What Is True Repentance And What Is True Faith — Zac Poonen

Yeah, thank you very much, dear brothers and sisters, it's a great pleasure to be able to speak to all of you. So, if I can see all your smiling faces, it inspires me to speak to you. You can also find out if anybody is sleeping.

We praise the Lord for preserving us in these difficult days. Many are falling sick. There are many dying. God has preserved us. So, we have to be thankful for that. So, I want to turn to Luke chapter 13 and verse 23 onward.

The Narrow Door of Salvation

Here is a question that someone asked the Lord. And it's a good question. It's good for us to know the answer. Lord, are only a few people going to be saved? Now, the Bible says God wants everybody to be saved.

That is written very clearly in 1 Timothy 2. God wants all men to be saved. In 2 Peter 3, it says God wants everybody to repent. That means everybody in the world, everybody in India. But, not everybody is going to be saved.

You can see the Lord's answer here. Luke 13 verse 24. Strive to enter through the narrow door because many will try to enter but will not be able. Now, very often we hear the gospel preached in such a way that it is very easy to enter.

But, is it easy to be saved? This first word here, strive, struggle to enter in. How did you get saved? Did you strive to enter? Did you strive to enter? Or, did somebody say, no, just say Lord Jesus come into my heart and you're okay.

So many people have just said some simple prayer like that. Why did Jesus say strive to enter and why did he say that many will seek to enter and will not be able? If somebody comes to me and says he wants to be saved, he wants to go into the kingdom of God.

Most preachers will tell him, oh, that's very easy. Just pray a simple prayer right now. Say Lord Jesus come into my heart, I believe you died for me. That man repeats that prayer. And the preacher tells him, you're saved now.

Did he strive to enter it? Was that door a narrow door or was it a wide open door for anybody to walk in? And is it possible that the preacher said, you know, it's possible, verse 24, that you may try to enter, you may not be able.

Not one or two. Many will try to enter and will not be able. Then how is it there are so many people in the world who say, I'm saved, I'm on my way to heaven. They have been deceived by false preachers.

They have been fooled to imagine that they are saved when they are not saved. We must be sure of our salvation. If you went to a doctor one day because you had some pain in your stomach and the doctor gave you a test and said you got cancer.

What would you do? You would do everything possible to get rid of it. How much money you're willing to spend to get an operation to get rid of cancer. Because you hate that cancer. And if the doctor says you have to have three, four operations, you're ready for three, four operations.

Even one operation is painful and expensive. But you're willing to go three or four because you want to get rid of the cancer. Now, in the same way, remember that you cannot be saved if you don't have a desire to get rid of sin from your life.

Many people are trying to be saved, but we have no desire to get rid of sin. It's like telling the doctor, I want to be healthy, but don't get rid of this cancer. You know, we love our physical life so much.

Supposing you're a smoker. And the doctor examines your lungs and says your lungs are in a very bad shape. If you smoke one more cigarette, you will not live more than two weeks. I tell you, even if you're a chain smoker for 25 years, you will give it up immediately.

How? You will not say, oh, it is so difficult, doctor. I have smoked for 25 years. How can I give it up? Why do you give it up immediately? How do you get rid of all the cigarettes from your house? Because you love your life.

You don't want to die. Then why is it when the Lord says there is some sin in your life that you must get rid of? Why are you not willing to give it up immediately? Even if you've been doing it for 25 years.

Would it make a difference to you if the Lord said, if you are going to lust after a woman one more time, you will go to hell? Would you be very careful then? Would you be careful with your eyes not to sin with your eyes?

Would you be careful not to view any dirty pictures on your phone or computer? Because the Lord says to you, if you do it once, I see end, you go to hell. You will be able to give it up. Because you don't want to go to hell.

But why is it then we say, no, no, no, it's not difficult to give it up, brother. You can't give it up. If it was smoking, you'd give it up immediately. It's all a question of whether we believe that this thing with this sin we are doing is going to take us into any hell.

Striving Against Sin to Enter the Narrow Way

I want to explain what Jesus meant by strive to enter through the narrow door. First of all, the way into God's kingdom is a very narrow way, it's not a broad way. The door is so narrow, only one person can go in.

You can't take your wife or children with you, you have to go alone. If they want to come, they have to come alone on their own. Because this door is so narrow, only one person can go at a time. You can't say I belong to this church and we are all going in.

It's a very narrow door. Second, it's not easy to go through it. You have to really work hard, strive to go through the door, that's what Jesus said. And many will try, but they will not be able. But so many preachers have said if you want to be saved, you can be saved.

Here it says there are many people who want to be saved who will not be saved. See what it says. Why does Jesus use this expression, I tell you, in verse 24? Everything Jesus is saying, why does he emphasize I am telling you?

When we are talking to somebody, when we are talking to your children, when you are telling them something serious, when you say I am telling you this, don't do that again. It's enough to say don't do it again.

When you say I am telling you my son, don't do that again. When you add the words I am telling you, it's an emphasis. Very serious. Here Jesus is saying I am telling you. Believe this is going to be true.

What is Jesus saying? Many will try to enter and will not be able to enter. I want to ask all of you a question. Have you entered through that door into God's kingdom and been saved? How did you enter it?

Whenever you did, was it very easy? Or did you strive? Did you find it was a very narrow door? Or did you come along with so many people in front in some public meeting and sign a card or raise your hand or something?

You cannot come with other people into God's kingdom. You have to come alone. Each person has to choose themselves. So let's see a little bit of what this narrow door is. Why is it so difficult to get in?

Repentance and Faith in Paul's Gospel

In the Bible we read about the apostle Paul who has proclaimed the gospel in many many places. And he is the one who has explained the gospel very clearly in a number of his letters. And he says something about what he preached in every single country he went to.

Turn with me to Acts of the Apostles chapter 20. Here we read what the most famous gospel preacher Paul preached in every single place. Acts 20. He is talking to the elders in Ephesus. He says, Everywhere I have gone, I have preached two things.

And that is, Repentance towards God and faith. Faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. Everywhere I go, Jews or non-Jews, everywhere. That's like saying today's Christians or non-Christians, same thing. Repentance and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.

Now, if these two are not preached the way the Bible talks about it, then you can make the door very wide. If we preach repentance the way the Bible teaches it, the door will become narrow. If we preach faith the way the Bible talks about it, the door will become narrow.

So let me explain to you what repentance and faith are. Some of you may say, oh, well, I know all that, Brother Zach. These are all kindergarten lessons, I know it very well. But many people think they have repented, they have not repented.

So I will explain to you what repentance means and I'll explain to you what faith means. So that none of you are in any doubt. The word repentance means turning around. See that Telugu word, Marumanasu, that's exactly the thing.

In Tamil, it is even better. It says Manantirambal, which means turning your mind. That is the correct meaning of repentance. It's a turning of your mind. That is a little stronger than just Marumanasu, not just changing your mind a little bit.

Complete turning around. So what have we got to turn our mind from? See, basically our life when we are born as children is very, very self-centered and selfish. And you can see that in middle children.

They grab things for themselves. Fight for their rights. They do whatever pleases them. And as we grow up, we may try to hide some of these things, but still our desire is the same. Whatever pleases me, I'll do.

What God has said doesn't seem to be so important. What was the sin of Eve and Adam? They liked something and they wanted it and they took it. They didn't bother about the fact that God said you must not eat that at all.

What was their attitude? It's a very small thing. Yeah, I'm not killing Adam or something bad like that. I'm not killing my husband. I'm just eating a little fruit. Yeah, it was a small thing. But it was very big because it was a disobedience to God's word.

So that is how sin comes. When the devil says this is a very small thing. The question is not whether it's big or small. Is it disobeying God's word? If you cheat somebody of money, whether it is one rupee or one lakh rupees, it makes no difference.

You're a cheater. Yeah, so it's like that with sin. Sin is like a disease. If you get one germ inside or a thousand germs inside, you get sick. See, now there is this disease called COVID -19. It's going all over the world.

We cannot even see it with our eyes. This virus or germ is so small that even under a microscope it is very difficult to see. And you don't need thousands of them to get sick. Just one. If one of them gets into your body, you can die.

If one of them gets into your body, you can die. Many people believe that. Most people who have read the newspapers and read what's happening in the world, they believe it. And even though it's very inconvenient to go around with our mouth closed, we still go around like that.

Because we don't even want this one small tiny virus, which you cannot even see, we don't want it to come inside. Because we don't want to die. I want to ask all of you. Just ask yourself. Do you have the same attitude to a small sin?

Then you know whether you are a serious Christian or not. What is a sin? Something which the word of God clearly says is wrong. Or which your conscience tells you that's wrong. Small thing. Size of a COVID -19 virus.

If you hate sin like that, you have really repented. I don't know whether all of you have turned around from sin like that. Because you don't believe that this sin can destroy you. I've come across so many people in different countries who say, oh, there's no need to wear a mask and all.

No, it's okay. They get sick and make other people sick. They die and other people die. We are very careful when it comes to sickness. If you can find a church where everybody hates sin, just like they hate sickness.

That will be the most powerful church in the whole world. Even if it's only 10 people. It's not numbers that makes a church strong. It's how much they hate sin. You can be a very big built man. But this small virus can still kill you.

It can kill a small baby and it can kill a big, big built man also. This COVID -19 virus is a perfect example of sin. And in these days, when all of you also are hating COVID -19, learn to hate sin also.

So next time you're tempted to get angry with somebody. Put away all anger. Next time you're tempted, ask yourself, supposing this is a COVID -19, will I play the fool with it like this? No, no, no. You be so careful with COVID -19.

Why aren't you careful with anger? Let me tell you something. COVID -19 will never send anybody to hell. It will only send them to the grave. But anger will send you to hell. Which is worse? Which is worse?

Anger, Lust, and the Seriousness of Sin

Matthew 5. Verse 22. Everyone who's angry with his brother is guilty. Before the court. That is if it's only in his heart. If you've got anger in your heart, you're already guilty. Then you go to another step, second step.

The anger comes out of your mouth. You speak to him and say you're good for nothing person. Then you become guilty in a higher level. And then something more comes out of your mouth and anger against that person.

More serious. Then you go to hell. So anger has got three steps. Starts in the heart. Guilty. Comes out through the mouth. More guilty. And it keeps on coming. You are ready for hell. What shall we do?

The same thing the man does when the doctor tells him one more cigarette and you'll die. He'll stop. Even if he's smoking for 25 years, he'll stop. Even if he's smoking for 25 years, he'll stop. Many people say I can't give up this habit of smoking.

If the doctor tells him one more cigarette and you'll die, he'll stop immediately. Many people say brother I can't get rid of this anger. My mother had it, grandmother had it and I still have it. Let God say to you one more time you get angry with your husband or wife, you'll go to hell.

I tell you your anger will stop in your house immediately. But we fear a doctor's words more than we fear the words of the Lord. Repentance means turning around. Hatred for sin. Just like we have a hatred for disease.

When I think of Jesus dying for our sins, we know that he did it out of love. I picture it like this. A mother with his newborn child. And supposing that child has got some terrible diseases. And is struggling and struggling and struggling.

If you as a stranger look at that child, it doesn't bother you. It's not your child. Look at a child in somebody's house struggling and struggling, it doesn't bother you. But if you are a mother. If it's your own child.

Can't breathe properly. Or has a lot of diseases. Do you know how a good mother feels? Oh God, please give me that sickness. And take that sickness away from the child. All of you who are mothers. If you are a good mother, I know you'll say that.

Fathers don't love their children like that. Mothers only love. I'm saying that from the Bible. It's not my theory. You read Isaiah 49, 15. There it says a mother loves a nursing child. God's love is like that.

That's what happened on the cross. God saw us in sin, which is worse than any disease. And you know that poor baby doesn't know how serious the sickness is. Because it's ignorant. We are also like little babies.

We don't realize how serious sin is. But God knows how serious it is. Oh God, give me that sickness and save that child. And Jesus knew how serious sin was. So he said to his father, give it to me. Let me suffer and save these people.

Do you know that Jesus loved you like that? So what does he want from you in response? He doesn't want your money. A lot of preachers say God wants your money. Let me tell you in Jesus' name. God is not a beggar.

All the beggars on the street, they ask for money. Preachers have made God also like that. Sitting there asking you for money. Preachers have made God also like a beggar. Only in CFC we preach that God doesn't want your money.

We don't take an offering. No preacher takes any money. We have 150 elders in all our 100 churches. 10 or 12 countries. Not even one person takes any money. I have never taken any money. 45 years I have been in CFC Bangalore.

I support myself. Because God gave everything freely to us. And we cannot sell it to other people. Jesus said freely you received, freely give. That is the true way to preach the gospel. The true way to build the church.

That's what we have sought to do all these years. What do we tell people to give? Give up. Not money but sin. You can keep your money. Give up sin. Another thing that will send people to hell. You are 529.

If you are right eye, makes you to stumble. How does an eye make you to stumble? It says in verse 28, if you look at a woman and you lust after her. Or it may not be a woman, it may be a picture of a woman in a phone or computer.

You see it and lust with your eyes. You have committed adultery with that person. Very serious. So the Lord says pull out your eye. And when you pull out your right eye, you can still lust with one eye.

What is the meaning? Pull out that eye also. The meaning is, be like a blind man. So putting your hand over your eyes. You don't need the hands. God has given us eyelids. You can turn our eyes away. This is serious.

Because it says here, if you don't do it, verse 29, you can go to hell. It's a serious thing. Lust with the eyes. So repentance means, Lord, I've done all these things in my past life. I want to turn from it now.

I want to turn completely. If you've been telling lies, Jesus said in verse 33, do not make false vows. Do not make false vows. But he says, don't take an oath, verse 34. Verse 37, let your statement be yes, yes, and no, no, that's all.

Anything more than that is evil. So, when a person says, I swear, I did not do that. He's actually saying, basically I tell lies, but now I'm swearing, I'm going to speak the truth. Jesus said, we must always say, yes, yes, or no, no.

You don't have to tell other people everything that is in your mind. We are allowed to keep secrets. If someone asks me something, I'll say, no, I don't want to reply to that. But I won't tell a lie. I'm sorry, I'm not going to give you an answer.

We can do that. But tell a lie. You know that Jesus said, that the devil is a liar. John chapter 8. John's gospel chapter 8. Verse 44. He says that, your father is the devil. The last part he says, when the devil speaks a lie, he's speaking from his own nature.

Because he's the father of all lies. Now a father cannot produce a child without a mother. So if the devil is a father, producing lies, he needs someone like a mother through whom he can tell that lie.

So what the Lord is saying is, when you tell a lie, like a woman gives herself to a man, you are giving yourself to the devil. Like that wife gives herself to her husband and gets a child, you are giving yourself to the devil and you're getting a child called a lie.

You're the mother of that lie. But the devil is the father. Every lie that you have spoken in your life, is a child that the devil produced through you. He's the father and you are the mother. What does repentance mean?

Repentance as a Complete Turning Around

Lord, I want to turn from that. Lord, I've done so many terrible things in my life with my eyes and my tongue and everything. I'm not only sorry for it, I want to turn from it. That is repentance. It's not just saying, Lord Jesus come into my heart.

He said, strive to enter through this narrow door. In the military, when they stand on a parade ground, all the soldiers, I'm sure you've seen that. Even the children have that in the NCC, in the schools.

They say left turn. All turn to the left. Or right turn. Then they turn to the right. Then there's another command called about turn. You go completely wrong to the opposite side. I'm facing here to the left.

About turn means I turn around here to the right. So that's repentance. I'm facing the world and my flesh and sin. And behind me is God and holiness and purity. And God says turn around. That means I face God now.

But that's not all. My back is now turned to my old way of life. My old way of life and my sin and selfish ways all behind me now. That's about turn. Now many preachers don't tell you that. They ask Jesus to come into your heart.

And that's why the lives of many believers are no better than the lives of unbelievers. Not because they don't believe in Jesus. They've never repented. Or if they have turned from sin they've not turned completely around.

They've turned a little bit. I'm facing sin and I turn a little bit this way. I can still see sin. That's not repentance. If I turn 90 degrees that's not repentance. Repentance is when I turn 180 degrees and turn completely around.

About turn. That doesn't mean I become perfect. Then I can start running towards the goal which is many thousands of miles away. Repentance does not mean I reach the goal of my Christian life. It just means I've turned my back to my old sinful way.

And now I've come to the starting point of my Christian race. I've come to the starting point of my Christian race. In any race whether it's a school or Olympic games or anywhere everybody must start at the starting line to take part in the race.

You can't join a race in the middle. You have to start at the starting line. The starting line of salvation is repentance. It doesn't matter who you are. I want to say to you in Jesus name if you have not repented like this you have not even come to the starting line of the Christian life.

Even if you call yourself an elder of some church okay. The second and the other thing we see here is there is some proof that we have repented. The Bible speaks about the fruit of repentance. You know a tree is an apple tree or a mango tree it reproduces mangoes.

A mango tree will produce mangoes. Repentance also there must be fruits of repentance. See Matthew 3 verse 8 John the Baptist said don't just say you have repented bear fruit in keeping with your repentance.

If you really repented there will be some fruit in your life. Just like a mango tree produces mangoes. Okay. One fruit of repentance is this that if you have hurt somebody by your words or your actions you will go and ask forgiveness from that person.

Jesus said in Matthew 5 23 and 24 when you are coming to prayer you remember you hurt your brother in some way stop crying. When he said leave your offering stop praying. Remember this every single time you pray.

When you are praying something to the Lord you remember you hurt your wife or you hurt your husband or you hurt somebody else with your words open your eyes stop praying. Go to that person whoever it is husband, wife anybody maybe a servant in your house you got angry with her ask forgiveness or call up somebody they are some far away.

I am sorry for the way I spoke to you that day. Then come and pray Matthew 5 23 and 24. Do you think everybody does that? That's why Jesus said strive to enter through this door because it is very difficult.

Zacchaeus and Restitution as Fruits of Repentance

And here is one more example Luke 19 Jesus went to the house of a very rich man called Zacchaeus but he was a income tax collector and he cheated lot of people of money. That's how he became rich but Jesus knew by the Holy Spirit this man wants to change.

Sometimes we judge some rich people oh that fellow cheated somebody he is a crook but the Pharisees said this man is a crook. Don't go anywhere near him. But Jesus didn't go only to poor people he even went to a rich person.

If the person is repentant repentance is hard. This guy has got some repentance in his heart. He looked like he was sitting on the tree. Come down. I want to go to your house. Look 19 he didn't say I want to visit you for a few hours.

I want to stay in your house maybe one or two days. What an honor for Jesus to come and stay in my house. So they go towards the house and verse 8 it says Zacchaeus stopped. Verse 8 he stopped. Why did he stop.

He came to the gate of his house and he stopped. He said Lord I'm happy to have you stay in my house. I want to tell you something. This house is made with a lot of money that I cheated from other people.

It's an unholy house. Lots of people I cheated from and I built this house. So I want to make you a promise before you come and stay with me. All the people I cheated I'm going to give the money back with interest.

That interest is many years. I may have to give four times. I'll give four times what I cheated from other people. I don't know where they are today. I don't have that address but I cannot keep that money in my bank.

I will take that money which is a lot of money like half my wealth. I'll give it to the poor. But that's how they gave to God in those days. They put it in the offering box money that you wrongfully got but you don't know where the address of that person is now.

That is repentance. I've done that. I was converted 62 years ago and before I was converted I I was working in the navy and I cheated the government of some tax and all that. When I got converted the Lord said you got to return that money.

So I sat down and calculated and I had to pay back about four months salary. And that took me quite a long time to save that much money. Gave it back 61 years ago. If I had not done it 61 years ago I would have had a chain on my leg and I would have been walking with that chain on my leg for 61 years and I would not have been able to run this Christian race.

God would not have called me to preach the gospel because some little money I was keeping for myself. So I saved up that four months salary gave it back to the government. Bank account was empty. My heart was full of the joy of the Lord.

You know what Jesus said about Zacchaeus. Then salvation has come to this house. Verse 9 he will say that to you. Also salvation has come to this man because he is even willing to give back money that he cheated.

Praise the Lord. Have you borrowed money from somebody. It says in Romans 13. And verse 8 don't owe anything to anybody. He's not saying be careful now. He's not saying don't borrow money. Sometimes you are in need and you don't have much.

That much money. You may have to borrow from the bank or borrow from a friend. If you buy a house you have to borrow from a bank or some emergency hospital treatment. You don't have the money you have to borrow.

The Bible doesn't say don't borrow but don't keep that pay it back. What he's saying is don't remain in debt to somebody little by little pay it back. It may have taken a long time for Zacchaeus to pay back all that money.

But when a person does that Jesus will say to him also salvation has come to this man. Don't be happy that some brother tells you you're saved. Jesus told Zacchaeus you are saved. Let Jesus tell you you're saved.

Then you're really saved. A man who doesn't know your life tells you you're saved. It means nothing. It's not difficult. You may have to give up a little money that you cheated somebody or that you borrowed.

Give it back. Give up that bad habit. And if you don't have the strength to give up some sin. Oh my lord lord. I want to give up this. Please help me. I want to control my tongue. I want to control my eyes.

I don't want to sin. God will help you. Repentance does not mean I have overcome sin. Not saying I have overcome some bad habit in repentance. You are saying I want to give up all my sin. I want to give up all my bad habits.

That is repentance. And that's what I'm asking you not. Have you given up all your sins. Do you want to give up all your sins. Is there one sin in your life that you do not want to give up. Maybe you have given up many sins turned around 90 degrees.

You need to turn completely around 180 degrees. That is repentance. Then we can come to faith. And faith is to commit ourselves to the lord. And one of the best pictures of faith is a woman getting married.

Faith as Total Commitment to Jesus Christ

Think of those of you who are married. You were sisters. You were a single girl once one day you decided to give yourself completely to one man. Not for one or two days after your whole life because you trusted him.

That is faith. Faith is not saying yeah yeah. I believe in you see a girl doesn't get married by telling a person I believe in you goodbye. When she gets married she commits herself to him gives up her old house now lives with him.

Not for one or two days but for her whole life. If he is poor she is poor with him. If she doesn't have a house she lives with him in a rented house or something. Her whole future is linked with that man.

And if he gets transferred far away to Delhi she goes with him to Delhi. And after one year if he gets transferred to Calcutta she goes with him to Calcutta. That is faith committing yourself to Jesus hundred percent.

You are completely committed to him for the rest of your life. Like a marriage where everything you decide asking him what what should I do. See that woman who gets married she can't go where she likes.

After that whenever her husband goes she goes where her husband lives. She has to live the house where his husband lives big or small she has to live there. Have you given yourself to Jesus like that hundred percent everyday lord I want to live with you.

I don't want to be attracted to any other man. There are many things in the world that will try to attract you money sinful pleasures. And you say no. I won't do that because I'm married to Jesus. So one way to find out what can I do and what I cannot do so many times young people ask me can I do this.

Can I do that. Can I take part in this or that. Can I play games. Or can I play games at home carom or things like that. I said the answer to all these things is this. Can you do that with Jesus sitting next to you or is he with you.

People ask can I go to this place that place. Can I go and watch this movie in the cinema theater. I'll give you the answer. Do you think Jesus will come with you to watch that. Then go wherever you can take Jesus with you go.

What am I permitted to watch on television. Tell you whatever you can ask Jesus to sit with you and enjoy watching. Watch it. I'm not going to give you a list of programs you must watch. And list the programs you must not watch.

Much simpler than all that see. If Jesus can sit with you and watch that then watch it. But if Jesus if you feel Jesus will not sit there that is the solution to everything. No. I went to state of India called Mizoram once and there's a church there some very good believers but many of them had the habit of smoking.

So many preachers had gone there and nobody preached against smoking. So many years they were still smoking. So one day I spoke there. I did not say give up your smoking. I said can you smoke or not. I said next time you smoke take out another cigarette.

Say Lord Jesus. I want you also to smoke. And if Jesus will say yes give that to me. I like that. Then please go and smoke. See. I never told them. Don't smoke. I said just give a cigarette to Jesus also.

That's all next day meeting. My translator said Jack I have given up smoking. I said why I never told you to give up smoking. No he said I tried to give cigarette to Jesus. He won't take it. So I stopped it.

I said what a wonderful testimony. The answer to everything. Can you do that. In fellowship with Jesus. Faith means I've committed myself to Jesus as my husband for my life. I'll never do anything with him.

I'll never go anywhere where he can. I cannot go with him. I don't want to watch anything which I cannot watch with him. So I'm not going to give you a list of what TV programs you can watch and what TV programs you cannot watch.

You decide yourself whether Jesus can sit and watch it with you husbands. How should you talk to your wives. Can I give you 25 rules. No only one remember Jesus is between you and your wife where two are gathered.