A Penitent Faith

Acts 2:40-47
 “And with many other words did he testify and exhort, saying, Save
yourselves from this untoward generation.
41 Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same
day there were added unto them about three thousand souls.
42 And they continued stedfastly in the apostles' doctrine and
fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.
43 And fear came upon every soul: and many wonders and signs were
done by the apostles.
44 And all that believed were together, and had all things common;
45 And sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as
every man had need.
46 And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and
breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness
and singleness of heart,
47 Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord
added to the church daily such as should be saved.”

With this in mind, let’s compare the character of the early church
to that prophesied of the last days

2 Timothy 3:1-8 
“This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.
2 For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous (money-loving),
boasters, proud, blasphemers (slanderous), disobedient to parents
(unpersuadable), unthankful, unholy (wicked),
3 Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent
(w/out self-control), fierce (savage), despisers of those that are good
(hostile to virtue),
4 Traitors (betrayer), heady (rash), highminded (lifted up with pride),
lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;
5 Having a form (appearance) of godliness, but denying the power
thereof: from such turn away.
6 For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly
women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts,
7 Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.
8 Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also resist
(stand against) the truth: men of corrupt (depraved) minds, reprobate
(unapproved, rejected) concerning the faith.”

Sadly this is the norm today rather than the exception!

Why such a distinct difference?

What is wrong with the professing church today?
Many are obviously unregenerate!

Please understand, I realize that the apostasy of the church

was prophesied by God and it is therefore a part of God’s plan
for the last days.

While God’s Word clearly teaches God’s sovereignty in all

things, that doesn’t disregard man’s responsibility, especially
the responsibility of the elect to preach & teach a biblical
gospel.

How many people who attend an evangelical church today

really understand the Gospel of Jesus Christ?
How many are equipped to communicate the gospel?

Jude 3-4
“Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the
common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and
exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was
once delivered unto the saints.
4 For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of
old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace
of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God,
and our Lord Jesus Christ.”

“crept in unaware” – worm their way in stealthy

Stealthy because they are not seen as they really are
“lasciviousness” – unrestrained vice or gross immorality
refers to the shameless lifestyle of one who flaunts God’s grace

This is precisely the “gospel” being proclaimed today:

A Gospel that teaches that man can be saved, yet

continue to live in willful sin.

A Gospel that views conversion as a decision by man

rather than a supernatural work of God.

A Gospel that sees faith as believing only the facts of

the death, burial and resurrection

A Gospel that views salvation as a rescue from hell

rather than a rescue from sin.

A Gospel that diminishes the power of God and relates it

only to a future physical resurrection, totally
disregarding the guarantee of a holy, resurrection life
for every believer in the present.

Finally, a gospel that either redefines repentance as

being synonymous with faith or totally separates if
salvation altogether.

Can I suggest that the common Gospel that is being

preached today in no gospel whatsoever.

Has not a presumptive gospel become the norm today

When I attended Bible College a debate was initiated when John

MacArthur’s book, “The Gospel according to Jesus”.
In response to the firestorm that resulted and to bring clarity:

5 years later he published follow-up book on basically the same

subject, titled: The Gospel According to the Apostles

Do you know what this debate was primarily about – The nature of
Salvation

The chief area of debate was concerning Repentance

Is Repentance necessary for salvation and if so, what is it. (It’s

Definition)

In response to MacArthur’s books there were 2 schools of thought

that developed
1 – lead by Charles C. Ryrie, Balancing the Christian Life” redefines
repentance
2 – lead by Zane Hodges, “Absolutely Free” Relates repentance to
post-salvation committment

Definition: Is it just a synonym for faith, for believing? Or is there a

distinction?

Greek Word metanoew

Means = to perceive afterward, a change of mind, implies a change
of thinking, but also a change of action

 But a change of mind that always results in a change of

direction

Acts 26:19-20
“Whereupon, O king Agrippa, I was not disobedient unto the heavenly
vision: 20 But shewed first unto them of Damascus, and at Jerusalem,
and throughout all the coasts of Judaea, and then to the Gentiles, that
they should repent and turn to God, and do works meet for repentance.”

When Simon tried to purchased the Spirit’s power, Peter rebuked him
in Acts 8:22, and Peter gives us another hint are given another hint.
Repent therefore of this your wickedness, and pray God if perhaps the
thought of your heart may be forgiven you.
The primary OT word translated repent – Shub – actually means “to turn”

So yes, Repentance not only means a change of mind, but it implies a

change in behavior. – a turning from sin.

So, is Repentance an appropriate command when giving a salvation

message?

On some occasions, the appropriate response to the gospel

is simply to, “Believe!”

Acts 16:30-31 The Philippian jailor ask Paul & Silas after God opened
the prison doors
 “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?
31 And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be
saved, and thy house.

Yet, sometimes the command for salvation is, “Repent!”

“John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea, ‘Repent

for the kingdom of heaven is at hand’” (Matt. 3:1–2).

Peter on the day of Pentecost, “Repent and be baptized every one of

you in the name of Jesus Christ” (Acts 2:38).

Later, Paul preached to those in Athens to “repent” in response to the

message of the risen Christ (Acts 17:30).

Is there two different Gospel messages in the NT?

John MacArthur Writes:

“What does the Bible teach about the relationship between salvation
and repentance? First, it teaches that repentance is essential to
salvation. One cannot truly believe unless he repents, and one
cannot truly repent unless he believes. Repentance and faith are two
sides of the same coin (but they are not synonymous terms).”

There is a telling passage in Acts 17 where Paul preached to

those in Athens
(Acts 17:30) Paul proclaimed “Truly, these times of ignorance God
overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent, …”
But then in verse 34 Paul refers to those that repented as those who believed.

Scottish Theologian, Sinclair Ferguson writes:

“Any confusion is surely resolved by the fact that when Jesus
preached “the gospel of God” in Galilee, He urged His hearers, “The
time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and
believe in the gospel” (Mark 1:14–15). Here repentance and faith
belong together. They denote two aspects in conversion that are
equally essential to it. Thus, either term implies the presence of the
other because each reality (repentance or faith) is the sine qua non
(absolutely necessary) of the other.
In grammatical terms, then, the words repent and believe both
function as a synecdoche [si-nek-duh-kee] —the figure of speech
in which a part is used for the whole. Thus, repentance implies faith
and faith implies repentance. One cannot exist without the other.”

John the Baptist was the one sent as the appointed forerunner
of Christ

Prophesied both in Isaiah 40 and Malachi 3

 Remember, the ministry of John the Baptist was to prepare

the way for the Messiah!!!

Luke Lays the historical setting in Vs. 1-2, then describes his
ministry in Verse 3

3 Now in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar,

Pontius Pilate being governor of Judaea, and Herod being tetrarch
of Galilee, and his brother Philip tetrarch of Ituraea and of the
region of Trachonitis, and Lysanias the tetrarch of Abilene,
2 Annas and Caiaphas being the high priests, the word of God
came unto John the son of Zacharias in the wilderness.
3 And he came into all the country about Jordan, preaching the
baptism of repentance for the remission of sins;

Then in vv. 4-6 Luke Quote from Isaiah 40 defining with an

analogy the meaning of repentance

4 As it is written in the book of the words of Esaias the prophet,

saying,
‘The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of
the Lord, make his paths straight.
5 Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be
brought low; and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough
ways shall be made smooth;
6 And all flesh shall see the salvation of God.’

Then in vv. 7-14 Luke gives us the kind of message those hear
that came to John the Baptist

7 Then said he to the multitude that came forth to be baptized of

him, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the
wrath to come?

In vs. 7 John portrays some (the religious) as being like snake

that would slither to the water to escape a brush fire.

Notice John demands real repentance that always produces

fruit – a change of life

8 Bring forth therefore fruits worthy of repentance, and begin not

to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say
unto you, That God is able of these stones to raise up children unto
Abraham.
9 And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: every tree
therefore which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and
cast into the fire.

John warns them not to trust in their ancestry.

They were replaceable – John refer to the axe being laid at the
root of the tree – Like a reference to the Jew being proned
from the tree making way for the Gentile to be grafted in.

10 And the people asked him, saying, What shall we do then?

11 He answereth and saith unto them, He that hath two coats, let
him impart to him that hath none; and he that hath meat, let him do
likewise.
12 Then came also publicans to be baptized, and said unto him,
Master, what shall we do?
13 And he said unto them, Exact no more than that which is
appointed you.
14 And the soldiers likewise demanded of him, saying, And what
shall we do? And he said unto them, Do violence to no man,
neither accuse any falsely; and be content with your wages.

So, in verses 10-14 we see the kind of change that results from
true repentance.

Lets return to vv. 4-6

“As it is written in the book of the words of Esaias the prophet,
saying,
‘The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of
the Lord, make his paths straight.
5 Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be
brought low; and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough
ways shall be made smooth;
6 And all flesh shall see the salvation of God.’
Hear Luke Quotes from Isaiah 40 which a transitional Chapter in the
Book of Isaiah

Isaiah uses an analogy to describe the purpose and meaning of

John’s ministry. (vs. 4-6)

Monarch/King who would take a tour of his kingdom.

I understand that when a king took over new territory, the King would
soon tour the new parts of the Kingdom.

Cities & Town would make preparation – “prepare the way”

Build appropriate roads or repair there existing roads for the King!

The Analogy of the wilderness is your depraved heart and for the
King to come, you must prepare your heart.

“Every Valley shall be filled”

Analogous to the low, dark things of the heart
Repentance involves dealing with the depths of wickedness
We need to look deep, deep down into the sinful mock

“Every mountain and valley made low”

Religious Jews were no only known for hiding the dark things,
but they were known for their self-righteousness.
So we must knock down the proud, haunty, self-righteous
attitudes

“The Crooked Places shall be made Straight”

Scollious – crooked things must be straithened out
Refers to the devious, deceitful,, the lying, perverse, deceptions

“And the rough ways smooth”

Probably referring to things such as: self-love, love of money,
love of the world, lust of the flesh, indifference, apathy, unbelieve
All the other junk that’s in our hearts!
Verse 6 - Hebrew – “And all flesh shall see it altogether”, but hear,
Luke quotes from the Septuagint – GK translation that added some
interpretation

Every tribe, tongue, people and nation! – not just Descendants of

Abraham, Isaac & Jacob.

John preached Repentance! No Question that repentance in not

synonymous with faith – Repentance is a change of mind that always
results in a change of direction.

I’m not saying these are things we must accomplish, NO!

Repentance is a work of God!
2 Timothy 2:25 “God grants Repentance”
Both repentance and faith are gifts from God!

Obviously both repentance and Faith must logically follow

regeneration
It is God that qickens and then God that grants both repentance and
faith.

Yet we are to take the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the whole world
calling people to repenace and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.

When we are born again we are identified with his death burial and
Resurrection!

Just as Jesus died, we die to sin and self

Just as Jesus was buried, we bury the old self forever
Just as Jesus rose from the dead, we rise up to walk in newness of
life

We’ve been called to holiness

To be conformed to the image of Christ

Song: Rock of Ages, Cleft for me

Let me hide myself in Thee,
Let the water and the blood,
 From Thy Wounded Side which flowed,
Be of Sin the double cure,
Saved from Wrath and Make Me Pure.

The church as a whole is apostate –

That fact does not have to affect or influence me.

In my early days of ministry I had somewhat of an Armenian

view

I wanted to see people saved

Tempting to water down the Gospel message

That’s not what we see in God’s Word.