Repentance that Matters

"...Christ Jesus... from whom we have received GRACE ...." (Romans 1:1-7)

"...do you think lightly of the riches of His kindness and tolerance and patience, not knowing that the kindness of God leads you to repentance" (Romans 2:4)

The repentance of religion comes from the fear of the doctrines of men who tell us to repent or be damned. However, that kind of repentance does not save anyone from the penalty for sin, which is death - and we all die. 

"For all have sinned...the wages of sin is death..." (Romans 3:23; 6:23)

The "repentance" referred to in Romans above comes AFTER we realize that God is far better to us than we deserve and is not the angry god worshipped by many Religions.  The real God, the one of the Bible, will save all sinners out of death by his grace.  He sent His Son to die "for the ungodly" 2000 years ago, and will send Jesus again to free us from sin's penalty - death. 

"Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God...upon this rock I will build my ecclesia, and the gates of hades (death) shall not prevail against it...You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us..." (Matthew 16:16-18; Romans 5:6-8)

We can depend on what God, through Jesus, has DONE and will DO for sinners.  "At just the right time" God will once again send Jesus for all sinners and Jesus will "raise them up at the last day". 

"And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all those he has given me, but raise them up at the last day...Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners...For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive..." (John 6:39; 1 Timothy 1:5; 1 Corinthians 15:22)

The result of true repentance is to humbly thank him for the salvation we did not earn, and to humbly wait for our certain death to be "swallowed up victory" at the return of Jesus!

"Behold I show you a mystery...the dead shall be raised...for the corruptible must put on incorruption, and the mortal must put on immortality...then shall be brought to pass the saying, death has been swallowed up in victory." (1 Corinthians 15:51-54)

Comfort one another with these words.

Fuel for the Fire

"The soul who sins shall die...." (Ezekiel 18:4)

"The wages of sin is death..." (Romans 3:23)

"All have sinned..." (Romans 6:230

“So then each one of us will give an account of himself to God" (Romans 14:12)

Sin has consequences, both in this life and the next, which a wise person will seek to avoid by making good choices now. Excessive drinking, drug use, eating habits and stress result in serious health problems. Refusing to forgive others for wrongs committed results in hate, which is a miserable and depressing way to go through life. Violating the laws of the land have legal consequences.

And death eventually finds us all, for...

"it is appointed for men to die once and after this comes judgment." (Hebrews 9:27)

This "judgment" simply means a decision is made as to whether the things we have done in this life were "good or bad".

"For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each of us may receive what is due us for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad." (2 Corinthians 5:10)

We will be rewarded for the good things done, and the bad things will be burned up. But even if all of our acts, motives, and beliefs were bad and thus no reward is received, we ourselves will "be saved" - as promised in Scripture.

“For no man can lay a foundation other than the one which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if any man builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, each man’s work will become evident; for the day will show it because it is to be revealed with fire, and the fire itself will test the quality of each man’s work. If any man’s work which he has built on it remains, he will receive a reward. If any man’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire." (1 Corinthians 3:11-15)

Both the Old and New Testaments teach the same thing with regard to the penalty for sin. It is death. Only mythology and manmade religion teach that the penalty for sin is everlasting separation from God and punishment in an underworld for all eternity. That is a shame, and those who insist on such will be ashamed, not rewarded - that teaching will be fuel for the fire in the day men give account to God. But in the end, because of our gracious God - all will receive the free gift of eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

"...the free gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." (Romans 6:23)

Good Works Follow Faith

"I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you... I will save you from all your uncleanness... I want you to know that I am NOT doing this for your sake... I the Lord have spoken, and I will do it." (Ezekiel 36:26-36)

The above was written to Israel who was promised a New Covenant where God would save them by his GRACE after they learned they could not save themselves by doing the WORKS required in the Old Covenant. 

God saves ALL people the same way…by His Grace. When he gives us the FAITH to realize we have been saved, our hearts are "established" by His grace, and we experience the peace and joy of the salvation freely given us by GOD through CHRIST JESUS. 

"…it is good that the heart be established by GRACE." (Hebrews 13:9)

Salvation does not follow good works…but what tends to follow the realization of our Salvation is good works done in appreciation to God.

"For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves,it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them." (Ephesians 2:8-10)

The Work Of Faith

“To this end, we always pray for you, that our God will count you worthy of His calling, and that He will powerfully fulfill your every good desire and work of faith…” (2 Thessalonians 1:11)

The church today is all about works. It is implied, if not taught directly, that the more work you do for God through the local church, the more righteous you become. But often those works become wearisome and take time away from what gives us joy and peace.

The only work that brings lasting peace and joy in this age is the “work of faith”. 

It is OK to do stuff in and through our churches if it is YOUR desire to do so. Paul says God will “powerfully fulfill YOUR every good desire".

Sooo, what is it YOU "desire" that is “good”? Once you figure that out, get after it so “that our God will count you worthy of His calling”.

As for me, well I “desire” to trust God, and to be a good husband, father, and grandfather. I am pretty sure those "desires" are among the "good" ones. Only time will tell if they will be fulfilled.

"Trust in the LORD and do good. Then you will live safely in the land and prosper. Take delight in the LORD, and he will give you your heart’s desires. Commit everything you do to the LORD. Trust him, and he will help you." (Psalm 37:3-5)

Sons of Gehenna

“You will listen and listen, yet never understand; and you will look and look, yet never perceive ... you go round the sea and the dry land to make one proselyte, and whenever it may happen -- you make him a son of gehenna twofold more than yourselves” (Matthew 13:14; 23:15 YLT)

Jesus was talking to the most prominent religious leaders of his day. They just could not overcome their own traditions, even when the very image of God was standing in front of them. All their efforts in building up their religious institution was not making any difference for God or the lives of people. God would later inspire Paul to write Timothy and make sure he knew what he was to teach…

“It is a trustworthy statement deserving full acceptance…Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners…God our Savior wills ALL men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth… there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself as a ransom for ALL, the testimony given at the proper time. For this I was appointed a preacher and an apostle (I am telling the truth, I am not lying) as a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth...it is for this we labor and strive, because we have fixed our hope on the living God, who is the Savior of ALL men, especially of believers. Prescribe and TEACH THESE THINGS.” (1 Timothy 1:15, 2:3-7; 4:9-11) 

You can pastor a church, become a missionary, pray without ceasing, study the bible with every waking hour, author a bestselling Christian book and build a new church on every block in every city of the world… but if you do not believe and teach what God says above...all your works may just become fuel for the fire…

“For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. If anyone builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, their work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each person’s work. If what has been built survives, the builder will receive a reward. If it is burned up, the builder will suffer loss but yet will be saved—even though only as one escaping through the flames.” (1 Corinthians 3:11-15)

"...ungodly persons who turn the GRACE of our God into licentiousness and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ." (Jude 1:4)

I have been told by sincere Christians that they fear that if sinners are told they have been saved by the GRACE of God without any "free will" choice, then they will be prone to "licentiousness" because they would have no restraint.

They simply do not know, or have forgotten their experience with the true GRACE of God, in my opinion. My experience is that the ones who come to know true GRACE endeavor to please God in all that they do, and do not deny their Lord Jesus who brought "salvation to all men" (Titus 2:11).

“For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men…” (Titus 2:11)

If Salvation was brought to mankind as a “choice”, it seems to me that it is by that choice (a work) that a person would be saved. But we are told in Scripture that Salvation is by the grace of God and excludes the works of men.

“For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works…” (Ephesians 2:8-9)

It does not seem right to me to mix the two and still call it grace. I agree with Paul…

"But if it is by grace, it is no longer on the basis of works, otherwise grace is no longer grace" (Romans 11:6)