|
Author
|
Topic: Believe on the Lord Jesus!
|
WildB
Moderator
Member # 2917
|
posted
REPENTANCE AND GRACE
by C. R. Stam
When the sinner is convicted by the Holy Spirit of the seriousness of sin and of judgment to come, and cries to the Lord to save him, he has, of course, repented, or changed his mind, as the Greek word signifies. Many of God's servants, however, considering only the fact that sinners need such a change of mind, conclude that the way to produce the greatest results in their ministry is to stress repentance.
Such should take note of the response to the three great calls to repentance by which the dispensation of the Law was brought to a close: John the Baptist called Israel to repentance but was beheaded as a result (Matt.3:1-12; 14:3-10). The Lord Jesus took up the cry where John had left off (4:17), but was crucified for it. After the resurrection He sent His disciples to preach "repentance and remission of sin...in His name" (Luke 24:47) but Jerusalem refused to repent and it was not long before blood again flowed, as Stephen was stoned to death and a great persecution followed (Acts 8:3).
The guilt of Israel's impenitence increased too, as the call to repentance was intensified, for while John's murder was permitted by the people, Christ's was demanded by them, and Stephen's was actually committed by them. Thus the so-called "Great Commission" was bogged down at the very start, for if Jerusalem and the covenant people refused to repent, what hope was there that the "nations" (Luke 24:47) would do so?
"But where sin abounded, GRACE did much more abound: That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might GRACE reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord" (Rom.5:20,21).
After calls to repentance had failed, the ascended Lord stooped down to save Saul, the chief of sinners, on the road to Damascus, in anything but a repentant mood. Not by threatening or dealing with him in judgment, but by speaking to him in the tenderest tones He showed him the glory of His grace. This "trophy of grace" was then sent forth to proclaim "the gospel of grace", and the merits of his crucified, glorified Lord.
This is why repentance was emphasized, indeed was the theme of God's message, from John until Paul, while grace, proclaimed through the cross and received by faith, gradually displaced it as the theme of God's message for "this present evil age" (Acts 20:24).
THE FRUIT OF GRACE
When John the Baptist and the Lord Jesus Christ appeared on earth, God's people had been under the law of Moses for fifteen hundred years. Little wonder John and his Master looked for fruit among them.
When the hypocritical religious leaders came to join John's growing audience and asked to be baptized, John called them a "generation of vipers" and bade them "bring forth... fruits meet for repentance" (Matt. 3:7,8). True repentance, with fruit to prove it, was the basic requirement of the kingdom John proclaimed. This is evident from his declaration:
"And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire" (Matt. 3:10).
Our Lord appeared, proclaiming the same message as John, and also sought for fruit among His people (Matt. 7: 16-20; 21:33-43). We know, however, that John the Baptist was beheaded and Christ crucified. The fruit produced under the Law was meager indeed. Even after the resurrection of Christ the majority of His people refused to repent and failed to bring forth the required fruit.
But what the Law requires grace provides. It was at this time that God raised up the Apostle Paul, whose "preaching of the cross" showed that Christ had not died an untimely death, but in infinite love had come into the world to die for sinners so that they might be saved by grace, through faith (Eph. 2:8,9). Paul's message was called "the gospel [good news] of the grace of God" (Acts 20:24), and where the Law had failed to bring forth fruit, grace brought it forth abundantly.
God's grace in Christ, when accepted in true faith, always brings forth good fruit. Thus Paul wrote to the Colossians that his good news was going forth into all the world, adding: "and bringeth forth fruit, as it doth also in you since... ye knew the grace of God in truth" (Col. 1:5,6 cf. Rom. 6: 21,22).
Accept God's message of grace, trust in Christ as your Savior and He will help you to produce the fruit.
--------------------
That is all.....
Posts: 8775 | From: USA, MICHIGAN | Registered: Mar 2004
| IP: Logged | 
|
|
WildB
Moderator
Member # 2917
|
posted
proof read
Repentance
(add)Belief in The (add)shed blood, death,(add)and resurrection (remove)and the redemption of the Lord Jesus is the requirement (replace)to(with)for forgiveness of sins. (out of order with the thought being built remove)The Bible says that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in the Lord Jesus' name among all nations. (add) The Greek word repentance is metanoia, which means (remove)repentance, (add) Achange of mind (remove) and to think a better way.
If you repent (add) ofyour sins and believe on(replace with) in the Lord Jesus, sothen God willforgiven forgive youyour sins and givesgive participation in the(replace "participation in the" with) youeternal life with Him. The Bible says: in 1 John 1:9 that If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
( I will stop here just did a little)
Repentance contains also the thought and act to forsake sins and changing the life according to the will of God. The Bible says: For with the heart man believes to righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made to salvation. That means to live publicly as Jesus' disciples obeying the word of God.
When you have received the salvation in the Lord Jesus by grace of God, the Bible says you that God delivered you from the power of darkness, and has translated you into the Kingdom of his dear Son. In whom you have redemption through the blood of the Lord Jesus, and the forgiveness of sin.
You have got forgiveness of sins for the sake that Jesus lived holy life for you; fulfilling the law for you; Jesus poured out His blood for you in the Calvary; Jesus died on the cross for you; Jesus resurrected to His Father, because He had fulfilled your salvation operation on the earth.
--------------------
That is all.....
Posts: 8775 | From: USA, MICHIGAN | Registered: Mar 2004
| IP: Logged |
|
|
PetriFB
Advanced Member
Member # 4979
|
posted
I have written this writing and teaching for godless people, Jesus' disciples who have just begun to believe on the Lord Jesus and Jesus' disciples who have been longer time in the faith. This writing tells about falling into sin and its consequences, how you can receive salvation and how God teaches and leads you.
The whole article is on my site: http://koti.phnet.fi/petripaavola/believeontheLordJesus.html
Posts: 162 | From: Finland | Registered: Aug 2005
| IP: Logged |
|
|
|
Printer-friendly view of this topic
