John 3:20-21, “For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.”
So where do preachers get the errant idea that you must experience such a profound conviction over your sin, and feel sorrow and regret to such a great extent, that it produces a radical change in your attitude toward your sins that results in a change of behavior? This is the exact junk theology being taught at Pensacola Christian College (PCC) cult today.
Whenever a Christian sins, it is because we are walking in the flesh instead of walking in the Spirit. At any given time I can choose to walk in the Spirit, but I won't always make that right decision, because I am a sinner by nature (and so are you). No one walks in the Spirit 100% of the time!!! A changed life is NOT the result of genuine repentance, it is the fruit of the indwelling Holy Spirit in a child of God (IF we choose to walk in that Spirit). Getting saved is solely a matter of what Jesus did to pay for our sins on Calvary's cross. Allowing the Lord to live a changed life through us is solely a matter of sanctification. Galatians 2:20, “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.”
Why cannot preachers simply tell lost people, that to be saved a person needs to admit they are a guilty sinner? Why must someone feel profound conviction to the innermost of their being? Why must they feel regret, sorrow and
Why cannot preachers simply tell lost people, that to be saved a person needs to admit they are a guilty sinner? Why must someone feel profound conviction to the innermost of their being? Why must they feel regret, sorrow and
“They've got to swallow their pride. They've got to Humble their hearts and acknowledge the sinfulness of their sin. They've got to recognize the wretchedness of their life. And how offended God is at their words their conduct their thoughts. To repent they've got to change their mind about their own sin. They've got to change their mind and recognize that my sin is a horrible stench in the nostrils of a holy righteous God, that God is offended highly at my sin. They've got to change their mind, and recognize the the gross wickedness of their heart, which requires humility. As long as men are filled with pride they'll never be able to humble themselves before God as a sinner. Jesus came to seek and to save that which was lost. I [Jesus] came not to call the righteous, but sinners under repentance. If you think you're a goody two-shoes, and that you don't think that your sin has offended God, you don't think that your sin is a absolute stench in the nostrils of God, you can never be saved until you change your mind about your own sin. Humble yourself before God.” ~Pastor Chuck Baldwin, “Repentance And Faith”
I am not saying that Chuck Baldwin is not saved, I just humbly think that he goes way overboard in what God requires of a person to be saved? What Pastor Baldwin is asking of a lost person is something that would be expected of a saved person after 20 years. All that God requires of a person to be saved is to simply BELIEVE ON JESUS. John 6:47, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life.” You will never find the dear Savior telling a lost person to “change their mind and recognize that my sin is a horrible stench in the nostrils of a holy righteous God, that God is offended highly at my sin. They've got to change their mind, and recognize the the gross wickedness of their heart, which requires humility.” That is not true! You simply need to recognize your need for Christ. This is what the Bible plainly says:
Galatians 3:24-26, “Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster. For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.”
The Ten Commandments (the law) was given by God to Moses, as a measuring stick, by which when men compare themselves they utterly fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). The law then brings lost men to Christ, to be saved by God's grace through faith alone. The sole purpose of the law in salvation is to show men their sinnership, and then point them to Christ. If you recognize that you are a guilty sinner, you can be saved by simply receiving Christ's payment on the cross for your sins, believing that Jesus is risen. There is no Biblical requirement for you to experience some radical type of guilt process over sin to be saved.
Perhaps you think I am nitpicking concerning Pastor Baldwin's sermons. Perhaps so! But I just humbly think we need to do our best not to make getting saved complicated. Again, Pastor Baldwin says to be saved sinners must: “change their mind and recognize that my sin is a horrible stench in the nostrils of a holy righteous God, that God is offended highly at my sin. They've got to change their mind, and recognize the the gross wickedness of their heart, which requires humility.” Isn't just admitting you're a sinner enough? Yes, it is.
If you simply realize why you need to be saved, because you are hell-deserving sinner, that is enough to be saved. We are saved by believing, not by repenting. Repentance just facilitates (makes possible) believing. If a man didn't change his mind, he wouldn't believe to be saved. If you have believed the Gospel, you have repented. That is, you have changed your mind.
It is my humble opinion as a Bible preacher, that we ought not make repentance any more difficult than it needs to be. We ought to simply tell lost sinners that they need to acknowledge being a guilty sinner in the sight of a holy God. That is all God requires to be saved, that a person come to God as a needy sinner, believing that Jesus died in their place on the cross to pay for their sins. I love what Pastor Harry A. Ironside (1876-1951) said about repentance:
“Which comes first, repentance or faith? In Scripture we read, 'Repent ye, and believe the gospel.' Yet we find true believers exhorted to 'repent, and do the first works.' So intimately are the two related that you cannot have one without the other. The man who believes God repents; the repentant soul puts his trust in the Lord when the Gospel is revealed to him. Theologians may wrangle over this, but the fact is, no man repents until the Holy Spirit produces repentance in his soul through the truth. No man believes the Gospel and rests in it for his own salvation until he has judged himself as a needy sinner before God. And this is repentance.” (Except Ye Repent, p. 16)
Dear friend, simply BELIEVE the Gospel (Good News) of Christ crucified, buried and risen the third day (1st Corinthians 15:1-4). God loves you!!! He paid for all of your sins. All Jesus wants is for you to believe that He did it for you. And if you'll BELIEVE IT, He'll give eternal life to you as a free gift, and He'll never cast you our or lose you, because He loves you. That's something that you can have right now and know it. If you add even one work, you've mutilated the Gospel.
You see, the Devil's Lordship Salvation crowd (e.g., Bob Jones University, Pensacola Christian College, Ken Ham, Marty Herron, Gary Walton, Harvest Baptist Church on Guam, Sam Adams, John MacArthur, Dr. Steve Pettit, et cetera) teach that you must prove the reality of the genuineness of your faith by looking at the good works in your life. If you don't believe me, case in point is Pastor Chuck Phelps of the Colonial Hills Baptist Church in Indianapolis, Indiana. Sadly, Chuck Phelps is a hellbound Calvinist! He requires works to prove that your faith is real, which is another Gospel. That cannot be grace! No turning from sin is required for salvation!!!
You won't find the word “repent” mentioned one time in the Gospel of John, which according to John 20:31 is God's Gospel tract. Is repentance necessary for salvation? Yes, of course, but we free grace Gospel believers have a very different understanding of what it means to “repent,” than does the corrupt Lordship Salvation crowd. The free grace crowd simply believe what the Bible says, that repentance is a change of mind. Unfortunately, the Lordship Salvation crowd errantly think to “repent” means to turn away from your sinful ways for the rest of your life, on penalty of going to Hell if you don't because they say it just proves you never really got saved. If you want to read an excellent article about repentance, please read: 'What Is Biblical Repentance?'
“It is 'Good News' if no one must have good works before salvation, or after salvation. For salvation to truly be by grace, it must not have any stipulations of any kind at any time. Works before, during or after; works cannot be evidence of my salvation.” —Pastor Ralph Yankee Arnold, “Does Calvinism Change The Gospel?”
True salvation is the decision to trust, not a commitment to serve. I'm going to Heaven because I decided, to trust Christ and what He did for me. That's how I know I'm going to Heaven, because Jesus promised if I trust Him He would take me there. John 6:47, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life.” John 14:3, “And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.” Even so, come, Lord Jesus!!!
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