repentance

What is repentance? Is it just being sorry for sin? Or is something more required?

Repentance has a variety of uses in the Scriptures. (a) One form of “repentance” is simply a feeling of remorse. It was in this sense that Judas “repented” (Mt. 27:3) just before he hanged himself ...

To answer this question, let’s review a very fundamental principle of Bible interpretation.

The Analogy of Faith and the Doctrine of ForgivenessThere is a principle of Bible interpretation known a...

The writer of Hebrews speaks of those who are beyond the possibility of repentance (Heb. 6:6). Does this mean that if a Christian falls away from the faith, he can never return? Is it even possible for the child of God to apostatize —so as to be lost? This week’s Q&A segment addresses this issue.

Another argument which denies the essential role baptism plays in our salvation is answered.

Hosea lived in that era just prior to the Assyrian invasion of the kingdom of Israel (722/21 B.C.). His mission was to admonish Israel for her idolatry (Baal worship), and to urge her to repentance...

Solomon’s prayer at the time of the dedication of the Jewish Temple is a remarkable piece of literature. It contains an important discussion of the nature of genuine repentance. In an age when this is frequently misunderstood, it provides a valuable resource.

In Acts 2:38 Peter contended that baptism is “for” (eis) the remission of sins. Since many religionists deny this biblical truth, they seek comfort in a supposed parallel that they imagine nullifies the force of eis in Acts 2:38. Some imagine they have found a solution to their theological problem in Matthew 12:41. But have they?

The Hebrews writer appeals to the profane attitude of Esau in order to teach us something about the nature of irreversible consequences. If we treat lightly the promises of God and forfeit the Christian inheritance, it will be too late for tears come judgment.

It is now urgent that courageous men and women repeat the ancient refrain, “ask for the old paths ... and walk therein ....”

Based upon a misunderstanding of Ephesians 2:8, some argue that “faith” is a gift from God, and that it is not, therefore, a condition of salvation. This theory is the offspring of Calvinism. This week’s question explores this issue.

A subtle, but important, point from the Greek text helps us to distinguish several factors in the plan of salvation

The term “works” is a perfectly noble word; yet, in the minds of some, there is a distorted view of this biblical term. Especially has the Protestant world reacted negatively to Catholicism’s "work...

More than a dozen words are used in the Greek N.T. to represent various aspects of “sin” (e.g., bad, evil, transgression, iniquity, trespass, godless, unrighteous, etc.). The most frequently employ...

The term “restoration” conveys a number of ideas in the Scriptures, depending upon the immediate context. (a) It may refer to the restitution of property or money in compliance to law (Dt. 22:2), o...

Under the preaching of Jonah, the wicked city of Nineveh had repented (Jon. 3:10; Mt. 12:40-41), and God had suspended the punishment of which he had warned those people. Eventually, though, they s...

Nineveh was the capital city of Assyria. It was an exceedingly wicked city, but Jehovah loved even these alien Gentiles. Accordingly, he sent Jonah, a prophet from northern Palestine, to proclaim u...

The southern kingdom of Judah had sunk deep into apostasy. The prophet Jeremiah was raised up to offer them God’s final invitation for repentance. When that failed, the prophet was commissioned to ...

“Confession” means “to say the same thing.” 

In connection with our salvation, confession is the personal acknowledgment of the transgressions in our lives that God has spoken of and condemned thr...

The expression “Great Commission” is commonly used to refer to a special directive Christ gave in a post-resurrection appearance before he ascended back into heaven. 

The “commission” is found in ...