What's false repentance? It's when a person pretends that they're in Christ when their actions speaks otherwise.
Matthew 4:17 (NKJV)
From that time Jesus began to preach and to say, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”
What does "repent" mean?
g3340. μετανοέω metanoeō; from 3326 and 3539; to think differently or afterwards, i.e. reconsider (morally, feel compunction): — repent.
AV (34) - repent 34; to change one's mind, i.e. to repent to change one's mind for better, heartily to amend with abhorrence of one's past sins.
It's a U-turn (pun intended- YOU TURN).
It's a deliberate act of going the other way but going the other way also means turning to God (see Isaiah 55:6-7, Ezekiel chapter 18, & Acts 3:19).
The false teacher, Joseph Prince (born 15 May 1963) is a Singaporean evangelist and the senior pastor of New Creation Church, which is based in Singapore, partially taught that repentance is just a change of mind but he intentionally left out the rest of the definition.
"to change one's mind, i.e. to repent to change one's mind for better, heartily to amend with abhorrence of one's past sins."
"Abhorrence" means that you're disgusted with the disgusting sins that you've committed.
When you're not disgusted with the disgusting sins that you've committed, it's easy to sin again. It's not as disgusting as you've thought.
Just like eating vomit. Like a dog's nature, returning to eat vomit is not as disgusting as you thought.
Proverbs 26:11 (NKJV) "As a dog returns to his own vomit, so a fool repeats his folly."
Now "compunction" means to "prick sharply."
In other words, the gospel is preached in such a way that the conscience is severely pricked and demands that you respond in such a way that it relieves the pain of the prick.
How should the gospel be preached?
Romans 3:20 (NKJV)
"Therefore by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight, for by the law is the knowledge of sin."
Sinners, in their self righteousness, are not aware of the severity of their sin. It's when you tell them their sins that they become aware of the danger of the wrath and justice of God.
And a person could suppress the "prick" in the heart.
Romans 1:18 (NKJV)
"For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness..."
Such compunction or prick brings about "godly sorrow."
2 Corinthians 7:10 (NKJV)
"For godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, not to be regretted; but the sorrow of the world produces death."
In other words, the way that the world expresses sorrow about sin without turning from sin, is called remorse. You may be sorry about it, but it's not enough to compell you to stop sinning. There's a difference between remorse and repentance.
In Acts 8, Simon the sorcerer is a good example of a false convert.
Acts 8:9-13 (NKJV) "But there was a certain man called Simon, who previously practiced sorcery in the city and astonished the people of Samaria, claiming that he was someone great, to whom they all gave heed, from the least to the greatest, saying, “This man is the great power of God.”
And they heeded him because he had astonished them with his sorceries for a long time. But when they believed Philip as he preached the things concerning the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, both men and women were baptized.
Then Simon himself also believed; and when he was baptized he continued with Philip, and was amazed, seeing the miracles and signs which were done."
The contrast is very simple.
The genuine versus the counterfeit.
Simon practiced sorcery. So what's sorcery?
g3096. μαγεύω mageuō; from 3097; to practice magic: — use sorcery.
AV (1) - use sorcery 1;
to be a magician, to practise magical arts.
It's all an illusion to deceive the eyes. It's all sleight of hand.
Vine's Dictionary says of sorcery.....
(Vine's Complete Expository Dictionary) mageuo (μαγεύω, 3096), akin to A, No. 2, “to practice magic,” Acts 8:9, “used sorcery,” is used as in A, No. 2, of Simon Magnus.
But something genuine happened that aroused the desire of Simon to have something to turn it into a money making scheme. You don't do sorcery unless you're getting paid.
His real god was money.
Acts 8:17-24 (NKJV) "Then they laid hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.
And when Simon saw that through the laying on of the apostles’ hands the Holy Spirit was given, he offered them money, saying, “Give me this power also, that anyone on whom I lay hands may receive the Holy Spirit.”
But Peter said to him, “Your money perish with you, because you thought that the gift of God could be purchased with money! You have neither part nor portion in this matter, for your heart is not right in the sight of God.
Repent therefore of this your wickedness, and pray God if perhaps the thought of your heart may be forgiven you. For I see that you are poisoned by bitterness and bound by iniquity.”
Then Simon answered and said, “Pray to the Lord for me, that none of the things which you have spoken may come upon me.”
Simon's true response would be to stop looking for ways to make money with trickery.
The evidence of true repentance is in a person's action after hearing the true gospel of Jesus Christ.
The sorcerer's heart is bound by a yellowish gall of iniquity.
So the question that's asked, "What's his iniquity?"
The love of money.
It's just a matter of time before you're confronted with what's really in your heart.
Phillip performed signs and wonders by the Holy Spirit which caught the people's attention to get them to hear the gospel, including Simon's. And while he watched Phillip, he was looking for a way to make more money. Because if you have something genuine, you could sell it.
Then Peter and John came and ministered the Holy Spirit to the people that were saved.
Peter and John laid hands on people and there was an authentic manifestation that occurred.
Simon's old habits surfaced. Because if you've truly repented, there would be no need to attempt to buy a gift to use it to make more money.
Peter said to Simon, "Your money perish with you..."
Wait. I thought that Simon the sorcerer was saved?
Nope! Not even close.
He was a false convert. He got baptized and it was all a game.
We have many false converts that falsely repented but when you look at their actions afterwards, we see that they weren't saved.
Matthew 6:19-21 (NKJV) “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal.
For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."
Simon, the sorcerer's treasure was his earthy treasures. This was where Simon's heart was exposed and Peter, by the Holy Spirit, exposed his heart.
Millions of professed, false converts are sitting in houses of worship.
The parable of the sower is a clear example of the kinds of people that's in houses of worship. They pretend to be in Christ but their hearts are no where near what the Bible demands.
Their hearts are either on the wayside, stony ground, thorny ground, or the good ground which is the only ground that produces fruit with patience and persecution.
1 John is one of the most difficult books in the Bible but its contents is a very high bar.
It's in this book that you'll know if you're a false convert or one that has truly repented of sin.
Now remember, it's by grace that we're saved, not by works (see Ephesians 2:8-10). Reconciliation means that through the propitiation of Christ, His expiatory (atoning), substitutionary sacrifice, we've been brought back into favor with God.
Sin is a deliberate act of defiance that takes us out of favor with God.
True repentance, placing faith on Christ alone, and obedience to the teachings of Christ brings us back into favor with God.
Comentários