Mark 1:14-15 (AMP) “Now after John was arrested and put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the good news (the Gospel) of the kingdom of God, and saying, The [appointed period of] time is fulfilled (completed), and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent (have a change of mind which issues in regret for past sins and in change of conduct for the better) and believe (trust in, rely on, and adhere to) the good news (the Gospel)”.
Dr. Steve Lawson, Pastor/Author/Speaker & Board Member, Master's Seminary.
Now here is the Author of Salvation Himself – the Lord Jesus – saying PLAINLY – REPENT AND BELIEVE! It is no accident the Lord phrased it in THAT order. Anything else is Easy Believism. It is easy to sit in church during a particularly inoffensive sermon in America, pray a closing prayer at Invitation time, agree in one’s heart (or raise your hand, walk the aisle…whatever)…and think you’re saved! But are we really?
The debate over the pejorative “Lordship Salvation” and Free Grace is over the issue of Repentance. To be sure, the so-called Free Grace proponents have a point in that Grace is free to those who will believe. But think of the Thief on the Cross for a minute. When he rebuked the other thief by saying that he and the other thief deserved to be punished with the death penalty (while Christ was innocent), THIS thief was in the process of Repentance with a brief period of time to accomplish it! He acknowledges his sins before the Lord before saying “Lord remember me when You come into Your Kingdom!” This thief followed Mark 1:15 above!
There is no way Repentance is Good Works as the “Free Gracers” call it. I was at a concert just feet away from the popular Christian singer Natalie Grant, who boldly declared “I am sick and tired of those who say if you don’t repent, you’re going to Hell”! She had it right! What do you think “making your peace with God” means?!!! Think about it.
Only in America can this kind of debate go on. Sometimes I think we have too much time on our hands, as we consider the 300 million Christians who are persecuted daily in the underground Chinese Church! Read the Parable of the Sower (Matthew 13:1-23) again and decide for yourself where the theory of Easy Believism, as practiced in most American churches would fit! Then transpose that revelation to Mark 1:14-15 and the process described by Christ Himself. Decide for yourself if there is any connection.
Then decide for yourself if He is Lord of your life NOW or in some future time in Eternity! For me, Christ is not only my Savior NOW, but my LORD and THE LORD OF MY LIFE NOW! If that makes me a Lordship Salvation dude like Ray Comfort or John MacArthur or Paul Washer or Nancy Lee DeMoss…let’s roll!
Being TRULY saved and being made an adopted son/daughter of God means we are immediately living in the Eternals, and are part of that Inheritance from Creation. It is the Lord Who caused this and HE IS THE LORD! In my own walk with Christ, I knew I was not truly saved until I repented of my sins, and for me that included writing them down on a piece of paper and confessing them in tears. It was almost as if I could hear the Lord smiling as I finally got “IT”! The Apostle Paul says in Romans 7:7 “I would not have known sin BUT for the Law!” Law without Grace is Works. But does this verse mean Paul is for good works??!! NO! If your sin and recognizing it before a Holy God does not drive you to your knees, friends, I would question if the Sower’s seed fell on clay soil, rocks or fertile soil!
As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord in Repentance and acceptance of Christ as the Lord and Master of our lives, in Jesus’ Name, amen.
