What is repentance? If repentance is defined to mean “turn from sins” (in other words, clean up your lifestyle), then yes, that would be another condition for salvation in addition to faith alone in Christ alone. But if repentance is simply defined to mean “a change of mind” – how is that a condition separate from faith alone? In other words, to say that a person can be saved without having a change of mind is preposterous! It’s like saying that unbelief is the same as belief, which of course is nonesense. So no, when defined as “a change of mind,” repentance is not another condition for salvation in addition to faith alone.
Lewis Sperry Chafer, the founder and first president of Dallas Theological Seminary, has well said: “It is true that repentance can very well be required as a condition of salvation, but then only because the change of mind which it is has been involved when turning from every other confidence to the one needful trust in Christ. Such turning about, of course, cannot be achieved without a change of mind. This vital newness of mind [repentance] is a part of believing, after all, and therefore it may be and is used as a synonym for believing at times”.[2]
ENDNOTES:
[1] Bob Wilkin, “Is Repentance the Flip Side of Faith?” (October 6, 2016), GES blog; Wilkin “Justification by Faith Alone and Yet by Repentance Too” (May 2, 2019), GES blog. Note: Bob Wilkin previously held to a different view of repentance, as set forth in his article titled: “Repentance as a Condition for Salvation in the New Testament” (Th. D. dissertation, Dallas Theological Seminary, 1985). For more information see his multi-part series on the bible.org website: “Repentance and Salvation,” particularly Part 4: “New Testament Repentance: Repentance in the Gospels and Acts.” See under heading three: “III. Which Views of Salvific Repentance Are Compatible with Faith as the Sole Condition of Salvation?” Wilkin says: “B. CHANGING ONE’S MIND AS A CONDITION OF
ETERNAL SALVATION: A VIEW CONSISTENT WITH
FAITH AS THE SOLE CONDITION OF SALVATION.” Under this subheading Wilkin affirms: “The view of Chafer, Ryrie, and this writer is that the ‘repentance’ which is required for eternal salvation is a change of mind about Christ. The Jews of Jesus’ day knew and rejected Jesus’ claims. The Apostles called on them to change their minds about Jesus Christ in light of the new evidence of His resurrection. This call for a change of mind about Christ is synonymous with the call to trust in Him.
This view is consistent with the position that faith is the sole condition of salvation. It harmonizes John’s Gospel and the Synoptics by viewing saving repentance as equal to saving faith.” This was Wilkin's view of repentance in 1985; unfortunately he has since renounced this view of repentance.
[2] Lewis Sperry Chafer, Systematic Theology (Dallas: Dallas Seminary Press, 1948), vol. 7, p. 265, emphasis his. For more information see the article by Dr. Charlie Bing titled: “Is Repentance in John’s Gospel?” (GraceNotes, Number 83).
