Condensed Theology

A Primer in Systematic Theology

Soteriology: The Doctrine of Salvation

What does the Bible teach about salvation?

Review
Primordial Union with Christ
Election & Predestination

Temporal Union with Christ

The Outworking in Time of Gods Predestinating Purposes

Temporal Union with Christ

Rom 16:7: Greet Andronicus and Junias, my kinsmen and my fellow prisoners, who are outstanding among the apostles, who also were in Christ before me. The in Christ relationship has a primordial, or pre-temporal aspect (as we learned in our last lesson), But it also has a temporal, in time aspect, which explains Rom 16:7.

Temporal Union with Christ

What this means is that although you were united with Christ (in Christ) before time began, It is also true that you entered into union with Christ after time began, at a point during your lifetime.

Temporal Union with Christ

The Initiating Acts of God

Initiating Acts of God

Calling Regeneration
These are the acts of God and God alone by which his predestinating purposes begin to take effect in the lives of his elect.

Initiating Act of God and Men

Repentance Repentance is a divine-human activity. It is simultaneously something God gives and something we exercise.

Defining Repentance

What Repentance Is Not

What Repentance Is Not

It is not penance It is not reformation

What Repentance Is Not

It is not simply sorrow for sin 2 Cor 7:9-10: I now rejoice, not that you were made sorrowful, but that you were made sorrowful to the point of repentance; for you were made sorrowful according to the will of God, so that you might not suffer loss in anything through us. For the sorrow that is according to the will of God produces a repentance without regret, leading to salvation, but the sorrow of the world produces death.

What Repentance Is Not

It is not simply sorrow for sin Luke 18:23: But when [a rich ruler] had heard these things [sell all that you possess and distribute it to the poor, and you shall have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me], he became very sad, for he was extremely rich.

What Repentance Is Not

It is not simply sorrow for sin Matt 27:3: Then when Judas, who had betrayed Him, saw that He had been condemned, he felt remorse and returned the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders, saying, I have sinned by betraying innocent blood. But they said, What is that to us? See to that yourself! And he threw the pieces of silver into the temple sanctuary and departed; and he went away and hanged himself.

What Repentance Is Not

It is not simply a change of mind about who Jesus is This idea takes the definition of one Greek word used for repentance (metano and its cognatesthere are others), divorces it from its usage, and assigns it to the entire doctrine. The standard Greek lexicon (BDAG) does not list any references from the NT in connection with this meaning.

What Repentance Is
The Old Testament Witness

What Repentance Is: OT

We begin with the Old Testament because it is from the Old Testament that the writers and preachers of the New Testament derive their understanding of the nature of repentance. The following is a representative Old Testament example

What Repentance Is: OT

Jer 3:22-4:1: "Return, O faithless sons, I will heal your faithlessness." "Behold, we come to You; For You are the LORD our God. Surely, the hills are a deception, A tumult on the mountains. Surely in the LORD our God is the salvation of Israel. But the shameful thing has consumed the labor of our fathers since our youth, their flocks and their herds, their sons and their daughters. Let us lie down in our shame, and let our humiliation cover us; for we have sinned against the LORD our God, we and our fathers, from our youth even to this day. And we have not obeyed the voice of the LORD our God." 4:1 "If you will return, O Israel," declares the LORD, "Then you should return to Me. And if you will put away your detested things from My presence, And will not waver, And you will swear, 'As the LORD lives,' In truth, in justice and in righteousness; Then the nations will bless themselves in Him, And in Him they will glory." For thus says the LORD to the men of Judah and to Jerusalem, "Break up your fallow ground, And do not sow among thorns. Circumcise yourselves to the LORD And remove the foreskins of your heart, Men of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem, Or else My wrath will go forth like fire And burn with none to quench it, Because of the evil of your deeds."

What Repentance Is: OT

It is rooted in Gods mercy Jer 3:22: "Return, O faithless sons, I will heal your faithlessness." "Behold, we come to You; For You are the LORD our God.
Joel 2:13: Now return to the LORD your God, For He is gracious and compassionate, Slow to anger, abounding in lovingkindness And relenting of evil.

What Repentance Is: OT

It involves the recognition and confession of sin Jer 3:25: Let us lie down in our shame, and let our humiliation cover us; for we have sinned against the LORD our God, we and our fathers, from our youth even to this day. And we have not obeyed the voice of the LORD our God.

What Repentance Is: OT

It involves sorrow, or regret over sin Jer 3:25: Let us lie down in our shame, and let our humiliation cover us.
Joel 2:12-13a: "Yet even now," declares the LORD, "Return to Me with all your heart, And with fasting, weeping and mourning; And rend your heart and not your garments."

What Repentance Is: OT

It involves forsaking sin Jer 4:1, 3-4: "If you will return, O Israel," declares the LORD, "Then you should return to Me. And if you will put away your detested things from My presence.3For thus says the LORD to the men of Judah and to Jerusalem, "Break up your fallow ground, And do not sow among thorns. Circumcise yourselves to the LORD And remove the foreskins of your heart, Men of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem, Or else My wrath will go forth like fire And burn with none to quench it, Because of the evil of your deeds.
Ezek 33:11: "Say to them, 'As I live!' declares the Lord GOD, 'I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that the wicked turn from his way and live. Turn back, turn back from your evil ways! Why then will you die, O house of Israel?

What Repentance Is: OT

It involves turning to the Lord Jer 4:1: "If you will return, O Israel," declares the LORD, "Then you should return to Me.
Joel 2:12: "Yet even now," declares the LORD, "Return to Me with all your heart, And with fasting, weeping and mourning.

What Repentance Is
The New Testament Witness

What Repentance Is: NT

The New Testament concept of repentance flows from the Old Testament (as you might expect).
John the Baptist
Matt 3:2, 8, 11: Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.8Therefore bear fruit in keeping with repentance.11As for me, I baptize you with water for repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, and I am not fit to remove His sandals; He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.

John the Baptists ministry is especially significant for understanding the doctrine of repentance because he forms the bridge between the Old Covenant and New Covenant communities.

What Repentance Is: NT

The New Testament concept of repentance flows from the Old Testament (as you might expect).
The Lord Jesus
Matt 4:17: From that time Jesus began to preach and say, Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. Luke 13:3: I tell you, no, but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.

What Repentance Is: NT

The New Testament concept of repentance flows from the Old Testament (as you might expect).
The Lord Jesus
Luke 5:32: I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance. Matt 11:20-22: Then He began to denounce the cities in which most of His miracles were done, because they did not repent. Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the miracles had occurred in Tyre and Sidon which occurred in you, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. Nevertheless I say to you, it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon in the day of judgment than for you.

What Repentance Is: NT

The New Testament concept of repentance flows from the Old Testament (as you might expect).
The Lord Jesus
Luke 15:7: I tell you that in the same way, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance. Luke 15:10: In the same way, I tell you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.

What Repentance Is: NT

The New Testament concept of repentance flows from the Old Testament (as you might expect).
The Apostles
Mark 6:12: They went out and preached that men should repent. Acts 2:38: Peter said to them, Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. Acts 17:30: Therefore having overlooked the times of ignorance, God is now declaring to men that all people everywhere should repent.

What Repentance Is: NT

The New Testament concept of repentance flows from the Old Testament (as you might expect). There is a direct line from the Old Testament prophets to John the Baptist to Jesus to the apostles concerning repentance. This is even more apparent when we read Pauls letters describing repentance

What Repentance Is: NT

Rom 6:17: But thanks be to God that though you were slaves of sin, you became obedient from the heart to that form of teaching to which you were committed.

What Repentance Is: NT

1 Thess 1:9-10: For they themselves report about us what kind of a reception we had with you, and how you turned to God from idols to serve a living and true God, and to wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead, that is Jesus, who rescues us from the wrath to come.

What Repentance Is: NT

2 Cor 7:9-11a: I now rejoice, not that you were made sorrowful, but that you were made sorrowful to the point of repentance; for you were made sorrowful according to the will of God, so that you might not suffer loss in anything through us. For the sorrow that is according to the will of God produces a repentance without regret, leading to salvation, but the sorrow of the world produces death. For behold what earnestness this very thing, this godly sorrow, has produced in you: what vindication of yourselves, what indignation, what fear, what longing, what zeal, what avenging of wrong.

What Repentance Is: NT

Notice that the teaching of the NT is consistent with what weve observed from the Old Testament.
It is rooted in Gods mercy: Were it not for Gods mercy, he would justly leave sinners in their dreadful condition, but it is God who is calling men and women to repentance in order that they might be delivered from his judgment.

What Repentance Is: NT

Notice that the teaching of the NT is consistent with what weve observed from the Old Testament.
It involves the recognition and confession of sin: The slaves of sin have turned from sin in humble recognition of their offenses against God (idolatry, tolerance).

What Repentance Is: NT

Notice that the teaching of the NT is consistent with what weve observed from the Old Testament.
It involves sorrow, regret over sin: Could this be any clearer than in 2 Corinthians 7? 2 Cor 7:9: For the sorrow that is according to the will of God produces a repentance without regret, leading to salvation, but the sorrow of the world produces death.

What Repentance Is: NT

Notice that the teaching of the NT is consistent with what weve observed from the Old Testament.
It involves forsaking sin: It is not enough to feel sorry over ones sins, but true repentance involves the renunciation of ones sins in favor of the Lord.

What Repentance Is: NT

Notice that the teaching of the NT is consistent with what weve observed from the Old Testament.
It involves turning to the Lord: In repentance we are not simply turning from sin, but we are turning to the Lord. We turn to God from idols to serve the living and true God (1 Thess 1:9-10).

Repentance
Its Fruit

The Fruit of Repentance

Genuine repentance will manifest itself in the life of the one making a claim to repentance And God expects it.
Matt 3:8: Therefore bear fruit in keeping with repentance. 2 Cor 7:11: For behold what earnestness this very thing, this godly sorrow, has produced in you: what vindication of yourselves, what indignation, what fear, what longing, what zeal, what avenging of wrong!

Repentance unto Life

Repentance Is Necessary for Salvation

Repentance Necessary for Salvation

Acts 17:30: Therefore having overlooked the times of ignorance, God is now declaring to men that all people everywhere should repent, because He has fixed a day in which He will judge the world in righteousness through a Man whom He has appointed, having furnished proof to all men by raising Him from the dead. Mark 1:14-15: Now after John had been taken into custody, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of God, and saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.

Repentance Necessary for Salvation

Luke 24:46-47: and He said to them, Thus it is written, that the Christ would suffer and rise again from the dead the third day, and that repentance for forgiveness of sins would be proclaimed in His name to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem.

Repentance Necessary for Salvation

Luke 13:2-5: And Jesus said to them, Do you suppose that these Galileans were greater sinners than all other Galileans because they suffered this fate? I tell you, no, but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish. Or do you suppose that those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them were worse culprits than all the men who live in Jerusalem? I tell you, no, but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.

Repentance Necessary for Salvation

Acts 11:18: When they heard this, they quieted down and glorified God, saying, "Well then, God has granted to the Gentiles also the repentance that leads to life. 2 Tim 2:24-26: The Lord's bond-servant must not be quarrelsome, but be kind to all, able to teach, patient when wronged, with gentleness correcting those who are in opposition, if perhaps God may grant them repentance leading to the knowledge of the truth, and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, having been held captive by him to do his will.

The Gift of Repentance

Repent but Do Not Work

The Gift of Repentance

Repentance unto life cannot be construed a work since repentance is the gift of God.
Acts 5:31: He is the one whom God exalted to His right hand as a Prince and a Savior, to grant repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins. Acts 11:18: When they heard this, they quieted down and glorified God, saying, "Well then, God has granted to the Gentiles also the repentance that leads to life.

The Gift of Repentance

Repentance unto life cannot be construed a work since repentance is the gift of God.
2 Tim 2:24-26: The Lords bond-servant must not be quarrelsome, but be kind to all, able to teach, patient when wronged, with gentleness correcting those who are in opposition, if perhaps God may grant them repentance leading to the knowledge of the truth, and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, having been held captive by him to do his will.

Repentance Defined

Repentance Defined
Repentance for salvation is sorrow for sin that results in a sincere commitment to forsake ones sin to turn to the Lord in obedience to his commandments, the first of which being, Repent and believe the gospel!