One In Jesus

Conclusion

The teaching in Acts is usually “repent” or “have faith in Jesus” — one or the other — and we tend to hear in “repentance” a call to moral living, whereas in “faith” we hear a call to a particular belief system.

Thus, we feel the need to add “repent” to “believe” to have what seems to be a complete plan of salvation. Indeed, we are puzzled that so many sermons — especially Peter’s sermon in Pentecost — ends with a call to “repent” rather than “believe.” Some even think this contradicts Paul’s understanding of the gospel! Continue reading →

Acts

We now turn to the later verses in Acts —

(Act 3:13-21 ESV)  13 The God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, the God of our fathers, glorified his servant Jesus, whom you delivered over and denied in the presence of Pilate, when he had decided to release him.  14 But you denied the Holy and Righteous One, and asked for a murderer to be granted to you,  15 and you killed the Author of life, whom God raised from the dead. To this we are witnesses.  16 And his name–by faith in his name–has made this man strong whom you see and know, and the faith that is through Jesus has given the man this perfect health in the presence of you all. Continue reading →

Luke

Let’s look at how “repent” is used by Luke. We begin with John the Baptist —

(Luk 3:3-9 ESV)  3 And he went into all the region around the Jordan, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.  4 As it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet, “The voice of one crying in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.  5 Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be made low, and the crooked shall become straight, and the rough places shall become level ways,  6 and all flesh shall see the salvation of God.'”  Continue reading →