The Lord’s Work – Part 24
It is … Repent Believe Confess.
Repent of your works.
Believe unto righteousness.
Confess the gospel record of the Lord Jesus Christ.
RBC.
You say, “Is it really that big of a deal? We are trying to make it simple here. Is repentance really that important?”
Luke 13:3 I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.
Luke 13:5 I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.
It doesn’t say Receive, or Accept. It says Repent. If you don’t Repent, you cannot be saved.
The problem with the ABCs is there is no Repentance. If you follow the ABCs then you haven’t Repented – changed your mind. If you haven’t Repented of your WORKS (not sins), you haven’t understood the truth. If you don’t Repent, then you cannot Believe the gospel. A doesn’t come before B. R does.
Well maybe we just say Accept or Admit, but we MEAN Repent?
Don’t do it. Don’t go there! Don’t allow it. Don’t allow yourself or anyone else to change God’s words and God’s requirements so they will sound better or fit into a more easily understood pattern.
RBC may not be catchy or cool, it may not fit man’s logic, but its what God requires. Its what is acceptable to Him.
What this results in is people not having changed their minds. They “accept Jesus”, but they didn’t repent. They didn’t understand or believe anything different, so all they are doing is turning from their sins, and trying Jesus. Dedicating their life to Jesus. Committing to live for Him.
They admit their sins, they confess their sins, they turn from their sins.
And they are “saved”… so long as they stay clean… so long as they maintain that “changed life” and stay the course on that “new journey”.
Ask them what happens if they turn back? “Oh.. I better not!”
Well that isn’t MY GOSPEL. That isn’t MY JESUS… They’ve accepted “another gospel”, “another Jesus”. We meet these people all the time. When we prove them (test them) with hard questions, they get the hard questions wrong! They believe a false gospel, and the reason is that they haven’t Repented of their works.
Romans 10:2-3 For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge. 3 For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.
If you don’t Repent, you can’t be saved.
The problem with these plans is not that they don’t teach that you have to “repent”. Its that they take Repentance out as a FOUNDATIONAL part of salvation. If they put Repent in there, then people would search the Bible for “Repent”, and perhaps find out what the word “repent” truly means. To change one’s mind. To soften the heart. To soften the heart so that one CAN receive (hear, understand) and believe the gospel.
If they put Admit in there, then people either don’t get saved, or don’t really understand their salvation. How can they search the Scriptures, when “admit” is not in the Bible?
If they put R in there as a foundational part, then people would search the Bible for “Repent”, and perhaps find out what we are supposed to repent FROM, and what we are supposed to repent TO.
Hebrews 6:1 Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God,
2 Timothy 2:25-26 In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth; 26 And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will.
We are told that repentance is to be FROM works, and repent TO the truth. To acknowledge the truth.
We ARE NOT told to repent FROM sins, or repent TO a life of serving God and others.
Mankind is Satan’s prisoners. Turning from your sin doesn’t make you free from Satan’s snares of death. The truth is what MAKES (not just sets) you free.
You need to repent to understand the truth.
If you don’t Repent, it doesn’t matter what you pray – Accept, Admit, Acknowledge, Allow, or Agree with. It doesn’t matter what you confess. The Lord won’t hear you.
Psalms 66:18 If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me:
When they confess with their mouths, the Lord does not hear them.
No matter how sincere they are, or what words they pray, the Lord will not hear them. Why? They regard iniquity in their heart!
Well who regards iniquity in their hearts? Uhh… everyone does! False brethren do! They work iniquity, and they regard their own works.
Luke 16:15 And he said unto them, Ye are they which justify yourselves before men; but God knoweth your hearts: for that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God.
Everyone thinks that they have at least some good things proceeding from their heart. Everyone thinks that they have good things in them. Certainly I have some good things to offer Jesus.
I’ll get rid of these sins, and I’ll just do the good things from now on.
Matthew 23:28 Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity.
If we are filled (full), then logically, there is no room for anything else. There’s no room for good.
If we regard the (evil) things in our heart as good, then the Lord will not hear us.
Job 35:13 Surely God will not hear vanity, neither will the Almighty regard it.
If you put your works (your iniquity) into your salvation, it leavens the doctrine. And if you put your dead works, vain works into your salvation prayer, it becomes sin:
Psalms 109:7 When he shall be judged, let him be condemned: and let his prayer become sin.
Proverbs 28:9 He that turneth away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer shall be abomination.
“That’s not me”, nearly everyone will say. “Oh yeah, I don’t turn away from the law. I hear the law!”
Do you?? “Yeah, like when I hear the law say ‘thou shalt not kill’, then, I don’t kill!”
No, that is not hearing the law!
Galatians 4:21-23 Tell me, ye that desire to be under the law, do ye not hear the law? 22 For it is written, that Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondmaid [the law], the other by a freewoman [NT Salvation in Christ]. 23 But he who was of the bondwoman was born after the flesh; but he of the freewoman was by promise. 24 Which things are an allegory: for these are the two covenants; the one from the mount Sinai, which gendereth to bondage, which is Agar.
We have people ask, “… then why did Jesus say that we should obey the law?”
Tell me.. Do you not hear the law?? Clearly you don’t… Because the law is not eternal life. The law is bondage!
Hagar is the law – the bondwoman. Sarah is New Jerusalem – the free woman.
Which do you need to be born of? WHERE do you need to be born?
Galatians 4:25-26 For this Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children. 26 But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all.
Galatians 3:10 For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them.
It doesn’t matter one lick, if you “hear” the law and believe the OT and try to keep the 10 commandments, if you don’t understand what the law really is. The law is bondage! The law is a curse!
If you haven’t understood the bondage of the law, and the liberty of the gospel of Jesus Christ, how Jesus came to make us free from the law and free from sin, then you haven’t “HEARD the law!” You’ve turned your ear AWAY from the law.
And so, your prayer is become sin. Your prayer is not heard.
Proverbs 28:9 He that turneth away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer shall be abomination.
Psalms 66:18 …the Lord will not hear [him]
You have got to reject EVERYTHING that is in your heart. You’ve got to be completely humbled.
Psalms 102:17 He will regard the prayer of the destitute, and not despise their prayer.
If there is anything in your heart (full of iniquity) that you regard (value/respect/esteem), The Lord will not hear you.
Humility and rejection of self must be present with repentance. What are we repenting of? Of there being anything good in ourselves. We are repenting of our works. We are repenting of our selves.
We have to “change our mind” regarding who we are, and who Jesus is.
We have to “change our mind” from our works to His works.
1 Peter 5:5 Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.
If you can’t humble yourself to change your mind (repentance), you will not receive grace.
The #1 reason men don’t get saved is lack of understanding.
And the #1 reason can’t understand is pride. Pride in them, and pride in their teachers.
Job 22:29 When men are cast down, then thou shalt say, There is lifting up; and he shall save the humble person.
You say, “these people are humble. They are so sorrowful and broken when they prey.”
No. They may seem to be. They think they are. But they are retaining their pride. They think some of their works are good. So they’ve only confessed their evil works (their sins), not all their works.
Humility is not “I’m sorry for my sins, I promise to do better..”
Humility is “I am wicked. All my righteousnesses are as filthy rags.”
Understanding in humility is “I need to be given righteousness, born righteous, because all my works are abominations. I cannot do righteousness, I cannot be righteous. I repent of myself.”
Here is how Job said it:
Job 42:6 Wherefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes.
Not I abhor my sins. I abhor myself.
Oct 24 2021
The Lord’s Work – Part 24
Downloadable Word document:
The Lord’s Work – Part 24
The Lord’s Work – Part 24
It is … Repent Believe Confess.
Repent of your works.
Believe unto righteousness.
Confess the gospel record of the Lord Jesus Christ.
RBC.
You say, “Is it really that big of a deal? We are trying to make it simple here. Is repentance really that important?”
Luke 13:3 I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.
Luke 13:5 I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.
It doesn’t say Receive, or Accept. It says Repent. If you don’t Repent, you cannot be saved.
The problem with the ABCs is there is no Repentance. If you follow the ABCs then you haven’t Repented – changed your mind. If you haven’t Repented of your WORKS (not sins), you haven’t understood the truth. If you don’t Repent, then you cannot Believe the gospel. A doesn’t come before B. R does.
Well maybe we just say Accept or Admit, but we MEAN Repent?
Don’t do it. Don’t go there! Don’t allow it. Don’t allow yourself or anyone else to change God’s words and God’s requirements so they will sound better or fit into a more easily understood pattern.
RBC may not be catchy or cool, it may not fit man’s logic, but its what God requires. Its what is acceptable to Him.
What this results in is people not having changed their minds. They “accept Jesus”, but they didn’t repent. They didn’t understand or believe anything different, so all they are doing is turning from their sins, and trying Jesus. Dedicating their life to Jesus. Committing to live for Him.
They admit their sins, they confess their sins, they turn from their sins.
And they are “saved”… so long as they stay clean… so long as they maintain that “changed life” and stay the course on that “new journey”.
Ask them what happens if they turn back? “Oh.. I better not!”
Well that isn’t MY GOSPEL. That isn’t MY JESUS… They’ve accepted “another gospel”, “another Jesus”. We meet these people all the time. When we prove them (test them) with hard questions, they get the hard questions wrong! They believe a false gospel, and the reason is that they haven’t Repented of their works.
Romans 10:2-3 For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge. 3 For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.
If you don’t Repent, you can’t be saved.
The problem with these plans is not that they don’t teach that you have to “repent”. Its that they take Repentance out as a FOUNDATIONAL part of salvation. If they put Repent in there, then people would search the Bible for “Repent”, and perhaps find out what the word “repent” truly means. To change one’s mind. To soften the heart. To soften the heart so that one CAN receive (hear, understand) and believe the gospel.
If they put Admit in there, then people either don’t get saved, or don’t really understand their salvation. How can they search the Scriptures, when “admit” is not in the Bible?
If they put R in there as a foundational part, then people would search the Bible for “Repent”, and perhaps find out what we are supposed to repent FROM, and what we are supposed to repent TO.
Hebrews 6:1 Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God,
2 Timothy 2:25-26 In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth; 26 And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will.
We are told that repentance is to be FROM works, and repent TO the truth. To acknowledge the truth.
We ARE NOT told to repent FROM sins, or repent TO a life of serving God and others.
Mankind is Satan’s prisoners. Turning from your sin doesn’t make you free from Satan’s snares of death. The truth is what MAKES (not just sets) you free.
You need to repent to understand the truth.
If you don’t Repent, it doesn’t matter what you pray – Accept, Admit, Acknowledge, Allow, or Agree with. It doesn’t matter what you confess. The Lord won’t hear you.
Psalms 66:18 If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me:
When they confess with their mouths, the Lord does not hear them.
No matter how sincere they are, or what words they pray, the Lord will not hear them. Why? They regard iniquity in their heart!
Well who regards iniquity in their hearts? Uhh… everyone does! False brethren do! They work iniquity, and they regard their own works.
Luke 16:15 And he said unto them, Ye are they which justify yourselves before men; but God knoweth your hearts: for that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God.
Everyone thinks that they have at least some good things proceeding from their heart. Everyone thinks that they have good things in them. Certainly I have some good things to offer Jesus.
I’ll get rid of these sins, and I’ll just do the good things from now on.
Matthew 23:28 Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity.
If we are filled (full), then logically, there is no room for anything else. There’s no room for good.
If we regard the (evil) things in our heart as good, then the Lord will not hear us.
Job 35:13 Surely God will not hear vanity, neither will the Almighty regard it.
If you put your works (your iniquity) into your salvation, it leavens the doctrine. And if you put your dead works, vain works into your salvation prayer, it becomes sin:
Psalms 109:7 When he shall be judged, let him be condemned: and let his prayer become sin.
Proverbs 28:9 He that turneth away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer shall be abomination.
“That’s not me”, nearly everyone will say. “Oh yeah, I don’t turn away from the law. I hear the law!”
Do you?? “Yeah, like when I hear the law say ‘thou shalt not kill’, then, I don’t kill!”
No, that is not hearing the law!
Galatians 4:21-23 Tell me, ye that desire to be under the law, do ye not hear the law? 22 For it is written, that Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondmaid [the law], the other by a freewoman [NT Salvation in Christ]. 23 But he who was of the bondwoman was born after the flesh; but he of the freewoman was by promise. 24 Which things are an allegory: for these are the two covenants; the one from the mount Sinai, which gendereth to bondage, which is Agar.
We have people ask, “… then why did Jesus say that we should obey the law?”
Tell me.. Do you not hear the law?? Clearly you don’t… Because the law is not eternal life. The law is bondage!
Hagar is the law – the bondwoman. Sarah is New Jerusalem – the free woman.
Which do you need to be born of? WHERE do you need to be born?
Galatians 4:25-26 For this Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children. 26 But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all.
Galatians 3:10 For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them.
It doesn’t matter one lick, if you “hear” the law and believe the OT and try to keep the 10 commandments, if you don’t understand what the law really is. The law is bondage! The law is a curse!
If you haven’t understood the bondage of the law, and the liberty of the gospel of Jesus Christ, how Jesus came to make us free from the law and free from sin, then you haven’t “HEARD the law!” You’ve turned your ear AWAY from the law.
And so, your prayer is become sin. Your prayer is not heard.
Proverbs 28:9 He that turneth away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer shall be abomination.
Psalms 66:18 …the Lord will not hear [him]
You have got to reject EVERYTHING that is in your heart. You’ve got to be completely humbled.
Psalms 102:17 He will regard the prayer of the destitute, and not despise their prayer.
If there is anything in your heart (full of iniquity) that you regard (value/respect/esteem), The Lord will not hear you.
Humility and rejection of self must be present with repentance. What are we repenting of? Of there being anything good in ourselves. We are repenting of our works. We are repenting of our selves.
We have to “change our mind” regarding who we are, and who Jesus is.
We have to “change our mind” from our works to His works.
1 Peter 5:5 Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.
If you can’t humble yourself to change your mind (repentance), you will not receive grace.
The #1 reason men don’t get saved is lack of understanding.
And the #1 reason can’t understand is pride. Pride in them, and pride in their teachers.
Job 22:29 When men are cast down, then thou shalt say, There is lifting up; and he shall save the humble person.
You say, “these people are humble. They are so sorrowful and broken when they prey.”
No. They may seem to be. They think they are. But they are retaining their pride. They think some of their works are good. So they’ve only confessed their evil works (their sins), not all their works.
Humility is not “I’m sorry for my sins, I promise to do better..”
Humility is “I am wicked. All my righteousnesses are as filthy rags.”
Understanding in humility is “I need to be given righteousness, born righteous, because all my works are abominations. I cannot do righteousness, I cannot be righteous. I repent of myself.”
Here is how Job said it:
Job 42:6 Wherefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes.
Not I abhor my sins. I abhor myself.
By Pastor • Christian Doctrine, Salvation • 0