"Easy Believism" vs. Biblical Salvation

One unfortunate trend of the twentieth century that has carried on into our present time is a movement or attitude of "easy believism" or "decisionism" that minimizes the requirements of salvation by requiring a different sort of "faith" than demanded by the Bible. In fact, proponents of this belief do not require repentance at all. Salvation consists of a basic "faith" in Christ accompanied by no change of life. It would seem incredible that such a movement could exist while wearing the emblem of "evangelical," but some indeed hold to this view.

The biblical writers everywhere describe this kind of "faith" as dead (James 2:14-26; Luke 6:46; 1 John 2:4; 3:9-10, 24; Rom. 8:13; many other places). Jesus' summons to follow Him included the kind of faith that was willing to give up everything for Him. To be sure, no one does this perfectly, but followers of Christ, all of them, demonstrate a clean break with the dead life that represented their former existence. The Bible knows nothing of a "carnal Christian" who lives out his or her Christian life at a perpetually lower level. Believers can and do act carnally when the old nature gets the upper hand, but soon God applies His chastening love so that His children might be partakers of His holiness (Heb. 5:5-11).

Repentance: Changing one's mind about sin, God and life in general

Strictly speaking repentance means "changing the mind," and biblically that involves changing one's mind about sin, God, morality and life in general. It is completely inward in nature. Confession and making things right are fruits of repentance.

Preaching on repentance characterized the ministry of John the Baptist (Matt. 3:2), Jesus (Mark 4:17), and the apostles (Mark 6:12; Acts 2:38; 17:30; 26:20). Jesus begins the final book of the Bible by stressing repentance to the wayward churches of Asia (Rev. 2:5, 16, 22; 3:3, 19). See also Luke 24:46-47). Note also the following verses:

"Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. . . Bear fruit in keeping with repentance. . .I baptize you with water for repentance, but he who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire" (Matt. 3:2, 8, 11).

"John appeared, baptizing in the wilderness and proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins" (Mark 1:4).

"And he went into all the region around the Jordan, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. . .Bear fruits in keeping with repentance. And do not begin to say to yourselves, 'We have Abraham as our father.' For I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children for Abraham"(Luke 3:3, 8).

"I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance" (Luke 5:32).

"No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish" (Luke 13:3, 5).

"Before his coming, John had proclaimed a baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel" (Acts 13:24).

"And Paul said, 'John baptized with the baptism of repentance, telling the people to believe in the one who was to come after him, that is, Jesus" (Acts 19:4).

But we cannot repent until God changes our hearts in regeneration, just as regeneration enables us to believe in Christ. In 2 Cor. 7:9-11, Paul acknowledged the Corinthian church's true repentance, and then he describes by way of illustration how a sinner turns to God in repentance:

"For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, whereas worldly grief produces death" (2 Cor. 7:10).

Thus the New Testament writer cannot imagine salvation apart from true repentance and receiving Christ as Lord (Acts 26:20; Luke 6:46).

Three Elements in Repentance (see Berkhof, Systematic Theology, 486)

  1. An intellectual element involving a change of view about sin, offending a holy God, and seek help through God's provision (Rom. 3:20).
  2. An emotional element that includes sorrow for sin and offending a holy God (Ps. 51:2, 10, 14; 2 Cor. 7:10).
  3. A volitional element that affects the human will, now redirected away from sin and towards God by seeking pardon and cleansing (Acts 2:38; Rom. 2:4).

Repentance and faith are two sides of the same coin. When true faith exists, you will always have repentance, and so repentance never exists apart from true faith.