I’m certainly no Greek scholar, but a simple study of the Greek words for “repent” and “repentance” show that the definition of the words mean: change your mind, reconsider, or think differently. Specifically, repentance means to change, or have your mind changed, about who God is and what He has said about Himself, about Jesus Christ, and about ourselves. Repentance is something that happens in the mind and heart as we are convinced by God’s Spirit regarding the truths of the gospel. It is not a commitment to reform our lives, a commitment to stop sinning, nor is it a commitment to completely surrender to God. Often times, when repentance is mentioned in a gospel presentation, people confuse the fruits of repentance with repentance itself. For instance, like I stated above, people tell men to repent and then define repentance as “turning from all known sin” or to “forsake all sin.” However, when people do this as they present the gospel, they are putting the cart before the horse. They are calling men to do something they are not able to do. They are requiring faith plus works to be saved. The question is, how can a man forsake all his sin when the scripture says that: He who sins is a slave of sin. (John 8:34). And that we are not free from the bondage of sin until we are made a new creation in Jesus Christ: Knowing this, that our old man was crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. For he that is dead is freed from sin. (Rom 6:6-7). Is a man required to forsake all his sins to receive salvation in Jesus Christ? Must a man stop sinning in order to be saved? Nowhere in the Bible are men required to stop sinning in order to be saved. (It’s clear from Romans 6:6-7 that we don’t even have power over sin until we’re born again.) However, if you erroneously define repentance as a complete forsaking of sin, then you are telling men that they must do something in addition to having faith in Jesus Christ for their salvation. This is a common gospel that many are preaching today; and I myself have preached it in error before. Yet it is not the gospel of Jesus Christ but instead is a gospel that leaves men in hopelessness and in bondage. How are you going to tell a man to stop sinning who is in bondage to his sin nature? Again, many today when they preach the gospel are confusing repentance with the fruits of repentance. Bonifresh Muhollo, Isaiah White Theologian, Samson Kasumba Mulunnda, Kasibante Samuel KS, Jethro Musoke Nsamba, Gideon Mayanja Haits, Kinaalwa Nicholas, Frank Maish, among other theologians and bible readers and scholars react on this and then i might say something about later on. i trust you guys. come on!!!
Posted on: Fri, 14 Mar 2014 06:34:01 +0000
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