Accommodation Doctrine versus Saving Faith And many will say, “Believing only’ is just as effective and powerful in transforming lives.” Yes it is! Yet, Jesus said, repent and believe, not believe only. Also, Peter on the day of Pentecost preached repent and be baptized. And you can see how Paul preached in Acts 20:24. That he kept nothing profitable to them but taught them repentance to God and faith toward the Lord Jesus Christ. If they all preached that repentance is necessary, who are we to change the message? If the right heart belief is exercised, the component of repentance is evidence. You not only exchange your sins for His righteousness, but you exchange your life for His life. However our definition of belief and the Bible’s definition of belief are quite different. Remember that the definitions of many words are different than their original intent. Our knowledge of what belief means is similar to but different than Jesus’ time. When people then believed, it was a commitment and out of love, similar to a marriage. But our belief is mostly mental with little commitment. A man’s word used to be his bond. That is only true now because of “old standards of belief” and individual integrity. It does not fit the definition of everyone. Could the word “believe” in the past have had a more serious meaning that involved greater commitment than it has now? 32Believe - Etymology: Middle English beleven, from Old English beléfan, from be- + bfan, léfan to allow, believe; akin to Old High German gilouben to believe, Old English léof dear — more at love Date: before the 12" century God knows the difference between mental assent, with no true conviction or true repentance, and true commitment to the Lord Jesus Christ. I can find no scriptural evidence of salvation without true repentance. You can’t enter into LIFE without passing through death. As water baptism is symbolic of passing from death to life, so we must experience this experientially, not positionally. “Old things will pass away, and all things will become new.” The proof is in the transformation. And the Spirit of God will bear witness that you are transformed. Regardless of how many people may tell you that you are saved, God’s Spirit is the final authority. If He doesn’t witness inside you, then re-examine your heart’s commitment. The Holy Spirit does not transform lives on non-committal decisions. 33Delusion Dr. D. James Kennedy preached on the delusion of the Church. “You can’t lick the Cross and lick the world.” He elaborated on this theme. He said, “If you think you can “lick the world, and lick the Cross, you are deluded.” Dr. Kennedy is expressing his opinion that people who come to church and have really never been born again will continue to do the same things they did before they became churchgoers. He is saying that “delusion” has taken root in their hearts and they are living a lie. If we know that people can deceive themselves in believing they are saved when they are not, isn’t it prudent, since this is a life and death matter, to preach a Gospel message that has proven itself over 1,930 years? As important as eternal life is, wouldn't a conscientious God-called minister want to be sure someone has passed from death to life? If deception is possible, what responsibility will the Lord require of ministers at the Judgment Seat of Christ? Is preaching the Gospel of “repent and believe the Gospel” today's message? I can't think of one Gospel minister up to 1950 that did not preach this message. In fact, A. W. Tozer remarks that if what they've been preaching is incorrect, then they are not alone. A. W. Tozer said, “I have been grazing in a lot of wonderful pasture, and if I err, I will be in a lot of company.” 34What was the Gospel message he preached? Life Improvement or Life Changing? Jesus came to seek and to save that which is lost. If you don’t know you are lost, how can you be saved? Spurgeon preached heavily on this theme. In fact, every God-anointed preacher, with the exception of a few, in the last fifty years, preached the doctrine of repentance requisite to salvation. Do we tell people they are saved? Or, do we assure new converts that the Holy Spirit will tell them? This was John Wesley's prime message. He had strong conviction that those who just assumed they were saved because of child baptism or church membership or mental assent were not converted persons. He preached that people must be aware that they are lost and perishing. They must repent of their sins and place their faith in Jesus Christ. Wesley believed that only the Holy Spirit could tell someone they were saved. That is proven by scriptural references in the New Testament. If people have to tell you that you are saved, then reexamine your faith. The Holy Spirit will bear witness that you are saved. 35The Holy Spirit Witness of Salvation Witness of the Holy Spirit that you are saved 1John 3:24: “.,.and hereby we know that He abideth in us, by the Spirit which He hath given us.” 1John 4:13: “Hereby Know we that we dwell in Him, and He in us, because He hath given us of His Spirit.” 1John 0: “He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself...” Romans 8:14~16 (KJV): “* For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. '° For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. '° The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: 1 Corinthians 2:9-12 (KJV): ? But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. '? But God hath revealed them _unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. '' For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God. '? Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. John _14:17-20 (KJV): ‘7 Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. “I will not leave you 36comfortless: I will come to you. " Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more; but ye see me: because I live, ye shall live also. * At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and | in you. If you are transformed, ”born again,” old things are passed away and all things have become new. Your heart will be “circumcised” (Colossians 2:11): “in whom also ye were circumcised with a circumcision not made with hands, in the putting off of the body of the sins of the flesh in the circumcision of the Christ, '? being buried with him in the baptism, in which also ye rose with [him] through the faith of the working of God, who did raise him out of the dead.” You begin on the right road because you have repented, and the Spirit of God has birthed you into Jesus Christ. Your progress on this narrow road will depend on your obedience to the Spirit of God. John _1:13-14: “You must be born again,” Jesus said. Born from above, not by the will of man, but by the will of God. ‘But as many as received Him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name; Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.” You may say, “I don’t believe that.” God never fails to transform anyone who really believes and who really trusts Him for salvation. Really believing is more than what the devils do. “The devils believe.” What type of believing is necessary? What is saving faith? a7