Repent America
By David J. Stewart
"Repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem." —Luke 24:47
Michael Marcavage is the director of REPENT AMERICA. I admire their ministry and efforts to call America to repentance. Certainly, America needs to repent and turn back to God. Please read, The Philadelphia Eleven.
However, I wrote this article to explain to my web visitors that I do NOT agree with Paul Washer nor Ray Comfort, who are promoted on Repent America's website. There's a common misunderstanding of what Biblical repentance means. I agree with Dr. Harry Ironside, former pastor of Moody Memorial Church, who stated . . .
“The Gospel is not a call to repentance, or to amendment of our ways, to make restitution for past sins, or to promise to do better in the future. These things are proper in their place, but they do not constitute the Gospel; for the Gospel is not good advice to be obeyed, it is good news to be believed. Do not make the mistake then of thinking that the Gospel is a call to duty or a call to reformation, a call to better your condition, to behave yourself in a more perfect way than you have been doing in the past …
Nor is the Gospel a demand that you give up the world, that you give up your sins, that you break off bad habits, and try to cultivate good ones. You may do all these things, and yet never believe the Gospel and consequently never be saved at all.”
SOURCE: Pastor Harry A. Ironside, from the sermon: What Is The Gospel?
In sharp contrast, Ray Comfort states that a sinner cannot continue in sin and be saved . . .
“The forgiveness that is in Jesus Christ is conditional upon ‘repentance towards God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ’ (Acts 20:21). It is a gift that God offers to everyone, but individuals must receive it by repenting and trusting in Christ, or they will remain dead in their sins. No one has Biblical grounds to continue in sin, assuming that they are safe just because Jesus died on the cross. See 1 John 3:4-6.” [Emphasis added]
SOURCE: THE EVIDENCE BIBLE, by Ray Comfort, pg. 1513; 2003, Bridge-Logos Publishers, Orlando, Florida
Ray Comfort says professed believers who still lust and tell lies are not saved . . .
"These are perhaps the most frightening verses in the Bible. Vast multitudes of professing Christians fit into the category spoken of here. They call Jesus 'Lord,' but they practice lawlessness. They profess faith in Jesus, but have no regard for the divine law. They tell 'fibs' or 'white' lies, take things that belong to others, have a roaming eye for the opposite sex, etc. They are liars, thieves, and adulterers at heart, who will be cast from the gates of heaven into the jaws of hell."
SOURCE: THE EVIDENCE BIBLE, by Ray Comfort, pg. 1197; 2003, Bridge-Logos Publishers, Orlando, Florida
The Bible does not agree with Ray Comfort. You cannot show me anywhere in the Bible where it says to "repent from sin" to be saved. The truth is that a changed life is the FRUIT (result) of genuine Biblical repentance. A changed life is not repentance. This is where Ray Comfort and Paul Washer are confused theologically. They confuse the ROOT of faith with the FRUIT of faith, and consequently pervert the Gospel message of free grace.
Paul Washer states . . .
“3,000 kids came forward… It was just a bunch of kids doing what they’d been trained to do ever since they were in Sunday School. No tears, no repentance, no broken-hearts, no weeping over sin, no self-hatred, no realization of offenses against God given, nothing. A move of God? … I think not. Because when God moves, and particularly when God moves to save, there is repentance. Now what is repentance? The word means to change. Let me ask you a question … Have you changed?”
SOURCE: Repent and Believe, Part 4
http://www.heartcrymissionary.com/download.php?file=04-True-Gospel-Pt-4-Repent-and-Believe.mp3
Paul Washer wrongly defines repentance to mean “to change.” Washer is incorrect. The change is the FRUIT, the result, of repentance; not repentance itself. Someone wrote Dr. John R. Rice (1895-1980), founder of the Sword of the Lord, and asked him if worldly teenagers in the church need to be saved... Please read Dr. Rice's Response.
So what, then, is repentance? Pastor Ironside explains repentance well and he is 100% Biblically correct . . .
"Repentance is the very opposite of meritorious experience. It is the confession that one is utterly without merit, and if he is ever saved at all it can only be through the merits of our Lord Jesus Christ, 'who gave himself a ransom for all.' Here is firm footing for the soul who realizes that all self-effort is but sinking sand. Christ alone is the Rock of our salvation." (Harry A. Ironside; Except Ye Repent, pg. 36)
Clearly, Ironside taught a Free Grace view of the Gospel. H.A. Ironside correctly recognized repentance as the confession that "one is utterly without merit" and that if one is "ever saved at all it can only be through the merits of our Lord Jesus Christ." Salvation is without works of self-righteousness. Romans 4:5 plainly teaches that a man's faith is COUNTED for righteousness, i.e., the righteousness of Jesus Christ is imputed to one's heavenly record by faith.
"Repentance is the recognition of my sinnership — the owning before God that I am as vile as He has declared me to be in His holy Word."
SOURCE: Except Ye Repent, by Dr. Harry Ironside, chapter 3
Now that is what Biblical repentance means. I did not write this article to criticize Repent America; but rather, to make sure that all my web visitors know the truth about Biblical repentance. I have nothing personally against Ray Comfort nor Paul Washer, but they are teaching a false view of the Gospel when they say that a sinner must reform, change and mend his ways as part of saving-faith.
In closing, I'd like to once again quote the mighty man of God, Dr. John R. Rice, who correctly stated . . .
“The change in your heart, sinner, is God's part and you may be sure He will attend to that. Your part is to simply believe in Him. Whatever else is necessary in your eternal salvation, the Lord attends to when you trust in Him, or believe in Him.”
SOURCE: What Must I DO To Be Saved, by Dr. John R. Rice
Salvation is of the Lord. Man's part is simply to acknowledge his guilt of sin and believe on the Lord Jesus Christ for forgiveness. Acts 10:43, "To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins."
