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September 21, 2017:
Jeremy Walker, Pastor of Maidenbower Baptist Church of Crawley in West Sussex, England, author & blogger @ Reformation 21 & The Wanderer, will address:
“What is REPENTANCE?”
Live from the historic parsonage of 19th century gospel minister George Norcross in downtown Carlisle, Pennsylvania. It's iron sharpens iron a radio platform on which pastors Christian scholars and theologians Address the burning issues facing the church and the world today.
Proverbs 27 verse 17 tells us Iron sharpens iron so one man sharpens another. Matthew Henry said that in this passage quote we are cautioned to take heed whom we converse with and Directed to have in view in conversation to make one another wiser and better.
It is our hope that this goal will be accomplished over the next hour. And we hope to hear from you the listener with your own questions. Now here's our host.
Chris. Good afternoon, Cumberland County, Pennsylvania. Lake City, Florida. And the rest of humanity living on the planet Earth who are listening via live streaming at iron sharpens iron radio .com. This is Chris Arnz and your host of iron sharpens iron radio wishing you all a happy Thursday on this 21st day of September 2017.
And it's such a pleasure to have back on the program someone who I truly love interviewing. That's Jeremy Walker who is pastor of Maiden Bower Baptist Church in Crawley in West Sussex England is also an author and blogger at Reformation 21 and the Wanderer today.
We are addressing a very valuable little booklet that he has written published by Reformation heritage books titled What is repentance. And it's my honor and privilege to welcome you back to iron sharpens iron radio.
Pastor Jeremy Walker. Hey, I appreciate it more than you brother and we have in studio with us today again our co-host the Reverend buzz Taylor.
And it's always good to be here.
If anybody would like to join us on the air with a question, our email address is Chris Arnzen at gmail .com. Chris Arnzen at gmail .com. That's C H R I s a R n z n at gmail .com and please give us your first name.
Your city and state and your country of residence if you live outside of the USA. I could readily understand that a subject like repentance Might evoke questions from people who have very personal and intimately private Matters that they want to ask pastor Jeremy Walker about and so I will completely understand if you request to remain anonymous.
But if it's not for a reason such as that, please if it's just a general theological question Please give us at least your first name your city and state in your country of residence. Well pastor Jeremy if you could.
Even though you've been on this program a number of times already we have new listeners that appear to be joining us nearly every day on iron sharpens iron radio and so therefore many people might be unfamiliar with you and they might be unfamiliar with Therefore a Maiden Bower Baptist Church if you could.
Explain a little bit about Maiden Bower Baptist Church of Crawley in West Sussex, England.
Sure early 1970s and formally constituted in 1975 in Crawley, which is exactly halfway between the center of London and A town called Bromwell line. We're halfway down it right next to one of London's major airports Gatwick.
The church was established as a Particular Baptist Church a confessional Baptist Church. We've been and God is. Many ways we enjoy opportunities to preach the gospel in the area and our fair share of battles and congregation.
But unity among ourselves in it. It's a privilege and a pleasure to serve God with his people in this part of the world.
Hey, man, well, I want to make sure that our listeners hear this really profound endorsement for this little book from a friend of mine that I've known since 1995 who has been a guest in this program a number of times and who I've who I have heard preach in person a number of times and that's dr. Conrad and Bayway pastor of the Kubota Baptist Church in Lusaka Zambia Africa.
Dr. M Bayway says reading Jeremy Walker's pamphlet. What is repentance feels like following a physician of souls into a spiritual operating room and Seeing him lay open the human heart. He first briefly shows us the nature of sin and its devastating consequences then with precision He uses a surgeon's scalpel to skillfully separate false and true repentance So that we may truly find salvation in Jesus Christ.
This is a book every Christian should read and place in the hands of those who are seriously inquiring about the way to life and That is quite an endorsement from someone as Gifted and as knowledgeable as our friend.
Dr. Conrad and Bayway. Well, I think it might be helpful even though to many of our listeners it might seem like a redundant thing, but I think it's a very important thing because there is so much error in regard to the subject of repentance and there's so much disagreement in the body of Christ and Among those who profess to be a part of the body of Christ In regard to this subject, so if you could define repentance.
Radical change of the heart that results in a thorough and radical change of the life. But you have to really establish What sort of change of heart and what sort of change of life? So when I'm when I'm thinking of it, I actually come down To what I think is one of the finest brief definitions.
Which is found in the shorter Catechism, which reads in this way Repentance unto life is a saving grace. Whereby a sinner his sin turn from that sin and endeavor after new obedience. I happen to think that that's one of Two or three of the finest question and answers in the whole of that catechism, but that gets to the nub of the thing We know by God's grace.
We come to know what sin and God in his mercy opens our eyes to see that the the mercy he holds out in Christ. And so having learned to hate our sin we turn from that sin. We turn to God with the desire that sinned by us and in dependence upon the Lord Jesus Christ.
And the work of the Spirit in us we set out to do what is pleasing to him from that point.
Excellent. And this issue is something that is misunderstood and twisted from Those who profess to be Christian on polar opposite ends of the spectrum. You have the Church of Rome on one hand who would require the necessity of repentance because they believe that the works that it produces are Meritorious or cooperate with grace in order to achieve salvation and be justified before God and then on the other end of the Extreme or the other opposite extreme of the spectrum?
You have those who are modern-day evangelicals. Who are guilty of the sin of what has been come known as easy believism or cheap grace? Repentant lists.
A.
Christianity or a repentant list. Gospel who would agree. That if you insist upon repentance as being a litmus test for someone who is truly born again. They would agree that that would involve works that are meritorious that are Adding to the faith that justifies in order to be made right with God and that's why they reject it.
They reject The necessity of repentance because they actually agree with Rome's understanding of it. But both of these two opposite ends of the spectrum are completely wrong on this aren't they?
Yeah, there's very preparation for salvation. It's a it's a renouncing it to be careful that we don't at the same time that merits. Amen and.
We who are Bible-believing Christians and historically Faithful Protestants Reformed Christians, we believe that it is only the works of Christ himself that contribute to our salvation and in fact his work on Calvary is the sole thing that we put our hope and trust in as the only way that we could ever Be welcomed into the open arms of God after leaving this earth.
Entirely because of the merits of Christ, correct.
Sure, and and the scriptures are explicit. They make very clear at 17 that God commands all men everywhere to repent. That is true granted to the Gentiles repentance to life. So it's purchased by Christ in his death.
It's part of that wonderful complex of saving blessings that Christ has secured for us and that he dispenses to us and.
The reverend buzz Taylor has something to say.
In the question-and-answer session at the ECT conference that we've both seen the video of. It was D. James Kennedy who answered the question concerning Repentance being a work and he said it's no less a workman than faith is.
You know people think of faith is not a work. But repentance would be. He said faith is just as much a gift of God as repentance. They're both gifts as we just heard. They're both.
And you were when you were talking about the ECT conference. You're talking about the reformed Rebuttal to the ECT which is evangelicals and Catholics, right. Exactly the rebuttal to it. Yeah. And any comments on that?
Jeremy.
Now that that seems to me to be a Reasonable response that's anchored in scripture.
We have a listener in Slovenia Joe who already has sent in a question to us. He says thanks for bringing brother Jeremy back to bless us again today. I've not heard preachers or teachers highlight or stress that repentance is a grace given to us by the kindness of our Sovereign Lord in Romans 2 for is this common or just my experience, please flesh out this Aspect of Repentance for us in light of the fact that without God's drawing and convicting us to repent We would be forever lost in our sin.
Thank you for your faithful edification of God's people. Well, you already touched on that a bit, but perhaps you could expand on it. I'm not sure why our Listener in Slovenia hasn't heard this often.
I have heard it often. Exclusively amongst reformed preachers and teachers. He would be right if he was including in that mix modern evangelicals, but if you could comment.
The rich to repentance quoted earlier not just a recognition of from the mercy of God in Christ. God is ready to receive the one who returns while we're driven in Christ. What our Slovenian friend thought was missing or otherwise.
But I think I think it is important on the one hand that we do emphasize that what the old Puritans called us that those Things to make sin vile in our eyes when we see it as against God time. It's vitally important that we show that the compassion the mercy of God his readiness to receive sinners.
Joy aside in that parable in three parts in Luke's gospel that there is joy In the presence of the angel that there is if you will delight in the heart of God to him. I think it's it's vitally important that we we really by which he calls sinners.
And the Reverend Buzz Taylor is something else to say.
First of all, I wonder what took Joe so long to ask a question. But perhaps what he's looking for. I'm not sure exactly what he's after but.
Well, he was saying basically he hardly ever hears any preachers and teachers say that that repentance is a gift.
Yes. Yes, and I what I can't get around as far as that's concerned is where when the early church acknowledged Gentile Christian the early Jewish Church recognized that the gospel had gone out to the to the the Gentiles also.
The remark that's made in Scripture is so God has granted to the Gentiles also the repentance that leads to life.
Yeah Amen, and I think I think that's an important point to emphasize repentance like faith on Regenerate heart until until God works life in us. There is there is no There is no move toward him. There is no response to those Overtures of grace that there are in the gospel and yet at the same time We need to say that that God commands us to rip everyone That our sin is vile that We ought to leave it behind Turn to him flee to him in order that we might have mercy and there are there are different Emphasis at different points all of which need to be brought out.
So I I certainly wouldn't want in any way to undermine the graciousness of God and grandest repentance. God exalted Christ to his right hand to be Prince and Savior to give repentance and forgiveness of sins acts 531 to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins and yet not long before that you've got the The command and that Peter is using a Pentecost and then afterwards in Solomon's porch Repent and that every one of you be baptized repent and be converted that your sins may be blotted out.
So there's a forceful and again, you're you're within there there's there's something of that effect you will call By which repentance is drawn out of the renewed heart and Reverend Buzz Taylor has something else.
I think it's amazing.
When you read through the New Testament how many references there are to repentance and yet in evangelical preaching that is supposedly Evangelistic, you know to lead people to Christ you hear the word so seldom.
In fact What I like to ask people is ask any evangelical to fill in the blank to this sentence, this is when when the rich man was speaking with Father Abraham in Hades when he looked up his eyes and he was in torment and he said hey, I have five brothers.
He said send Lazarus to my my brothers because if somebody you know, and of course father Abraham said they have Moses and the prophets. Let them hear them in the scriptures, right and he said Well, no, but if somebody goes back from the dead They will blank.
What would you put in that blank? Because most people today they know the passage they're familiar with Scripture they'll say something like they'll get saved or they'll believe when the actual word that's used is repent and.
We do that many times with with passages to repentance. You mean that the rich man says they'll repent.
He the thing that the rich man knew that his brothers needed to do to not end up there was to repent, right? Right, but if you ask the average evangelical today to fill in the blank What word would they use to fill that.
And they would say they would believe and of course.
He was wrong that they would repent just because exactly and that was proven.
But the point is that was the word that was used that was the thing that was needed to keep them away from there, right?
Yeah, I say in the book repentance is too often overlooked as faith's ugly cousin when she ought to be celebrated as a beautiful twin sister. And I think if that's what our friend is is saying in Slovenia, yeah, we.
We're saying now rather. We sweep repentance to one side. It's something My sense of self-esteem or whatever it is, we're supposed to be celebrating. It doesn't really. It doesn't really fit with our notion that we're fundamentally sorted out that we're doing things reasonably rightly that you know.
We're not such great sinners. I've had conversation and force explain. This is wonderful good news for sinners like me and you and the person to whom I was speaking to whom I was speaking was Unfounded not a sinner.
She think I fit into that category. And yet repentance as we've just been saying repentance is a is a fundamental part and belief. Turn from your sins and there there is everlasting life.
Yeah, just to clarify or further clarify what Reverend Buzz Taylor brought up. I think it really highlights the the doctrine of unconditional election. Because it's interesting that Abraham knew that even if one were to rise from the dead and that meaning the the the meaning Lazarus.
And he were to warn the rich man's brothers. Even that miracle as shocking and perhaps even as horrifying and terrifying is that miracle would have been if they were not of the elect. They would not have repented because they already had the scriptures they had What they needed to know in order to inherit eternal life and yet so since they already rejected those scriptures it was a sign that they were not of the elect.
And A sign that even if one were to rise from the dead, which he was even proven later on with Christ's own resurrection right, even that isn't going to convince a Lifeless sinner apart from the regenerating work of the Holy Spirit.
Yes, and it's also noteworthy that there was.
Coincidentally a man named Lazarus who was right raised from the dead. And what did the Bible say? They sought to put Lazarus to death also, right? Yeah amazing stuff.
I think the point that the main point in that passage is the sufficiency the clarity of Scripture, right? Yeah, that all these people who have the Word of God they have all that is needful in order to turn from their sins.
Odd. And. That yeah, I think we have the one who rose from the dead. Christ's resurrection in in that sense is the great demonstration of useful validity. And. Yet men live with their fist raised against God and his gospel in themselves.
Scripture. They confirm it certainly, but if you have the Word of God you have all that you need. You have every Light that is required. Yes, but a personal confrontation if you like by by the risen Christ or anybody else will not will not God in the face of her.
Amen.
We have Andrew in Avon Lake, Ohio. And every time I read that city Avon Lake I remember I am reminded instantly of my Childhood neighborhood actually my neighborhood even through adulthood in Amityville, Long Island, New York.
There was an Avon Lake just a few minutes from my home, but Andrew in Avon Lake, Ohio says I wonder if pastor Walker might explain why so many Dispensationalists have been so staunchly against the doctrine of repentance and what effect that has had on modern Evangelicalism that very interesting question because we of course we have to immediately give a caveat here there are many dispensationalists that would Denounce as heresy those fellow dispensationalists of theirs who would not require faith as necessary for salvation.
Like John MacArthur is a classic example who wrote the book the gospel according to Jesus and the subsequent other books that were Intended to Continue to flesh out and clarify That very issue of the necessity of repentance and of course a very dear friend of mine Ron glass who sponsors this program He is the pastor of waiting River Baptist Church on Long Island, New York.
He is a dispensationalist a very Unapologetic an unwavering Dispensationalist who also happens to be a thoroughgoing Calvinist and he believes in the necessity of repentance. So we don't want to broad brush.
But do you have any answer to that and I believe that Andrew must have meant That they're so staunchly against the doctrine of repentance. What he means I'm assuming is the necessity of repentance because I don't think any conservative Bible-believing Christian would be against Repentance's Requiring it as a litmus test.
I believe is what? What he means?
Yeah, I'm that's not something I've come across. I can guess what he has in mind. But I don't want to presume and sort of speak evil. So I wonder that's Chris. If you or buzz could particular issue there within the the dispensation or mindset might be that would.
Produce that kind of error. I think it has maybe look at it. All's I know and this is a guess. First of all, he is correct. Like for instance when dr. MacArthur wrote the gospel according to Jesus in the 1980s The bigger the biggest outcry against that book which was saying that repentance was necessary for salvation.
What was coming from members of the faculty of Dallas Theological Seminary very strongly dispensationalist school and many people who would agree with those faculty members and of course, it's been a while and the faculty I think is Changed and it has additions to that faculty that would agree with us on this.
I believe since then but um the The the only thing that I can get out of it from what I recall during that controversy was because dispensationalism so far separates the Old Covenant from the New Covenant and Also wrongly and I don't want a broad brush keep in mind and I'm not saying that they're all dispensationalist do this but it seems that many are guilty of thinking that the the gospel of the Old Covenant Was a Dispensation of works that meant that men's deeds did in fact Contribute to their salvation and that when the New Covenant was ushered in that this is when salvation was For the first time by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone and so therefore they wrongly think That just as I was mentioning earlier that Repentance includes within it the idea or the requirement of repentance includes within it that one must Have meritorious deeds that somehow aid in his justification they they they think it's a violation of the doctrine of Justification by grace alone through faith alone and they are wrong in assuming that but Reverend Buzz Taylor, do you have anything?
Am I correct? Do you think I think so?
But you know, I haven't seen much of a trend in that direction myself Having once been dispensation myself because I was preaching repentance long before I ceased being a dispensationalist but I do. I have heard before of some there are strings of ultra dispensationalists that For example would believe that the Lord's Prayer and the Great Commission all that is for Israel and Not the church, you know, they go into some wild stuff.
That may be what he's referring to that. Well, how would that connect with repent? They would say that repentance was for the Jews for the rejection of Jesus as the Messiah.
All right, I Confirming what I thought might be the answer that when you when you over emphasize From my perspective, you know, there is quite clearly a progression in revelation. Things become clearer The the promises of God as it were springing to sharper relief as you work your way through the scriptures but there's a danger of over emphasizing some of those discontinuities if you like, especially the you end up perhaps.
And again, I'm not suggesting that this is what every dispensationalist might believe or or even or even any perhaps. But when you start sort of presuming that almost God's God's character It's not his nature, but perhaps his character changes the way he deals with people changes.
I think you look from my answer would basically be look from the beginning to the end of Scripture and You will see that we're looking back at the Messiah who had come that the people of God in every generation Are saved by turning from them again in the in the in the booklet here.
We're using texts from the Old and the New Testament to show the unity In that respect that whether you're talking about the patriarchs a Pentecost or the mission to the Gentiles. However, however, and wherever God is calling upon sinners to turn from their sin.
Now we're not denying the fact that there is development and progression in that revelation. Fundamentally sinners are all and they receive that In turning from their sins to lay hold of what God has provided in Christ.
Jesus and we're going to pick up when we return from our break with a comment or question from Reverend Buzz Taylor. So don't forget what you are going to. Say we have to go to our break right now. If anybody would like to join us our email address is chris arnzen at gmail .com.
Chris a r n z e n a gmail .com and please give us your first name city and state and country of residence if You live outside the USA and you may only remain Anonymous if it's about a personal and private matter.
And thank you Andrew in Avon Lake, Ohio. You have also won a free copy of the booklet. We are we are talking about today. What is repentance. Compliments of Reformation heritage books and compliments of Cumberland Valley Bible book.
Bible book service? Cv bbs .com. Cv bbs .com. We'll be shipping that out to you in Avon Lake, Ohio. Don't go away. God willing. We'll be right back after these messages from our sponsors. I am Chris Arnzen host of iron sharpens.
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Well, we are back to our discussion with Pastor Jeremy Walker of Maiden Bower Baptist Church of Crawley in West Sussex England. We are discussing his booklet that he has written for Reformation Heritage books What is repentance.
And before the break the Reverend Buzz Taylor had something to say.
I just wanted to add a little bit to the before we leave the idea of Dispensationalism and the so-called lack of repentance or teaching on it. And that was when I said ultra dispensationalists. I The only ones I've ever heard Dispensationalism taken to that limit was from It was actually from the United Pentecostals which we most of us would would deem as a cult anyway because they deny the the Trinity and They believe in you know Baptismal regeneration and a whole bunch of other things, but I find it's also very simple interesting that for those who think that Dispensationalism that that repentance was only for Jews.
The very passage where it says that God commands all men to repent was made specifically to Gentiles.
Huh? That's interesting. By the way, you've mentioned oneness Pentecostals. I Know firsthand from interacting with them that they are guilty more of the Romish Fallacy of that works must cooperate with well.
When you think of the fact that I might not be saved because when I was underwater being baptized, I didn't hear what he said.
Does that have to do with repentance the pastor said. The name of?
G of the Father Son and Holy Spirit instead of the name of Jesus while I was in the water I would be coming up unsaved because they say that if you were baptized in the name of.
The Father Son and Holy Spirit, you're not saved. Yeah, but I don't understand how that connects with well.
It doesn't you mentioned about the their their their Romish ways and they I'm saying when you know They take salvation by works to an even greater limit to where oh.
You're saying that they were erring on the opposite end of denying repentance. Yeah. Well, yeah, I agree with you there. I just missed your train of thought there, right?
Yeah, the main thought there was you know, it's not like we would be taking them too seriously anyway, right? But I haven't heard it from you know conservative evangelicals. So, I don't know, you know, if that's a trend I'm not aware of it.
Yeah, well, yeah, obviously the I do know that he is correct in that the the greatest outcry against John MacArthur and those pushing for what has been known now as Lordship salvation or the Requirement of repentance as a sign of true Salvation and justification and that's a sign of that they came from dispensationalists, so We do have Daniel in San Jose, California.
Who says can you ask brother Jeremy? to explain why or how the doctrine of biblical repentance has taken on the idea of being nothing more than Apologizing for our sin and not actually turning and mortifying them.
Does this false notion derive from the idea that we have the ability to live the Christian life by our own free will and apart? From the Holy Spirit, that's a very interesting question.
Yeah, I couldn't answer where it comes from In with respect, but I do think there's a real danger Watering down of Repentance now, there are some very basic gospel presentations that look for example about saying Sorry, please and thank you.
I understand what the intention of that with regard to His children and it plays into the whole issue of disobeyed and he would say the child I'm sorry. I did this dad and his dad would say well, I'm sorry to son.
But what are we going to do about it? And This this idea of sorrow could be doesn't have to be but it could be remorse. That Judas felt remorse were a condemned. But he never turned back to possible to be sorry for your sins possible to be sorry that you've done it.
Sorry that you'll be punished for it. Sorry that you've been found out because of them, whatever it may be but Forgiveness is granted to the repenter and That's true both if you like on the vertical plane with regard to God and on the horizontal level with between men.
The way to forgive one another just as God in Christ is to come to this accurate sense of our sin. We turn to the offended one. We don't simply say I'm sorry that this happened, but we say Will you forgive me?
I repent of this. I Recognize it as an offense against you and with regard to sin. It's primarily an offense against God that I've sinned against you as David says in Psalm 51 against you. You own and that's in a context where he's committed adultery and murder.
But no, he sees his sin primarily in that vertical dimension. I've sinned against God. I have I have offended against his holy law and Therefore I Repent I Joke language. I have called myself. I repent in dust and ashes.
And so yeah, there's a sorry. There's not really.
Yeah, because it's a sign that you are. Being disingenuous. Really you're you are. Really I have not truly repented of what you did. If you're not even going to Make any effort to make restitution remembers what Zacchaeus did after he truly repented.
Now this that actually brings me to an interesting question. What should we expect to see In someone who claims that they have repented. Perhaps they have sinned against us personally and perhaps even in a very horrific way.
What should we expect to see other than the verbal request for forgiveness.
Before we deem someone's repentance as being authentic. Oh, that's wonderful. And then we look for the fruits of repentance. We look for the evidence is has indeed turned their back upon their sin now.
It would be wrong angry man. Who has repented to have somebody then watch his life and to say when he next gets angry. Ah, see I told you you're not really repenting. Are you. Is he less angry than he was before.
Is he less often angry? Does he repent more rapidly of the expressions of sinful anger that bubble up? Is he more aware of the? But there are those those sorts of questions. But I think what is vital is that there must be those those fruits must be that evidence.
Do you mind if I quote?
Brooklyn here. Chris, would that be helpful? Yeah, definitely do that.
Okay, so I've got something here that says we'll repent of from repentance issues in the pursuit of God and godliness. Usually along precisely the same lines as the sin repented of and in the diametrically opposed direction.
Whether or not that is to find details of life particularity here and the same dependence. Here are some examples. So the idolater will cast away his idols and be a worshiper of God alone. The angry man will repent of his anger and will pursue not perfectly increasingly Self-control over his own spirit.
The man who curses will turn his back upon cutting cultivating stirred the tree of life. Every channel through which filthy words and images flowing the gossip and child will seek always to speak truth.
The resentful or careless wife and mother will cultivate a sacrificial spirit and invest in the sphere in place. That the lazy father will prayerfully establish patterns of righteous spiritual headship in his family.
Denying his sluggish inclinations or her knees clinging to Christ the wrong forgiveness and daily grace. Arrogant church members will begin to esteem others better than that list. Probably earlier in the book while it seems that we need to repent of but repentance is particular.
And in fact, could you go through that list when we come back from our break? We have to go to our next Station and I don't want to cut you off mid-sentence. I'd rather you have the complete list in one Segment rather than divide it up.
Alright, and if anybody would like to join us on the air with a question of your own our email address is Chris Arnzen at gmail .com. Chris Arnzen at gmail .com. Chris ar n z e n gmail .com. Thank You Daniel in San Jose, California for that last excellent question, and you'll also be receiving a copy of the booklet What is repentance by Jeremy Walker?
Compliments of Reformation heritage books and Compliments of our friends at Cumberland Valley Bible Book Service at CV bbs .com. CV bbs .com. And don't go away. God willing. We'll be right back after these messages from our sponsors.
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Including some events that are taking place. And I just realized Pastor Jeremy Walker Had to hang up. I forgot that he does this every time we have him on the program. He hung up and then was attempting to recall the program because it's the.
The rates in the UK are astronomical if you stay on for Over an hour they go up. So now we're waiting for.
It's.
Jeremy Walker to call us back and Thankfully Jeremy Walker's back on the air with us. Sorry about that pastor Walker. But before we return to our discussion with pastor Jeremy Walker I want you to know that the Word of Truth Church in Farmingville, Long Island, New York in cooperation with the Long Island Spurgeon Fellowship Present the gospel of the Reformation a 500th anniversary celebration Featuring my dear friend. Dr. Tony Costa who is professor of apologetics and Islam at Toronto Baptist Seminary and That will be held Friday, September 29th and Saturday, September 30th in Farmingville, Long Island, New York.
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And you can also call them at six three one six nine six five seven eleven six three one six nine six five seven eleven and then. After that, we have the Alliance of Confessing Evangelicals are having their annual Quaker Town Conference on Reformed Theology and that is on the theme for Still Our Ancient Foe which is a reference to Satan from Martin Luther's hymn a Mighty Fortress.
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And then last but not least the G3 conference returns to Atlanta, Georgia. On the theme knowing God a biblical understanding of discipleship from January 17th through the 20th. January 17th is exclusively a Spanish-speaking edition of the conference and the 18th through the 20th is exclusively in English speaking edition.
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Now we are back To our discussion with Jeremy Walker pastor of Maiden Bower Baptist Church of Crawley in West Sussex, England. We're discussing his booklet What is repentance and before the break? Pastor Walker was going to start reading a list of things that the Bible requires.
We repent from if you could. Pastor Walker.
But before the break I read through in answer to a question of particular act repentance or particular and my point was that Earlier in the booklet that I've written. There's a list of the kinds of particular sins of which we ought to repent.
Sometimes you have someone who gives the generic apology and that was the point of the question that was that was sent in. So am I say well look if I've offended in any way, I'm really sorry and and that's not I think Properly repent.
It may have a good intention behind it but we repent particularly of particular sins and there ought to be then a particular response in which we pursue if you like the equal and opposite grace and. That this is this is what we look for in measure.
It as appropriate looking for that growth in grace that that growing likeness to Christ. So that when someone says I am repenting praise God that he's granted repentance to you. And then it's it's not unreasonable for us to answer those things and that will spare us many heartaches.
And I can remember I Can remember years ago my very first pastor Mike Gadosz who was my very first pastor after my rebirth that is in the 1980s. I can remember him Giving an analogy to kind of give a vivid picture of what false repentance might look like in regard to Something that that may send the the picture more Completely home to the heart.
So you really get an understanding of what's going on when somebody is falsely repenting. He was giving the analogy. Can you imagine that? A man is engaged to be married to a woman and She finds out that he has been unfaithful to her and has actually been having Adulterous relationships has been committing the sin of fornication with someone else and Then he says to her.
I am so sorry. Please forgive me. Please accept me as your husband please don't call off the wedding and Then when you're when the man is getting married He comes strolling up the aisle to the minister to Say his marriage vows with his bride-to-be and he has linked on his arm a prostitute that's is just as ridiculous and as Ungenuine as someone who says please forgive me God.
I'm sorry and then.
Very.
Lackadaisically and and without any real brokenness. Before God just returns to the to the the the wickedness of his life like a Dog returning to his own vomit. Would that illustration send a vivid picture to you that relates to what we're talking about?
Absolutely. Christ Jesus saves us from our in our sins when he finds us. There's no doubt about that, but he saves us from those sins not so that we might continue. Good analogy. Amen.
Now we we know From what we've already discussed What Christians should look for perhaps especially? Pastors as a sign of true repentance. In someone who is coming to God who is professing to believe in Christ who wants to be a Christian who wants to join the particular church where That pastor is serving or perhaps He is somebody who's been under discipline and wants to be restored.
There there should be some evidence of this repentance now. Where do you go from there to the personal experience if you set aside? Church membership church discipline. You're talking about one-on-one events.
Somebody does something horrible to you, especially something that Without the aid of the Holy Spirit would be considered an unforgivable sin, especially and I mean it doesn't have to be that severe. But I'm just using that as an extreme example.
When someone comes to us and says I am sorry, please forgive me. What should we expect? Other than that to extend toward that person genuine forgiveness and they're one of the reasons I ask that because in our own Circles of theological fellowship there is disagreement I'll give you two major names that I both revere as modern-day heroes who disagree on that.
We have dr. John MacArthur who we mentioned earlier and dr. J Adams John MacArthur believes and teaches as do many Christians and perhaps the majority of Christians would teach that as soon as someone asks Please forgive me you are to forgive them.
In fact, they don't even have to ask as soon as somebody sins against you. You must immediately Go to God and forgive that person. Ask God for the ability to forgive them and you must forgive them even before they ask even if they never ask.
Whereas dr. J Adams Would say that you are to love your enemy and do good for him and pray for him. But forgiveness is a unique act. That you should you should only bestow and declare to someone who has demonstrated Repentance because that is the way that God forgives.
If God did not forgive that way hell would be empty. So if you could respond to those two different opposing views that are prevalent within reform circles.
Bring a couple of preemptive clarifications if you like sure when we say that we're looking for that Turning one to repentance. I think we do need to make sure that we we understand and I think that's what what Christ Says to Peter.
And Peter was asking how many times do I forgive my brother? This is a bit without If you like without perfection in that regard from that point onwards, we have cause to doubt repentance especially if it's a if it's a Bosom sin.
If it's a sin, there may be many and long battles with the particular sins a genuinely repentant Fighting against that sin that but endeavors after new obedience that fully purposes of it and pursues it and therefore Goes on repenting of a particular sin.
The other thing I think we need to know when someone comes and says, you know, I repent of this. Will you forgive me? Our disposition will be By implication beyond yes, I am ready to forgive you. So there's a disposition to forgive and to go on now.
That's that's different from somebody who basically said look and then I'm going to go back and do it again. And then I'm going to say sorry again, and then I'm going to go back again. So the God then this you've asked I think that we are required by the gospel to have what you might call a forgiving Disposition that we are to be primed and ready to forgive.
Just as God is a forgiving God. And Bob by the way.
I want to make it clear that both sides of that a debate both dr. MacArthur and dr J Adams would fully agree with that statement. Sure. Yeah, absolutely.
I am ready to play. I'd be more probably on the the Adams side of that equation. In the sense that I think that that in order for forgiveness to be extended in that sense. There must be I must show it.
Yeah, I think. And that's a necessary part if you like of that gospel dynamic.
Yeah, and by the way, we want to also add Chris bronze be our a UNS has an excellent book called unpacking forgiveness. It may be unpacking biblical forgiveness I can't remember right now, but it's definitely unpacking forgiveness or biblical forgiveness Chris bronze.
He would agree with dr. Adams on that issue. And I'm sorry One of the things that the the side that requires repentance for forgiveness is that they are saying that forgiveness is more than just not holding a grudge or not holding animosity or Holding on to a vengeful spirit.
Forgiveness is actually releasing someone of the debt and not holding them accountable for the sin that they've committed. So therefore When somebody sins against you and doesn't repent You you must hold them accountable if they are repeatedly and unrepentantly doing the same thing.
You're not forgiving them and saying I no longer hold you accountable to this. You are no longer chained to the debt for this action you know so that they're trying to clarify the difference between out and out forgiveness and loving your your enemy and Loving those who sin against you.
The the side that Jay Adams and Chris bronze are taking are not saying that we're supposed to Hold on to that vengeful spirit and not pray for our enemies and not do good to them. It's merely saying that we cannot release them from the debt of what they have done Unless they repent.
So I hope that that made it more clear to our listeners what those two things are about.
So the Actually we have. We have a listener right now. We have RJ in White Plains, New York who asks If what you are saying is correct in regard to not forgiving people unless they demonstrate repentance How do you respond to what Jesus said on Calvary when he said father forgive them for they know not what they do.
That's a very good question. You have a response to that Jeremy.
Fundamentally. Yet forgiveness belongs to God. Very spirit mind games about that. Yeah, the providences of God give those. He does so on the day of Pentecost when people who have crucified the Lord Jesus Obey Peter's command to repent.
Right. And there is a very.
Important element of what Jesus prayed. He said for they know not what they do. So and he was also Saying he was asking the father father forgive them for they know not what they do. He didn't just say I forgive you.
And he didn't say I forgive you to everyone from the cross. He didn't say I forgive you Pontius Pilate. I forgive you Judas. I forget, you know, he didn't do those. He didn't give a blanket a statement of forgiveness.
He was specifically forgiving or asking for forgiveness for those who did not know what they were doing. Yeah, and Reverend Buzz Taylor.
I think those who specifically did not know what they were doing with the Romans the the soldiers were carrying out the crucifixion. They had no idea no idea about a Jewish Messiah. But the Jews who did know Jesus said like for example, he was on the way to the cross.
He said, you know to the women who were weeping don't weep for me weep for me and your children, you know. For what's gonna happen, you know. He was talking about the fact that judgment was going to come for their rejection of him as their Messiah.
Of course, that's what the whole story of 8070 is about. Is the destruction of Judaism and in the temple in Israel Jerusalem because of their rejection. Yes, and of course many of them were. But of course as a As a body of a politic you if I could say that way they were not because they were judged for it.
Yeah, I just wanted to send you a greeting from our listener in Greensboro, North Carolina Pastor Sterling van der Worker of Shepherd Fellowship in Greensboro, North Carolina. It says no questions from me today.
Just wanted to encourage you both on the good questions and both of you chipping in so I just wanted to let you know that we have that greeting from Sterling and now we are going to our final break and Now is the time for you to write in if you Intended to ask a question of Jeremy but have not yet done so because we're rapidly running out of time.
There are a couple of people in front of you. But if you want to get in line, please send us an email quickly to Chris Arnzen at gmail .com. Chris Arnzen at gmail .com and please give us your first name your city and state and your country of residence.
If you live outside of the good old USA and only remain anonymous if it's about a personal and private matter don't go away.
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Hi, I'm buzz Taylor frequent co-host with Chris Arnson on iron sharpens iron radio. I would like to introduce you to my good friends Todd and Patty Jennings at CV BBS. Which stands for Cumberland Valley Bible Book Service?
1987 the family-owned and operated book service has sought to bring you the best available Christian books and Bibles at the best possible prices. Unlike other book sites they make no effort to provide every book that is available because frankly Much of what is being printed is not worth your time.
That means you can get to the good stuff faster. It also means that you don't have to worry about being assaulted by the pornographic Heretical and otherwise faith insulting material promoted by the secular book vendors.
Their website is CV BBS .com. Browse the pages at ease shop at your leisure and Purchase with confidence as Todd and Patty work in service to you the church and to Christ. That's Cumberland Valley Bible Book Service at CV BBS .com.
That's CV BBS .com. Let Todd and Patty know that you heard about them. On iron sharpens iron radio.
And don't forget about the 50 off sale for all Commentaries reformed commentaries in hardback by going to CV BBS .com CV BBS .com and mentioning iron sharpens iron radio and Even the new commentary by Richard Phillips on the book of Revelation Is included in that 50 off sale and make sure that you tell Todd and Patty Jennings at CV BBS .com that you heard about them and the sale on iron sharpens iron radio.
Well, we are back now with our final 25 minutes or so with Pastor Jeremy Walker of Maiden Bower Baptist Church of Crawley in West Sussex, England. And he is the author of a number of books including the booklet that we are discussing today.
What is repentance? If you'd like to join us on the air Do so now because we're rapidly running out of time. Our email address is Chris Arnzen at gmail .com Chris Arnzen at gmail .com. Before I go to any of the listener questions I want to say Pastor Jeremy for a bit of a physical description of this booklet that you've written.
This is an ideal booklet. It's it's it's very often a very needed thing and a wonderful thing to have brief Treatments of something that are not only more conducive for people to read them, especially if they're lost.
But also to make them affordable to Christians to give them away in great numbers and even for churches to put them in track racks. And so on and put them on Tables in the narthex or the foyer of your church.
Tell us something about this booklet. Like the ultimate questions booklet, yeah.
It's it's five five inches by by seven inches. What's that in centimeters for you Europeans? That's a foot. Yeah, it'll fit in a pocket or a bag very easily. It's designed as you say to be Introduction to the God willing it will seek ideas big suggestions for what it actually means in our life.
So yeah, it's either for unbelievers What is my response to the gospel or for Christians who want to understand better what it means to be a repenter? Which is one of the emphases of the book. Yeah repentance isn't something we just do once any more than faith are but it's it's if anybody was interested in ordering this book.
You could either go to heritage books org heritage books org or you could go to CV bbs .com CV for Cumberland Valley BBS for Bible book service comm CV bbs .com. In fact, if you want to look at all the books that Reformation heritage books offers go to heritage books org make a list and then go to CV bbs .com and order them because CV bbs .com is a sponsor of iron sharpens iron radio and Reformation heritage books does not lose anything by you doing that.
So that is killing two birds with one stone as they say. If you could explain to our listeners, especially those who are new Christians or perhaps not even Christians at all something about the parable of the prodigal son because I think That parable contains within it the major Vital elements of the discussion that we're having.
It includes within it repentance. It includes within it the willingness of The person who was sinned against having a heart prepared for forgiveness and ready to forgive and it also has in regard to the other sibling involved.
It reveals the person who is a sinful Person who is unrepentant of his lack of forgiveness His holding on to a grudge or holding on to a vengeful spirit Not wanting to see his brother who had squandered at all that that their father gave him And yet still being treated with a with a royal treatment While he is getting no special treatment that he could see even though he has been at least outwardly faithful to his father without without ever Betraying him or departing from the family.
So if you could give us An outline of that parable and tell us tell our listeners how it relates to what we're talking about.
Sure. I think it's important to recognize That we could call at the beginning of Luke. We're told that the Pharisees and scribes were murmuring against Jesus because he received sinners and ate with them.
He enjoyed fellowship that one power of the wandering sheep. The second is of the lost coin and the third is of the the lost son the rebelling son. And though and The the mercy of God in seeking them out and then the joy that there is a God in Receiving the repenter first case you've got obviously there finds that sheep and in the same way.
There will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents and over 99 just people who need no repentance. The suggestion seeming to be there. But there are no just people who need no repentance. There are plenty of people who think that they are just and don't need to repent.
There's no sin involved. Then you've got the lost again. This coin is bonding. It needs to be sought out. It's found and again, there's joy in the presence of the angels of God. Joy in God himself in the white over the one sinner who repents and then you come to the third picture.
And this is the one that is perhaps best known and most developed. It's the rebellious son of a dead once his inheritance brought forward and goes and and Wastes and his father were dead and without any regard, you know Christian.
There's a danger sometimes in parables where we try and make every detail. There's a danger that in that but we will over emphasize things that are. That what he has done and where he is is and my father's a good man.
My father will go back to him against heaven worthy to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired something there that of that repentant spirit I've sinned against you and against God picture.
He's saying look my sin as these vertical and horizontal Dimensions and he comes and then there's this wonderful picture of this eager for his return what we've already talked about with regard to the disposition of God who anger quick to forgive and that the most rinse out to his son.
Embraces him almost cuts off of repentance and the son sort of chokes out father I've sinned but the father lavishes then some is free and full forgiveness. There's a held against this boy. You're not going to work off the debt.
No, no, you're my son and then you've got at the end of that parable. You've got this representative of the murmurs. You receive sinners and each with them now, what's the deal with this dad of the older brother?
The good guy. And you've never treated me like this. You've never shown it's tragic. It really is. It's it's it's a Senses you really have no idea what I'm like Sunday. You've never really grasped my disposition.
You don't understand me in that sense. Everything I have is yours. What you don't understand is that it's right that we should rejoice returning some this repenting sinner so it's a beautiful portrait in three parts of God's and Rejoicing how we should respond to those who come to God and it's an encouraged repenting because God is ready to receive.
And isn't. Going back to our theme repentance, isn't that evident here with the Prodigal son. Because he did not come back to his father and say hey. Sorry dad for all that nonsense that I just experienced but I'm back home now.
So can one of the servants bring me a goblet of wine? I am parched and somebody Spark up the fire for a barbecue. I'm also famished. He didn't expect to have a Restoration of the royal status that he had in that home anymore.
And again, this is the problem with the analogy because it but he certainly He knows something of his father's character. But there's always a sense which he barely dares to believe that it could be. But as you say, he doesn't go back and Demand that restoration.
He doesn't go back and and say hey dad. Bit of a goof there bit of a botch. Now that's some that's that's that's a mercy and a grace that the father gives to the son. He could almost argue that the struggling with the idea.
I'll work this off. You can't work this off son, and you don't have to work this off. This is something that I do with my own gracious and loving heart.
And it does say the the parable does include the fact that before he arrives home He is speaking to himself The prodigal son and he says I will get up and go to my father and I will say to him father I have sinned against heaven and in your sight I am no longer worthy to be called your son make me as one of your hired men.
So, I mean there is this evidence that we have in the text that he was repentant.
Sure. Yeah, he knows I I have forfeited everything. I have no right or entitlement to any good thing from you. We don't you know, we don't deserve God's favor. Well, first of all, you cannot deserve mercy.
That's the very that it but just we are undeserving. We are Ill-deserving. Right is God's wrath and curse because of our sin and that's one of the wonders of grace. God not only spares us what we do deserve but grants us what we could never deserve because of the Completed work of his son Jesus Christ in whom our sins can be utterly washed away and the preserving.
Again, you know wonders of grace to God belong.
Amen, I Were quite a while ago when preaching in a mission amends mission Bethesda mission in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania at the request of my congregation or my elders. I Preach from time to time to the men at this homeless shelter and I was giving the Analogy to to clearly demonstrate the difference between Unmerited favor and ill-merited favor and I said if I were to walk up to somebody in the audience and just hand them a $100 bill for no reason at all, that would be unmerited favor, but if one of those people in the audience Tortured raped and murdered everyone in my family and then And it's in an attempt to burn my house down They themselves were caught in the burning building and I knowing what they did ran in there and picked them up put them on my shoulder and carried them out of that burning building and then Donated a vital organ to that person Who had just tortured raped and murdered my entire family.
That would be more of a demonstration of what ill-merited favor is as opposed to just merely being Unmerited favor. Does that ring true to you that comparison?
Yeah, I do like to find an analogy or an illustration. That really reached the heart right. These gracious transactions, which God has with us in Christ those kinds of efforts.
Right because it's infinitely infinitely greater when it comes to God and his forgiveness of us.
And I think one thing that that's significant in that is that it does underline gain this this what the older writers sometimes quickly understand then and and the Fact that we we merit only damnation.
And that's why we must begin with with preaching of God in his justice. Mercy is righteousness things together. Oh God Is the context of the gospel and God is the sinner because you don't understand Anything accurately yet.
Oh the enormity of our crime against God and they may do some good.
Amen and we have Harrison in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania. Who says how do you respond to those who reject the notion that repentance is required for salvation? Who will point to the thief on the cross?
Whom Christ forgave. Especially when we know that he was initially mocking Christ. Sometimes people forget or and I think sometimes the movies leave out The fact that both thieves were mocking him. It wasn't just one Bad thief on one side and one good thief on the other that asked him to remember him in his kingdom.
They were both mocking him and then you see a hundred and eighty degree turn there.
Sure, and I think we need to be careful. We've talked about No, but here's a man who says look. Whatever this man has or hasn't done It's quite clear that he is innocent. He's being punished for crimes that he is not committed.
But we I think in that confession. You've got again something with the kernel of repentance that I deserve what I am receiving. That I am an unworthy sinner. And so remember me I think there's yeah, that's I think you have there again.
There's the marriage of repentance and faith.
Yeah, I think that's the those that would use that Text as an argument against the necessity repentance or once again Defining repentance incorrectly. And they might think That in order for that thief to be truly repentant He would have had to have lived to have the opportunity to restore everything that he stole.
Volunteer a soup kitchen, you know do all these kinds of things. But but that is not what repentance is even though repentance leads to good works. The fact that the man was there nailed to a cross along with Christ uh Prevented him from doing anything else than from what he uttered.
Yeah, and and I think that's that's a very good point when we're when we're asking about these evidences. Christ now it is the Lord Christ speaking with all that wisdom and all that. It's the God man's discernment.
He says today you'll be with me in paradise. Doesn't say well, I'm gonna have. You're repenting believing man. What more do you ask for. Yes had that man survived the evidences would have been there we know because Christ gives him that assurance that is is his desire for mercy has been received and.
Reverend Buzz Taylor has something to say. Yes getting back to the other half of what was there the the central teaching of repentance. We have you know, of course, we all know Jesus began his public ministry after his baptism at the age of 30.
We have only that I can think of two statements that he made before that you know there was the thing when he was a 12 years old be about my father's business and there was Telling John the Baptist that it's necessary to fulfill all righteousness to be baptized.
But after he's baptized and he begins his earthly ministry the very first sermon we ever have on record that Jesus preached is in Mark 1 14 and 15 where he says The kingdom of heaven is at hand repent.
And you know time is fulfilled the kingdom of heaven is at hand repent and believe in the gospel. And if you take every sermon Jesus preached after that and even look at the The preaching of the Apostles if you boil it down to its most basic components.
Those are the two things that are there its repentance and faith. Now when Jesus confronted individuals He applied it specifically to their sins that they needed to repent of but to crowds. He would simply say, you know, it's gonna cost you everything, you know.
You give up all you possess if you're gonna be my disciple and you can see it all boils down to repent and faith. That is the central teaching of Christ's sermons and the Apostles.
We have time for one more question and that's from a BB in Cumberland County, Pennsylvania and BB says Must we not be clear that forgiveness even genuine biblical forgiveness does not require that the forgiver Not hold the person responsible physically for harm that individual or individuals may have caused and You let them get off scot-free.
For instance If someone is on death row for murdering your loved one if they beg you for forgiveness you are to indeed Extend that forgiveness, but that doesn't mean that you're going to call the warden and ask that the person be released from prison.
May still have we see that for example in the life of David.
He oh, yeah really vividly.
Yet confesses his sin and begs begs for forgiveness from the Lord is assured that if sin is forgiven But there are still Immediate and long-term consequences in his family That that show that his sin is Though put away on a much more basic level.
It's if you have an argument with your wife And you repent of your harsh words you ask her to forgive you. She says yes, I will and you've still got some ground to make up there. You know, you still have to again restore the relational bridges if you like that you've broken all right now what is important to remember is that the repentance of a Christian is repentance toward God of father and That God's dealings with us as his children May include chastisings.
Amen, they are not the they are not if you like judicial punishments God is God's judgment has already been made in Christ his chastisings of his repenting children are The the dealings of a loving and gracious father who is training us.
So yes, certainly in that respect to be be. She's absolutely right that even genuinely forgiven sins may have Consequences. The other side of that of course is that that doesn't excuse us in holding grudges Against those who are genuinely repenting that we must be those who forgive 70 times 7.
It's interesting how everybody assumes BB is a woman and yet we forget BB Warfield.
I.
Well, by the way, everybody who wrote in question today is getting a free copy of what is repentance thanks to our generous friends at Reformation Heritage Books and also thanks to our friends at Cumberland Valley Bible Book Service CV bbs .com.
We'll be shipping those out to you. Make sure that we have your full mailing addresses if you did not yet send them and I want you to wrap up in about a minute and a half a Summary of what you most want etched in the hearts and minds of our listeners today.
Pastor Jeremy.
What I would want etched on the hearts and minds of listeners see of God in Christ. So that when they look in their Bibles When they hear the preaching of God's Word in Christ shows himself willing and able to highly.
After him think, you know, whatever whatever I I have committed whatever sins are from mercy. I may have turned away up to this point. Whether I'm out if I'm if I'm at some remaining sin that we must recognize in God this this heart of forgiveness this Gospel compassion this grace and this mercy that flow that we must with with hatred of our sin turn our backs upon it.
Weeping over mercy and then setting out independence upon the Holy Spirit to live a life that is pleasing To him as a believer as a repenter see this in the in the light of God's gracious character.
Well, thank you so much pastor Jeremy Walker and for anybody who wants to look up the information for Maiden Bower Baptist Church in Crowley West Sussex England. And and believe me there are people out there in England who do listen to this program.
In fact, my former pastor here at Grace Baptist Church in Carlisle who just not long ago accepted a call to Northern England. He had a visitor come to The congregation where he pastors David Campbell where he now pastors.
From a listener in England who heard about the church where he now pastors on my program. So if you. So if you want to go to their website, it's m a b a ch org. It's almost like Massachusetts Bach.
Ma.
B a ch org and if you want to find out more about the booklet we've been discussing Go to heritage books org heritage books org and that's repentance or should I say what is repentance by Jeremy Walker and you could also get That through CV BBS comm CV for Cumberland Valley BBS for Bible book service.
Calm. Thank you a reverend buzz Taylor for being my co-host. I want to thank everybody who wrote in questions and I want you all to always remember for the rest of your lives That Jesus Christ is a far greater Savior than you are a sinner.