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FAITH, REPENTANCE AND CONFESSION
Scripture teaches that we must repent and place our faith in Jesus Christ in order to be saved. Faith and belief are synonymous in Scripture. Salvation is by faith alone (Acts 10:43, 15:9, 16:31, Romans 3:24-25, 10:9, Galatians 2:16), and is not by works (Romans 3:26, 28).
What does repentance and faith mean? Repentance means to change our mind. We turn away from our sinful orientation. Faith means to turn toward Jesus Christ. Repentance and faith describe two sides of the same coin. They describe the same motion. We turn away from our sinful orientation and toward Jesus Christ. These two components are inseparable (Acts 20:21).
View it this way: before salvation, our fundamental orientation is sinful. We embrace sin as a way of life. We don’t care what God has to say about our actions and thoughts. When we place our faith in Christ, we are turning away from this orientation of rejecting God and towards Jesus Christ.
Saving faith has three necessary components. Facts are the first necessary component. We hear certain facts about God, Christ, our sin, the fact that he died for us as a substitution, and that our sins can be forgiven through acceptance of this sacrifice. We learn that we can avoid the wrath of God and condemnation through turning to Jesus Christ and accepting his sacrifice. These facts are called the gospel message.
The second necessary component is agreeing that these facts about the gospel message are true. However, we can know these facts, and agree that they are true, but our faith is still incomplete.
The third necessary component is coming to the point where we actually place our confidence in Christ. We hear the facts of the gospel message; we agree that they are true. We judge that Christ is worthy of our faith, or confidence. This is also called receiving the word in Scripture (Acts 2:41, 8:14). A saving faith involves all three of these components.
If a person knows that he is sinful, and believes that Christ died in his place, he can confess his sins before God, and ask for the sacrifice of Jesus Christ to be applied to these sins. This is called confession.
Examples of receiving salvation in Scripture are the Day of Pentecost (Acts 2: 14-41), the Samaritans (Acts 8:4-25), the Ethiopian eunuch (Acts 8:26-40), Cornelius’ family (Acts 10), Lydia(Acts 16:14-15), the Philippian jailer (Acts 16:25-34), Crispus and his household (Acts 18:8), and the conversion of the Apostle Paul (Acts 22:6-16), Look for elements of these components within these accounts: hearing the gospel message about Jesus Christ, faith or belief, repentance, and confession.
The amazing thing is that God himself gives us faith (Acts 16:14, Ephesians 2:8-9, 2 Peter 1:1, Philippians 1:29, Acts 3:16) and grants us repentance (Acts 11:18, 2 Timothy 2:25). Those who are saved have nothing to boast about whatsoever because of this; it is not about human works (Romans 3:20, 27-28, 4:5, 1 Corinthians 1:31, Galatians 2:16). Salvation is God’s work.
When you confess Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, you are saved. You are forgiven of all of your sins. Your heart is cleansed through faith (Acts 15:9). You have heard the gospel message about Jesus Christ and his death on the cross, and you believe it, and you place your confidence in Jesus Christ for salvation. Your confidence is not in your works, but is in the work of Jesus Christ done on the cross in your behalf.
What does confession mean? Confession means to declare our faith in Christ. We believe with our heart and we confess with our lips in prayer. Confession includes a request for forgiveness. Confession is an act of humility. We are acknowledging our sin before God, and the fact that this sin has earned the wrath and condemnation of God. But, we realize that Jesus died on our behalf as a substitute for us, and we can ask God for that sacrifice to be applied to our sin debt. We receive forgiveness of our sins by God’s grace, which means his unmerited favor.
Salvation is by grace through faith in Jesus Christ alone (Acts 15:11, Ephesians 2:8). Grace means unmerited favor. Favor goes beyond mere pardon or forgiveness; it means that God is actively for us..he is totally on our side. God’s just wrath against sin has been appeased, and the saved person is no longer under condemnation (Romans 8:1), nor does he ever come under condemnation again (John 5:24, 10:28).
Scripture teaches that we must repent and place our faith in Jesus Christ in order to be saved. Faith and belief are synonymous in Scripture. Salvation is by faith alone (Acts 10:43, 15:9, 16:31, Romans 3:24-25, 10:9, Galatians 2:16), and is not by works (Romans 3:26, 28).
What does repentance and faith mean? Repentance means to change our mind. We turn away from our sinful orientation. Faith means to turn toward Jesus Christ. Repentance and faith describe two sides of the same coin. They describe the same motion. We turn away from our sinful orientation and toward Jesus Christ. These two components are inseparable (Acts 20:21).
View it this way: before salvation, our fundamental orientation is sinful. We embrace sin as a way of life. We don’t care what God has to say about our actions and thoughts. When we place our faith in Christ, we are turning away from this orientation of rejecting God and towards Jesus Christ.
Saving faith has three necessary components. Facts are the first necessary component. We hear certain facts about God, Christ, our sin, the fact that he died for us as a substitution, and that our sins can be forgiven through acceptance of this sacrifice. We learn that we can avoid the wrath of God and condemnation through turning to Jesus Christ and accepting his sacrifice. These facts are called the gospel message.
The second necessary component is agreeing that these facts about the gospel message are true. However, we can know these facts, and agree that they are true, but our faith is still incomplete.
The third necessary component is coming to the point where we actually place our confidence in Christ. We hear the facts of the gospel message; we agree that they are true. We judge that Christ is worthy of our faith, or confidence. This is also called receiving the word in Scripture (Acts 2:41, 8:14). A saving faith involves all three of these components.
If a person knows that he is sinful, and believes that Christ died in his place, he can confess his sins before God, and ask for the sacrifice of Jesus Christ to be applied to these sins. This is called confession.
Examples of receiving salvation in Scripture are the Day of Pentecost (Acts 2: 14-41), the Samaritans (Acts 8:4-25), the Ethiopian eunuch (Acts 8:26-40), Cornelius’ family (Acts 10), Lydia(Acts 16:14-15), the Philippian jailer (Acts 16:25-34), Crispus and his household (Acts 18:8), and the conversion of the Apostle Paul (Acts 22:6-16), Look for elements of these components within these accounts: hearing the gospel message about Jesus Christ, faith or belief, repentance, and confession.
The amazing thing is that God himself gives us faith (Acts 16:14, Ephesians 2:8-9, 2 Peter 1:1, Philippians 1:29, Acts 3:16) and grants us repentance (Acts 11:18, 2 Timothy 2:25). Those who are saved have nothing to boast about whatsoever because of this; it is not about human works (Romans 3:20, 27-28, 4:5, 1 Corinthians 1:31, Galatians 2:16). Salvation is God’s work.
When you confess Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, you are saved. You are forgiven of all of your sins. Your heart is cleansed through faith (Acts 15:9). You have heard the gospel message about Jesus Christ and his death on the cross, and you believe it, and you place your confidence in Jesus Christ for salvation. Your confidence is not in your works, but is in the work of Jesus Christ done on the cross in your behalf.
What does confession mean? Confession means to declare our faith in Christ. We believe with our heart and we confess with our lips in prayer. Confession includes a request for forgiveness. Confession is an act of humility. We are acknowledging our sin before God, and the fact that this sin has earned the wrath and condemnation of God. But, we realize that Jesus died on our behalf as a substitute for us, and we can ask God for that sacrifice to be applied to our sin debt. We receive forgiveness of our sins by God’s grace, which means his unmerited favor.
Salvation is by grace through faith in Jesus Christ alone (Acts 15:11, Ephesians 2:8). Grace means unmerited favor. Favor goes beyond mere pardon or forgiveness; it means that God is actively for us..he is totally on our side. God’s just wrath against sin has been appeased, and the saved person is no longer under condemnation (Romans 8:1), nor does he ever come under condemnation again (John 5:24, 10:28).