Repent and Believe

[Arial]

"The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe the gospel." (Mark 1:15.)

For some reason, Arminianist's, when arguing against the Reformed Doctrines of Grace read this scripture and others like it as saying that one is saved by first repenting and then choosing to believe the gospel.

Acts 3:19 "Repent therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out." Repentance becomes the reason for sins being blotted out.

Is this correct?

Why or why not. (Scriptural evidence either way.)

What is that repentance?

 

[Carbon]

"The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe the gospel." (Mark 1:15.)

For some reason, Arminianist's, when arguing against the Reformed Doctrines of Grace read this scripture and others like it as saying that one is saved by first repenting and then choosing to believe the gospel.

Acts 3:19 "Repent therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out." Repentance becomes the reason for sins being blotted out.

Is this correct?

Why or why not. (Scriptural evidence either way.)

What is that repentance?

They’re all twisted up. Oops, sorry.

I believe repentance is granted, it comes with the new man in Christ.

 

[JesusFan]

"The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe the gospel." (Mark 1:15.)

For some reason, Arminianist's, when arguing against the Reformed Doctrines of Grace read this scripture and others like it as saying that one is saved by first repenting and then choosing to believe the gospel.

Acts 3:19 "Repent therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out." Repentance becomes the reason for sins being blotted out.

Is this correct?

Why or why not. (Scriptural evidence either way.)

What is that repentance?

Think that many see the wrong repenting of that God is looking for here, its not repenting as in confess and forsake all known sins first, but more a call to have the sinner repent of trying to get themselves by own good works and efforts, which would be the result of the Holy Spirit regenerated them until now being able to respond to the gospel when presented to them

 

[Arial]

Think that many see the wrong repenting of that God is looking for here, its not repenting as in confess and forsake all known sins first, but more a call to have the sinner repent of trying to get themselves by own good works and efforts, which would be the result of the Holy Spirit regenerated them until now being able to respond to the gospel when presented to them

I would mostly agree. But is it possible that the repenting in mind is not believing, rather than simply repenting of sins? Since it is paired in the first scripture with "believe the gospel".

Interesting that you should bring up the new birth, as that is critical. And as long as a person thinks that the believing/faith is what causes the new birth, they will never be able to see that statement as it is meant. And no one who has not been regenerated will ever think of their sins as sins---just mistakes or bad choices.

There is another passage that says, "repent and turn back". Which is what repenting is---turning. We were made in the image of God, we turned away, regeneration changes the heart that is turned away and turns us back towards God.

Our turned away heart does not even know what it is supposed to turn back to and it cannot turn itself back. That would be like a leopard changing his spots into stripes.

As for repenting of our sins, turning away from them, that is the work of the Spirit indwelling us at regeneration.

 

[Arial]

They’re all twisted up. Oops, sorry.

I believe repentance is granted, it comes with the new man in Christ.

Yup. Turning back to God. Turning from not believing the gospel to believing the gospel. I think it is significant that in that passage from Mark "repent" and "believe" are linked together and "repent" is mentioned first. And it isn't because repenting causes belief. The unregenerated person would not even feel the need to repent of anything, let alone know what he should repent of.