Conversion – Repentance and Faith

  • Both divine and human action required
  • Conversion – to turn from sin to Christ
  • Repentance – a willing response and a genuine placing of faith in Jesus Christ
  • A turning from specific sins in our lives

Repentance

What is repentance?

  • See Westminster Confession
    • Just as necessary as faith
  • Old Testament
  • Isaiah 55:6-7
    • A call to come to God
    • A call to repentance – turning from wickedness and coming to God
  • Joel 2:12-13
    • “Return to Me… Return to the Lord your God
      • Return – Repentance
      • Why turn? God is merciful, gracious and compassionate – willing to forgive
  • Ezekiel 33
    • Turn back from your evil ways
  • Job 42:5-6
    • A despising of self and repentance toward God
  • New Testament
  • Repentance – to change one’s mind – verb
  • Luke 24:45-47
    • Repentance is to be proclaimed
  • Matthew 3:1-2
    • The ministry of John the Baptist
      • Repent and be baptized
  • Matthew 4:17
    • Preaching repentance
  • Mark 1:14-15
    • Repent and believe the in the Gospel
  • Luke 5:31-32
    • A caller to sinners to repent
  • Luke 13:3-5
    • Repent or perish
  • Luke 15:7
    • A rejoicing in heaven when one sinner repents
  • Acts 2:38
    • Repent and be baptized
  • Acts 3:19
    • Repent and turn again that sins might be blotted out
  • Acts 17:30
    • All commanded to repent
  • Acts 26:19-20
    • A call to repent and turn towards God – keep with repentance
  • Acts 20:18-21
    • Repentance towards God and faith in Jesus Christ
  • Hebrews 6:1
    • Repentance from dead works

Man has a responsibility to repent. Repentance is a gift from God.

  • The two go hand in hand.

Genuine Repentance vs. Worldly Sorrow

  • Acts 11:18 – True repentance leads to life
  • 2 Timothy 2:25 – True repentance leads to a knowledge of the truth
  • Judas – Matthew 27:3 – A worldly sorrow – Did not produce true repentance
  • 2 Corinthians 7:10 – Godly grief

Is Repentance works salvation?

  • No.
  • Repentance is required