claim that repentance is properly included in the universal
call of the gospel. That means, when we preach the gospel to
people in general, it is appropriate, according to the
Biblical pattern, to call them to repent and believe.
The meaning of repentance in the New Testament is not
determined simply by its etymology, “change of mind,”
but by its Biblical usage. Repentance is linked to the
concept of conversion and means to “turn away from one’s
former ways and turn to God.” The Theological Dictionary
of the New Testament contains a lengthy entry on the
Greek words for “repent” and “repentance.” Their
conclusion, based on the Hebrew (not Greek) background of
the New Testament is that the terms have to do with
religious conversion: “Investigation of the history of the
term up to
New Testament days has
shown us, however, the only path which may be followed, and
exposition of the theological usage of the New Testament
will pursue this to its destination, namely, that
ìåôáíïÝù
and ìåôÜíïéá
are the forms in which the New Testament gives
new expression to the ancient concept of religious and moral
conversion.”[i]
The Great Commission in Luke says this: “and He said to
them, ‘Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and
rise again from the dead the third day;
and that
repentance for forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in
His name to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem’”
(Luke 24:46, 47). Laying aside technical disputes
about ordo salutis (order of salvation), this passage
declares that repentance is a part of the universal
call of the gospel. The subject is “repentance for
forgiveness of sins” and the object of this preaching is
“all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem.” That is lost
people whoever they may be. Earlier in Luke, Jesus said that
He came to “call sinners to repentance” (Luke 5:32)
and Jesus proclaimed to those who thought tragedy in
people’s lives proved they were worse sinners, “unless
you repent you shall all likewise perish.” (Luke
13:3, 5). Peter obeyed the call to preach
repentance beginning from Jerusalem when he told his Jewish
audience, “Repent” (Acts 2:38). Peter repeated this
message in Jerusalem: “Repent therefore and return, that
your sins may be wiped away” (Acts 3:19a). Luke
makes it clear that Peter obeyed Jesus’ command to
preach repentance for forgiveness of sins …
beginning in Jerusalem.
As Acts progresses the gospel advances from Jerusalem,
Judea, and Samaria to remote Gentile areas according to the
pattern of Acts 1:8. The later part of Acts focuses on
Paul’s ministry. Did Paul preach repentance as well? Yes.
Paul’s message to the Athenian philosophers shows this:
“Therefore having overlooked the times of ignorance, God
is now declaring to men that all everywhere should repent,
because He has fixed a day in which He will judge the world
in righteousness through a Man whom He has appointed, having
furnished proof to all men by raising Him from the dead”
(Acts 17:30, 31). The certainty of future judgment is
the reason Paul laid before them for the necessity of
repentance. This is in keeping with Jesus’ words in Luke,
“unless you repent you shall all likewise perish.”
To show that this was not an isolated incident but a pattern
that Paul followed, we can consult other passages in
Acts. In Acts 20, Paul called together the Ephesian elders
and before charging them with their responsibilities,
recounted his practices during his three years of ministry.
He told them of his message: “how I did not shrink from
declaring to you anything that was profitable, and teaching
you publicly and from house to house, solemnly testifying to
both Jews and Greeks of repentance toward God and faith in
our Lord Jesus Christ” (Acts 20:20, 21). Paul
used the noun forms “repentance and faith” to describe the
actions he preached, “repent and believe.” It is instructive
to note parallel passages in this section where Paul
described his message in Ephesus: “to testify solemnly of
the gospel of the grace of God” (Acts 20:24) “preaching
the Kingdom of God” (Acts 20:25); and “declaring
to you the whole purpose of God” (Acts 20:27).
There is no reason to assume these were totally unrelated
topics, but as a whole described his message of Messianic
salvation that God has brought to Jews and Gentiles through
Christ and the many implications of this for them.
There are also passages where the term “repentance” is not
used but the concept is preached. For example, at Lystra,
after a supernatural healing, the pagans were calling
Barnabas and Paul “Zeus” and “Hermes” respectively, wanting
to offer sacrifices to them. Here is Paul’s response: “Men,
why are you doing these things? We are also men of the same
nature as you, and preach the gospel to you in order that
you should turn from these vain things to a living God, who
made the heaven and the earth and the sea, and all that is
in them” (Acts 14:15). The gospel told them to
“turn from these vain things to a living God.” This is the
idea of repentance and conversion. Paul used the same
terminology when writing the Thessalonians, describing their
conversion: “For they themselves report about us what
kind of a reception we had with you, and how you turned
to God from idols to serve a living and true God” (1Thessalonians
1:9). Turning to God from idols is not merely giving
mental assent to facts; it involves a supernatural
transformation through grace by faith.
Further evidence that preaching repentance was consistently
Paul’s practice is found in his address to Agrippa toward
the end of Acts: “Consequently, King Agrippa, I did not
prove disobedient to the heavenly vision, but kept declaring
both to those of Damascus first, and also at Jerusalem and
then throughout all the region of Judea, and even to the
Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God,
performing deeds appropriate to repentance” (Acts
26:20). This is a very telling passage. First, it says
“repent and turn to God.” This confirms that repentance
involves turning “from” and turning “to.” It is not merely
mental assent to certain facts. It says “performing deeds
appropriate to repentance.” This means that lives actually
change (not just minds) and is reminiscent of John the
Baptist’s teachings in Luke 3:8-14. Also, this was
Paul’s obedience to the heavenly vision (Acts 9) indicating
that Christ Himself commissioned Paul to preach repentance
to Jews and Gentiles.
The evidence from Luke/Acts is clear that repentance is part
of the universal call of the gospel and therefore is to be
preached to all people. The evidence also has shown that
when Jesus and His apostles preached repentance, they were
speaking of turning from sin and idolatry to God. Therefore,
to claim that repentance has no place in gospel preaching is
to argue against overwhelming and clear Biblical evidence to
the contrary. I have read writings of those who nevertheless
do. Some claim that because repentance is not mentioned in
John, therefore it is either unnecessary or that when Luke
writes extensively on repentance he meant that repentance
and faith are synonymous, with both meaning “changing your
mind about Christ.”[ii]
But this cannot be reconciled with various passages in
Luke/Acts, especially Acts 26:20. Paul’s preaching
throughout the region was proclamation to the lost, not
special teaching for certain people who were already
Christian to change certain behaviors. To “repent and
turn to God, performing deeds appropriate to repentance”
is not synonymous with “changing your mind about Christ.”
In part two of this series I will explore this matter
further and show that repentance is something that God
grants by His grace and is therefore not a meritorious work
done by the sinner to earn salvation. I will further argue
that showing people the need to repent is part of explaining
the law and the wrath of God against their sin. It is part
of the bigger picture of preaching the law and the gospel.
[i]
Theological dictionary of the New Testament.
1964-c1976. Vols. 5-9 edited by Gerhard Friedrich.
Vol. 10 compiled by Ronald Pitkin. (G. Kittel, G. W.
Bromiley & G. Friedrich, Ed.) (electronic ed.)
(4:1000). Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans.
[ii]
This view is defended by Bob Wilkin: “The view of
Chafer, Ryrie, and this writer [Wilkin] is that the
‘repentance’ which is required for eternal salvation
is a change of mind about Christ.” ;
http://roboam.com/repentance/wilkin-04.htm
Copyright © 1992-2005 Twin City
Fellowship
Please
read the rest the of this much-needed message at
http://cicministry.org/commentary/issue86.htm
Other articles by Bob DeWaay:
The Gospel: A Method or a
Message?
True and False
Unity
|
Redefining the Church
Faulty Premises
of the Church Growth Movement
“Church Health
Award” from Rick Warren or Jesus Christ?
Bob DeWaay is
the Pastor of
Twin City Fellowship, a
non-denominational evangelical Church in Minneapolis, MN,
which tells us:
"We are a
body of believers who attempt to live our Christian
faith according to Acts 2:42 by devoting ourselves to
prayer, fellowship, searching the Scriptures, and the
Lord’s Supper.
"Our mission is to equip the saints for the work of
ministry and to reach the lost with the Gospel of Jesus
Christ. We do this through expository preaching, study
of the Scriptures, publications, our website and
neighborhood outreaches."
1. http://www.purposedriven.com/en-US/AboutUs/WhoWeAre/Welcome.htm
2. ibid.
3. ibid.
6. This phrase is found at the conclusion of the message to
each of the seven churches. It is a call to listen to God
who is speaking authoritatively to His people.
23. George Eldon Ladd, Commentary on the Revelation of John
(Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1972) 56.
27. See Ryan Habbena’s article
published in CIC issue 59: http://www.twincityfellowship.com/cic/articles/issue59.pdf;
Ryan corrects this misinterpretation.
39. Rick Warren, The Purpose Driven Life, (Zondervan: Grand
Rapids, 2002) 34.