Foundations of the Faith

Week 2- The Elementary Principles

Read Hebrews 6:1-12

This is a lesson on the foundational doctrines of Christianity

Day 1 Repentance from dead works and faith toward God

What is repentance? Change of mind, change of direction.

The basic meaning of the word "repentance" is a change in mind which results in a change in outward actions. Some people associate repentance with emotions, like shedding tears and feeling sorry for wrong actions and thoughts. Repentance is not an emotion. It is a decision. Emotion sometimes accompanies true repentance. But it is possible for a person to feel great emotion and to shed many tears and yet never truly repent.

Other people associate repentance with meeting special religious requirements. This is sometimes called "doing penance.” It is possible to fulfill many such religious requirements and yet never repent in the true Biblical sense.

True repentance is a change of mind that results in a change in outward actions. Outward change is the result of turning away from sin towards God and righteousness. This "turning away" shows the inward change of mind which has occurred. To summarize: Biblical repentance is an inner change of mind resulting in an outward turning away from sin to move towards God and righteousness.

Effective repentance and ineffective repentance

There are some passages in the Bible where the word "repent" is used in a different way.

JUDAS: In Matthew 27:3-4 Judas Iscariot realized Jesus had been condemned to death. He repented of his part in betraying Christ: Then Judas, which had betrayed Him, when he saw that He was condemned, repented himself, and brought again the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders,

Saying I have sinned in that I have betrayed the innocent blood...

The Greek word used here is not the same word which means “change”. It is a word which people often misinterpret as true repentance. In many languages there are words which have more than one meaning. This is true in the languages in which the Bible was written. There is more than one meaning to the word "repent" in the Bible. The word used in this passage about Judas means “emotion”,” sorrow”, and “anguish”.

Judas experienced sorrow over what he had done but he did not experience true Biblical repentance. He did not make a decision which resulted in a change in his actions. He continued in sin and in the end, hung himself.

ESAU: Esau was another man who made this tragic error. Esau sinned by selling his God-given birthright for a bowl of soup. The Bible records:

...ye know how that afterward, when he would have inherited the blessing, he was rejected: for he found no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears. (Hebrews 12:17)

Esau exchanged his birthright for a bowl of soup. In doing so, he rejected all the blessings and promises of God associated with the birthright. Later, Esau regretted what he had done. He cried aloud and shed bitter tears. But strong emotion is not proof of repentance. Esau did not truly repent. He was just sorry he had lost the birthright and wished he could have it back. His "repentance" was not acceptable because there is a difference between regret and true repentance.

What are dead works?

"Dead works" are the actions of a life lived apart from God. These works may be wrong deeds or acts of self-righteousness. These are called "sin" in the Bible. The basic thing that causes sin is selfishness. It is the love of self as opposed to the love of God. This love of self results in man going "his own way":

All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned everyone to his own way... (Isaiah 53:6)

REPENTANCE towards God

Repentance from dead works was defined as "an inward decision or change of mind resulting in the outward action of turning from sin to God and righteousness.” Acts 20:21 calls it "repentance toward God.” It is the kindness of God that leads us to repentance (Romans 2:4). By the act of repentance you turn from your own dead works of sin towards God. Repentance is a personal decision to forsake sin and enter into fellowship with God. It is the power of God which actually brings the change in the mind, heart, and life of the sinner:

Then God also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life. (Acts 11:18)

Him [Jesus] hath God exalted with His right hand to be a Prince and a Savior, for to give repentance...(Acts 5:31)

Although emotions may be involved in repentance, true repentance from dead works is a decision, not just an emotion. This must be accompanied by an inward decision that results in an outward change.

The example of THE PRODIGAL SON - Read the story in Luke 15:11-24.

Repentance and conversion are best illustrated by a story Jesus told about the prodigal son.

This young man left his father and home, went to a distant land, and through sin wasted all he owned. Eventually this young man realized his condition. He was hungry, lonely, in rags, and tending pigs for a job. Then he made an important decision. He said, "I will arise and go to my father.”

This inward decision resulted in a change in his outward actions. He went home to his father to seek forgiveness.

Read Luke 15:17-19. The young man realized his sinful condition. He made a decision to go to his father and repent of his sin. This is an example of repentance, an inward decision which results in outward action.

It is important to note that the Father never exchanged his love for his son for anger towards his son. The father was deeply hurt by the loss of relationship and the provision he had in store for the son. The son experience a lot of trouble, abuse and loss while he was absent from the father but the father did not cause the trouble, neither was it his intention to “punish” him until the son would return to him. So it is with God, our Father.

I submit that no one has ever come into the Kingdom of God because they were comfortable; each of us came to Him because we were in some sort of trouble or distress. This is the fruit of sin. When we turn back (repent), the Father celebrates our return and restores us completely in spite of the fact that we may have seemingly already spent our inheritance.

Faith towards God

Hebrews 11:6

But without faith it is impossible to please Him: for he that cometh to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him.

"Faith toward God" refers to your attitude toward God. Some men hate God and rebel against Him. Others are afraid of Him. Faith and repentance are both necessary for genuine conversion. To turn to God without forsaking sin is not true repentance. Also, trying to forsake sin without turning toward God in faith also fails.

Both repentance and faith toward God are necessary for salvation.

Faith means to believe and have assurance of something. To believe means to have trust. The words "faith, believe, and trust" all mean the same thing when we use them in relation to God.

The Bible defines faith as: ...the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. (Hebrews 11:1)

The Amplified Bible adds to this definition: Now faith is the assurance, the confirmation, the title deed of the things we hope for, being the proof of things we do not see, and the conviction of their reality. Faith perceives as real those things that are not revealed to the senses. (Hebrews 11:1)

Faith gives assurance that the things promised in the future are true and that unseen things are real.

HOPE:

Faith differs from hope. Hope is a desire or attitude of expectancy concerning things in the future. Faith is belief in something you cannot see but have assurance you already possess. Hope is in the mind. Faith is in the heart:

But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith...and for an helmet, the hope of salvation. (I Thessalonians 5:8)

In this verse faith is associated with the region of the heart as a breastplate. Hope is a helmet associated with the head.

Hope is a mental attitude of expectancy about the future. Faith is a condition of the heart producing belief in God:

For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness...(Romans 10:10)

It is not enough to accept the Gospel with the mind. This is not true Scriptural faith and does not produce change in your life. True Scriptural faith, believing with the heart, always produces change in your life. The result is something experienced in the present, not something hoped for in the future.

Faith is not MIND OVER MATTER:

Faith is not the same as "mind over matter" which is taught by some religions. "Mind over matter" teaches that man can overcome all problems in the real world [the world of matter] by using his mind, reason, or willpower. These teachings are man-centered. They rely on self and not on God. "Mind over matter" is not based on the Word of God.

Faith is God-centered, not man-centered. It is a gift of God, not something man produces through self-efforts of his own mind. Repentance towards God involves returning to God’s original intent for your life. We do not need to create a list of good things to warrant His reward, God has already decided to love you. But it does require a complete relinquishment of every thought outside of His will and intent for you. As we see how good He really is, it is easy to release everything else and have “faith toward God”.

Discussion Questions:

Day 1 Repentance from dead works and faith toward God