BY DANIEL ROWLANDS | Must people repent of their sins before God grants justifying faith? Or does repentance follow faith? Which comes first—faith or repentance?
Repentance is a turning, 180 degrees, from not only our sins, but from our "good-works" also. It is a change of mind that now believes in the finished work of Christ. It was once circumstantial, but now objective.
Of course we are to put to death sin which so easily entangles us, but we never do. It is a daily dying. If it were based on our behavior, then none have ever truly "repented". Nowhere does scripture say 'Repent of your sins". Rather "Repent, and believe."
Repentance is a turning, 180 degrees, from not only our sins, but from our "good-works" also. It is a change of mind that now believes in the finished work of Christ. It was once circumstantial, but now objective.
Of course we are to put to death sin which so easily entangles us, but we never do. It is a daily dying. If it were based on our behavior, then none have ever truly "repented". Nowhere does scripture say 'Repent of your sins". Rather "Repent, and believe."