|
|
|
October 4, 2007 David Cloud - WayOfLife.org The "Repentance Blacklist" is an anonymous website that deceptively purports to list men and organizations that "add works to salvation." The "Repentance Blacklist website warns: "The independent fundamental Baptist movement has been totally infiltrated by those promoting the false doctrine that in order to be saved one must 'repent of their sins.' (This phrase is never found in the Bible.) This supposedly involves a change in lifestyle or a 'willingness' to turn away from sin in order to be saved. THAT IS WORKS SALVATION!" (http://www.repentanceblacklist.com/). The website features articles by Jack Hyles, Curtis Hutson, and another man that allegedly present the truth about repentance, the "truth" being that repentance is the same as faith, that it is nothing more than a change of mind, and that it is not necessarily followed by a change of direction and lifestyle. As I have documented in my book "Repentance and Soul Winning," this definition was invented by Hyles and Hutson in the 1980s in an obvious attempt to justify the popular practice that I have named "Quick Prayerism." This is a method of soul winning that is quick to do two things. First, it is quick to get people to pray a "sinner's prayer" regardless of whether or not there is any evidence whatsoever that the individual is even slightly interested in Christ let alone that he is calling upon Christ from a heart of true repentance and genuine saving faith. Second, it is quick to give assurance to those who have prayed such a prayer and to include them in salvation statistics when there is no evidence that they have been born again and, in fact, when their lives witness against their profession. "They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate" (Titus 1:16). See also Matthew 7:21-23; John 10:27; 1 Corinthians 6:9-11; 2 Timothy 2:19; 1 John 2:3-4. Though I have never defined repentance as turning from sins, my name and the name of Way of Life Literature are on The Repentance Blacklist, and I am glad to be there, because I am staunchly opposed to the Hyles-Hutson perversion of biblical repentance and the cheapening of biblical evangelism. In fact, I have a suspicion that my writings are what prompted the development of this misguided website. We don't preach any sort of works salvation. We define repentance as a change of mind that results in a change of life, which is what the apostle Paul preached: "But shewed first unto them of Damascus, and at Jerusalem, and throughout all the coasts of Judaea, and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, and do works meet for repentance" (Acts 26:20). I have written to the e-mail address at The Repentance Blacklist website <report@repentanceblacklist.com> to submit the names of many other Fundamentalists and Baptists who preach biblical repentance. In fact, practically every Bible dictionary and Encyclopedia and Commentary that has ever been published presents the same doctrine of repentance that I hold, and I don't know of one Baptist or Fundamentalist before the 1980s who taught the doctrine of repentance that was promoted by Hyles and Hutson. Two of the names that I have submitted to The Repentance Blacklist are Lester Roloff and John R. Rice. Lester Roloff -- "Repentance is a godly sorrow for sin. Repentance is a forsaking of sin. Real repentance is putting your trust in Jesus Christ so you will not live like that anymore. Repentance is permanent. It is a lifelong and an eternity-long experience. You will never love the devil again once you repent. You will never flirt with the devil as the habit of your life again once you get saved. You will never be happy living in sin; it will never satisfy; and the husks of the world will never fill your longing and hungering in your soul. Repentance is something a lot bigger than a lot of people think. It is absolutely essential if you go to heaven (Lester Roloff, Repent or Perish, 1950s). John R. Rice -- What do I mean by repent? I mean to turn your heart from your sin. Turn from sin in your heart and start out to live for God. A penitent heart that turns from your sin and turns to Jesus (John R. Rice, Repent or Perish, Sword of the Lord, March 3, 1971). If the individual who developed this website is honest he
will add these names to his wrongheaded list. |
|
|
|