Forgiveness without repentance
Rev. N. Langerak: S&S March 15, 2022 pg. 43
“This is the gospel message of the Reformed Protestant Churches. The sinner has forgiveness without repenting.”
Echoes of Whitten‘s wish to do away with the ‘contaminant’ of repentance.
But the Westminster chap 15 says, repentance is an evangelical grace. This means that like faith, it is graciously God-given. The 3rd article states, “Although repentance is not to be rested in, as any satisfaction for sin, or any cause of the pardon thereof, which is the act of God’s free grace in Christ, yet it is of such necessity to all sinners, that none may expect pardon without it.”
So also, in Mark 1:15 Jesus says, “… the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel”.
The question becomes, what is the ‘gospel’?
Langerak says the gospel is: become an unbeliever, become ungodly. Andy says the gospel is: do nothing, be passive: https://www.sermonaudio.com/solo/72773/sermons/814221615525915/ Leaving All and Following Jesus Aug 14,2022 on sermon audio
C. min 35:20. “[Jesus said] follow Me, and that’s equivalent to the word of Jesus: ‘believe’”.
No, it is not the same thing; following is how we live out what we believe.
C. min 35:43, Andy states, “it [following] was a passive following of Jesus”.
Compare this to Canon Head 3-4, art 12, “… Whereupon the will thus renewed, … becomes itself active”. The will chooses, and actions follow.
C. min 35:47. “There was no choice in it [believing/following]”.
This is not the meaning of ‘irresistible grace’. The Canons teach that the Holy Spirit never does violence to the will. The will is spiritually quickened, healed, corrected, and at the same time sweetly and powerfully bent, Head 3-4, art. 16.
Indeed, what is the gospel? Got Questions says it is good news of Jesus Christ: here, and here. Compelling Truth says the same here.
RPs cannot agree regarding repentance
Some members in the RPC say that repentance is fruit and only fruit.
Some say that Christ repents in them/through them.
Andy:
Andy writes in the S&S, Mar. 15, 2022, Vol. 2, #16, pg. 10, “Here is my definition and doctrine of repentance: Repentance is the believer’s spontaneous love for God as that love comes into contact with and hates the believer’s own sin and corruption. My explanation of that definition is that, in its essence, repentance is love for God.”
But isn’t repentance sorrow … for sin? Biblical repentance is responding to God’s love by being transformed in your convictions and actions. It means turning towards God and away from whatever dishonors Him. Biblical repentance is not about your emotions, your sin, your efforts, or your resolve. It’s about your surrender. Rom. 12:2.
Rev. Langerak
Rev. Langerak https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FlSqcdDe6k8 State of Theology Loveland, Apr. 8, 22.
Rev. Langerak says 1:06:15, “Repentance is a work, sorrow is a work. To love God, that’s the law; to hate sin, that’s the law“.
C. 1:47:40, NL also says, “The law is this, ‘do and thou shalt live’. The law includes all of your activity; also your spiritual activity. God says ‘repent’, and you repent, that’s the law. God says ‘seek’ and you seek, that’s the law. It’s all your doing, that’s the law. And remember, you must do it perfectly.”
All sanctification is nothing but legalism? And once again, Langerak pushes perfectionism into the argument.
But a scarce three minutes earlier at 1:45:19 he said, “The Bible points out that there are two works of God … the second work of God in us is repentance, and you can include all of our sanctification, all of our good works, all of our activity under that umbrella of repentance.”
So, Rev. Langerak, which is it?
Also remember, when you hear NL say that phrase ‘work of God in us‘, Don’t PR that up. That’s hyper-grace code for ‘God, the Spirit does it for us, on our behalf‘; the emphasis is on the ‘in’ us.
And the RFPA explains the reformed understanding of repentance here.
NL: the renewed will? still bound!
Rev. NL https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yaL6RqNaO9k&t=3259s Belgic Confession Art. 14, part 3 Mar 16, 2022
NL continues C. 1 hr min 01. “And the truth therefore of the bondage of the will as it is applied not only to the unregenerate, but the regenerated, … the regenerated man’s will is still bound.” …
C. 1 hr min 01:46, “man can have no good works and still be saved”.
Langerak on your blessedness:
Then at C 1:48:44 he says, “There’s a doing you; and there’s a believing you. The believing you does nothing, the doing you does everything. The doing you is not blessed. The believing you is blessed. … If you mingle those two … by your doing, you can get blessing … that’s the complete confusion of the law/gospel; … you lose the gospel”.
In his description of the law/gospel distinction, he is denying that believers live by faith. Rather, he separates your ‘doing’ from believing; and pronounces it not blessed.
So ultimately, he separates your physical, earthly (natural) life from your spiritual life. But the scripture connects our life to our faith.
The Bible on blessedness:
There are over 25 passages that teach about reward for our deeds. I note especially; 2 Samuel 22:21-22, “The Lord rewarded me according to my righteousness: according to the cleanness of my hands hath he recompensed me. For I have kept the ways of the Lord, and have not wickedly departed from my God.” And, again in Ps. 18:20-21, which has almost identical words. Then, Prov. 11:18b, “but to him that soweth righteousness shall be a sure reward”. Matt. 6:4 and 6c, “thy Father which seeth in secret himself shall reward thee openly”. And, my personal favorite: Ps 19:7-11.
Finally
After all these quotes, the question is, what are they really saying?
