Forgiven By Faith
The Hardshell Baptists have great difficulty with what the scriptures teach about the "forgiveness ("remission") of sins," what is sometimes called the "parden of sin." When they read verses that speak of the forgiveness that Christ effected, by his death and resurrection, then they acknowledge that such remission is dealing with eternal salvation. Let us cite some of those passages.
"Saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered." (Rom. 4: 7)
Most Hardshells will want to make this forgiveness and atonement for sin to be dealing with redemption and eternal salvation. The context, however, gives them (not us) problems in doing so, for Paul links forgiveness and justification to "faith" in God and in his plan of salvation.
"In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace." (Eph. 1: 7)
"In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins." (Col. 1: 14)
"For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins." (Matt. 26: 28)
These verses, dealing with forgiveness and redemption, the Hardshells have no difficulty equating with the experience of being saved for heaven, or with eternal salvation. Why? First, because they speak of that pardon of sin that results from the atoning and redemptive work of Christ. Second, because they mention no conditions of pardon, no mention of any offer of pardon, and no mention of faith and repentance.
Hardshells affirm that forgiveness/remission of sins actually occurred for all the elect when Christ offered himself to the Father. Often they limit their preaching to this aspect of forgiveness, often leaving the impression that forgiveness of sins does not occur in time when one of the elect is called and regenerated. But, when verses like Acts 5: 31 are cited, they will acknowledge that "forgiveness of sins" is also realized in time in the experience of salvation.
"Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins." (Acts 5: 31)
When "faith" is said to be "given," in a particular text, the Hardshells will want to make the "faith" to be some kind of "embryonic faith" (Sarrels) that God sovereignly and efficaciously gives to all the elect when they are regenerated. But, when "faith" is said to be the result of hearing the gospel, the Hardshells will make "faith" to be what only some few of the elect obtain, and that such faith is not the "faith of God's elect," or what is universally given in regeneration. Likewise, when "repentance" is said to be "given," in a particular text, the Hardshells will want to make the "repentance" to be some kind of "embryonic repentance" that God sovereignly and efficaciously gives to all the elect when they are regenerated. But, when "repentance" is said to be the result of hearing the gospel, the Hardshells will make "repentance" to be what only some few of the elect obtain, and that such "repentance" is not that kind of repentance given universally to all the elect in regeneration. So, in the verse in Acts that speak of the "foregiveness of sins" being what is "given" by God, Hardshells will want to make this to be the kind of forgiveness that is given in regeneration.
Thus, Hardshells cannot say that the "forgiveness of sins" is only what occurred when Christ died, but is also what occurs in the salvation experience of every elect individual.
On the other hand, when Hardshells read verses that promise forgiveness to those only who believe and repent, then he will not allow them to be speaking of the same forgiveness of sins referenced in the afore cited verses.
"And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem." (Luke 24: 47)
In these words, Jesus associated gospel preaching with "repentance" and "remission of sins." In the preaching done by the apostles, in the Book of Acts, they linked these things also.
"Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins: And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses." (Acts 13: 38, 39)
"Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost." (Acts 2: 38)
"To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins." (Acts 10: 43)
"Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord." (Acts 3: 19)
These verses clearly offer pardon of sin on the condition of faith and repentance. But, Hardshells do not believe that remission of sins is conditioned upon faith and repentance. So, what do they do with these verses?
Most of them will not accept that eternal forgiveness is conditioned upon faith and repentance in the cited verses. They believe that there are many who do not believe and repent who will nevertheless be finally forgiven. So, what do they do with the above verses, seeing they say the exact opposite of what they teach?
Some will say that the forgiveness or remission of sins is not forgiveness of sins, eternally speaking, or forgiveness before God and the law, but a "parental forgiveness," the kind given conditionally to the Lord's people, who have already been eternally saved and pardoned. This "parental forgiveness" has nothing to do with actual freedom from the penalties of the violated law. In such a view, the apostles were only addressing those who were already born again people of God, and giving them the conditions for receiving "temporal" or "parental" forgiveness. Parental forgiveness is only necessary for the removing of God's fatherly correction and punishment.
Some will say, however, that the forgiveness is that forgiveness which is necessary for final salvation, but will add words to the text to make it fit with their unscriptural premises. They will say - "that they may receive the knowledge and enjoyment of the forgiveness of sins," or something like that. They do this without realizing how they are guilty of adding to the text, of twisting and perverting it, of not being honest with the text. They use the same tactics in explaining other verses, such as Acts 26: 18, as I shall demonstrate.
There is no question but that this divine pardoning of sin is an experience of the heart, soul, mind, and conscience of sinners, of those who have come under conviction for their sins. Further, this divine pardon is divinely spoken to the criminal of the divine law through the preaching of the gospel. It is realized when the sinner believes in the work of Christ and in Christ's substitutionary death and vicarious atonement, and turns to that as his only hope, and trusts in it, and receives a hope and expectation of salvation, and a sense of pardon and cleansing in his conscience, and a peace of mind, with assurance, and receives joy in knowing that God has pardoned him for Jesus' sake.
Most Hardshells, inconsistently, will affirm that regeneration instantly causes certain changes in a man's soul, such as making a man to love what he formerly hated, and to hate what he formerly loved, and bringing conviction of sin and an awareness that one is lost and needs to be saved. In my book on the Hardshells I have shown their inconsistencies in making conviction of sin to be the immediate and automatic result of being regenerated. For instance, how can conviction of sin be part of, or an immediate result of, regeneration in the case of the infant and idiot, whom the Hardshells often speak about? Also, does not conviction of sin imply cognition and knowledge and belief?
Hardshells cannot include the experience of pardon in the experience of regeneration, nor can they even make it the immediate result of it. They do the same with "justification." They will not make the experience of justification to occur in regeneration, but believe in eternal justification, that justification was either from eternity or when Christ died on the cross. "Justification by faith," they affirm, has nothing to do with eternal justification, or being justified by the blood and grace of Christ. This is why, as I said, that they have difficulty with making the "blessing" of sins forgiven, in Romans 4, to deal with eternal forgiveness and justification, for it speaks of it as being received "by faith."
Not only are preaching the gospel, faith, repentance, and pardon all joined together in the above cited verses, but so is justification and forgiveness. Those these are distinct words and refer to different actions, nevertheless they are joined together in scripture and in the experience of salvation and redemption. There is no such creature who has been justified but not forgiven, and none who has been forgiven but not justified.
Let us ask - "what kind of remission (forgiveness) of sins" did Jesus order to be preached in his name? Eternal and judicial/legal? Or, parental and temporal? Most Hardshells will affirm that the "remission" to be announced (Luke 24: 47), in the gospel, is that which Christ secured by the shedding of his blood. Well, is this not the same forgiveness preached by the apostles, in the above cited verses, and in which they conditioned upon faith and repentance? Certainly it is, and Hardshell stubbornness to accept the divine truth is apparent.
Clearly, "forgiveness (pardon) of sin" is connected with being changed in one's heart, mind, and soul, with "repenting" and "converting." Is a man's heart, soul, and mind not changed in regeneration? Why is this change not referred to by the terms "repent" and "convert," terms that denote change? Also, clearly the pardon of sin follows the believing and repenting. For those, like the Hardshells and the "Reformed" Baptists, this order goes against their "ordo salutis." Is one regenerated before he is pardoned and justified? Can a man be regenerated but who is not justified and pardoned?
Things That Accompany Salvation
"But, beloved, we are persuaded better things of you, and things that accompany salvation, though we thus speak." (Hebrews 6: 9)
Obviously the apostle is talking about the experience or phenomenon of "salvation," salvation in a subjective and experiential sense, and not in its objective sense. We are persuaded of your experience of salvation. Why and how? Because, says Paul, there are "things that accompany salvation," things that are the evidence and proof of it, and we see these things present in you. "Accompany" is from the Greek word "echo," and means "to have or comprise or involve" and "to be closely joined to a person or a thing" (Strong). What are these things that are involved in the salvation experience? What things are divinely "joined" together in the saving experience?
Several things are joined together in the salvation experience. That is why several different words are used to describe the salvation experience, for the salvation experience is multifaceted.
Regeneration, renewing, new life, rebirth, new creation, justification, forgiveness, reconciliation, conversion, faith, repentance (turning), confession, revelation, enlightenment, propitiation, redemption, translation, receiving Christ and the Spirit, sanctification, washing and cleansing, incorporation into Christ, quickening, resurrected or made alive, etc., are terms denoting what occurs in the salvation experience, being things that are "involved" in it.
Some of these terms have both an objective and subjective aspect. Some emphasize the activity of God, and others the activity of the one being saved. Some are spoken in the passive voice and some in the active voice. To divorce and separate all these things into distinct experiences, separated in time, is to go against scripture, which links them together in the experience of Christian "salvation." Paul spoke of things that "accompany," or are integrally joined together in the salvation experience and no man has the right to disect them into several unrelated experiences. By Hardshell understanding, very little is "involved" in the experience of salvation, very little "accompanies salvation." That is why they have had serious difficulties in their history with the "Dalby doctrine," or "Hollow Log doctrine," or the "no change" view of "regeneration." If you divorce justification and forgivensess with "regeneration," then what do you have? If you divorce faith, repentance, and conversion, from "regeneration," then what is left?
Notice how Paul put regeneration after justification and pardon.
"And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses." (Col. 2: 13)
Clealy the "quickening" (regeneration) is what follows upon "forgiveness" and justification. It is known by theologians how Catholics confuse justification with regeneration and sanctification, and how they erroneously put sanctification and regeneration logically before justification, and how Protestants put justification before regeneration and sanctification. Kenneth Wuest, Greek scholar and bible commentator, wrote:
"In John 1: 12, justification precedes regeneration in the divine economy. Mercy is only given on the basis of justice satisfied." (Word Studies, page 41)
"Regeneration is therefore dependent upon justification, since an act of mercy in a law court can only be justly based upon the fact of the law being satisfied in the punishment of the crime committed. In human law courts this is impossible, for the prisoner cannot be punished and be set free at the same time" (pg. 92)
Those Hardshell and "Reformed" Baptists who put regeneration (and therefore sanctification also) before justification, are promoting a Catholic "ordo salutis."
Clearly Paul put justification (forgiveness) before quickening. God "quickened you," said Paul, "having (past tense) forgiven (and justified) you." Clearly too is the fact that the apostles put faith and repentance before receiving pardon of sins. "Repent" and "convert" THAT (in order that) your sins might be blotted out."
Without repentance and conversion, there is no remission of sins. To teach otherwise, as do the Hardshells, is to go against the plain teachings of scripture.
This believing, repenting, and converting are evangelical, that is, they are produced by the preaching of the gospel, or by the Spirit's application of evangelic truth to the heart, soul, and mind. That is clear from the scriptures already cited. But notice these words of Christ to Paul upon his divine commissioning. I send you, said Christ, -
"To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me." (Acts 26: 18)
Why is this "forgiveness" of sins not the same forgiveness of sins mentioned throughout the new testament? Why is it not the forgiveness of sins that Jesus said he wanted preached and that resulted from his death on the cross? Anyone without a bias will see that it is the same forgiveness. Only Hardshells, who have a system of salvation and forgiveness that excludes faith, repentance, and conversion, will attempt to make the "forgiveness of sins" in the words of Christ to Paul to be something different. And why? Because they reject all human means, all preaching of the gospel, to be divinely used in the salvation experience. So, what do many of them do with this verse? Some take one route in trying to twist it, and others take another route. Some say that the word "manifestly" should be inserted in each phrase, so that Paul is not really "opening eyes," but only "manifestly" doing so. Paul is not actually "turning from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God," but only "manifestly" doing so. People are not really "receiving the forgiveness of sins," but only "manifestly" receiving them. People are not really being "sanctified by faith," and really "receiving inheritance," but only "manifestly" so. By this method of "interpretation," however, the bible can be made to say anything. Scripture warns us about "adding" to the words of scripture.
John Gill on the "Pardon of Sin"
BOOK VI: Of the Blessings of Grace, and the Doctrines of It.
First, Dr. Gill says that "pardon is included in salvation," just as I have shown and affirmed, being one of those things that "accompany salvation." He says:
"...all that a true and faithful preacher of the gospel can do is to preach remission of sins in the name of Christ; and to declare, that whoever repent of their sins, and believe in Christ, shall receive the forgiveness of them; and which declaration of theirs God abides by and confirms; and whose sins, in this sense, they remit, they are remitted (John 20:23)."
"Nor is pardon procured by faith, as the cause of it; faith does not obtain it by any virtue of its own, but receives it as obtained by the blood of Christ (Acts 10:43; 26:18)."
C. H. Spurgeon wrote:
"Nor did Peter fail, when he had enunciated the gospel, to make the personal application by prescribing its peculiar commands. Grown up among us is a school of men who say that they rightly preach the gospel to sinners when they merely deliver statements of what the gospel is, and of the result of dying unsaved, but they grow furious and talk of unsoundness if any venture to say to the sinner, "Believe," or "Repent." To this school Peter did not belong--into their secret he had never come, and with their assembly, were he alive now, he would not be joined. For, having first told his hearers of Christ, of his life and death and resurrection, he then proceeds to plunge the sword, as it were, up to the very hilt in their consciences by saying, "Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out." There, I say, in that promiscuous crowd, gathered together by curiosity, attracted by the miracle which he had wrought, Peter felt no hesitation, and asked no question; he preached the same gospel as he would have preached to us today if he were here, and preached it in the most fervent and earnest style, preached the angles and the corners of it, and then preached the practical part of it, addressing himself with heart, and soul, and energy, to every one in that crowd, and saying, "Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out."
"And yet," say you, "and yet the apostle Peter actually says to us, 'Repent, and be converted!' That is, you tell us with one breath that these things are the gift of the Holy Spirit, and then with the next breath you read the text, 'Repent, and be converted.'" Ay, I do, I do, and thank God I have learned to do so. But you will say, "How reconcile you these two things?" I answer, it is no part of my commission to reconcile my Master's words: my commission is to preach the truth as I find it--to deliver it to you fresh from his hand. I not only believe these things to be agreeable to one another, but I think I see wherein they do agree, but I utterly despair of making the most of what is written in Scripture, and to accept it all, whether we can see the agreement of the two sets of truths or no--to accept them both because they are both revealed. With that hand I hold as firmly as any man living, that repentance and conversion are the work of the Holy Spirit, but I would sooner lose this hand, and both, than I would give up preaching that it is the duty of men to repent and to believe, and the duty of Christian ministers to say to them, "Repent and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out."
Perhaps you may be aware that an attempt has been made by ingenious expositors to get rid of the force of this text. Some of our Hyper-Calvinist friends, who are so earnest against anything like exhortations and invitations, have tried by some means to disembowel this text if they could, to take something out and put something else in; they have said that the repentance to which men are here exhorted is but an outward repentance. But how is it so, when it is added, "Repent and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out"? Does a merely outward repentance bring with it the blotting out of sin? Assuredly not. The repentance to which men are here exhorted is a repentance which brings with it complete pardon--"that your sins may be blotted out." And, moreover, it seems to me to be a shocking thing to suppose that Peter and John went about preaching up a hollow, outward repentance, which would not save men. My brethren who make that remark would themselves be ashamed to preach up outward repentance. I am sure they would think they were not ministers of God at all if they preached up any merely outward virtue. It shows to what shifts they must be driven when they twist the Scriptures so horribly with so little reason. Brethren, it was a soul-saving repentance, and nothing less than that, which Peter commanded of these men. Now, let us come to the point. We tell men to repent and believe, not because we rely on any power in them to do so, for we know them to be dead in trespasses and sins; not because we depend upon any power in our earnestness or in our speech to make them do so, for we understand that our preaching is less than nothing apart from God; but because the gospel is the mysterious engine by which God converts the hearts of men, and we find that, if we speak in faith, God the Holy Ghost operates with us, and while we bid the dry bones live, the Spirit makes them live--while we tell the lame man to stand on his feet, the mysterious energy makes his ankle-bones to receive strength--while we tell the impotent man to stretch out his hand, a divine power goes with the command, and the hand is stretched out and the man is restored. The power lies not in the sinner, not in the preacher, but in the Holy Spirit, which works effectually with the gospel by divine decree, so that where the truth is preached the elect of God are quickened by it, souls are saved, and God is glorified. Go on, my dear brethren, preaching the gospel boldly, and be not afraid of the result, for, however little may be your strength, and though your eloquence may be as nought, yet God has promised to make his gospel the power to save, and so it shall be down to the world's end.
But now, our third remark shall be given with brevity, and it is this, THAT WITHOUT REPENTANCE AND CONVERSION, SIN CANNOT BE PARDONED."
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