Be glad to.
Repentance is a pretty basic Bible Doctrine, one most of us should be familiar with.
In regards to repentance that can be defined by Scripture, I have presented quite a few passages and verses dealing with that subject which contrasts the rejection of repentance in association with salvation in Christ by the No-Lordship Movement.
I will present a picture of repentance which I feel spans the Two Covenants in view in the New Testament, meaning the Covenant of Law (Active in the beginning of the Gospels) and the New Covenant (established by Christ through His death and validated with the creation of the Church in Acts):
Matthew 3
King James Version (KJV)
1 In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea,
[SUP]2 [/SUP]And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.
Scripture is going to define repentance to us here in words and ways that may not be conveyed by a Biblical Dictionary. We can understand what murder is, for example, but when we read of someone being murdered in graphic detail it helps us to better understand the charge of murder. This is the case with repentance.
Here, John preaches repentance. Let's see if we can understand what he has in mind in regards to repentance.
[SUP]3 [/SUP]For this is he that was spoken of by the prophet Esaias, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.
In Malachi 3 it is written, "But who may abide the day of his coming? and who shall stand when he appeareth? for he is like a refiner's fire, and like fullers' soap," so we understand in view is the central Figure of the Lord, and that cleansing is a primary focus, which has as a primary element sin. John will declare the Coming of the Lord just as Malachi refers to it, so all of these elements are a factor we consider.
[SUP]4 [/SUP]And the same John had his raiment of camel's hair, and a leathern girdle about his loins; and his meat was locusts and wild honey.
A brief description of John which draws up an image of humility.
[SUP]5 [/SUP]Then went out to him Jerusalem, and all Judaea, and all the region round about Jordan,
We see that there is a response to John's preaching, and that many came from diverse places in response to the message he was preaching.
[SUP]6 [/SUP]And were baptized of him in Jordan, confessing their sins.
And here we see the result of his preaching in the lives of men: they confess their sin and acknowledge that they are in need of cleansing. Baptism under Law pictures cleansing, just as Christian Baptism pictures our "death, burial, and resurrection" with Christ. The Law had a foundational doctrine of baptisms, or washings.
Here, we see repentance, which is John's message, results in confession of sins.
Now, I will point out that John, great preacher of the Old Testament Era...cannot hold a candle to the Ministry of the Holy Spirit, that is, the Comforter. The difference between John speaking to men and God Himself speaking directly to men is not even something that can be compared. Men might preach great and Biblical sermons, but if the Comforter does not open the minds of men to the truth those great preachers convey, then those minds remain darkened.
[SUP]7 [/SUP]But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism, he said unto them, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come?
Now we are given explicit detail of what is not repentance, and it is easy enough to see that it is the lifestyles of the Pharisees and Sadducees John condemns:
[SUP]8 [/SUP]Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance:
In other words "...prove you are repentant!"
This does not establish a works-based salvation, because John in not preaching nor revealing the Gospel of Christ...he is calling men to repentance under an Old Testament Standard. John does point to the Redemption Christ will bring, in fact declaring him the "Lamb of God which taketh away the sins of the world," but, John will just before his death send two disciples to inquire if Jesus is the Messiah of Scripture
(Matthew 11:1-3).
So what we do not want to do with this passage is impose a salvific connotation to John's preaching. Truly repentance was demanded of the Old Testament Saint, but John will declare the way of salvation in the next few verses.
John's demand that they "bring forth fruits meet for repentance" points, as mentioned, to their lifestyles. Their lives presented to John evidence...that their "repentance" was not genuine.
One aspect we already know to be associated with John's Baptism is...confession of sins. Other who John did baptize confessed their sins, and while we might not be dogmatic, I think the text implies that these fellows had not confessed their sins, thus John refuses to baptize them.
And he demands they first show fruits that evidence genuine repentance.
And before we leave this verse, I think we have to keep in mind that what is made clear is that
the baptism of John did not produce repentance, it was undergone by those
who had already repented.
And because they had not repented...John refused to baptize them.
[SUP]9 [/SUP]And think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham.
Here John warns that one cannot rely on heritage. It is a simple truth...God has no grandchildren. All men are born out of relationship with God, but, many will assume that since they have grown up in the Church they are in relationship with God. But relationship with God is, as it is often said, a personal relationship between God and the individual, and should be contrasted with the means of relationship God provided to the Old Testament "model," or "picture" of the One Fold God has intended to create from before the world was formed. Israel was the People of God, anyone who denies that simply refuses to accept a very basic Bible Truth. Being a member of Israel did not mean that all of Israel were eternally redeemed, that is something only effected by Christ.
And here, John goes to the heart of religious heritage. "Don't think that because you are of Israel that you do not need to repent of your sins!"
John does not view repentance as optional, or that there is something men can present that denies that which God demands. And in view is sin. Israel sinned, God called them to repent, and that is what had to be done. When Christ sent the disciples out to preach the Gospel of the Kingdom, He sent them out "to the Lost Sheep of Israel only," giving instruction that they were not to go to the Gentiles, they were not to go unto the Samaritans
( Matthew 10:5-7 ). The word translated "lost" is the same word used to speak of eternal destruction in Hell. What the Lord is saying is that Israel was in a state of destruction, and that destruction is shared by all of mankind.
And we see that repentance is an element that is just basic to God's Redemptive measures.
[SUP]10 [/SUP]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.
Here John speaks of judgment for those...who do not repent. That is what in view: repent or face judgment.
And in the Gospels the cutting down of trees and the burning spoken of by John is often associated with eternal judgment.
That which is burned is that which is rejected of God. Often trees present the imagery of that which bears fruit. We see good trees with good fruit, and bad trees with evil fruit.
And what is John's message?
Repent.
[SUP]11 [/SUP]I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance. but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire:
Here John contrasts his own baptism with a Baptizer and a Baptism that is future, one (the Baptisms themselves, not the Baptizer) not in existence at the time of his message: that is Christ and the Baptisms He will effect.
Those two Baptisms echo the options John provides: repent or be judged.
The two baptisms John speaks of Christ effecting are the Baptism with the Holy Ghost, which represents salvation in Christ through the reconciliatory Work of bringing those separated from God into union with Himself through the Eternal Indwelling Christ taught would come after He returned to Heaven, and the baptism with fire, which represents the other option all men face, that is...eternal judgment.
John defines these two Baptisms in the next verse:
[SUP]12 [/SUP]Whose fan is in his hand, and he will throughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the garner; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.
I use color to differentiate the definitions given. Those Baptized with the Holy Ghost are those that are wheat gathered into His Garner, and those baptized with fire are those who will be burned up.
So we see repentance defined here and are given the outcomes of the response of those hearing the message. We see those that John baptized confessing their sins, which is demanded of God by God's messenger, and we see the Pharisees and Sadducees refused baptism based on their fruit. He as much as calls them evil trees deserving of being cut down, but, he is still calling them to repentance, and not only that, has the utter gall to demand they evidence true repentance in their lives.
Now I have addressed in several posts the suggestion of the No-Lordship Movement that repentance is not associated with the Gospel. Many verses dealing with repentance and it's association with genuine profession of faith have been given, so I would ask that those be addressed by any who do not see the definition Scripture gives of repentance in those verses, and how they are not only associated with Salvation and the Gospel, but are basic to our understanding of sin and Redemption in Christ.
Do we really think that those who approach Christ in an unrepentant attitude will be saved?
Is there anyone here who can testify that when they were saved, God did not show them their sin and bring about repentance? I would like to hear that testimony. I think most of us would admit that when we were saved, the fact that we were sinners was one of the key elements to our looking to Christ as our Savior.
So how do we support a Movement that removes basic elements of Salvation from the Gospel?
God bless.
