Does Salvation require repentance?

[Greo]

Salvation requires repentance from sin. So then, does that mean that to keep my salvation, every time I sin, I need to repent of that sin or else I am no longer saved?

Rev 2:5 Remember the height from which you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place.

The Ephesian Church had fallen away from their love of God and so were warned to repent. If they did not repent and turn back then God would remove them from being His church.

Now in the light of salvation, if a Christian does not repent of sin then is he still saved?

 

[Beoga]

if a christian does not repent of his sins, was he ever truly saved in the first place? Was he ever changed into a new creation by the almighty, wonderful, perfect power of God?

 

[rainoflove]

I'd have to agree with littleapologist - a non repentant christian aint really a christian - if a person keeps living in the same sins, how could they have become a slave to righteousness as explained in Romans? If they keep manifesting the fruits of the flesh - then are they really, truly, born again into a new creation? How can they have the Holy Spirit living in them and ignore the conviction of the spirit? If they can continue to ignore it, then they must not have been saved in the first place?

 

[Van]

And I agree with Littleapoligist and Rainoflove.

Turning to Revelation 2:5 and the removal of the lampstand, I think this is pointed at the church as being a beacon of Christ. Our first love is Jesus. If we love Jesus, He will manifest Himself to us, so that we can grow more like Jesus, reaching others, teaching others, training others. A church that gets sidetracked into bashing false teachers or focusing on end times has left its first love, to be a disciple of Jesus, to love Him with all our heart and to strive to be like Him.

In summary, I think Jesus is saying if we leave our first love, if we take our focus off of Christ and our devotion to Christ, we will no longer reflect Christ, we will no longer be an assembly giving light to the world. Loss of salvation is no where in view, being effective disciples is in view.

 

[Romanbear]

Hi Greo;

Now in the light of salvation, if a Christian does not repent of sin then is he still saved?

No, He isn't. It's called falling from Grace. However this is not because of his failure to repent but, a failure to be faithful to his commitment. Repentance is dying to sin, Paul instructed us to do this daily.
In Christ;
Romanbear

 

[Beoga]

And I agree with Littleapoligist and Rainoflove.

what is the world coming to?

Turning to Revelation 2:5 and the removal of the lampstand, I think this is pointed at the church as being a beacon of Christ. Our first love is Jesus. If we love Jesus, He will manifest Himself to us, so that we can grow more like Jesus, reaching others, teaching others, training others. A church that gets sidetracked into bashing false teachers or focusing on end times has left its first love, to be a disciple of Jesus, to love Him with all our heart and to strive to be like Him.

In summary, I think Jesus is saying if we leave our first love, if we take our focus off of Christ and our devotion to Christ, we will no longer reflect Christ, we will no longer be an assembly giving light to the world. Loss of salvation is no where in view, being effective disciples is in view.

I agree

 

[kimber1]

well, even Christians sin so yes we absolutely must continue to repent each adn every time we sin.

 

[Humble_Paladin]

I'd have to agree with littleapologist - a non repentant christian aint really a christian - if a person keeps living in the same sins, how could they have become a slave to righteousness as explained in Romans? If they keep manifesting the fruits of the flesh - then are they really, truly, born again into a new creation? How can they have the Holy Spirit living in them and ignore the conviction of the spirit? If they can continue to ignore it, then they must not have been saved in the first place?

Well said friend.

 

[Theophorus]

I'd have to agree with littleapologist - a non repentant christian aint really a christian - if a person keeps living in the same sins, how could they have become a slave to righteousness as explained in Romans? If they keep manifesting the fruits of the flesh - then are they really, truly, born again into a new creation? How can they have the Holy Spirit living in them and ignore the conviction of the spirit? If they can continue to ignore it, then they must not have been saved in the first place?

Everyone that is saved cannot ignore the Holy Spirit, and anyone who does was not saved in the first place. This is a self fulfilling prophecy like "if you really had faith, then you would be healed".

It does not explain two things for me:

1.If adam was in God's presence in a state of salvation, or perfect fellowship with God, so to speak, how could he resist, how could he sin? Whas he not really in the presence of God, he just thought he was?

2. Same, but with satan.

 

[Stinker]

Salvation requires repentance from sin. So then, does that mean that to keep my salvation, every time I sin, I need to repent of that sin or else I am no longer saved?

Rev 2:5 Remember the height from which you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place.

The Ephesian Church had fallen away from their love of God and so were warned to repent. If they did not repent and turn back then God would remove them from being His church.

Now in the light of salvation, if a Christian does not repent of sin then is he still saved?

If a porn dealer decided to follow the Lord and repent of his porn dealing, is he not saved if he does not physically dispose of all the porn he was going to sell? Even if it would not take long to dispose of it?

 

[le_catholique]

My opinion is the that the reason we must repent when we sin is that because sin cuts us away from the presence of God, God cannot stand sin so we are furthered from God by our wicked ways, and without a close relationship with the Lord, we aren't on the "good list" lol I also agree with what some people have been saying (or at lest im interpreting them to say) that those who truly love their Lord (which would be the only people worrying about the state of their souls anyway) will repent anyway out of theri love of God. Well I digress, so , anway my answer to the forum's question is that yes, one must repent so that they keep their personal relationship with our loving God.

Peace and love to all

 

[wsgm]

Repentance as a step in the ordo salutis is necessary for salvation. It is an important part of the process. To repent is to turn around. Repentance together with faith is known as conversion. They are two sides of the same coin. We turn away from our sin and to God. This is a one-time thing. If you are in Christ, all your sins, past, present, and future, are forgiven. The eternal punishment for those sins has been paid by Christ on the cross.

But as we live our lives after conversion, we continue to sin. The indwelling Holy Spirit convicts us of these sins and leads us to repentance. This kind of repentance is also a turning from the sin that we have fallen into. As others have said, a true believer will not live in unrepentant sin. God will bring him back. When we sin, we may let go of God, but He will never let go of us.

But what if a believer dies with sins they have not repented of? For example, you are driving your car and somebody cuts you off. You give him the finger in hatred, and in your rage you swerve off the road, hit a tree, and instantly die. What happens? You go to heaven. Christ has already paid the price for your sins, and you have His righteousness credited to your account. While we are on earth, there may be temporal consequences for our sins, but there is no eternal guilt. Christ's work is sufficient to cover any sin.

So, initial repentance is part of salvation, and continued repentance is a result and fruit of salvation (and part of sanctification), but it is not a condition of forgiveness.

 

[Bob L]

Well this question gets sticky but only because we have presupposed an incorrect idea.

So then, does that mean that to keep my salvation...if a Christian does not repent of sin then is he still saved?

Wait a minute. You're not saved until you die. You don't receive everlasting life while you still have mortal life. It can be reserved for you, promised for you, held for you etc. but you don't actually receive it until you die. So it is impossible to have it and then lose it.

Redemption is not salvation. From your very first sin (whatever you believe that to be, and we all have a first sin) you have earned eternal damnation as judgement from God and nothing you do can take away the fact that you sinned against God. But God can do it and he did. He wiped away the punishment for your sins through his sacrifice of his one and only begotten son, Jesus Christ. So now, even while you are guilty and a sinner, God can consider you redeemed and show you mercy, not eternal damnation. YOu are redeemed while you are here on this Earth. Now you need to humbly accept God's incredible mercy and show him that you are thankful for his grace by leading a life of obedience (as best you can, you are not perfect.)

That's how you will receive salvation when you die.

See you in Heaven!

 

[wsgm]

Well this question gets sticky but only because we have presupposed an incorrect idea.

Wait a minute. You're not saved until you die. You don't receive everlasting life while you still have mortal life. It can be reserved for you, promised for you, held for you etc. but you don't actually receive it until you die. So it is impossible to have it and then lose it.

Redemption is not salvation. From your very first sin (whatever you believe that to be, and we all have a first sin) you have earned eternal damnation as judgement from God and nothing you do can take away the fact that you sinned against God. But God can do it and he did. He wiped away the punishment for your sins through his sacrifice of his one and only begotten son, Jesus Christ. So now, even while you are guilty and a sinner, God can consider you redeemed and show you mercy, not eternal damnation. YOu are redeemed while you are here on this Earth. Now you need to humbly accept God's incredible mercy and show him that you are thankful for his grace by leading a life of obedience (as best you can, you are not perfect.)

That's how you will receive salvation when you die.

See you in Heaven!

Salvation is not complete until glorification is complete in the resurrection and we are living in the new heavens and the new earth. But that doesn't mean that we aren't saved now. In one sense, I was saved about 2000 years ago on a trash heap outside Jerusalem. My salvation was paid for and complete (because we can't add to Christ's work); it just hadn't been applied to me yet.

When we believe, we receive salvation. In Luke 19:9 Jesus says about Zacchaeus, "Today salvation has come to this house, since he also is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost" (ESV). Jesus says today. Acts 13:47 says, "For so the Lord has commanded us, saying, 'I have made you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring salvation to the ends of the earth'" (ESV). It says that they may bring salvation, not the promise of salvation, not the hope of salvation, but salvation. 2 Corinthians 6:2 says, "Now is the day of salvation" (ESV). Frequently, the Bible does talk about salvation in a future sense, but it talks about a present salvation too, and so can we.

Eternal life has already begun. In 1 Timothy 6:12 Paul tells Timothy to lay hold of it (and the tense of the verb makes it clear that he is not talking about the future). Jesus says, "Everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die" (John 11:26 ESV). Eternal life is unending fellowship with God, and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit is the beginning of that. He is the down payment on our inheritance. It is certainly not full or complete, but it has begun and the end is sure.

We don't have to earn God's favor or show Him that we deserve to go to heaven. Romans 8:30 says, "And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified" (ESV). Paul uses the past tense for glorified, because he is so confident; it is as if it has already happened.

 

[createdtoworship]

Many passages in luke and acts speak of repentance unto salvation. But what exactly are we repenting of?

Repentance of moral sins never saves us. Faith in Christ does.


Faith does not save us


We are not saved by grace either



IT is a Faith in someone -The Christ, this is what saves


We are not saved by grace, just because God is graceous does not make all men saved, we are saved by Grace through faith.

You see my point.

How we word the Gospel is critical

The JEWs wanted to still be under the law, Jesus told them to repent and recieve. They needed to repent of dead works.

HEbrews 6 speaks of the fundamentals of repentance from dead works

This is the only repentance that saves

Those who believe in repentance of moral sin,

I have this to say,

Why is Repentance not mentioned in the Gospel of John at all?

Also if repentance is required, what about the sins we do not know of, how can one repent sufficiently enough to make himself saved?

Even if repentance is a gift, why send Jesus to the cross?

Why not simply reform everyone and make them perfected.

Also repentance from sin is always singular in the scriptures.

one sin

The sin of unbelief, which manifests itself in dead works.