Jesus did not call people to repent of their sins to be saved.
Jesus called people to repent of their FAITH to be saved.
Do you have faith in your works? Repent of that faith.
Do you have faith in Allah? Repent of that faith.
Do you have faith in belonging to a church, singing in a choir, being a Sunday School teacher? Repent of that faith.
Do you have faith in the Catholic church, in Mary, in the Saints? Repent of that faith.
Do you have faith in your sins? Repent of your sins?
Sin is not faith. Sin is works.
You cannot repent of your sins because that is repenting of your works to be saved. See above.
Add repent of your faith to these verses and it makes sense...
Matthew 4:17 From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent (of your faith): for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.
Mark 2:17 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 repent (of their faith).
Acts 2:38 Then Peter said unto them, Repent (of your faith), and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.
Acts 19:4 Then said Paul, John verily baptized with the baptism of repentance (of faith), saying unto the people, that they should believe on him which should come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus.
Acts 20:21 Testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance (of faith) toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.
Repent means change your mind. The change of mind is a change of faith. Repent of your faith and believe in Jesus... not repent of your sins.
Here is the only acceptable use of the word 'and' in relation to salvation...
John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever (repents of their faith and) believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
Salvation requires repentance of faith not repentance of sin.
The difference between repenting of your faith and repenting of your sins is...
You only have to repent of your faith once.
You have to repent of your sins daily.
Comments