Well, I'm glad that we're here today. I'm glad to be with you once again. And I do appreciate your kind attention, even though I went almost 10 minutes over on the Sunday school hour. And some people said they were, originally they were thinking of asking me to be back, but not now. So, and that was just for humor's sake. Today we want to look at the topic, Whatever Happened to Repentance? Whatever Happened to Repentance? So I'd like to invite your attention to Acts chapter 17. Acts chapter 17, and we'll be looking at verse 29. In fact, I better get there. Acts chapter 17. And we'll look at verses 29 and 30. Apostle Paul is at Areopagus, Mars Hill. And so in Acts chapter 17 we look at verse 29 when he's talking to these very learned Greek scholars. And so in verse 29 of Acts chapter 17 we read, for as much then as we are the offspring of God. We ought not to think that the Godhead is likened to gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and man's device. And the times of this ignorance, which is a lack of knowledge, God winked at, but now commandeth all men everywhere repent. The Apostle Paul thought this was important because when John the Baptist came on the scene some of the first words out of his mouth were, repent for the Kingdom of God is at hand. When the Lord Jesus Christ came and started His earthly ministry some of the first words that He would say is, repent and believe the Gospel. the Gospel of the Kingdom. And so the times of this ignorance God winked at, but now commandeth all men everywhere to repent. Now if there is a command to repent then obviously there is the possibility for you to be able to repent. And you've heard the word before, the big word is volition, but the idea is you have a choice in life. A lot of people don't like to admit that they have a choice. In the United States of America, we're even more without excuse, because in the United States of America, you can start off at some of the lowest levels and end up being the President of the United States. choices that we make. We can either give excuses for why we don't succeed in life, and say all the things of life are stacked against me, and so forth. But one thing that we have in common is that all of us have the power to choose. when the Lord Jesus Christ, and here the Apostle Paul said that there is a command for all men everywhere to repent it would be a good idea for us to know what that's all about. And the simplicity of the word repent sometimes is lost, but it's from a Greek word that doesn't make any difference to us it's called metanoia, big deal. But what it means to us in the English is we can change our mind. can change our mind about things. And so when it comes to salvation there are some things that we need to change our mind about, because why would the Bible tell us and command us to repent first of all if it wasn't important? wasn't necessary then you don't command somebody to do something if it's not necessary. That just makes sense. When I was in the military when a command was given I simply said, yes sir, and I went about my business and made sure that it got done. And so a command is to be obeyed. Many of the words, the commands in the Scripture are in the imperative case. It's time to just get with it and obey. And So, we have a definition, first of all, for repent, and the word repent and the variations of the word repent are found about 60 times, six zero, 60 times in the New Testament, and at least 32 times, repent is defined as a change of mind. So when we see that, a change of mind, all of us change our mind constantly about lots of different things. I used to like avocado. After a while, avocado did not like me. So I changed my mind about eating it. I figured if avocado doesn't want to be a friend of mine, I don't want to be a friend of avocado. So I changed my mind about it. But the question arises, since there's a command to repent in the scripture, about what should we have a change of mind? That's a good question. Is it only a change of mind from I don't believe to I do believe? And a lot of times people say, well that's all. The Bible says, believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved. Is it only a change of mind from disbelief to belief? Is that all it is? If we call upon the Lord believing that He will save us Is there a need to change our mind about anything else? In other words, if you will say perhaps what many have termed a magic prayer. Okay, Lord, whoever you are, I'm going to trust that you're going to save me. And so do it. Is that it? So, we have some Scripture references for the word repent, and it helps us out. Now, why is repentance so important? Well, according to the Scripture, without repentance there is no salvation. There is no deliverance from sin. obviously the idea of repenting is important. And it's very important not to get lost in the weeds, if you use that term in Texas. We use it in North Dakota because we actually have weeds that are green in North Dakota. opposed to the tumbleweeds that you call weeds down here. That was for free. No extra charge for that. But we have Scripture references and one of them is Mark chapter 1 where the Lord Jesus Christ is speaking. Mark chapter 1 verse 15, and He was saying, the time is fulfilled and the Kingdom of God is at hand. We Repent, that's imperative, command. Repent ye and believe, imperative, that's a command, the gospel. So these are not suggestions that the Lord Jesus Christ is giving out that, you know, it'd be a good idea if you would repent. You ought to think, perhaps, about repenting and believing the gospel. It might be important. And he was saying, you need to change your way of thinking. You've been thinking incorrectly in some area, and you need to change your mind. In Acts chapter 3 and verse 19, the Acts of the Apostles, the command is given in Acts chapter 3 and verse 19, the imperative, repent ye therefore and be converted. Different word there. It's in the imperative still. It means to turn, or to turn about. That's what the word means. So repent, change your mind, and turn about, which would give the impression that there's a change in direction. All right? Let me mention at this point, because there has arisen too much confusion about the word repent. So I want to delineate it right here. The action of repentance is one action. The idea of being converted or turned about is a secondary action. And I want to show from the Scriptures how this all works out, because the last thing that God wants us to be is confused, because God is not the author of confusion. Therefore, Satan and our own selves are the sources of confusion. So He says these things, and then He says, it's going to happen one of these days when the time of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord. And so the antithesis of this statement, just the opposite way of thinking is if you refuse to repent, and you refuse to be converted your sins will not be blotted out. And so most of you are aware that the Bible is a very logical book from a very logical God. And so we have a definition of repentance. We have some scripture references for the word repent. But we have areas of application for the word repent. Before I was saved I needed to know what do I need a change of mind about? And I'll give you my personal testimony right at this point. I had made a previous profession of faith without understanding. And I had been dunked in the Baptistry because Scriptural Baptism is not what I got. I just got wet. And so, I thought I was saved. I had said the magic prayer with a group of other young people at the time, with a very well-meaning lady in the Sunday School class. And so, I went on for eight years thinking that I was saved. And so, as I ended up going to church for my 14th and 15th year of life, And in between there wasn't a lot. I realized just in a matter of months I was not really saved. I had just gone through a ritual that was very similar to what I was taught when I went to a Catholic church for a year. It was like, okay, you do these things. And so the idea was I needed to change my mind about other things other than, do you want to go to Heaven when you die? Raise your hands. Everybody raise their hands, right? Because like we say, if there's a Heaven, anybody in their right mind wants to go there rather than the alternate destination. So we have areas of application for the word repent. Are there any areas about which you or we need to have a change of mind before we can be saved? It's a good question. Do you need to change your way of thinking about anything before you can be saved. Can a person be saved without a change of mind? And I believe it's good for us to answer the question. Sometimes we say, all right, here's the answer, parrot the response. Can a person be saved, and you get an opportunity to make a statement. Can a person be saved without a change of mind about the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ? Can a person be saved without a change of mind about the Savior? In other words, does it matter if you know who the Savior is? Does it matter if you know what He's done? Does it really matter if He deserves designated a Savior. Make a difference? I think when we think about it we realize you have to know something about Him don't you? Well in Hebrews chapter 11 and verse 6 we actually have an answer from God's Word. Hebrews chapter 11 and if you'll notice verse 6, but without faith It is impossible to please Him. All right? In other words, if you are not going to trust God, you will never please God. If you can't depend, if you refuse to depend upon the Word of God you will never please God. Alright, why? Because the Bible says, but without faith it is impossible to please Him. Because, or for, he that cometh to God must. Alright everybody? Must. Does that mean maybe so, guess so, or does must mean something definite that must be done? Alright? So, for he that cometh to God must believe that He is. Do you believe there is a real God? Then you know something about God. He's the Creator of all things. And that He is a rewarder of them that, and these last three words sometimes people miss, diligently seek Him. Not en passant, just as you're passing through life, you just say, oh yeah, I believe there's a God, therefore I'm going to heaven. Or I'm a Christian because I live in a Christian nation. That's not what the Bible says anything about. John chapter one and verse one, it tells us about the Savior. In John chapter one and verse one, it says, in the beginning was the Word. we'll see He's talking about the Lord Jesus Christ, and the Scripture tells us that. But John 1, verse 1, in the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. Verse 14 tells us, and the Word was made flesh. I wonder who that could be? And the Word was made flesh, and the idea of there's an ellipsis, or the idea of the Word dwelt among us. And we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. The Savior is a real person who lived on planet earth, and became like us, and lived the perfect life that we could not live, so that He could pay the price that we could never pay. You say, that's just a simplistic statement. And that's good, because God wrote His Bible for simplicity. didn't want to make it so difficult to understand that only the intellectual elite could end up going to Heaven. In 1 Peter chapter 2 and verse 24, Speaking of the Lord Jesus Christ it says, who His own self bear our sins in His own body on the tree. Did you notice how many elements of doctrine are involved in that simple statement? Do you know much about Christ? Can you trust in Him? You need to know enough about the Lord Jesus Christ so that you can believe. He loved you so much He bore in His own self our sins in His own body on the tree that He did it for a purpose so that we being dead to sins, in other words when we put our faith and trust in Him we become dead to our sins and should live unto righteousness. talking about a big change of mind. Living for our sins, or living for righteousness. And then he emphasizes it, by whose stripes ye were healed. It's metaphorically in many ways. The idea is we are healed by our sins, we're healed. In John 3 and verse 16 the most common verse that we read, and needs to be perhaps slowed down when we read it for real good understanding, because God so loved the world, He had a purpose for it, so that He gave His only begotten Son. That's how much God loves us. And many times it just gets swept under the carpet almost. God loved us so much. Why? Because of how good we were? Absolutely not. He loved us in spite of how sinful we are. right away some people say, well I'm not that sinful. Well pride is one of the greatest sins you must have at that point. Because if the Apostle Paul with all that he had said, oh wretched man that I am. I have an idea that all of us are in the same grouping. Oh wretched people that we are. That God would even want to us, because God so loved the world He gave His only begotten Son, so that whosoever," and you hear it, whosoever means you, it means everybody, whosoever believeth. And that's once again, okay I believe that Jesus lived. I believe He died. I believe He was resurrected. Do you know anything about that? Do you know what resurrection is? Do you know how He died? Do you know anything about it? Can you trust and depend upon Him? Because that's the essence of the Word. Just believing that there's a Jesus is different from trusting Him 100% for the salvation of your soul. Plus nothing and minus nothing. It's a big, big difference. Whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." And once again we need to look at the antithesis, just the opposite. Whosoever does not believe should not have everlasting life, but perish. In our nation we've heard these things, most people have heard these things so many times that they have lost their their impact. Now that's my opinion and I could be wrong, therefore. But secondly, can a person be saved without a change of mind about salvation itself, the whole idea of deliverance? The question was in Acts chapter 16, what must I do to be saved? The answer is the same thing that everybody has to do to be saved. God is no respecter of persons. What must I do to be saved? The way I was saved is the same way that the Apostle Paul was saved. Different circumstances, but the same way. What must I do to be saved? The Do you need to know the answer to that? Can a person be saved without a change of mind about salvation? Do you have to know what you must do to be saved in order to be saved? If someone tells you, be a good person. My wife witnessed to somebody at her job and just asked the man, so what do I need to do to be saved? And he talked about, be a good person, attend your parish, or attend your church all the time, and so forth, be a good person. Unfortunately, the man was wrong. He gave the wrong answer. Hebrews 9 and verse 12 the idea of being a good person, doing good works, and so on and so forth. In Hebrews 9 and verse 12 it's referring back to the Old Testament sacrifices. If anybody was serious about their religion they was the Israelites. It was the Jewish nation. Serious about their religion because God gave them the first oracles of God. The Word of God came to the Jews first, and they were proud of it. And they had their weekly, and monthly, and different times of the year. And the end of the year, the Day of Atonement, at the end of their year they would have to have the Day of Atonement, have the sacrifices made again to roll forward this idea that your sins are not covered, we're just We're just pushing them forward a year. And you can imagine, supposedly, people were looking forward to, is there ever going to be an end of these sacrifices? And of course, we, on this side of time, can say, oh yes, there's an end to those sacrifices. In Hebrews chapter 9 and verse 12, referring back to those sacrifices, the Bible says, neither by the blood of goats and calves, But by His, meaning Christ, His own blood, He entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us." Big, big difference. difference. In the Old Testament times once a year the High Priest would enter all by Himself into the Holy of Holies. He would offer a sacrifice of blood for not only the sins of the people but His own sins first. Big, big difference between the High Priest of the Old Testament and our great High Priest the Lord Jesus Christ. He entered into Heaven into the Holy of Holies in Heaven and and His own blood purchased for us eternal redemption. We are redeemed eternally. Once you're saved, you can never lose your salvation. according to the same book of Hebrews, if you could lose your salvation you could never get it back, because it would require once again the Lord Jesus Christ to die on the cross, shed His blood, enter in a second time into the Holy of Holies in Heaven to take care of your sin. That sacrifice that Christ made was a perfect sacrifice. and the book of Hebrews tells us it will never have to be repeated again. In Ephesians chapter 2 and verse 8 the Bible says, for by grace, and you're familiar, many of you, unmerited favor, grace, what you don't deserve. For by grace are you saved through faith, and that not of yourselves. It is the gift of God, and the big three words are not of works. majority of religions teach there's, you've got to do something if you're ever going to get to Heaven. And we would agree at that point, you have to do something, but it's what we've been commanded to do, not what man has determined we ought to do in order to get saved. Repent and be converted. So, can a person be saved without a change of mind about salvation? You gotta know what must I do to be saved. Or you might do the wrong thing and trust in the wrong thing and you won't have the so great salvation that the Bible talks about. But another question, third, can a person be saved without a change of mind about their personal sin? And this is where it gets personal. What about your personal sin? A lot of people categorize their sin. Here's the little bitty sins over here. A little bitty white line. And all the way over here, you killed your mother-in-law. I mean, it's that bad. You've gone to the great extremes there, the way a lot of people look at it. But can a person be saved without a change of mind about their personal sin? boils down to, here I am unsaved, I have my personal sin. A lot of people say, I would like to go to Heaven when I die, but while I'm here on earth I want to keep on enjoying my personal sin until I die and go to Heaven. Is that okay with God? Well, if you're going to change your mind about other things, but if you don't have to change your mind about your personal sin, what difference would there be between a saved people and a lost people? The only difference would be one would be going to heaven and the other one would be going to hell and eventually the lake of fire. But that is not the type of salvation that the Bible talks about. Our personal sin is the very reason why Jesus Christ had to die on the cross of Calvary. So can you imagine God in heaven saying, you can be saved. I loved you so much that I sent my only begotten son into the world so that you might be saved. But I know you've got these problems with your personal sin, so that's okay with me. You can be saved from the penalty of your sin, but you can keep on practicing your sin. Now, most people with a sense of logic would say, well, that wouldn't really make any sense. Kind of like a parent saying, you know, kid, I know you're just naturally rebellious, but I've got blessings for you during the next 18 years of your life, and you can just live like the devil if you want to, and I'm just going to give you all of those blessings. You would say, Brother Schaffer, you're insane. which may or may not be true, but you would be right if somebody did that. And yet many people think God is such a loving God that He's a permissive God, and that's not the God of the Bible. In 2 Corinthians chapter 5, if you'll turn there, 2 Corinthians chapter 5, can a person be saved without a change of mind about their personal sin? Now, the reality is that there seems to be some controversy on this. Really. Apparently, some people believe that changing your way of thinking about your personal sin occurs after somebody is saved. So, let's take a look at 2 Corinthians 5. Oh, I'm so happy I'm in the right chapter. 2 Corinthians 5, and we'll look at verse 15 where the Bible says, once again, and we've alluded to this, and that He died for all. 2 Corinthians 5, verse 15, and that He died for all that they which live not henceforth live unto themselves." Would you all agree that's how we live before salvation? Hey, whatever seems right let's do it. And then, He died for all that they which live should not henceforth, which means from that point forward in salvation, they should not live unto themselves. But, what a novel idea, but live unto Him which died for them. Well, that makes sense, and rose again. I'm not sure exactly how long ago it was, but in certain Eastern countries, if someone saved somebody from certain death, the person who was saved from certain death would willingly be the servant of the person who had saved them, or delivered them from certain death. Does everybody know what the logic is? Without that person interceding in what would have been certain death, the person interceding delivered that person, newness of life, because in a figure the person was dead, but they renewed them to be able to continue to live after certain death. And so the person would serve that person for the rest of their lives. Guess what Jesus has done? appointed unto man once to, but after this the judgment." Great White Throne Judgment where lost people will be sentenced to eternity in the Lake of Fire. The Lord Jesus Christ, for those of us who are saved, interceded on our behalf the certain death that awaits us and awaited me. He delivered me from that certain death so that instead of spending eternity in the lake of fire, I get to spend eternity with eternal life that I would have never had had Jesus not interceded for me. And the same thing is true, according to the Bible, for the whole world. So that, if anybody puts their faith and trust in Christ, and we are delivered from the bondage of sin, that He died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto Him which died for them. and rose again. And this is really a statement of logic and pleading for those who are saved. After they're saved, there ought to be an evident change of mind about their personal sin that changes their actions after they're saved. So, A lot of people equate repentance, changing your way of thinking concerning sin, with immediately turning from your sin. So I want us to think about pre-salvation. Pre-salvation, are you ready? Before you're saved, can you turn from your sin, or are you just stuck with turning over a new leaf? at New Year's Day, trying to live differently. All right. I'd like to be saved, but first of all, I have to determine I will never sin again. But wait a minute. I'm not saved. I don't have the power to never sin again. I don't even have the power to even try not to sin again. I'm where I was five years before I got saved. I'm lost. But I have a change of mind about my sin. I deserve to go to hell. But Jesus wants to save me from this sin. Why would I want to continue to live in sin? See, there's a difference between saying, I don't want to continue to live in sin anymore. I don't want to be a servant of sin anymore. There's a difference between that and being saved. As there is a difference between saying, I want to be saved, and actually placing your 100% dependence on the Lord Jesus Christ for him to save you. So, when we think of repentance, the cause for people turning from sin, the cause is repentance. The turning away from sin is the effect of changing your mind about sin and trusting Christ as your Savior. It's all got to come before your changing of mind. You trust Christ as Savior and the Holy Spirit of God dwells within you and makes it possible for you to live in newness of life. couple of scriptures that show this. In Ezekiel chapter 18 in the Old Testament, Ezekiel 18 and verse 30 the Bible says, therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, everyone according to his ways, saith the Lord God. Repent, and yes repent, return in your mind, turn back, and then, and turn yourselves from all your transgressions. That's an Old Testament reference. So that iniquity shall not be your ruin. In other words, you won't suffer the wages of your sin. The turning back occurs first. The turning from transgressions occurs second. Now true repentance is a change of mind or a change of heart. And let me just quickly say it because I know time is marching on. In salvation the change of mind concerning sin occurs before putting your trust in the Lord Jesus Christ. I hope that that was plain. In the New Testament in Acts chapter 14, Barnabas and Paul were preaching and the people thought they were gods, and And they said to them, Sirs, why do ye these things? We also are men of like passions with you. Preach unto you that you should turn from these vanities unto the living God." And then when we read in 1 Thessalonians chapter 1 and verse 9, speaking about the church of Thessalonica, had trusted Christ. 1 Thessalonians 1 and verse 9 says, for they themselves show of us what manner of entering in we had unto you. That means here's the results of us preaching the Gospel to you. What manner of entering in we had unto you and how ye turned to God from idols, but don't miss the rest of it, to serve the living and true God. So it's not one of these things where, all right, we want you to say this magic prayer and then say, gotcha, now you're going to have to serve the living and true God. If you're delivered from certain eternal death to eternal life, I think I have a question. Why would not you want to serve? the living and true God who saved you from certain eternal death. And that's exactly what it is. The idea of repenting is not just important. It's crucial. If you don't have a change of mind about these things, according to the scriptures that we read, you can't be saved. But isn't it? Fantastic that God gave us volition that we can choose to repent and be converted. So with what we've heard from the Word of God, those of you who are saved can say, I think I can be helped in my witnessing to the lost. And for those who are not saved, you can say, I could do that. I can see why I should obey the command to repent and be converted. And now we have an opportunity to do that. I'd like to ask you to quietly stand to your feet if you would, please. With heads bowed and eyes closed as we come to the conclusion of the message and just ask some questions. Have you learned as a Christian? We ought to be real, real careful when we're leading people to the Lord. You need to be very, very careful that they understand. And then if you're here today without Christ, can you see from the scriptures why it is so, so important to really, really think about, what am I going to do with what I've heard? For some people, just by hearing a message like this, they can say, yep, that's exactly what I want to do. people need to say, I'm not giving people an out, I'm just saying some people need to say, I really need to think about this. I've been given some things for thought, and I'm really going to think about those things, and you should. And of course the urgency of the matter is if you already know what you should do and you don't do it, God's under no obligation to give you second chances, and third chances. Heavenly Father, we ask now that in this time of invitation you would take the Word of God that's been preached, speak to hearts, and may all of us respond in such a way that is pleasing to You. We ask it in Jesus' name, Amen. With heads bowed and eyes closed, and the instrument plays, and the invitation is... You'd have a hard time not understanding what you just I came at you from 34 ways to say what the Bible says in one phrase, except you repent, you'll all likewise perish. So I'm standing here in my sins and I'm depending on what I think And you've just heard the truth of the Word of God. Will you act on it? Will you act on what you know right now? I understand and now I want to change my mind. I've been doing it one way, but God said, do it another way. And I'm willing now to submit my heart to you, Lord, and receive eternal salvation. Brother Tim's gonna sing it again. If you wanna join in, you can. But I urge you, Senator, Don't depend on yourself. You can't save yourself. Only God can save you, and He will the moment you turn to Him. With a heart, man receives. And then with a mouth, confession is made. That's as simple as it can be. Will you repent while we sing this verse? With many a conflict, many a doubt, my teens and fears went in. Without a homeland, of God I come, I come. Just as I am, though wretched, blind, sight creatures, healing of the mind, I don't know what else to say. Brother Ken Schaeffer and his wife will be back somewhere around his tapes and things. I urge you to search your heart. Have I ever repented of my sin? It's one thing to join the church, it's another thing to be baptized, but that's not salvation. The most miserable time of my life was those days between the time I was baptized and the time I got saved. And you say, well, it's hard to know. No, it's not hard to know. It's hard to confess that you know. But down in your heart, you know whether you have repented or not. And if you have not, God cannot take you to his heaven. Don't step out there and, hey, they run over somebody on this road every week. Don't go out there without God. You've got right now. And you don't have a promise of tomorrow. I just urge you to do what the preacher explains so simply to you. I know I've sinned. God, I want to repent and turn to you. That's so simple. Would you do what you know you need to do? Brother Ken's back there. I'll be back there. Others will be back there. And any one of us, hey, there's 50 people in this room at least that can take you to the throne of grace and show you how to be saved. If you'd just let them, you could receive eternal salvation. from the God of heaven. All right, Brother Tim, would you come dismiss us in a word of prayer, please, Brother? Dear Heavenly Father, Lord, we thank you so much for allowing us to be in your house today. Lord, we thank you for this good crowd that we have. Lord, we thank you for many, many visitors. Lord, I pray that you'll continue to bless our church. Lord, continue to use our church. Lord, we thank you for this message this morning from Brother Schaffer. Lord, a message on salvation. Lord, I pray that if there's anyone here that doesn't know you as their personal savior, Lord, that they'll do that before it's eternally too late. Lord, I thank you for the many blessings. Lord, I pray for our pastor, his family. Lord, bless them, give them the blessings that they need while they're away on their vacation. Keep them safe, bring them back to us. Lord, bless each one that's here. Bless this afternoon, and we'll be back tonight. In Jesus' name, amen.