FALSE
REPENTANCE
Possibly
the most deadening
force in the Lord's Church
By Steve Van Nattan
Much fuss is made over repentance in Fundamental circles. But, we are getting mixed signals. Repentance is certainly essential and part of a true conversion and part of the ongoing life of Christian victory.
Acts 14:15 And saying, Sirs, why do ye these things? We also are men of like passions with you, and preach unto you that ye should turn from these vanities unto the living God, which made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all things that are therein:
We preach to the unconverted that they should "turn." That is the whole of repentance. Turning saves no one. Faith saves, and faith alone, and that faith must have an object OUTSIDE of me. The object of faith is not my feeling of remorse. The object of faith is not my vocal or demonstrative actions and sincere declarations. Faith, and the confession thereof, is vested in a person, Jesus Christ, the Son of the living God. Repentance without faith in Jesus Christ will damn your soul to hell.
Revelation 2:5 Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.
Christians
can fall from their first profession of faith. They are then called to repent
and return to their first love. This is not a second brand of repentance, like
there is a yellow package and a blue package, like when we find many flavors of
potato chips at the super market. Repentance is the human experience of us all,
for we are saved from the old nature, but we fall, as Jesus said above.
Now, here comes Frank down the aisle weeping at the end of the sermon. Six months ago he was counseled by the pastor not to get a divorce. Frank has been a deacon for many years, and he knew very well what the teachings of Paul and Jesus were. His "ex" also knew the Word of God taught against divorce, but the couple ignored the counsel and got a divorce.
Frank then was seen in the company of another lady, oh so godly, oh so zealous, spiritual works in your mouth, works and zeal in the assembly, bla bla bla. Franks "ex" went to another Fundamental Baptist church in the area and was taken in with joy. She plays the piano very well, and that church was fresh out of a pianist.
As Frank is wending his way to the altar this morning, his "ex" is wending her way to the altar across town. They are NOT wending their way into one another's arms to restore the home they destroyed. In fact, Frank is talking about marrying the good godly lady at his side, and his "ex" is spending much time with the preacher's son over yonder.
The only variation on this is when the parties in the plot wait until AFTER the remarriage. They each get remarried in some evangelical church where there are no standards at all. Then, they repent, possibly with several weeks to alleged soul searching with their new spouses, and one Sunday morning, wallah, they walk the aisle weeping and even confess out loud. The diddle head preacher, knowing how well the man involved tithed previously, sweeps 1 Timothy away and quotes verses which seem to force all present to "restore such an one" with no reservations.
Indeed, since all is forgiven, the next conclusion is that the Blood of Jesus cancels 1 Timothy 3, and the man can be put back on the deacon board and teach Sunday School. Here is a wicked thought-- This picture gives the impression to new believers and the weaker brother that when Jesus died on the cross, 1 Timothy 3 was nailed to the cross with our sins, and the Blood of Jesus cancels 1 Timothy. Read that again please.
So, what shall we say about this repentance program here, this weeping and open self-condemnation of themselves before the saints.
Answer: To hell with their repentance.
In the end of the Church Age we find that there are a multitude of scams being pulled at the church house. Preachers, hyperventilating evangelists, church leaders, and other saints are using the alter call, or some form of response time, to fake godly sorrow.
2 Corinthians 7:10 For godly sorrow worketh repentance to
salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death.
11
For behold this selfsame thing, that ye sorrowed after a godly sort, what carefulness
it wrought in you, yea, what clearing of yourselves, yea, what indignation, yea,
what fear, yea, what vehement desire, yea, what zeal, yea, When what revenge!
In all things ye have approved yourselves to be clear in this matter.
When a lost sinner repents of sin, believes in the Lord Jesus Christ, and says so publicly, the church rejoices. Later, that person rebels, ignores counsel, and sins on purpose in order to satisfy the same old lusts they were saved from. Their alleged repentance, after this scam, damns their first confession of faith, and they must be run off from the presence of the Lord as manifested in the local church.
But, modern Fundamentalists, unlike the Puritans and Anabaptists of the past, will always cave in as the red hot tears course down the face of the penitent. The action at the weeping rail at the front of the church house will sucker in the average Fundamental preacher because he craves that public vindication of his banal sermons.
BAH
If you think this circus is a case of "restore such an one," you are a damned fool.
Jeremiah 17:9 The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?
Psalms 24:3 Who shall ascend into the hill of the LORD? or who shall stand in
his holy place?
4 He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not
lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully.
Psalms 101:7 He that worketh deceit shall not dwell within my house: he that telleth lies shall not tarry in my sight.
Nothing deadens the life of the Lord's Church worse than public lies, whether told by the preacher from the pulpit, or the lies of consecration, repentance, and dedication which are solidly built on a foundation of sexual lust and self-love.
Ephesians 5:3 But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness,
let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints;
4 Neither filthiness,
nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving
of thanks.
5 For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor
covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ
and of God.
6 Let no man deceive you with vain words: for
because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience.
7 Be not ye therefore partakers with them.
8 For
ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children
of light:
9 (For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness
and truth;)
10 Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord.
(NOT the jack boot preacher)
11 And have no fellowship
with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.
12 For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them
in secret.
It is the responsibility of the saints to prove what is acceptable unto the Lord. This is not done in committee meetings or behind closed doors with the jack boot pastor brokering the response of the saints to some four flusher at the altar.
We
should briefly mention false repentance which is caused by the emotions only.
This happens when a mob moves down the aisles to the front, and a certain weak
minded saint becomes overwhelmed with the need for the hubris of being part of
the mob. Billy Graham learned the value of the rush to the front, and he arranged
for "counselors" to get up at the start of his altar calls and move forward showing
affect. This inspired others to follow.
The other emotional trick is the pastor who whines about nothing happening anymore. Never mind that he is no longer studying the Bible to preach, the slow belly whines, and certain people will hit the altar to give the preacher a rush.
Also, we have the Oxford Movement principle. Long ago saints in the UK, who longed for the power of God, would gather in groups and confess sin to one another. They would even confess sin of evil thoughts which no one knew existed. This was thought of as deeply spiritual. So, in Fundamentalism there is a kind of sick competition to see who can confess the nastiest sin in public.
The above three devilish forms of repentance will be justified by the preacher when he makes emotional mention during prayer meeting and praise times, "what a blessing it is to see the Holy Ghost moving people to get right." This is also mentioned at altar call times, and this is the reason you see the same people over and over shuffling down front to charge the preacher's batteries again and again.
If the preachers and fat faced evangelists will not stop promoting this circus, who will? "Proving what is acceptable" MUST become the duty of every father of every home, and he must teach his wife and kids how to approve and disapprove of the confession and profession of salvation, and the repentance performances, at the church house.
How do we do this?
First, we saw above that true repentance is not repented of.
Zephaniah 1:4 I will also stretch out mine hand upon Judah, and upon all the inhabitants of Jerusalem; and I will cut off the remnant of Baal from this place, and the name of the Chemarims with the priests;
5 And them that worship the host of heaven upon the housetops; and them that worship and that swear by the LORD, and that swear by Malcham;
6 And them that are turned back from the LORD; and those that have not sought the LORD, nor enquired for him.God makes NO distinction between those who initially never sought the Lord in salvation, and those who made a profession of faith and then turned back. They are all damned. We are not talking here about losing their salvation if they were born again. We are talking about wrath and judgment. God will thrash anyone who mocks his grace by claiming his salvation and then uses it to play tricks with the Blood of Jesus.
Second, fruit proves the profession.
Matthew 7:16 Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?
17 Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.
18 A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.
19 Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.
20 Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.So, when a person stands and confesses faith in Jesus Christ, we must "prove" them. Charity suffereth long, and charity believeth all things, but this does NOT abrogate our duty to be fruit inspectors. If the apple tree does not bring forth fruit, is it really an apple tree? And, if the apple tree brings forth fruit, but it is deadly nightshade berries, is not the alleged apple tree a damned counterfeit?
False repentance is bad fruit. Using repentance and the altar of the local church to make a way to commit life long adultery, or justify other heinous sin, is the work of a damned-to-hell rebel. They must be run off at once, and the preacher who approves of them should be sacked without mercy.
Third, the Word is exalted above feeling.
Isaiah 30:9 That this is a rebellious people, lying children, children that will not hear the law of the LORD:
10 Which say to the seers, See not; and to the prophets, Prophesy not unto us right things, speak unto us smooth things, prophesy deceits:
11 Get you out of the way, turn aside out of the path, cause the Holy One of Israel to cease from before us.It is customary these days for the people of God to heap to themselves teachers who will see not, prophesy not, and who will speak smooth words. The clear implication is that these are NOT the words of God. They are the words of Bill Gothard, John MacArthur, Rick Warren, Jack Hyles, Upchuck Swindol, James White, Lee Roberson and so forth. Smooth words are the words that leave out certain issues, smooth over the demands of holiness, and exalt the listener. The above men, and thousands more today, will all claim they speak the whole truth, but they take it up into such lofty sounding theological terms that it hurts no one (that is, when they do get it correct). He's an old smoothie.
This is the way of the unrepentant and those who use repentance as a scam at the church house. They talk the talk and sling the theological bull in seemingly biblical language, with much weeping, and the saints are expected to fall down and shout "glory in the Church."
It is time to PROVE ALL THINGS by the Word of God plus nothing. How you or I feel about it means less than the fine dust in the balance.
I believe that if Satan could take your soul in by repenting, he would walk the aisle next Sunday at the altar call time-- weeping.
2 Corinthians 11:3 But I fear, lest by any means, as the
serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from
the simplicity that is in Christ.
4 For if he that cometh preacheth another
Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have
not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear
with him.
Paul is being very sarcastic, NOT approving of their "bearing with." What are you bearing with? Approving of false repentance is "another Gospel."
BEWARE OF THE DEVIL'S REPENTANCE
There
is only one brand
of true repentance
There
is only one thing a truly
repentant saint wants to hear:
John
8:10 When Jesus had lifted up himself, and saw none but the woman, he said unto
her, Woman, where are those thine accusers? hath no man condemned thee?
11
She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go,
and sin no more.
No genuinely repentant saint will settle with the "te absolvo" of the Whore or Rome, and no true Bible believer will settle for the grinning bluster of the jack boot preacher....
only the voice of Jesus will do.
And,
the repentant one will indeed,
"go and sin no more."
If not,
it is a sick devilish joke.
READ OUR ARTICLE ON DIVORCE AND REMARRIAGE