The Repentance Factor

The Repentance Factor

"The Truth is in the Middle"

As we stated at the beginning, whenever there are two positions at odds with one another the truth is often somewhere in the middle; between the extremes. We have demonstrated how the extreme view of some Free Grace followers, that repentance is just a change of mind or it is a part of faith, is not true. Although we did not deal with it much in this article, the extreme view of some called "Lordship Salvationists," who claim that one must forsake all sin and manifest a changed life before he can believe and be saved is also not true. All the elements of eternal salvation, including the prerequisite of repentance, manifest themselves in the heart:

There is no place anywhere for "works of the law."

There is deadly danger in the extreme of both positions. The Lordship Salvationists who teach an element of works or outward change is required before one can be saved are corrupting the gospel. The Free Grace element that espouses a repent-free "easy-believism" or "quick-prayerism" that does not require a person to face his sins and turn in his heart towards God is doing the same. There are countless misguided people in both camps. Those who think they are saved because they show the right "fruits" are just as lost as those who only believed in a fleeting historical Jesus after someone gave them a prayer to recite or words to say.

It is the eternal God who set the parameters for salvation. He could have established that all one had to do is believe that Jesus Christ existed to be saved, but He didn't. He could have made it that everyone who believes Christ died on a cross and rose from the dead is saved, but that's not enough either. What the Lord established is one must first face his vile sins head on. He must see his need for a Savior by realizing his sins are a reproach unto God and then in repentance turn in his heart to God for a remedy only He can supply. God saves no one without them facing their sins and guilt for what they are, and once that is accomplished through repentance, the Lord presents to him His glorious gospel which states, "Christ died for [those very same] sins..." and saves their soul!


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