Okay, maybe one more post for now about repentance, and then perhaps we’ll move on to another topic. I don’t have much of a plan for where we go after this. This will be a shorter post and anecdotal, but it is something I have thought about a lot in connection with how much a person must or must not change his mind in order to believe in Jesus.
In our ministry in Papua New Guinea, one couple we worked with was an old, frail couple named Dua and Agnes who were nearly on their deathbeds. Their lives consisted of moving outside into the sun when the weather was nice, going inside into their little hut which they shared with some pigs when it was raining or the sun was too bright, and waiting for their family to bring them food. We used to go and visit with them, take them some food, and teach them from the Bible.
Dua and Agnes had been well steeped in animistic Catholicism and put all their hope of heaven in the Catholic system. But as I taught them, one thing that kept coming up from Dua, the husband, was that when he was a young man he had stolen a pig and had never gotten caught or paid any compensation for it, and he was worried that maybe that sin would send him to hell.
As I taught Dua, I taught a lot about how we as fallen people are helpless sinners and are unable to keep God’s laws or do anything to save ourselves. But when I would ask him about being a sinner, it always seemed to come back to that stolen pig. I don’t know how much Dua ever grasped the depth of his sinfulness outside of that one sin, but to the best of my knowledge he did understand that Jesus had paid for his sins and that Jesus alone would freely save him. And to the best of my knowledge, Dua did believe in Jesus as the One who would indeed save him and give him eternal life.
Now, the reason I have thought a lot about Dua in regard to repentance is that I have heard people who believe that repentance refers to a change of mind say that a person must understand that he is a helpless sinner before he can truly believe in Jesus. Many would say that a person could not truly believe in Jesus if he was only scared about the consequences of one particular sin, rather than seeing himself as a sinner completely beyond remedy. There was a time when I would have agreed with them. But now I realize that it must either be true or not true that a person can entrust his eternal destiny to Jesus and be secure.
I understand that God’s law was intended to point out sin and that God desires that all of us would understand the depth of our sin and thus the depth of His mercy. I also understand that a deep awareness of sin often leads people to faith in Christ. At the same time, I saw in Dua an example of a person whose understanding of such an important biblical theme was very limited, and yet who, as far as I could tell, believed that Jesus would give him eternal life. As I think about Dua, it makes me wonder, how much do any of us truly understand the depths of our sinfulness? When can we ever say our minds have been changed enough?
The fact remains that no matter how much more a person needs to understand about himself, about his sin, about Jesus and about his relationship with God, Jesus told us “whoever believes in Me, has eternal life.” That is the promise of our Lord, and we can take that to the bank.
Just some thoughts to ponder in connection with thinking about repentance as a change of mind. Any thoughts?
Hi Ken,
ReplyDeleteVery thought provoking!!! I just forwarded this to my daughters and a few friends. I like it. I've come to see the same truth. What Jesus promises He means. It's just hard for some (including myself at times) to consider something that doesn't "fit" the "normal" understanding. I like your personal story. If your PNG friend believed in Jesus for his eternal well being, then he's saved. That's what God clearly promised, and we can "take it to the bank" as you said.
This post is truly going to stimulate thought. I find it biblical.
Thanks so much.
Diane
:-)
Amen Ken, just like the rainbow whenever we see it, it should remind us that God always keeps his promises and John 6:47 is one of them:)
ReplyDeletealvin:)
Ken, concerning sin. I love what I just read today from Zanes little book "The Atonement," here is just a short quote:
ReplyDeleteEternal salvation is therefore a two step process. The first step has already been taken: the rightous justice of God was satisfied for all humanity by the death of Christ. That is, at the cross God was "reconciling the world to Himself" by "not imputing their trespasses to them" (2 Corinthians 5:19). But the second step is for sinners themselves to be "reconciled to God" (2 Corinthians 5:20). This happens, of course, when they believe in Christ and, in consequence of that, become "the righteouness of God in Him" (2 Corinthians 5:21).
Another way of saying the same thing is this, the death of Christ changes the world's relationship to God, it's Judge. It does this because, on the cross, Jesus bore the penalty of God's holy justice for everyone. However, the sinner's individual relationship to God is still one of complete estrangment that can only be changed by the experience of justification/regeneration through faith.
So with Dua the issue wasn't his sin at all, the issue was life. His sin was something the Holy Spirit used to drive Him to Christ but belief was the only requirement to receive the gift of life:)
alvin:)
Good thoughts. Even though sin is no longer the issue in the sense that it is judicially taken care of, I still think it is very beneficial for people to understand what a huge barrier was removed at the cross. Most people I have taught have grasped a lot more of that than Dua did, I just thought he was an interesting example of someone who didn't, which gives some food for thought in the whole change of mind thing. By the way, I didn't mention than his wife Agnes also believed and both of them have since died and gone to heaven.
ReplyDeleteKen
Praise the Lord Ken~!!!! You'll see them again, God's word does not return again void. He put them in your path to receive words of life:)
ReplyDeleteDua and Agnes would be no different than little children who do not have a sense of their sinfulness but see their need for eternal life. One of Dianes friends little daughter saw her need of life at a funeral when she saw death's reality. With myself I knew I was a sinner at age 12 and if I died would go to hell. But the next moment the thought dawned on me I didn't have to go to hell because Jesus paid for all my sins. That had never regestered before, and I had heard it over and over my Dad being a pastor. The light came on and I passed from death into life.
It was later that I understood were not sinners because we sin, we sin because we are sinners because that is what sinners do, sin.
Have a Goodnight:)
alvin:)
Good comments. Thank you Alvin and Ken. I'm taking it all in~!!!
ReplyDeleteAnd especially thank you Alvin for that wonderful quote from Zane.
Diane
:-)
Hi Ken, I see clearly in Scripture where all men are called to repent (Acts 14:15-17), (change their mind about their sin, and God), but I see also the invitation to take of the water of life freely (John 4:10; Rev 21:6;22:17). We know the one has to do with temporal judgment, and the other to do with a gift that can be taken freely. The fact that repentance is never found in the only evangelistic book in the bible the Gospel of John tells us the main issue is eternal life, and the only requirement for that gift is to believe. The two things the woman at the well needed to know which made up the contents of the living water (saving message) was who Jesus was and the gift of God which was eternal life. In fact if she had known those two things the giving and receiving would have already taken place, because to believe that Jesus is the Christ is to be born of God (1 John 5:1a). She would have had life in His name (John 1:12;20:31).
ReplyDeleteZane showed where the Greek tenses in John 4:10 would permit the following interpretation of the NKJV rendering:
"If you [now] knew the gift of God, and who says to you, 'Give Me a drink', you would [already] have asked Him, and He would have [already] given you living water".
She needed only information and the giving and receiving would have already taken place. Just like the blind man in John 9:35-38 "Who is He Lord that I may believe in Him?" He needed information, and once believed the living water would spring-up. The natural result should be worship, but that is not always the case (John 2:23-25; 8:30; 12:42; Luke 8:13). Even though these cases show that people can be convinced of the truth and believe, but yet repentance had not produced it's fruit.
Thirst can come from an empty life or awareness of sin or gratitude can cause us to respond to the light, but these in themselves cannot be part of the requirement or we could never know if we met the requirement because of there introspective nature. God knew that, and that is why we base our eternal salvation totally on His testimony that He has given us eternal life (1 John 5:9-13).
Ken, I'm not disagreeing with you because I believe we are on the same page, and we both would call sinners to repentance. I talk to many people every week concerning their eternal destiny, and the main point I make with them is that eternal life is a gift, and discipleship cost. The tract I give them explains the cross and sin which has already been taken care of, their only requirement is to believe in Jesus for eternal life. I think it's very important in our day and time because of Lordship salvation teaching being so wide spread (Calvinism, Arminism) to make sure they understand what Jesus is offering is a gift that can be taken freely:)
I had two old timers last week, and the one said 'yah don't have to worry about Earl, he has belonged to the Cathedral of Joy for over twenty years.' But when asked where he would spend eternity he said ' I sure hope I'm going to heaven.' To that I told him Jesus wanted him to KNOW he was going to heaven, and went on to tell him about the seventy that Jesus had said to rejoice because their names were written in heaven.
alvin:)
Ken,
ReplyDeleteI haven't had much time to comment, but I'm still reading and getting a lot from your articles. I agree that whenever we add any other conditions or qualifiers to simple faith alone we make assurance impossible. We can know whether we believe the promise of Jesus or not, but we could never be certain if we had the "right kind" of faith if we starting adding other things, especially something as subjective and relative as repentance. God has given us the "bottom line" for knowing if we are saved or not--"he who believes in Me has everlasting life." We either do or we don't--and I can know whether I do or don't.
Thanks for all the great articles you are writing. You are a blessing.
Gary
I've Known Bill for about seven years now. When I met him he did not have assurance of his salvation. Bill is a light hearted childlike person who would do anything for anybody. He was raised up in the Baptist church, his parents who are retired do some mission work. Bill was told he should remember an event in his life when he passed from death into life. He told me he had no recollection of a specific time in his life. I explained to him Jesus free gift of eternal life, and how by simply believing Jesus promise you could know you had eternal life. Since that time about seven years ago Bill has had no problem with assurance. He told me again today. I was curious about some things I wanted to ask Bill. Bill had been taught to pray a prayer and ask Jesus into your heart. He could remember two specific times when he prayed years after the first time. The main question I had for Bill was: "Why didn't you get assurance from Jesus dying on the cross for your sins?" He at first said he didn't know. So I asked another question: Did you think that Jesus died for the sins of only those who would believe? He looked at me a little confused. So I explained to him that Jesus had died for the sins of the world, and that no one goes to hell for their sins, they go there because they do not have life. Their name is not written in the book of life. Bill looked me right in the eyes and said "I've never heard that before~!" I knew right then why Bill didn't get any assurance from the cross. He wanted me to give him verses from the bible to prove that, 'he said where is that in the bible?' I quoted John 1:29; 2 Cor 5:19; 1 John 2:2. And told Bill that Jesus didn't just potentially die for the sins of the world but literally. Bill, told me again he has not had any problem with assurance since I explained Jesus childlike promise.
ReplyDeletealvin:)
AMEN Alvin. The ONLY place one can have permanent assurance of his salvation is believing the promise of God found in His Word alone... such as John 3:16.
ReplyDeleteIf one looks at his life... temporary assurance (not reliable)!!!
If one looks at his experience... can't be sure.
If one believes lots of true things about God... not sure if it's enough?
BUT BELIEVING THE TESTIMONY (promise) OF GOD... Assurance and Peace!!!
THE ONLY WAY TO LIVE!!!*
:-)
If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater; for this is the witness of God which He has testified of His Son. He who believes in the Son of God has the witness in himself; he who does not believe God has made Him a liar, because he has not believed the testimony that God has given of His Son. And this is the testimony: that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in the Son. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life (1 John 5:9-12).
ReplyDeleteFrom these words it is clear that John is insisting on the believability of the "witness (= testimony) of God." This "testimony," he asserts, can be either accepted or rejected. If we accept it, we have internalized that testimony so that the believer has that testimony "in himself"--in his heart (v 10a). To reject this testimony is to make God out to be a liar (v 10b). Obviously the issue here is the truth or falsity of what God declares.
Notably absent from all this is the agonizing search which introspective believers often make in an effort to be sure that they have really believed. Such a search is misdirected. We are not called upon to "have faith in our faith." We are called upon to have faith in what God says about His Son. All efforts to find assurance somewhere else than in the testimony of God are doomed ahead of time to dismal failure.
One is tempted to marvel that in the face of such direct, uncomplicated declarations, so many evangelicals continue to struggle with doubts and lack of assurance. But whenever this is the case, the struggling soul is looking for something in his own experience--even in his own experience of "believing"!--rather than looking to Christ and the sufficiency of His cross. To put it another way, such a person is not looking at God's testimony about His Son, or to our Lord's own words of promise to the believer. If he were, he would be sure!
(Zane,not in it's entirety, emphasis on sufficiency mine, because the cross is not sufficent for assurance if it is only potential and not actual as Calvinism falsly teaches).
Hi Ken,
ReplyDeleteJust wanted you to know that I read part of one of your articles to the ladies in my discipleship class today. It was the part on repentance in the Gospels. We're starting through the Gospel of Matthew.
I also recommended that the ladies read ALL of your articles posted here because I think it will help them understand more of the issues.
I don't know if they will comment, but I think most of them will read them because they have a heart to learn.
Dale and I are praying for you and your family and thanking God for you.
In Jesus' love,
Diane
:-)
Iam so thankful that God directed me to your blog.
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