THE SCARLET PATH

    BIBLE Q & A

                                                 BIBLE----QUESTIONS / ANSWER'S

     13. WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO REPENT?

          "REPENTANCE": A TURNING AWAY FROM SIN, DISOBEDIENCE, OR REBELLION AND TURNING TO GOD.

          IN A MORE GENERAL SENSE, REPENTANCE MEANS A CHANGE OF MIND OR A FEELING OF REMORSE OR REGRET FOR ONE'S CONDUCT.

          TRUE REPENTANCE IS A "GODLY SORROW" FOR SIN, AN ACT OF TURNING AROUND AND GOING IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION.

          THIS TYPE OF REPENTANCE LEADS TO A FUNDAMENTAL CHANGE IN A PERSON'S RELATIONSHIP TO GOD.

2ND CORINTHIANS 7:9 "NOW I REJOICE, NOT THAT YE WERE MADE SORRY, BUT THAT YE SORROWED TO REPENTANCE: FOR YE WERE MADE SORRY AFTER A GODLY MANNER, THAT YE MIGHT RECEIVE DAMAGE BY US IN NOTHING."

NOTE: THE CRIMINAL MAY FEEL SORRY THAT HE IS CAUGHT, BUT THAT IS NOT SORROW "AFTER A GODLY MANNER"

LUKE 24:47 "AND THAT REPENTANCE AND REMISSION OF SINS SHOULD BE PREACHED IN HIS NAME AMONG ALL NATIONS, BEGINNING AT JERUSALEM."

NOTE: THROUGHOUT HIS MINISTRY JESUS PREACHED THE MESSAGE OF REPENTANCE AND THE GOOD NEWS OF SALVATION.

          IN HIS PREACHING HE PRESENTS THE TRUTH THAT REPENTANCE AND FAITH ARE TWO SIDES OF THE SAME COIN: BY REPENTANCE, A PERSON TURNS AWAY FROM SIN, BY FAITH, A PERSON TURNS TOWARD GOD IN ACCEPTING THE LORD JESUS CHRIST AS SAVIOR.

          THIS SAME MESSAGE HAS TO BE PREACHED TO ALL PEOPLE AMONG ALL NATIONS BY CHRISTIANS PROCLAIMING THE GOSPEL.

LUKE 5:32 "I CAME NOT TO CALL THE RIGHTEOUS, BUT SINNERS TO REPENTANCE."

NOTE: JESUS CAME TO CALL SINNERS TO REPENTANCE.

          THROUGHOUT HIS MINISTRY JESUS CALLED SINNERS TO REPENTANCE AND ASSURED THEM OF PARDON OF THEIR SINS.

LUKE 13:3 & 5 "I TELL YOU, NAY: BUT, EXCEPT YE REPENT, YE SHALL ALL LIKEWISE PERISH."

NOTE: TWICE JESUS REPEATED IDENTICAL WORDS TO REINFORCE THE NECESSITY OF REPENTANCE.

CALAMITY AND DESTRUCTION AWAIT ALL WHO REFUSE TO HEED THE WARNING!

ETERNAL PUNISHMENT IN A PLACE CALLED "HELL" AWAIT ALL WHO REJECT JESUS CHRIST.

     14.  WHO WILL BE SAVED?

          WHOEVER REPENTS AND BELIEVES ON THE LORD JESUS CHRIST SHALL BE SAVED.

JOHN 6:44 "NO MAN CAN COME TO ME, EXCEPT THE FATHER WHICH HATH SENT ME DRAW HIM: AND I WILL RAISE HIM UP AT THE LAST DAY."

JOHN 6:47 "VERILY, VERILY, I SAY UNTO YOU, HE THAT BELIEVETH ON ME HATH EVERLASTING LIFE."

NOTE: PEOPLE CANNOT BE SAVED AT ALL UNLESS GOD THROUGH THE HOLY SPIRIT DRAWS THEM.

          THE DRAWING PROCESS STARTS WITH THE HEARING OF THE WORD.

          SALVATION IS IMPOSSIBLE APART FROM HEARING THE WORD OF GOD.

          IT IS THROUGH THIS PREACHING THAT GOD DRAWS PEOPLE TO HIMSELF.

          ALL PEOPLE WHO PLACE THEIR FAITH IN JESUS CHRIST WILL RECEIVE "EVERLASTING LIFE."

JOHN 3:15 "THAT WHOSOEVER BELIEVETH IN HIM SHOULD NOT PERISH, BUT HAVE ETERNAL LIFE."

ROMANS 10:13 "FOR WHOSOEVER SHALL CALL UPON THE NAME OF THE LORD SHALL BE SAVED."

NOTE: SINNERS ARE ADVISED TO CALL UPON THE NAME OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST.

          THE GROUND FOR HUMAN RESPONSIBILITY IN SALVATION ARISES OUT OF THE FACT THAT THE GOSPEL IS OFFERED TO ALL, IRRESPECTIVE OF NATIONAL HERITAGE.

          ALL SINNERS MAY BE SAVED BY THE GRACE OF GOD THROUGH FAITH IN JESUS CHRIST.

     15.  HOW CAN I KNOW THAT MY SINS ARE FORGIVEN?

1ST JOHN 1:9 "IF WE CONFESS OUR SIN, HE IS FAITHFUL AND JUST TO FORGIVE US OUR SINS, AND TO CLEANSE US FROM ALL UNRIGHTEOUSNESS."

NOTE: SIN MUST BE DEALT WITH, THE CORRECT WAY OF DEALING WITH SIN IS NOT TO DENY IT, BUT TO ACKNOWLEDGE IT AND ALLOW GOD TO CLEANSE IT.

          WE OUGHT NOT TO DENY OUR SINS, BUT RATHER TO CONFESS THEM BEFORE GOD.

          THIS OPENS THE DOOR FOR HIS FORGIVING AND CLEANSING GRACE TO PURIFY OUR HEARTS.

          GOD WILL BE FAITHFUL TO US AND FULFILL HIS PROMISE "TO FORGIVE US OUR SINS."

HEBREWS 10:17 "AND THEIR SINS AND INIQUITIES WILL I REMEMBER NO MORE."

NOTE: THE INSTRUCTION OF THE NEW COVENANT PROMISES THE REMOVAL OF SINS. CHRIST'S ONE-TIME SACRIFICE HAS FULFILLED THAT PROMISE.

          CHRIST HAS TAKEN OUR SIN UPON HIMSELF; THUS, THE FATHER WILL NOT HOLD IT AGAINST US WHO HAVE TURNED TO CHRIST FOR SALVATION.

          CHRISTIANS ARE TO LIVE AS THOSE WHO DIED WITH CHRIST, ROMANS 6:6-8, AND WHO HAVE BEEN RAISED TO A NEWNESS OF LIFE, ROMANS 6:4; ALSO 2ND CORINTHIANS 5:17.

     AMEN!