Below are the notes form the first time I preached at Two Rocks Baptist Fellowship. Far from a standard sermon I felt to share an overview on Repentance and Faith.
It was the second in a series to set the foundational theme for discipleship
A.B.I.D.E. (in Christ)
Last week:
[Abide – Action (the call and the action to follow – God acting first in stepping into our world)]
Action – Follow Jesus
Repentance – turning away from? epistrephō
Repentance:
Metamelomai – change of mind, regret, remorse (Judas)
Metanoeo – change of mind and purpose after knowledge
Metanoeo + Metanoia = true repentance.
William Mounce:
(MED) An accurate understanding of the use of metanoeō and metanoia in the NT is essential to grasp the gospel message, because it does not allow for someone to obtain salvation simply by intellectually believing that Jesus is the Son of God without repenting of sins and turning to live for him
(MED) Repentance denotes a radical turning from sin to a new way of life oriented towards God
Mathew Easton:
(EBD) Evangelical repentance consists of (1) a true sense of one’s own guilt and sinfulness; (2) an apprehension of God’s mercy in Christ; (3) an actual hatred of sin (Ps 119:12 8; Job 42:5 6; 2Cor 7:10) and turning from it to God; and (4) a persistent endeavour after a holy life in a walking with God in the way of his commandments.
The true penitent is conscious of guilt (Ps 51:4 9), of pollution (51:5 7, 10), and of helplessness (51:11; Ps 51:4, 22). Thus he apprehends himself to be just what God has always seen him to be and declares him to be. But repentance comprehends not only such a sense of sin, but also an apprehension of mercy, without which there can be no true repentance (Ps 51:1 130:4).
Ray Comfort:
You can’t fully trust in a parachute until you put it on, let go of the plane and jump.
The plane is your old life, self, sin and religious deeds – your own way.
You need to learn a new reality, new way of navigating, new way of living, new purpose. – and not get sucked into the jet while you rescue others!
Not just a mental decision, not being part of a group or a church, not even living a lifestyle or running a ministry.
A change of mind and heart and purpose and life – in submission to God and in accordance with His law and His will.
Part of which you need to do, part of which God has done.
This Week: Belief:
[Abide – Belief (staying fixed on Christ or what believing in God means for us today)]
Remain in me, and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in me. John 15:4 (NLT)
Faith / Belief
Noun: pistis “faith,” is translated “belief” in Rom. 10:17; 2 Thess. 2:13. Its chief significance is a conviction respecting God and His Word and the believer’s relationship to Him.
Verb: pisteuo “to believe,” also “to be persuaded of,” and hence, “to place confidence in, to trust,” signifies, in this sense of the word, reliance upon, not mere credence.
Verb: peitho “to persuade,” in the middle and passive voices signifies “to suffer oneself to be persuaded,”
Adjective: pistos (a) in the active sense means “believing, trusting”; (b) in the passive sense, “trusty, faithful, trustworthy.”
Pistis is used 240 times in the NT, with various nuances.
Pisteuo used 10 Matt, 10 Mark, 9 Luke, John = ? 99 !!
But these are written so that you may continue to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing in him you will have life by the power of his name. John 20:31 (NLT)
One theologian on this topic said that we really can’t define Pistis, we need to see it exemplified.
We must look at examples of it throughout scripture. Which people displayed faith? What did it look like? What situations did they face? How did they respond?
There are many facets and some seem contradictory. But we need to hold them in balance and not throw any out.
Before we start what belief / faith is not. It is not a thing of itself that gives any reward. We are not saved because of faith but THROUGH it.
Best, 226, says, “It is their response to what God has done; it represents their openness to his activity; it is not something which combined with that activity produces salvation.”
“Faith” is the means by which humans appropriate salvation. To believe God implies abandoning all attempts to save oneself and accepting what God has done in Christ (cf. Lincoln, 111).
Can we boast, then, that we have done anything to be accepted by God? No, because our acquittal is not based on obeying the law. It is based on faith. So we are made right with God through faith and not by obeying the law.
After all, is God the God of the Jews only? Isn’t he also the God of the Gentiles? Of course he is. There is only one God, and he makes people right with himself only by faith, whether they are Jews or Gentiles. Well then, if we emphasize faith, does this mean that we can forget about the law? Of course not! In fact, only when we have faith do we truly fulfill the law. Romans 3:27-31 (NLT)
By faith God makes us right / doesn’t earn anything / no reward – it is not a thing. Have to continue in it
This includes you who were once far away from God. You were his enemies, separated from him by your evil thoughts and actions. Yet now he has reconciled you to himself through the death of Christ in his physical body. As a result, he has brought you into his own presence, and you are holy and blameless as you stand before him without a single fault.
But you must continue to believe this truth and stand firmly in it. Don’t drift away from the assurance you received when you heard the Good News.
Colossians 1:21-23 (NLT)
What exactly does it mean to continue to believe?
We are going to look at a couple of aspects – Not the full picture.
- Mental Assent – (Head knowledge, Doctrine)
- Heart belief – (Experience)
- Deeds – (Actions or works)
We have what seems to be opposing ideas – focussing on any one will lead to error.
(Expositor’s Comm Rev 13 Vols.) “to remain firmly seated on the gospel as . . . a skillful rider on a spirited horse” (Dunn, 111).
the horse is trying to kick us off. It is jostling left and right, occasionally rearing up or bucking you forward.
In each direction is a theological error.
But taken together they are a perfect balance that points to the beauty, the majesty and the omnipotence of God!
A) Mental Assent Head knowledge, Doctrine
Agreeing, being persuaded of something. Knowing something intellectually or logically.
Doctrine. Vital.
Sin, Judgement, Hell. Gal 3:22, Rev 21:8, Heb 9:27, Rom 10:14, Romans 3:25, 5:8, 10:9, 1 John 3:5
Scripture reading from start: Consciences sprinkled with Christs blood, bodies with water. Can go right into the presence of God!
Danger: On it’s own it can’t save!
Many ‘know’ the Gospel. But they don’t “KNOW” the Gospel.
(Changed by information)
B) Heart Belief – Experience
An internal belief (may even be hidden), the result of which is still evident today.
Experience / interaction with the God who saves – where He does what only He can do – changes our hearts & minds. Metamorphosis.
Be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind. Rom 12:2, John 17:3, Eph 3:19, Phil 3:10,
Danger: On it’s own it can’t save!
Experience should never dictate your theology.
(Changed by experience)
C) Deeds
The result of good theology and a heart connection with the Saviour.
If someone claims, “I know God,” but doesn’t obey God’s commandments, that person is a liar and is not living in the truth. But those who obey God’s word truly show how completely they love him. That is how we know we are living in him. Those who say they live in God should live their lives as Jesus did. 1 John 2:4-6 (NLT)
Danger: On it’s own it can’t save!
Believing your works are earning you something – anything.
Many believe that they are doing well because they have said no to x, y or z. They don’t drink (or as much), they don’t watch certain movies, they don’t illegally download movies etc.
An action of following Him.
Belief & action closely linked.
Verb: Pisteuo (to believe) – opposite Apisteo (disbelieve)
Verb Peitho (to persuade) – opposite Apeitho (disobedient)
Even used interchangeably. At times they can not be separated.
And anyone who believes in God’s Son has eternal life. Anyone who doesn’t obey the Son will never experience eternal life but remains under God’s angry judgment.” John 3:36 (NLT)
You were cleansed from your sins when you obeyed the truth, so now you must show sincere love to each other as brothers and sisters. Love each other deeply with all your heart. 1 Peter 1:22 (NLT)
Do you obey the Son?
Saving Faith is active Faith.
“A true doctrine is not a substitute for a changed life.”
Examples of changed life = Disciples.
They gave up their lives, walked away from their businesses, left their jobs, could be argued that they have neglected family responsibility?! To follow the Saviour.
They had been with Jesus walking and talking? Yes – but they had also been WORKING! They were slaves! Love slaves yes, it wasn’t forced or coerced. It was a privilege to be under the Master – but it was work.
They were used to serving, feeding, preparing.
5,000 people – Jesus’ miracle to feed them. “How will we feed them” not ‘why do we have to this’
We had a few for Christmas 45-50. It’s a lot of work! Prep, cleaning, set up, Clean up, – they had 5000. Not an isolated incident. Their lives were intertwined with His.
They stayed with Him and they followed His example.
The did what He said. They worshipped. They prayed. They studied the law. They observed the Jewish feasts. They fed the poor.
They had listened to Jesus:
Now that you know these things, God will bless you for doing them.
John 13:17 (NLT)
I no longer call you slaves, because a master doesn’t confide in his slaves. Now you are my friends, since I have told you everything the Father told me. John 15:15 (NLT)
Jesus called them friends!
Not because of what they have done, but as a recognition of what they have become.
Who wants to be a friend of Jesus?
You are my friends if you do what I command
John 15:14 (NLT)
There’s almost a paradox here. You’re my friends, but only if you obey me. You can obey me, but it won’t make you my friends.
What did Jesus command? Quite a lot. Over 50 things actually. List for anyone who wants one.
50 Commands of Christ
It’s a great list but not exhaustive. And even if you fulfil it all – you earn nothing!
Encouraged by the list? Not condemned.
But allow God to convict you and put His finger on things. Conviction shows that God is working on you – it’s a proof of His existence. We are not just relishing sin.
There are things that He wants us all to let go of and there are things He wants us to actually do.
Only 6 are about actual ministry
~20 are about character – honour your parents, marriage, serve others, love the children
~24 of them relate in some way to knowing Christ
The action He wants is not always ministry – we often get side tracked! It starts with knowing Him. His desire is for us to KNOW Him. Intimate real, living knowledge as a husband knows his fie (John 17:3)
You should be able to see – what part of faith does each one fit into.
i.e. Render to Caesar what is Caesars?
Not just an action. A heartfelt trust of God in finances makes it easy to pay taxes!
Scripture reading from start.
Let us hold tightly without wavering to the hope we affirm, for God can be trusted to keep his
Hebrews 10:21-25 (NLT)
How to hold tightly to the hope we affirm?
- Know that hope (read, memorise, study, speak, learn)
- Experience that hope (meditate, prayer, other believers, worship, reflect, ministry)
- Give God priority – read / study early in the day, worship regularly, give generously to those in need, choose His priorities
- Be real and intimate with Him (Honesty from the heart Ps 139)
- Practise honesty and openness (when down or struggling say so)
- Actively seek and respond to what God wants you to do – follow His commands.
As you walk with Him and respond you are walking in sanctification. Becoming more like Him. Sanctification. From slave to friend to…son!
For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God.
So you have not received a spirit that makes you fearful slaves. Instead, you received God’s Spirit when he adopted you as his own children. Now we call him, “Abba, Father.” For his Spirit joins with our spirit to affirm that we are God’s children.
Romans 8:14-16 (NLT)
SLAVES TO FRIENDS TO SONS
Slaves do because they have to
Friends do because they want to / (relationship)
Sons do because it’s their identity.
Knowledge of, Interaction with, action because of the realities that happen the moment you believe. Issues come up during the process!
He can and will work with you as you journey with the intent of dealing with this stuff.
Lastly:
There’s another side to the disciples – one that doesn’t get mentioned much. Maybe it should. They did more than pray and worship and study and obey…
They misunderstood. They missed the point. They argued. They got jealous. They worried. They doubted. They made mistakes. They had pride. They failed.
How many times do we read of a disciple saying or doing something that Jesus rebukes?
Do you see yourself in any of them?
How many fell away? None. How many did Jesus loose? None.
One was never His and was destined for destruction. (John 17:12)
How encouraging is that? We can make mistakes!!
We can fail to understand! We can get it wrong!
If we are in Him – it matters little, He loves to forgive and His Spirit empowers us.
What matters is if we are in Him. “Remain in me”
Are you in Him?
Prayer:
Anyone think they may not be in Him and want to be?
Anyone feel that God is putting their finger on a particular practice or way of life?