Is Repentance Necessary for Salvation?

What exactly does the Bible mean by “repent”? And how should it be presented in evangelism?

Believers often hear repentance emphasized, yet definitions can vary widely—sometimes leading to confusion about the gospel itself. Is repentance a change of mind? A turning from sin? A commitment to reform one’s life?

Years ago, J. F. Strombeck wrote, “It is often said, and that most earnestly, that ‘to believe’ is not sufficient for a man to be saved. In addition thereto one must repent and also confess one’s sins. If these two are needed in addition to faith, why does John not mention them in his Gospel? He does not do so a single time, and still he claims to have written for the purpose of enabling man to receive eternal life (Ch. 20:31). Is it possible that he leaves two vital conditions out of his message? If so, then one who possesses the Gospel according to John and no other part of the Bible cannot find eternal life thereby.”

He then asked, “Are repentance and confession, then, not necessary to salvation?” That is an excellent question. The latest paper produced by the Biblical Resource Group addresses that question and more. The Role of Repentance in Evangelism carefully examines the key passages, clarifies common misunderstandings, and seeks to bring biblical precision to how repentance relates to faith in Christ. If you would like to read this paper, it can be found here:

https://www.sanfordbiblechurch.org/gallery/BRG_The_Role_of_Repentance_in_Evangelism.pdf

The next paper we will tackle is The Basis of Assurance of Salvation.

On a personal note, I recently received the results of a Cologuard test, which came back positive. In previous years, it has been negative. I have made an appointment with a gastroenterologist for a colonoscopy. For me, the hardest part is not knowing what the future holds. My personality tends toward pessimism—the cup being half empty—and the enemy can certainly use those thoughts as a tool for discouragement.

I am reminded of Isaiah 26:3: “You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You.” For me, the challenge is to keep my mind from drifting toward pessimism and instead to look to Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith.

Blessings,

Bob

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The Object of Our Faith

Some people say faith moves mountains. That is not true. God moves mountains.

Faith is no better than its object. Faith in faith is nothing but positive thinking. If you put faith in positive thinking, you are going to become discouraged.

There are some who teach that if you will simply believe God for something, that He will give you that thing. That is simply not true.

If you try to apply that teaching to your life, after a while Satan is going to say, “You really don’t have what it takes.”

Don’t get the idea that because your faith is weak that your prayers are not reaching heaven. Weak faith in God is better than strong faith in anything else. Faith is what counts. It is not the size of your faith, it is the object of your faith that really counts.

—Adrian Rogers

 

The Simplicity of Faith

In a world filled with confusion about the gospel, even the most basic question is often misunderstood: What does it mean to believe in Jesus Christ? Many definitions add complexity where Scripture offers simplicity.

The Biblical Resource Group is developing a series of resource papers addressing key aspects of the doctrine of salvation, also known as soteriology. We have recently completed the second paper in this series: The Simplicity of Faith.

This paper addresses a question that is central to the gospel, yet often misunderstood: What does it mean to believe in Christ?

By examining the language of Scripture, this study shows that faith is not a complex or technical concept, but simply being persuaded that what God has said about His Son is true. It also clears away common misunderstandings that can unintentionally shift the focus from Christ’s finished work to the believer.

In this paper, we explore:

• The biblical meaning of “believe” and “faith”
• The proper object and content of saving faith
• Common misconceptions that complicate the gospel
• Why Scripture presents faith as simple and accessible
• How assurance rests on God’s promise, not our performance

Our aim is to preserve the clarity of the gospel and help believers communicate it with confidence.

If you would like to read this paper, it can be found here:
https://www.sanfordbiblechurch.org/gallery/BRG_The_Simplicity_of_Faith.pdf

Please pray for clarity, precision, and faithfulness to the Word as we continue working on this series of papers.

Blessings,

Bob

* * *

The Value of the Gospel
by Lance Latham

Down through the ages of history, Christianity has been subjected to a multitude of influences. There have been creative ideas, new programs, fascinating personalities, fresh approaches to theology, evangelism, missionary activity, and a myriad of other diverse developments in the ongoing mission of the church. It is probably undeniable that, with true spiritual discernment, these developments should be viewed with guarded favor, and given the opportunity to have their part in the cause of Christ.

However, that special and changeless message called "the gospel of the grace of God" must never be subject to creative ideas or diverse developments. The hope of eternal life, the central message of divine revelation, is based upon the finished work of Christ on Calvary's cross and the offer of divine mercy which issues therefrom. The death of the Son of the living God in space and time and the meaning of that sacrifice is what constitutes this glorious message called the gospel.

Should that message ever be changed, then the door to life is instantly closed and Christianity becomes a mere humanistic religion, fascinating perhaps, but valueless. The most valuable and sacred commodity, therefore, on the face of the earth is the truth of the gospel. This is a sacred message worth living for, worth sacrificing for, and worth gladly dying for. It is the only real value on earth today; it is the truth of all truths to which the church must be dedicated to propagate and protect.

 

Keeping the Gospel Clear

Few issues are more important—or more confused—today than the doctrine of salvation. The gospel is simple, but it is not always presented clearly. To assist our missionaries, the Biblical Resource Group is preparing a series of resource papers addressing key aspects of the doctrine of salvation, also known as soteriology. Below is the list of papers currently in development:

• The Nature of the Gospel
• The Simplicity of Faith
• Justification Versus Discipleship
• The Basis of Assurance
• The Role of Repentance in Evangelism
• Sanctification by Grace
• The Results of Salvation

We have completed the first paper—The Nature of the Gospel—and are currently working on the second paper—The Simplicity of Faith.

Our goal in this series is to provide clear, biblical, and carefully reasoned explanations of foundational doctrines related to salvation. There is considerable confusion today regarding the content of the gospel, the meaning of faith, the relationship between justification and discipleship, and the basis of assurance. These papers are designed to address those issues directly from Scripture, using a consistent literal, historical-grammatical approach.

The completed paper on The Nature of the Gospel defines the gospel message precisely and distinguishes it from related but separate biblical themes. The upcoming paper on The Simplicity of Faith addresses common misunderstandings about belief, persuasion, commitment, and works, demonstrating from Scripture that saving faith is simply being persuaded that Jesus guarantees eternal life to the one who believes in Him.

If you would like to read this paper, it can be found here: https://www.sanfordbiblechurch.org/gallery/BRG_The_Nature_of_the_Gospel.pdf

Please pray for clarity, precision, and faithfulness to the Word as we continue writing.

Blessings,

Bob

* * *

Keep the Gospel Clear!

Keep the issue clear:

·        The issue is sin, and Who is going to forgive it.

Keep the direction clear:

·        It is from the Giver to the recipient. The gift of righteousness is given when you believe.

Keep the requirements clear:

·        It is salvation through FAITH. There is nothing more!

—Charles Ryrie 

From a Chapel Message to a Lifetime of Ministry

Last Sunday morning at Sanford Bible Church, I noticed Abbie—who works at the Ethnos360 headquarters—walk into the service with a man I didn’t recognize. Abbie has been attending our church for a while, so my curiosity was piqued. As it turned out, the man was her father, Darrel, who was in town visiting her.

Darrel is the pastor of Faith Bible Church in Texas. Prior to that, he and his wife served with Ethnos360 in Mexico. Even more remarkably, back in 1995 they were students in the Ethnos360 training program in Missouri—during the same period when I was teaching there.

We spent a few minutes catching up, and then Darrel shared something that genuinely moved me. He reminded me of a chapel message I had given more than twenty years ago about the simplicity of the gospel—that eternal life is God’s free gift, received by faith alone in Christ alone, apart from human effort or merit. He explained that message became a pivotal turning point in his understanding of the gospel and, ultimately, in his life and ministry.

Back in 1995, I viewed my primary role as teaching phonetics and language learning principles. I had no idea that God would use a chapel message to open the eyes of a brother to deeper truths concerning redemption. Over the years, Darrel embraced those truths, and it was deeply encouraging to hear how God used that moment to shape his understanding of God’s amazing grace.

Moments like this are humbling reminders that the Word of God bears fruit in ways—and over timelines—we rarely get to see. What begins as a simple lesson or a single chapel message can resonate and shape lives far beyond what we might ever imagine. It is a beautiful reminder of the lasting impact of faithfulness to truth.

We would appreciate your prayers for a new set of resource papers the Biblical Resource Group is currently developing. These papers seek to bring clarity to what the gospel is—and is not—by carefully distinguishing the core message of salvation from the important truths that follow salvation, such as discipleship and spiritual growth. In a time when the gospel is often expanded, blurred, or tied to human effort, our goal is to present it with biblical clarity, faithfulness, and simplicity. Please pray for wisdom, precision, and faithfulness as these papers are finalized, and that God would use them to strengthen assurance and sharpen gospel clarity for those who read them.

Blessings,

Bob

* * *

The Grounds of Justification

To be justified on the grounds of the shed blood of Jesus plus a preliminary work of reformation or subsequent work of sanctification the natural can easily approve of. But to be justified on the grounds of the shed blood of Jesus and that alone, is totally beyond his comprehension. ―William Reid