10 Reasons Why Repentance Is Not Sorrow for Sin
by Jonathan Perreault
1. If repentance is sorrow for sin, then God is a sinner because God repents! See Genesis 6:6; Jeremiah 18:9-10; Amos 7:3, 7:6; Jonah 3:10. Dr. Charlie Bing affirms that “when the Greek translators in the Septuagint version, about three hundred years before Christ, . . . when they came to the Old Testament and translated some of these passages about God changing His mind, they used the word metanoia for God. And the old King James Version continues to use the word, ‘God repented’. So it can’t be turning from sins because God doesn’t sin! It just shows you how they understood that word.”[1]
2. If repentance means sorrow for sin, then Moses speaks tautologically in Genesis 6:6, “And it repented the LORD that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart” (Gen. 6:6, KJV). In the Latin, from Augustine’s City of God, this verse is translated in the sense of a change of mind, not sorrow: “Et cogitavit Deus, quia fecit hominem super terram, et recogitavit,” which can be translated: “And God considered that He had made man on the earth, and He reconsidered”.[2] The comment by Augustine on Genesis 6:6 is worth noting when he says, “What is written in certain Latin codices, And God repented, and said, I will destroy man whom I have made from the face of the earth; in Greek we find διενοήθη [Gen. 6:6, LXX], which is said to signify that he thought more than repented: which word some Latin codices have also.”[3] Commenting on Augustine’s rendering of Genesis 6:6, Erasmus affirms: “And hence we read, I repent having made man, Augustine, City of God, book 15, chapter 24, instead of repented read reflected upon [or thought over], according to the reliable oldest codex.”[4]
3. If repentance is sorrow for sin, then Paul speaks tautologically in 2 Corinthians 7:10, “for godly sorrow worketh repentance” (2 Cor. 7:10, KJV). In other words, if repentance is sorrow for sin, or godly sorrow (as some suppose), then Paul would be needlessly repeating himself by saying, “for godly sorrow worketh godly sorrow”! J. Oswald Jackson points out this dilemma in his book Repentance: Or The Change of Mind Necessary To Salvation Considered. Commenting on 2 Corinthians 7:9-10, Jackson says, “suppose that ‘repentance’ were to be viewed as synonymous with ‘godly sorrow,’ as it has most unwarrantably been considered by some. How would the Apostle’s argument then stand? He would then be declaring—‘godly sorrow worketh godly sorrow;’ ‘repentance worketh repentance,’ which would be a most unmeaning declaration,—tautology indeed. Therefore we must be sure that the Apostle intends to teach that ‘repentance,’ whatever it be, is something totally distinct from ‘godly sorrow,’ or else he would never say godly sorrow WORKETH repentance.”[5] Richard A. Seymour sums up the point well when he writes the following in his book All About Repentance: “The problem with taking a contemporary English definition of repentance and trying to make it what the Bible means by repentance—especially in relation to salvation—is that it just doesn’t fit. Though it is true that often people will repent, and with their repentance feel grief or sorrow, it is not true that that grief or sorrow is the same as repentance. Scripture says that ‘Godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation....’ Scripture does not say that ‘Godly sorrow is repentance.’”[6]
4. If repentance is sorrow for sin, then unbelievers can have “godly sorrow” (2 Cor. 7:10) because Paul says that “godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation”. Critiquing this view of repentance, G. Michael Cocoris states, “Repentance is not being sorry for sin. This is the popular idea of repentance. Some even insist on tears. Robert Smith said, ‘True repentance has a double aspect. It looks upon things past with a weeping eye, and upon the future with a watchful eye.’ There is even a tradition that the lily sprang from the repentant tears of Eve as she went forth from paradise. Most do not carry the idea of remorse that far, but many do feel that repentance is being sorry for sin, and that is simply not the case.”[7] To cite more examples of those who say that repentance is sorrow for sin and even “godly sorrow,” a proponent of this view of repentance says the following: “God requires one to give up every known sin that one has been practicing, and to do so with a godly sorrow. You who are unsaved have sinned against God; in order to get saved you must repent with godly sorrow.”[8] R. L. Dabney, in his Systematic Theology, says that “Godly sorrow for sin must be presupposed or implied in the first actings of faith, because faith embraces Christ as a Saviour from sin.”[9] Louis Berkhof similarly states, “True conversion is born of godly sorrow, and issues in a life of devotion to God, II Cor. 7:10.”[10] However, the Bible makes it clear that the unsaved are not godly; they are “ungodly” (see Romans 4:5, 5:6). In context, the “salvation” that Paul mentions in 2 Corinthians 7:10 is in reference to believers, not unbelievers. Paul is not talking about salvation from hell, but being saved from the power of sin in the Christian life (cf. Phil. 2:12-13; 2 Thess. 2:13). In 2 Corinthians 7:10, Paul is speaking of second tense salvation, that is, Christian sanctification.[11] Commenting on 2 Corinthians 7:10, G. Michael Cocoris affirms: “The Greek word rendered ‘salvation’ means ‘deliverance.’ It is a flexible term which can refer to deliverance from sickness, difficulties, physical death and condemnation (Lk. 3:48; Acts 27:31; 2 Cor. 1:6; Eph. 2:8-9; Phil. 1:19). In this case it refers to deliverance from God’s discipline (Wilkin, dissertation, p. 129).”[12] Roger Post, in his excellent dissertation on repentance, has well said: “Though 2 Corinthians 7:8-11 is frequently used to demonstrate that sorrow is necessary for repentance and thus for regeneration, it must be remembered that the sorrow which produced repentance in that case did not involve the unregenerate, but the ‘saints’ of Corinth.”[13]
2. If repentance means sorrow for sin, then Moses speaks tautologically in Genesis 6:6, “And it repented the LORD that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart” (Gen. 6:6, KJV). In the Latin, from Augustine’s City of God, this verse is translated in the sense of a change of mind, not sorrow: “Et cogitavit Deus, quia fecit hominem super terram, et recogitavit,” which can be translated: “And God considered that He had made man on the earth, and He reconsidered”.[2] The comment by Augustine on Genesis 6:6 is worth noting when he says, “What is written in certain Latin codices, And God repented, and said, I will destroy man whom I have made from the face of the earth; in Greek we find διενοήθη [Gen. 6:6, LXX], which is said to signify that he thought more than repented: which word some Latin codices have also.”[3] Commenting on Augustine’s rendering of Genesis 6:6, Erasmus affirms: “And hence we read, I repent having made man, Augustine, City of God, book 15, chapter 24, instead of repented read reflected upon [or thought over], according to the reliable oldest codex.”[4]
3. If repentance is sorrow for sin, then Paul speaks tautologically in 2 Corinthians 7:10, “for godly sorrow worketh repentance” (2 Cor. 7:10, KJV). In other words, if repentance is sorrow for sin, or godly sorrow (as some suppose), then Paul would be needlessly repeating himself by saying, “for godly sorrow worketh godly sorrow”! J. Oswald Jackson points out this dilemma in his book Repentance: Or The Change of Mind Necessary To Salvation Considered. Commenting on 2 Corinthians 7:9-10, Jackson says, “suppose that ‘repentance’ were to be viewed as synonymous with ‘godly sorrow,’ as it has most unwarrantably been considered by some. How would the Apostle’s argument then stand? He would then be declaring—‘godly sorrow worketh godly sorrow;’ ‘repentance worketh repentance,’ which would be a most unmeaning declaration,—tautology indeed. Therefore we must be sure that the Apostle intends to teach that ‘repentance,’ whatever it be, is something totally distinct from ‘godly sorrow,’ or else he would never say godly sorrow WORKETH repentance.”[5] Richard A. Seymour sums up the point well when he writes the following in his book All About Repentance: “The problem with taking a contemporary English definition of repentance and trying to make it what the Bible means by repentance—especially in relation to salvation—is that it just doesn’t fit. Though it is true that often people will repent, and with their repentance feel grief or sorrow, it is not true that that grief or sorrow is the same as repentance. Scripture says that ‘Godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation....’ Scripture does not say that ‘Godly sorrow is repentance.’”[6]
4. If repentance is sorrow for sin, then unbelievers can have “godly sorrow” (2 Cor. 7:10) because Paul says that “godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation”. Critiquing this view of repentance, G. Michael Cocoris states, “Repentance is not being sorry for sin. This is the popular idea of repentance. Some even insist on tears. Robert Smith said, ‘True repentance has a double aspect. It looks upon things past with a weeping eye, and upon the future with a watchful eye.’ There is even a tradition that the lily sprang from the repentant tears of Eve as she went forth from paradise. Most do not carry the idea of remorse that far, but many do feel that repentance is being sorry for sin, and that is simply not the case.”[7] To cite more examples of those who say that repentance is sorrow for sin and even “godly sorrow,” a proponent of this view of repentance says the following: “God requires one to give up every known sin that one has been practicing, and to do so with a godly sorrow. You who are unsaved have sinned against God; in order to get saved you must repent with godly sorrow.”[8] R. L. Dabney, in his Systematic Theology, says that “Godly sorrow for sin must be presupposed or implied in the first actings of faith, because faith embraces Christ as a Saviour from sin.”[9] Louis Berkhof similarly states, “True conversion is born of godly sorrow, and issues in a life of devotion to God, II Cor. 7:10.”[10] However, the Bible makes it clear that the unsaved are not godly; they are “ungodly” (see Romans 4:5, 5:6). In context, the “salvation” that Paul mentions in 2 Corinthians 7:10 is in reference to believers, not unbelievers. Paul is not talking about salvation from hell, but being saved from the power of sin in the Christian life (cf. Phil. 2:12-13; 2 Thess. 2:13). In 2 Corinthians 7:10, Paul is speaking of second tense salvation, that is, Christian sanctification.[11] Commenting on 2 Corinthians 7:10, G. Michael Cocoris affirms: “The Greek word rendered ‘salvation’ means ‘deliverance.’ It is a flexible term which can refer to deliverance from sickness, difficulties, physical death and condemnation (Lk. 3:48; Acts 27:31; 2 Cor. 1:6; Eph. 2:8-9; Phil. 1:19). In this case it refers to deliverance from God’s discipline (Wilkin, dissertation, p. 129).”[12] Roger Post, in his excellent dissertation on repentance, has well said: “Though 2 Corinthians 7:8-11 is frequently used to demonstrate that sorrow is necessary for repentance and thus for regeneration, it must be remembered that the sorrow which produced repentance in that case did not involve the unregenerate, but the ‘saints’ of Corinth.”[13]
5. Kittel says that the Greek word metanoia “approximates” the Hebrew word shub.[14] It is noteworthy, then, that the Hebrew word shub means “to turn” not “to sorrow”. Arguing for the “change of mind” definition of repentance (Gr. metanoia), G. Michael Cocoris affirms: “Actually, the Hebrew word shub means ‘to turn back, return’ (Brown, Driver, and Briggs, p. 996).”[15] If someone says that repentance includes sorrow, go back to the meaning of the word shub: to turn around. What does sorrow have to do with that? A person can turn around without having sorrow. For example, the unbeliever needs to turn from a works gospel to the fact that the work has been done by someone else – the finished work of Jesus Christ! Turn from self to the Savior! Lewis Sperry Chafer 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”.[16]
6. Metanoia also translates the Hebrew word nacham, but nacham means to be eased or to be comforted, not necessarily “to be sorrowful”.[17] For more information see my blog post titled: “‘Free Grace’ Theology: 7 Ways Grudem Misrepresents Biblical Repentance”.
7. The English word repentance (which does tend to convey the idea of sorrow) is not the best translation of the Greek word metanoia. For more information, see my blog post titled: “Biblical Repentance: Lost in Translation?”
8. Sorrow leads to repentance; thus sorrow is to be distinguished from repentance. The great reformer Martin Luther has well said: “Also Lactantius [in] book 6 of his Institutes informs [us], that poenitentia [repentance] in Greek is called Metanoia, that is resipiscentia. By no means therefore from use in sacred Scripture is repentance called sorrow, but a change of mind and [of one’s own] judgment, and to repent is to be wise after an error, and to install a mind for right living.’”[18] Commenting on 2 Corinthians 7:8, the NT Greek scholar A. T. Robertson notes that the Greek verb metanoeō means “to change one’s mind (not to be sorry at all).”[19]
9. The early Christians of the first century used the word metanoia in the sense of “change your mind” not “be sorry” (cf. The Shepherd of Hermas; The Martyrdom of Polycarp, etc.). For more information, see my blog post titled: “The Meaning of Repentance: Quotes from the Ancients, Lexicons, and Theologians”.
10. Sorrow is an emotion, metanoia is a decision (a “change of mind”). Sorrow may lead to and even accompany repentance (cf. 2 Cor. 7:9-10), but sorrow and repentance are two different things.[20] Even the famous English theologian Jeremy Taylor saw a distinction between sorrow and repentance when he wrote that “metanoia...does not properly signify the sorrow for having done amiss, but something that is nobler than it, but brought in at the gate of sorrow.” Taylor goes on to say in reference to 2 Corinthians 7:10, “Sorrow may go before this [repentance], but dwells not with it, according to that of St. Chrysostom; ‘Medicinae hic locus, non judicii; non poenas sed peccatorum remissionem poenitentia tribuit.’ Metanoia is the word. ‘Repentance brings not pains, but pardon with it; for this is the place of medicine and remedy, not of [God’s] judgment or condemnation:’ meaning, that this repentance is wholly salutary, as tending to reformation and amendment.’”[21]
ENDNOTES:
[1] Charlie Bing, “What is Repentance?” Free Grace Notes, YouTube video, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X9hEh6J6NS8 (accessed February 18, 2023).
[2] See Augustine, City of God Against the Pagans, book 15, chapter 24. Note: This translation is from the Loeb Classical Library edition of Augustine’s City of God, 7 Vols., Vol. 4, p. 563. See the following link on the archive.org website: https://archive.org/details/cityofgodagainst0000augu/page/562/mode/2up (accessed February 18, 2023).
[3] Augustine of Hippo, Locutiones de Genesi, Book 1, comment on Genesis 6:6, https://catholiclibrary.org/library/view?docId=Fathers-OR/PL.034.html;chunk.id=00001289 (accessed Feb. 18, 2023). Translated from the Latin by Google Translate. Editor’s note: William Tyndale says in his book The Obedience of a Christian Man, “that St Augustine...is the best, or one of the best, that ever wrote upon the scripture”. Similarly, J. Vernon McGee has well said: “Augustine is one of the great men who has affected the church and the world. Both Roman Catholicism and Protestantism quote him to sustain their positions.” (McGee, Witnesses: After He Died They Saw Him Alive, p. 13.)
[3] Augustine of Hippo, Locutiones de Genesi, Book 1, comment on Genesis 6:6, https://catholiclibrary.org/library/view?docId=Fathers-OR/PL.034.html;chunk.id=00001289 (accessed Feb. 18, 2023). Translated from the Latin by Google Translate. Editor’s note: William Tyndale says in his book The Obedience of a Christian Man, “that St Augustine...is the best, or one of the best, that ever wrote upon the scripture”. Similarly, J. Vernon McGee has well said: “Augustine is one of the great men who has affected the church and the world. Both Roman Catholicism and Protestantism quote him to sustain their positions.” (McGee, Witnesses: After He Died They Saw Him Alive, p. 13.)
[4] Desiderius Erasmus, Annotations on the New Testament, note on Matthew 3:2.
[5] J. Oswald Jackson, Repentance: Or The Change of Mind Necessary To Salvation Considered (London: 1845), pp. 10-11, emphasis his.
[6] Richard A. Seymour, All About Repentance (Hollywood, FL: Harvest House Publishers, 1974), pp. 64-65, emphasis and ellipsis his.
[6] Richard A. Seymour, All About Repentance (Hollywood, FL: Harvest House Publishers, 1974), pp. 64-65, emphasis and ellipsis his.
[7] G. Michael Cocoris, Evangelism: A Biblical Approach (Chicago: Moody Press, 1984), p. 66. Cocoris also makes a good point when he goes on to say, “One other observation: sorrow does not have to precede repentance. Paul says the goodness of God can also lead to repentance (Rom. 2:4).” (Ibid., p. 67.)
[8] Wm. F. Chapel, “Repentance”. Soul-Stirring Sermons (Anderson, IN: Gospel Trumpet Company, 1915), p. 126.
[9] Robert L. Dabney, Systematic Theology (Edinburgh: The Banner of Truth Trust, 1985), p. 657. Note: This book was first published in 1871.
[10] Louis Berkhof, Systematic Theology (London: The Banner of Truth Trust, 1963), p. 483. Note: This book was originally published in 1939.
[11] Commenting on the New Testament word translated “repent” in the Authorized Version, Dr. Scofield writes: “Repentance is the trans. of a Gr. word (metanoia—metanoeo) meaning, ‘to have another mind,’ ‘to change the mind,’ and is used in the N.T. to indicate a change of mind in respect of sin, of God, and of self. This change of mind may, especially in the case of Christians who have fallen into sin, be preceded by sorrow (2 Cor. 7.8-11), but sorrow for sin, though it may ‘work’ repentance, is not repentance.” (C. I. Scofield, The Scofield Reference Bible, p. 1174, note on Acts 17:30.)
[12] G. Michael Cocoris, Repentance: The Most Misunderstood Word in the Bible (Milwaukee: Grace Gospel Press, 2010), p. 57.
[13] Roger E. Post, “The Meaning of the Words Translated ‘Repent’ and ‘Repentance’ in the New Testament” (Master’s Thesis, Wheaton College, 1972), p. 34.
[14] Johannes Behm, “metanoeō, metanoia.” Theological Dictionary of the New Testament, edited by Gerhard Kittel, vol. 4, pp. 989-990. For more information, see my blog post titled: “The Meaning of Repentance: Quotes from the Ancients, Lexicons, and Theologians”. See under the heading: “Kittel’s Theological Dictionary of the New Testament (1967, 1985)”.
[15] G. Michael Cocoris, Repentance: The Most Misunderstood Word in the Bible (Milwaukee: Grace Gospel Press, 2010), p. 89. See Appendix 3: “The Hebrew Word for Turn” (pp. 89-90). Also see The Theological Wordbook, edited by Charles R. Swindoll (Nashville: Word Publishing, 2000), under the heading “Repentance” (p. 297), where it says: “The primary Hebrew word that describes change, and which is translated ‘repentance’ in some instances, is [shub], ‘to turn, return,’ used well over a thousand times. The Septuagint (the Greek translation of the Hebrew Old Testament) usually translated shub by the Greek word epistrephō, ‘to turn about.’” Cocoris makes the point more explicit when he says, “The fatal flaw in the assumption that the Hebrew word shub is equivalent to the Greek word for repent is that the Greek translation of the Old Testament, the Septuagint, ‘never’ uses shub to translate ‘repent’! In the Septuagint the Greek words that are ‘always’ used for shub are epistrephō and apostrephō (Kittel, vol. 4, p. 989).” (Cocoris, Repentance: The Most Misunderstood Word in the Bible, pp. 89-90.) So notice the contrast: the Hebrew word shub is sometimes translated into English as "repentance", but in the Septuagint, shub is never translated as metanoia. This highlights at least two things quite clearly: 1) the Hebrew word shub and the Greek word metanoia are not equivalent, and 2) our English word "repentance" is really not the best translation of the Greek word metanoia.
[16] Lewis Sperry Chafer, Systematic Theology, Vol. 7, p. 265, italics his.
[17] See the summary on “Repentance” in the Old Testament in The Scofield Reference Bible (New York: Oxford University Press, 1917), p. 972, note on Zechariah 8:14. Also see Charles C. Bing, Lordship Salvation: A Biblical Evaluation and Response, 2nd GraceLife Edition (Xulon Press, 2010), p. 69, footnote 40.
[18] For more information see my blog post: “The Meaning of Repentance: Quotes from the Ancients, Lexicons, and Theologians”.
[19] A. T. Robertson, Word Pictures in the New Testament (New York: Harper & Brothers Publishers, 1931), vol. 4, p. 240, comment on 2 Corinthians 7:8.
[20] Cf. J. Hampton Keathley, ABCs for Christian Growth, 5th Edition, p. 449; G. Michael Cocoris, Evangelism: A Biblical Approach, p. 66; G. Michael Cocoris, Repentance: The Most Misunderstood Word in the Bible, unpublished manuscript, p. 9.
[21] Jeremy Taylor, The Nature of Repentance, chapter 2, section 2. Editor’s note: Unfortunately, Taylor at times seems to confuse repentance with the fruits of repentance.
[11] Commenting on the New Testament word translated “repent” in the Authorized Version, Dr. Scofield writes: “Repentance is the trans. of a Gr. word (metanoia—metanoeo) meaning, ‘to have another mind,’ ‘to change the mind,’ and is used in the N.T. to indicate a change of mind in respect of sin, of God, and of self. This change of mind may, especially in the case of Christians who have fallen into sin, be preceded by sorrow (2 Cor. 7.8-11), but sorrow for sin, though it may ‘work’ repentance, is not repentance.” (C. I. Scofield, The Scofield Reference Bible, p. 1174, note on Acts 17:30.)
[12] G. Michael Cocoris, Repentance: The Most Misunderstood Word in the Bible (Milwaukee: Grace Gospel Press, 2010), p. 57.
[13] Roger E. Post, “The Meaning of the Words Translated ‘Repent’ and ‘Repentance’ in the New Testament” (Master’s Thesis, Wheaton College, 1972), p. 34.
[14] Johannes Behm, “metanoeō, metanoia.” Theological Dictionary of the New Testament, edited by Gerhard Kittel, vol. 4, pp. 989-990. For more information, see my blog post titled: “The Meaning of Repentance: Quotes from the Ancients, Lexicons, and Theologians”. See under the heading: “Kittel’s Theological Dictionary of the New Testament (1967, 1985)”.
[15] G. Michael Cocoris, Repentance: The Most Misunderstood Word in the Bible (Milwaukee: Grace Gospel Press, 2010), p. 89. See Appendix 3: “The Hebrew Word for Turn” (pp. 89-90). Also see The Theological Wordbook, edited by Charles R. Swindoll (Nashville: Word Publishing, 2000), under the heading “Repentance” (p. 297), where it says: “The primary Hebrew word that describes change, and which is translated ‘repentance’ in some instances, is [shub], ‘to turn, return,’ used well over a thousand times. The Septuagint (the Greek translation of the Hebrew Old Testament) usually translated shub by the Greek word epistrephō, ‘to turn about.’” Cocoris makes the point more explicit when he says, “The fatal flaw in the assumption that the Hebrew word shub is equivalent to the Greek word for repent is that the Greek translation of the Old Testament, the Septuagint, ‘never’ uses shub to translate ‘repent’! In the Septuagint the Greek words that are ‘always’ used for shub are epistrephō and apostrephō (Kittel, vol. 4, p. 989).” (Cocoris, Repentance: The Most Misunderstood Word in the Bible, pp. 89-90.) So notice the contrast: the Hebrew word shub is sometimes translated into English as "repentance", but in the Septuagint, shub is never translated as metanoia. This highlights at least two things quite clearly: 1) the Hebrew word shub and the Greek word metanoia are not equivalent, and 2) our English word "repentance" is really not the best translation of the Greek word metanoia.
[16] Lewis Sperry Chafer, Systematic Theology, Vol. 7, p. 265, italics his.
[17] See the summary on “Repentance” in the Old Testament in The Scofield Reference Bible (New York: Oxford University Press, 1917), p. 972, note on Zechariah 8:14. Also see Charles C. Bing, Lordship Salvation: A Biblical Evaluation and Response, 2nd GraceLife Edition (Xulon Press, 2010), p. 69, footnote 40.
[18] For more information see my blog post: “The Meaning of Repentance: Quotes from the Ancients, Lexicons, and Theologians”.
[19] A. T. Robertson, Word Pictures in the New Testament (New York: Harper & Brothers Publishers, 1931), vol. 4, p. 240, comment on 2 Corinthians 7:8.
[20] Cf. J. Hampton Keathley, ABCs for Christian Growth, 5th Edition, p. 449; G. Michael Cocoris, Evangelism: A Biblical Approach, p. 66; G. Michael Cocoris, Repentance: The Most Misunderstood Word in the Bible, unpublished manuscript, p. 9.
[21] Jeremy Taylor, The Nature of Repentance, chapter 2, section 2. Editor’s note: Unfortunately, Taylor at times seems to confuse repentance with the fruits of repentance.
19 comments:
Hello there! I had a question for you. I am a former Calvinist, and really wanting to leave lordship salvation behind and embrace free grace, but I am still haunted by decades of that bad teaching. I really WANT to believe free grace is true, but every now and then I come across a verse that only makes sense in my mind in the Lordship context. Perhaps you can help me with this one? Galatians 5:19-21. Paul warns them that no one who PRACTICES (the Greek word is prassontes, to practice habitually, not the verb for "do") will not inherit the kingdom (which I believe refers to eternal life). If free grace is true, and Paul is simply referring to "those" who practice such things, meaning unbelievers as opposed to believers, then why does he bother to use the verb for habitual practice? Why not just say those who DO those thing won't go to heaven? He could have just said that those who do them won't go to heaven. That alone would be simple and plain. Why add "practice" and confuse the matter? Also, why in the vice lists like Galatians and 1 Corinthians 6:9-10 and in ephesians does he bother to list the sins? What is the purpose? Why not just say that unbelievers won't go to heaven, if that's what he meant? What's the point in listing sins? These are some of the questions that my mind still wrestles with. I'd appreciate any help.
Hi there! Thank you for sharing your thoughts. I feel for you, and I hope and pray that you will make a full recovery from all the negative effects of the bad teaching that you received in years past.
I do agree with you that when Paul talks about not inheriting the kingdom it “refers to eternal life” (or the lack of it). I understand Paul’s statement about those who “shall not inherit the kingdom of God “(Gal. 5:21) to be a reference to the unsaved (see 1 Cor. 6:9-11; Rev. 21:8).
But it is not quite true to say that “Paul warns them that no one who PRACTICES....” Is that what Paul says? I’m not trying to win an argument here, but let’s be clear about what the text says and what it doesn’t say. Paul doesn’t say “NO ONE who practices....”; Rather, Paul says “THOSE who practice such things....” (Gal. 5:21, NASB). So what’s the point? The point is that Paul is clearly referring specifically only to unbelievers (“those”) in contrast to the believing Galatians to whom he is writing (Gal. 5:21, cf. 1 Cor. 6:9-11). In context, Paul is basically telling the Galatian Christians, “You believers shouldn’t live like those who are going to Hell” (cf. Eph. 4:17 ff). This also answers your question about, “why in the vice lists like Galatians and 1 Corinthians 6:9-10 and in ephesians does he [Paul] bother to list the sins? What is the purpose? Why not just say that unbelievers won’t go to heaven, if that’s why he meant? What’s the point in listing sins?” Dr. Thomas Constable has a helpful commentary on Galatians, and he affirms the same basic point that I’m making when he says in regards to Galatians 5:19-21, “Paul seems to have been contrasting unbelievers, whose lives typically bear the marks of these vices, with believers, whose lives typically manifest the fruit of the Spirit (vv. 22-23). He said that those who practice these vices will not inherit the kingdom in order to warn his Christian readers away from them. I do not believe the Scriptures teach that genuine Christians are incapable of committing these sins (cf. Rom. 13:13). However I believe that there will be differences in rewards for believers depending on their faithfulness to God (1 Cor. 3:10-15).” (Constable, Notes on Galatians, comment on Gal. 5:19-21, emphasis added.) William L. Pettingill also has some helpful comments on Galatians 5:19-21. See his commentary titled: By Grace Through Faith Plus Nothing: Simple Studies in Galatians, pp. 82-83. This book is available in my Free Grace Library.
Let me also share my thoughts in regards to when you asked, “why does he [Paul] bother to use the verb for habitual practice? Why not just say those who DO those thing[s] won't go to heaven? He could have just said that those who do them won't go to heaven. That alone would be simple and plain. Why add ‘practice’ and confuse the matter?” I think the answer here is “simple and plain”! I would say that Paul is simply giving a description of the unbeliever (cf. Gen. 6:5, 8:21; Jn. 3:19; Rom. 1:18-32; Eph. 4:19, etc.). We know from the Word of God that this is how God views the unbeliever; and also the Greek word prassō tends to emphasize the transient (short-lived) nature of that which is practiced, that there is nothing enduring that remains. The wicked are, in the words of the Psalmist, “like chaff which the wind blows away” (Psa. 1:4). Regarding this, Richard Trench affirms concerning the Greek verb prassō, “There may be a busy activity in the working of evil, yet not the less it is true that ‘the wicked worketh a deceitful work,’ and has nothing to show for all his toil at the end, no fruit that remains.” (Trench, Synonyms of the New Testament, p. 363.) It makes me think of the Bible verse that says, “And the world is passing away, and also its lusts; but the one who does the will of God [cf. Jn. 6:40, i.e. believes in Christ] abides forever.” (1 John 2:17, NASB.)
I hope this helps! God Bless
I just want to add in regards to spiritual fruit, and how it has an enduring quality in contrast to the transient nature of "the deeds of the flesh" (Gal. 5:19), that Jesus says in John chapter 15 regarding spiritual fruit, "I chose you, and appointed you, that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain" (Jn. 15:16, emphasis added).
Also, if you have not done so already, I would encourage you to read Dr. Charlie Bing's article on this topic titled, "Understanding the Vice Lists in 1 Corinthians 6:9-11, Galatians 5:19-21, and Ephesians 5:3-5" (GraceNotes, Number 96). It addresses some of the questions you've raised and provides some good answers similar to the ones I've presented. You can find Dr. Bing's article on his website: www.gracelife.org. I also have a link to his article in the "Free Grace Library" page on my blog.
Thank you so much for you thoughtful and detailed answers. They've given e a bit of peace. Pray for me, if you would. I've been suffering a great deal because of residual lordship teaching. I believe in the person and finished work of Jesus on my behalf, but then these thoughts and questions come back and haunt me. They seem to whisper, "Did you REALLY believe? If free grace is true then what about (insert confusing verse)? And what about those major sins in your life that you have not overcome?" The result is that I fall into a major depression. Almost despair. I've lost 17-18 pounds in two months from not eating. I shake, and sweat, and cry, and sometimes only leave my bed to throw up. I've begun to find life absolutely miserable. So please pray for me. My name is Steven. Thank you again for taking the time to answer so thoughtfully.
You got it my friend! You are in my thoughts and prayers. In regards to what you said, I know you didn't use the word "doubt" - but it seemed to be implied at least, and it reminds me of something that Dr. "Yankee" Arnold said one time that really has stuck with me; he said, "Doubt your doubts!" I like that thought. I think it's helpful because like the man named Christian in the Pilgrim's Progress, I think it's easy to get bogged down in the Slough of Despond (that is, to be in a state of hopeless depression) when we take our focus off of Christ and His perfect finished work and we instead focus on ourselves and on our often imperfect works and sins and failures and stumblings. As James says, "We all stumble in many ways" (James 3:2). Martin Luther talks about this in his commentary on Galatians, see his comments on or around Galatians 5:16 ff. (I have several links to Luther's commentary on Galatians in my Free Grace Library.)
Just to elaborate on "The Slough of Despond" ("Despond" as in despondency), in case you aren't familiar with the story, Wikipedia explains that "The Slough of Despond is a fictional, deep bog in John Bunyan's allegory The Pilgrim's Progress, into which the protagonist Christian sinks under the weight of his sins and his sense of guilt for them."
I also want to recommend to you William R. Newell's comments from his commentary on Romans titled, "A Few Words About Grace". I gotta go my friend. God Bless
You are in my thoughts and prayers. Blessings to you!
By His Free Grace,
Jonathan
Hey Steven and Jonathan,
First off Steven, the author of this blog (Jonathan) is a wealth of knowledge and resources for the understanding of God's grace and should I say something here that Jonathan disagrees with or corrects, that's fine by me. I'm new to GRACE myself, got a lot to learn still, but I hope my journey and words can help you out here. And not just "a little" but more like, "Dang man! I'm free and going to heaven, 100% no questions!" followed by "W00t W00t" or something like that.
What I hope you're starting to see in your struggles here is there's a literal battle going on out there, or perhaps better stated, it's an all out WAR to twist, distort, and destroy the very core essence of what Jesus actually did for us on that cross for YOU my brother. Take your eyes of Jesus, place them on to yourself, and our enemy has all but won.
For me, your most telling statement was that nagging question of "And what about those major sins in your life that you have not overcome?"
Is it porn?
For me, it was porn. "If I am truly a Christian, then why can't I stop looking at porn!?"
And then BAM, here come the endless questions and doubts and fights and promises I'll never sin again and prayers and hopes and fears and past traumas and questions of why God doesn't take this away from me and sleepless nights and memories and feelings of guilt and shame and all the lies I've told and the people I've hurt both on the screen and in my life and bro the LIST GOES ON AND ON AND ON.
Where's Jesus in all that? Oh right, he's that scary sky-being sitting on a golden throne and his eyes of lightning are staring at me with the most massive amount of disgust and disapproval I could ever imagine. What if one day, I could EARN his approval though? I guess I must not be saved yet.
STOP.
EPH 2:8-9 - By GRACE you are saved - NOT of works.
Tit 3:5-6 - He SAVED us, not because of the good things we did, but because of his mercy.
Gal 3:2-3 - You got saved by FAITH, but now you are perfected by WORKS?! (WRONG! says Paul)
Rom 3:28 - You are justified by FAITH apart from WORKS
It's pretty clear. You've got to start twisting those scriptures above to get them to line up with a "Works Based" salvation and I firmly believe that "Lordship Salvation" is simply works based salvation. The other passages that trouble you? Let's dive in!
Your statement "I believe in the person and finished work of Jesus on my behalf" aligns with everything God wants from you. Bro, it ALL ABOUT JESUS. He is the AUTHOR and FINISHER of our faith. Or, the Beginning (salvation) and the End (sanctification) of your journey to be conformed into the image of Jesus himself.
Your salvation, initiated by your belief in Jesus, continues until you end up looking EXACTLY like Jesus! Sin lists are just that! Jesus doesn't do that crap! And for me, when I used to hear that, I was like, "Welp, guess I'm screwed!". Cause that's just not going to happen. And, quite frankly, I've never met ANYONE that looks like Jesus. Those passages however are super important for us to understand what we should be STRIVING to do. But, (and a massive "BUT" here) let's understand the WHY for the Striving.
Continued..
...continued
Let's imagine for a second that you're married, your wife is literally the most beautiful woman in the whole world, inside AND out. And she's like ridiculously in love with you. She chased you down, essentially BEGGED you to marry her, and does everything she can to give you the best life/marriage/existence possible. And bro, you smack the crap out of her. You cheat on her. You lie to her. You talk crap about her to your friends. To your enemies. To her kids. And no matter what you do, she's still like "Steven, I love you, you're the LOVE of my life". You feel remorse, throw up, lose 17-18 pounds in two months from not eating. You shake, and sweat, and cry, and sometimes only leave your bed to throw up. You've begun to find life absolutely miserable. You ask her to forgive you. And she does! And somewhere in there, you KNOW she's going to forgive you. That she always will forgive you.
So you do it all over again...
...and she still she doesn't stop loving you. And she never will. Ever.
To me, that is Jesus. Steven he freaking LOVES you man. Better than I could ever describe. For God SO VERY MUCH loved you, that he came down as Jesus, and if you Believe in Him, you will live FOREVER with Him! With God, the one that formed you, knows you, knows how you struggle, knows your sins, knows your hurts, knows your depression, knows you down to the core and to the secrets and the lies and the pain that are plaguing you. And knows exactly what you need to have joy and peace and a life of actual true rest.
The best part is, this God, this Jesus, ASKS us to place this on him. THIS IS GRACE! This is why he is SO RIDICULOUSLY AWESOME. He wants you to look like Jesus. STOP SINNING BRO! And when you don't stop (and, news flash, YOU WON'T STOP!) he just keeps on Loving you, because that is what the Cross, the Grave, and his current LIFE and LIGHT in your life is all about.
1 John 4:9 - We love Him because he First loved us.
Rom 5:8 - Here's how he loved me - while I was still a sinner, he died for me
Rom 2:4 - The KINDNESS/GOODNESS of God leads us to repentance.
I see it like this Steven. You're on sinking sand right now. You're looking to your own life and your own works and sins and building your entire house on that. You will fail.
Instead, you need to build your house on the Rock. The FIRM FOUNDATION. It never shifts, it never deteriorates, and nothing that is built on it will ever fall down.
That foundation is God's Grace. His forgiveness and love. It's Jesus. It's his Gift to you. It's his prayers for you. Jesus Paid It All.
With that as your foundation, go to sleep tonight and KNOW that you are loved. This is where the W00t W00t comes in bro!
Then wake up tomorrow, and get to work! And when you fail, (and once again, you WILL fail), go to bed, remember the kindness of God, the EVERLASTING LOVE of Jesus. And thank Him for His love, confess your sins (THIS ISN'T SALVATION!! This is the ongoing relationship you have with Him that will NEVER END), know that he forgives you, and try again the next day.
And know that no matter what, YOU WILL LOOK LIKE JESUS. All your sins will be removed as far as the east is from the west. But you'll be pretty dead at that point. Nasty dead.
And you'll be with Jesus. Who Loves you like a freaking chicken loves her baby chicks and just wants to all snuggle you up in her wings!
So stop believing the lies. Stop looking at yourself. Look at Jesus.
Old song here - Turn your eyes upon Jesus, look full in His wonderful face, and the things of earth will grow strangely dim, in the Light of his glory and GRACE.
Go in Peace Brother. Shabbat Shalom.
Todd Woodburn
trwoodburn@outlook.com
Thank you, Todd, for your insight and help. I appreciate it. Please keep me in your prayers, if you would.
-Steven
Jonathan, Steven here, another question if I may: The Greek word uses in Galatians 5:21 translated as "to tell before" in the KJV can also be, and often is, translated as "to warn" — prolegō. In the context, it seems that Paul is warning them what will happen to those who do these things. But why? If he were just warning them against committing those sins, he would have told them what consequences awaited believers who do those things (i.e. loss of rewards, etc) and such a warning would make sense. But instead he warns them that those who do such things will not go to heaven. How is that a warning for believers then? If believers can do those things, then the warning would hardly be about not going to heaven. It would have been about something else. And so it doesn't make sense in my mind that he is simply warning believers not to do these things. Again, a lordship understanding seems to make more sense. Do you understand my angle, or am I perhaps not articulating my thought process here? Again, I WANT to be fully persuaded of free grace, and I am leaning toward it, but every time my brain perceives even a slight fault in logic, it will NOT let it go. So I bring these questions up, not because I want to doubt, but because I am genuinely seeking a stronger or more convincing argument. If I can sense an inconsistency here, then I guarantee those in the Lordship camp will pounce on it. Even Bob Wilken says that the warning makes no sense if Paul is just discouraging believers from doing these things. Of course, he thinks it's a warning about losing inheritance, and I don't agree, but it demonstrates how others have seen this problem too. The warning doesn't make sense. "I warn you not to do these things because unbelievers will go to hell for it?" Please help my understanding.
Hi Steven,
First of all, let's go back to the Greek. You correctly stated that, "The Greek word [Paul] uses in Galatians 5:21 translated as 'to tell before' in the KJV can also be, and often is, translated as 'to warn' — prolegō."
While it is true that prolegō in Galatians 5:21 is often translated in the sense of "to warn", it is not so true as to be dogmatic about it, nor to press that translation of prolegō in Gal. 5:21 too far. Indeed, I would say translating prolegō in the sense of "forewarn" or "warn" is really not the best translation of prolegō in that verse. I say this for several reasons:
(1) If you take a look at some of the early English translations of Galatians 5:21, all the ones that I found translate prolegō in the sense of "to tell beforehand". Notice the following examples of this:
--(a) Wycliffe Bible of 1395
"envies, manslayings, drunkennesses, unmeasurable eatings, and things like to these [gluttonies, and like things to these], which I say to you before, as I have told to you before, for they that do such things, shall not have the kingdom of God." (Gal. 5:21)
--(b) Tyndale Bible of 1526
"Envyinge murther dronkenes glottony and soche lyke: of the which I tell you before as I have tolde you in tyme past that they which comit soche thinges shall not inherite ye kyngdome of God." (Gal. 5:21)
--(c) Coverdale Bible of 1535
"envyenge, murthur, dronkennes, glotony, and soch like: of the which I tell you before, as I haue tolde you in tyme past, that they which commytte soch, shal not inheret the kyngdome of God." (Gal. 5:21)
--(d) Bishops' Bible of 1568
"Enuyinges, murthers, drunkennesse, gluttonies, and such lyke: of the whiche I tell you before, as I haue tolde you in tyme past, that they which do suche thinges, shall not inherite the kingdome of God." (Gal. 5:21)
--(e) Geneva Bible of 1587
"Enuie, murthers, drunkennesse, gluttonie, and such like, whereof I tell you before, as I also haue tolde you before, that they which doe such things, shall not inherite the kingdome of God." (Gal. 5:21)
--(f) King James Bible of 1611
"Enuyings, murthers, drunkennesse, reuellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I haue also tolde you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherite the kingdome of God." (Gal. 5:21)
(2) Some of the best Greek Lexicons also translate prolegō in Galatians 5:21 (and elsewhere) in the sense of "to tell beforehand":
--(a) Bauer's Greek-English Lexicon (the 2000 edition) says that prolegō means, "1. to say someth. in advance of an event, tell beforehand/ in advance...2 Cor 13:2; Gal 5:21". Only after this first meaning and separated by a semicolon does the lexicon give another meaning: "in warning...1 Th 3:4" (p. 774). So Bauer clearly links Galatians 5:21 with the meaning, "to say something in advance of an event, tell beforehand/ in advance".
--(b) For prolegō, Moulton and Milligan's The Vocabulary of the Greek New Testament gives the example of a marriage contract, "the marriage contract is to be deposited...'within the five days named from the day on which they settle it with one another.' Here the pro- simply implies that the terms of the contract have been discussed beforehand, and then embodied in the legal document. For this ordinary time sense in the NT, cf. 2 Cor 13:2, Gal. 5:21, and 1 Thess 3:4" (pp. 542-543).
--(c) Bill Mounce's The Analytical lexicon to the Greek New Testament says that prolegō means: "to tell beforehand, to foretell, Matt 24:25; Acts 1:16; Rom 9:29; 2 Cor 13:2; Gal 5:21; 1 Thess 3:4" (p. 393). Similarly, the lexicon at the back of Mounce's Basics of Biblical Greek Grammar (4th Edition) says for prolegō: "I tell beforehand" (p. 498).
[continued below....]
You went on to say: "The warning doesn't make sense. 'I warn you not to do these things because unbelievers will go to hell for it?' Please help my understanding."
So that's not what I'm saying. You're misunderstanding me, I think. Paul isn't saying, "I warn you not to do these things because unbelievers will go to hell for it". But rather, as I mentioned, it's more like Paul is saying, "You Galatian Christians shouldn't live like those who are going to Hell."
Let's compare Scripture with Scripture. Compare Galatians 5:19-23 with Ephesians 4:17-25. Paul is telling the Ephesian Christians not to act like the unsaved. Also see Ephesians 5:5-9 where Paul says the same thing. Also see Paul's words in Romans 13:11-13 where Paul says the same thing. Also see 1 Corinthians 6:1-11 where Paul says the same thing. In 1 Cor. 6:1-11 Paul is basically telling the carnal Corinthian Christians, "You Christians are acting like the unsaved; don't act like the unsaved! You're different and you should act like it!" So this seems to be a pattern with Paul. This is also how I understand what Paul says in Galatians 5:21.
In regards to when you said, "Even Bob Wilken says that the warning makes no sense if Paul is just discouraging believers from doing these things", I would ask why? Why doesn't it make sense? Christians should not want to live like the unsaved, should we?! In the Scripture passages I mentioned above, Paul is clearly "discouraging believers from doing these things [i.e. those sins]"! For example, just look at what Paul says in Ephesians 5:6-11 to the believers in Ephesus (and by extension to all Christians): "Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things [i.e. these unforgiven sins] the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. Therefore do not be partakers with them; for you were formerly darkness, but now you are light in the Lord; walk as children of life (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness and righteousness and truth), trying to learn what is pleasing to the Lord. And do not participate in the unfruitful deeds of darkness, but instead even expose them" (Eph. 5:6-11).
I really appreciate your taking the time to go through all of this with me, and I find your answers more than satisfactory. Please understand that I am not trying to be combative or argumentative - not at all - if it comes across that way through my writing, then I sincerely apologize. I'm just one of those people who has to prove everything to myself, and I can never seem just to take a person's word for it. Eternal life is on the line, after all. But I say again, as I said in my last note (see what I did there? ;-), that I really do want to believe in Free Grace - and you are helping me a lot. I want so much to be free from the bondage I've been in for so many years. You know, I think I did believe the Gospel when I was a kid. It just made sense, and I accepted it as truth. I can even remember breaking down in tears because I felt so loved by God after considering what He had done for me. But, being brought up in a hyper calvinist church (I can't even capitalize it), my joy was robbed from me. The pastor was always on a hunt to sniff out "false professors" as he called them. He hammered away, week after week, how most people are not really saved, they just had some "happy experience" that tricked them into thinking they were saved. He'd go on about how habitual sin in their lives proved that they were unsaved. Well, how do you think a little kid is going to understand that? The experience I had WAS happy when I believed the truth - but that didn't mean it was false. And being honest with myself, even as a kid, I could see habitual sin in my life! I think any honest person can admit that they have habitual sin in their lives. With over 20 years of that teaching in my head, you can probably imagine what it has done to my faith. When I stumbled upon Free Grace, it was like I could breathe again! I approached it cautiously, of course, but little by little, God is proving it to me.
Apologies for the long reply, but again, I am very grateful for your help. You've helped to dispel a lot of what satan was using to keep me in despair. God bless you for that. Please keep me in your prayers, that God would continue to lead me in His truth, and cast out my fear so that I could walk with Him without fear, and serve Him out of love.
God Bless,
Steven
Oh, I forgot - I wanted to clarify about the warning thing. I think Bob Wilkin and I are getting hung up on the warning aspect. A person warns of consequences TO the person they are addressing. But in this case, the consequences are for unbelievers, whom he is not addressing. So that's the confusion - why a warning to believers of consequences for unbelievers - those consequences would not affect the believers. Perhaps I'm just not explaining it well, as I've been pretty fatigued of late. BUT - as you explained about prolego having other, more likely meanings, then the confusion about the warning is no longer an issue. If it means "to tell beforehand" then there isn't in fact any explicit warning there. Just an admonition to believers not to act like those who are perishing. And in light of the other scriptures that more clearly state Paul's point, I am much more inclined to believe your argument now. He really does state that without confusion in those other passages.
Hi Steven,
Thanks for sharing and for your thoughts. No apology necessary. I hope I didn't come across as argumentative either. I'm glad to help where I can.
But yes, I agree with you. On that topic of Galatians 5, I do like how the KJV translates Galatians 5:21, prolego with the simple meaning of "to say before, to tell before". I specifically quoted the KJV when I discussed Galatians 5:21 in my paper "Every Christians Final Destiny". You might want to check out that article on what I wrote about Galatians 5 (and related passages).
Also, what you said about your past and growing up in a Calvinistic church and the fear you have as a result of all that, it reminds me of the Bible verse that says, "There is no fear in love. But perfect love cast out fear, because fear involves punishment" (1 John 4:18).
Blessings, still praying for you!
By His Free Grace,
Jonathan
Steven, I can't do what Jonathan does with scripture, my gifting from Jesus Christ is a little different. I can firmly say Jonathan has the gift of knowledge and discernment.
I'm not a total dunce, and I know God has given me some knowledge and wisdom, however I believe God has given me the gift of prophecy. The more I learn about God, scripture, and then the more I learn about a person, I believe God gives me insight to help edify, encourage them, and build them up, similar to Judas and Silas in Acts 15:32.
And bro, you need to be built up right now. I too sat under bad teaching for decades of my life and it looks extremely similar to what you’re going through.
But what Jonathan said there at the very end really sums it up. Perfect Love casts out fear.
So much of what I sat under was just that – fearmongering. We are to fear God, most certainly, but I would assume based on your knowledge of scripture you understand that not to be a “cowering in the corner” type of fear.
If we are constantly looking towards our own actions and sins as the litmus test of our salvation, we will 100% be living in fear.
You stated, “eternal life is on the line, after all”. I’m not knocking knowledge and discernment by any means, but Jesus’ gift of eternal life is not rocket science. Nor is it something we have to study for 20 years to finally grasp. It isn’t hidden, it’s not a mystery. It was fully revealed, and it is fully accessible to ANYONE. It’s also under massive amounts of attack, and there are false teachers EVERYWHERE trying to steal your joy. Ask yourself this question – does that sounds like it would come Jesus, or someone else?
John 10:10 – The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.
Go back to the moment when you noted “I was a kid. It just made sense, and I accepted it as truth. I can even remember breaking down in tears because I felt so loved by God after considering what He had done for me”. And then repeat that phrase “so loved by God after considering what He had done for me” like 20 times, following by repeating the phrase “what He had done for me” another 20 times.
For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, that Steven, if you Believe in Him, you WILL NOT PERISH, but have eternal life. His Grace is Sufficient for you brother, and his power is on display in your weaknesses.
Return to your rest, Steven, for the LORD has been good to you. Psalm 116:7
In the Love of Jesus YOUR Messiah,
Todd
Steven,
I just came across a wonderful statement by Martin Luther that it would be good, I think, to apply to your heart. Here is the statement, excerpted from the book Free Grace Truths: or Gospel Comfort for Doubting Minds (published in 1769). The author, William Mason, writes the following in a letter to a friend, and I would encourage you to think of him as speaking also to you:
“I cannot finish this epistle [i.e. letter], without affectionately exhorting and earnestly wishing my dear Friend, to be ‘strong in the grace which is in CHRIST JESUS.’ Therefore shall conclude in those suitable words, to excite to this, of Luther, that champion of free grace, that son of consolation to afflicted consciences. See his exposition on the Galatians—meditate on them—pray over them—may the LORD apply them with comfort to your soul! Says he: ‘The comfort is this, that in serious conflicts and terrors, wherein the feeling of sin, heaviness of spirit, desperation, and such like, are very strong, (for they enter deeply into the spirit, and mightily assault it) thou must not follow thine own feeling, for if thou dost, thou wilt say; I feel the horrible terrors of the law, and the tyranny of sin, not only rebelling against me, but also subduing me and leading me captive, and I feel no comfort or righteousness at all; therefore I am a sinner, and not righteous. And if I be a sinner, then am I guilty of everlasting death. But against this feeling thou must wrestle and say: Although I feel myself utterly overwhelmed and swallowed up with sin, and my heart telleth me that GOD is offended and angry with me, yet indeed it is not true, but that my own sense and feeling so judgeth, contrary to the word of GOD, which teacheth a far other thing, namely, ‘that GOD is near unto them who are of a troubled heart, and saveth them who are of an humble spirit,’ Psalm 34. 18. Also ‘he despiseth not an humble and contrite heart,’ Psalm 51. 17. But looketh in love and pity to him who trembleth at his word. Wherefore when the law accuseth and sin terrifieth thee, and thou feelest nothing but the wrath and judgment of GOD, despair not for all that, take unto thee the armour of GOD, the shield of faith, the helmet of hope, and the sword of the SPIRIT, and try how good and valiant thou art; these weapons are given thee for use; thou must have trials to exercise them.
Lay hold of CHRIST by faith, who is the LORD of law and sin, and of all things else which accompany them. Believing in him, thou art ‘justified from all things,’ which thing, reason, and the feeling of thine own heart, when thou art tempted do not tell thee, but the word of GOD. Moreover, in the midst of these conflicts and terrors, which often return and exercise thee, wait thou patiently through hope for righteousness which thou hast now by faith. But thou wilt say, I feel not myself to have any righteousness, or at least I feel it but very little. Thou must not feel but believe thou hast righteousness. And except thou believe that thou art righteous, thou dost great injury to CHRIST, who hath cleansed thee by the washing of water through the word, who also died upon the cross, condemned sin, killed death, that through him thou mightiest obtain RIGHTEOUSNESS, and everlasting life.’
May our blessed Saviour make you as happy in your experience as you are here wisely directed to be, is the fervent wish of
Yours affectionately,
W. M.”
(William Mason, Free Grace Truths: or Gospel Comfort for Doubting Minds, pp. 51-52.)
I recently came across an excellent statement by D. L. Moody on how biblical repentance is not sorrow. The statement is from the book D. L. Moody and His Work (Hartford: American Publishing Company, 1875) by Rev. W. H. Daniels, in which a number of Moody’s sermons and original statements are transcribed. The statement by Moody on repentance is introduced by the Rev. Daniels, who says: “The peculiar aptness and power of some of Mr. Moody’s running comments on texts of Scripture will appear in the following selections”. Rev. Daniels then quotes the following statement by D. L. Moody on repentance.
Moody says: “I wish people would use their [Bible] dictionaries more, and study the meaning of some of these Bible words. There is that word ‘repentance.’ Some people are saying, ‘Why don’t Mr. Moody tell us more about repentance?’ Well, what is repentance? Some one says it is a ‘godly sorrow for sin.’ But I tell you a man can’t have a godly sorrow, or a godly anything-else, till after he repents. Repentance means right-about-face! Some one says, ‘Man is born with his back towards God, and repentance is turning square round.’” (D. L. Moody and His Work, p. 382.)
So Moody likens repentance to a turning to God. It reminds me of how Jesus, in John chapter 3, used the illustration of Moses from the Old Testament, when he was instructed to lift up a bronze serpent on a pole, so that whoever was bitten by the fiery serpents and under the sentence of death, when he looked to the bronze serpent lifted up on the pole, he would be healed. And Jesus said that He is the fulfillment of that Old Testament picture! Jesus was lifted up on a cross, so that everyone who turns and looks to Him in faith will be saved! As God says in the Old Testament through the prophet Isaiah: “Turn to Me [some Bible translations say ‘Look to Me’] and be saved, all the ends of the earth, for I am God and there is no other!” (Isa. 45:22). The “turning” is a turning in faith – i.e. it’s a heart change, a “change of mind” from not believing in Christ to now believing in Him as my one and only personal Savior; it’s not a change of one’s lifestyle, nor is it a commitment that I’m going to walk in obedience to Christ as if salvation depends on my performance (as advocates of “Lordship Salvation” teach) – that’s works! Salvation is all about what Jesus has DONE! As someone has well said, there is only two “religions” in the world: DO vs. DONE! The work of our salvation is “finished” (Jn. 19:30, Gr. tetelestai). It's ALL been "done" by Christ (Psa. 22:31, ESV). Have you believed it? If not, do so today!
George Sweeting (one of the past presidents of the Moody Bible Institute) affirms that this is in fact what Moody believed and taught. Notice what Sweeting says in his book Living in a Dying World (Chicago: Moody Press, 1972), he writes:
“D. L. Moody used to say, ‘Man is born with his back toward God. When he truly repents, he turns right around and faces God. Repentance is a change of mind.’ It is a change of heart, and it results in a change of action.” (Sweeting, Living in a Dying World, p. 84.)
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