GS: Saving Faith Results in the Intention to Repent of Sin
1 view
Skip to first unread message
bcbs...@yahoo.com
Oct 31, 2025, 8:04:10 AM (11 days ago) Oct 31
to Bcbsr
Saving Faith Results in the Intention to Repent of Sin
As an example of application oriented faith note Zacchaeus of Luke 19. He was a wealthy tax collector Jesus came to visit. Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, "Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount." Jesus said to him, "Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham." Notice that Jesus declared this man saved when he simply declared his INTENTION to repent of sin. Zacchaeus had not given away half his possessions to the poor, and he still had the money in his pockets which he had cheated out of others. He had not done any good work at this point. Yet Jesus declared him saved. Furthermore, why did he happen to express his intention to repent of sin at that moment? While the text doesn't tell us explicitly, I think it's safe to say that he expressed such an intention because he had come to believe in Jesus.
Likewise Paul says, "I preached that they should repent and turn to God and prove their repentance by their deeds." Acts 26:20b Deeds of repentance are not the cause but the proof of Saving Faith.
Saving Faith results in an intention to repent of sin. More generally we could say, Saving Faith results in visible applications of that faith. Absent such applications calls into question whether one's alleged faith is the faith the Bible speaks of.
As an example of application oriented faith note Zacchaeus of Luke 19. He was a wealthy tax collector Jesus came to visit. Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, "Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount." Jesus said to him, "Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham." Notice that Jesus declared this man saved when he simply declared his INTENTION to repent of sin. Zacchaeus had not given away half his possessions to the poor, and he still had the money in his pockets which he had cheated out of others. He had not done any good work at this point. Yet Jesus declared him saved. Furthermore, why did he happen to express his intention to repent of sin at that moment? While the text doesn't tell us explicitly, I think it's safe to say that he expressed such an intention because he had come to believe in Jesus.
Likewise Paul says, "I preached that they should repent and turn to God and prove their repentance by their deeds." Acts 26:20b Deeds of repentance are not the cause but the proof of Saving Faith.
Saving Faith results in an intention to repent of sin. More generally we could say, Saving Faith results in visible applications of that faith. Absent such applications calls into question whether one's alleged faith is the faith the Bible speaks of.
Reply all
Reply to author
Forward
0 new messages