The Burning Bush - Far Eastern Bible College

REPENTANCE IN SALVATIONnow the objects of his indignation. His sin swells his sorrows. It is a sin thatpierces him and wounds him; he feels it like a thorn in his side, like a prickin his eyes …When a man is savingly changed, he is deeply convinced notonly of the danger but the defilement of sin; and O, how earnest he is withGod to be purified! He loathes himself for his sins. He runs to Christ, andcasts himself into the fountain set open for him and for uncleanness. 18With such an attitude towards sin, there will definitely be a markedchange in the life of the new believer. He would be like the one describedin Christ’s parable of the seed. For “he that received seed into the goodground is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it; which alsobeareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some a hundredfold, some sixty, somethirty” (Matt 13:23). Likewise, James challenged the one who claimed tohave faith but showed no fruit, for “faith, if it hath not works, is dead,being alone” (Jas 2:17). Indeed, in the subsequent verse, James rebukedsuch a man, and disputed his claim to salvation. Here is another clearindication that a claim of belief in Christ without the correspondingdesire to repent of sin which leads to a changed life is false belief forsuch a belief is no different from that of demons, “thou believest thatthere is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble”(Jas 2:19). The evidence of true faith is a life characterised by goodworks—the fruits worthy of repentance, for “yea, a man may say, Thouhast faith, and I have works: show me thy faith without thy works, and Iwill show thee my faith by my works” (Jas 2:18). Thus true faith is notsimply an intellectual belief in Christ, but a heartfelt repentance from sin,and a turning towards God in Christ Jesus who alone can save us fromsin.ConclusionIn conclusion, it is clear that the teaching that repentance from sin isnot an essential message of the gospel and should not be preached isclearly a false and dangerous doctrine, and should be condemned for itmisleads individuals about the true nature of conversion and leavesunrepentant sinners with a false sense of security about their salvation;thinking that they are saved when they are not, seeing they have no desireto repent of their sins, and showing no spiritual change in their lives.Indeed, Richard Roberts rightly describes this teaching as “a perniciousdoctrine” and is a “grievously erroneous viewpoint”, and is “the height oftheological nonsense”, that is “responsible for incredible damagethroughout major portions of the church”. 1919