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Mark 2:15-17, And it came to
pass, that, as Jesus sat at meat in his house, many publicans and sinners sat
also together with Jesus and his disciples: for there were many, and they
followed him. 16 And when the scribes and Pharisees saw him eat with publicans
and sinners, they said unto his disciples, How is it that he eateth and drinketh
with publicans and sinners? 17 When Jesus heard it, he saith unto them, They
that are whole have no need of the physician, but they that are sick: I came not
to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.
The context of this passage shows that it is okay to be around
sinners. Our job is not to be like them, but to point them to Jesus Christ. WE
can never point them to Christ if we are like them, or if we agree with their
sins.
Today there are very few sermons on repentance. Actually,
whenever, we preach about believing in Christ as your personal savior,
repentance is always implied. Whenever we preach about having faith in Christ so
that you can be saved, repentance is implied. You can't separate faith for
salvation and repentance. When a person has true heart repentance, he
automatically will have saving faith. Also when you truly believe with your
heart the Lord Jesus, you can rest assured, repentance has preceded the
believing
Repentance is as old as the gospel, and actually a vital part
of the gospel. Today, the gospel - the death, burial, and resurrection - is
preached and the doctrine of repentance is left out. The result is no salvation.
What you have is: "Easy Believism" (definition)
(1) Many people believing the facts of the gospel, but
not turning from their wicked condition. Don’t get the idea that is
wrong for sinners to hear the gospel. They must hear if they are ever
going to be saved.
(2) People turning over a "new leaf". The
problem is that the leaf is on the same old branch. In other words,
people, by the strength of the flesh, try to stop doing things that are
considered bad, but they never recognize that they themselves are wicked,
notwithstanding the things they do are bad.
(3) We have our churches filled with lost people. They
don't have the will or ability to study their Bibles, or really get down
to business in praying to God or really getting into the worship services
and worshipping God. They cannot apply the truths of the Word of God to
their own lives - they've never really been saved.
(4) The result is religion that doesn't mean anything to
anybody. Those that are truly saved become discouraged because of the
lives of those "saved" people around them. Churches are
constantly in confusion, families are confused. In short, you have what
you now see around you in the false religious world.
Repentance has always been preached as an integral part of
believing. Repentance is caused by a person seeing (in the spirit) that the
judgment of God is upon them.
I. Definition:
A. Bible - to have another mind.
1. A compunction (A strong uneasiness caused by a sense
of guilt) of guilt which included reformation or change. It is to think
differently, or to reconsider.
2. Dictionary - To amend or resolve to amend one's life
as a result of contrition (broken down with sorrow for sin).
B. It is possible to have human, fleshly sorrow for sin
without having another mind toward that sin.
1. For example, a person can be sorry they got caught in
a sin.
2. If they are turned loose, they will soon commit that
same sin.
3. Compare the repentance of Judah Iscariot and Peter
later in this message.
II. Preachers of repentance.
A. Jude 14,15 - Enoch declared the coming judgment of God.
"And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam,
prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of
his saints, 15 To execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are
ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly
committed, and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken
against him."
B. I Peter 3:18-20 - Noah preached before the flood. "For
Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he
might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the
Spirit: 19 By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison; 20
Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited
in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is,
eight souls were saved by water."
C. Jonah 3 - Jonah preached repentance at Ninevah. Jonah
3:4 states the preaching of Jonah, "Yet forty days, and Nineveh
shall be overthrown." Some might say this isn’t a message of
repentance, but this is how the Ninevahites took it, so that is how I take
it.
D. Preachers of repentance.
1. Matt. 3:2 - John the Baptist preached the baptism of
repentance.
a. Luke 3:3 – John preached the "baptism of
repentance", which is being baptized because of salvation. This is
not be baptized so you can repent, but repent in order that you can be
baptized.
b. Mark 1:4,5 – John preaching the "baptism of
repentance." This is not be baptized so you can repent, but repent
in order that you can be baptized.
c. Matt. 3:5-12 - John refusing to administer the
baptism of repentance to those who hadn't repented. John didn't refuse
repentance to them, but refused baptism.
2. Matthew 4:17 – Jesus preached repentance, just like
John the Baptist.
E. Scriptures commanding repentance.
1. Matthew 9:13 – "But go ye and learn what
that meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: for I am not come to
call the righteous, but sinners to repentance." Jesus didn’t
call for the people to believe, but when he called them to repentance,
they will believe in Christ.
2. Matthew 21:23-32 – Jesus speaks to the
unrepentant, unbelieving Jews concerning who will enter the kingdom.
a. Verse 31 – Jesus said the publicans and harlots
would go into the kingdom before these chief priests because they
believed. (repentance is implied)
b. Verse 32 – Jesus says these chief priests never
repented (the word "afterward" means "more lately, or
eventually")
c. Verse 32 makes it clear that true repenting causes
believing.
3. Mark 1:15 gives Jesus first message, "…The
time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and
believe the gospel."
a. Repentance causes true heart belief.
b. Mark 2:17 – Jesus said, "…They that are
whole have no need of the physician, but they that are sick: I came not to
call the righteous, but sinners to repentance." (belief is
implied)
III. Proper repentance.
A. Compare Matt. 27:3-5 and Luke 22:62.
1. Matt. 27:3-5 - Judas repenting but found no relief.
(He continued to regret his sin.)
a. Judas repented of a sin, but not of being a sinner.
b. As long as people repent of particular sins, they
don't repent of being a sinner in the first place.
2. Luke 22:62 - Peter repented and wept bitterly. (To
think differently). He repented not only for what he was, but what he had
done.
B. Comparing the above scriptures not only shows us the
difference between true and false repentance, but also shows that the saved
person will continually repent.
1. The saved person will continually consider his ways
before Almighty God, and continually change toward God.
2. There are three tenses to salvation: Spirit, soul and
body.
3. I repented and believed at the time of spirit
salvation.
4. I continually repent and believe while I am being
progressively sanctified.
5. My repentance will be over when my body is
transformed at the rapture.
C. All are alike sinners, and all should repent.
1. Luke 13:1-5 - Don't think you don't need to repent
because some catastrophe hasn't happened to you.
2. Acts 17:30 - Paul preached on Mars Hill, declaring
that God commands all to repent.
D. Compare Acts 2:38 (repent) and Acts 16:31 (believe).
Paul and Peter preached the same message - you can't separate repentance and
believe. (repentance and faith)
E. The word "repent" is not found in the gospel
of John, but the word "believe" is. This is not an emotional or
intellectual believe for you can't trust your emotions or your intellect.
You can trust Jesus.
F. II Peter 3:9 - The earth is not destroyed because God
is waiting for repentance. "The Lord is not
slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is
longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all
should come to repentance."
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