"testifying to Jews, and also to Greeks,
repentance toward God and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ"
(Acts 20: 21)
Recently I wrote a short article where I cited from one of the most highly respected ministers of those who called themselves "Primitive" or "Old School" or "Hardshell" Baptists, Elder Lemuel Potter. (See here) In his most famous debate with W.P. Throgmorton (1887) on the question - "Who Are The Primitive Baptists?" - he flatly and unashamedly said: "We deny that repentance is a condition of salvation." The "we" is the people he represented, which were the "anti means" wing of that movement or sect.
If you ask a Hardshell Baptist today whether repentance is necessary for salvation, most would agree with Potter and say no. Some, however, will try to say yes but water down the meaning of repentance as they do the meaning of the word "faith," so that their definition of faith and repentance makes them find them in heathen who know not the true God or Jesus Christ, and who believe in false gods. So, they would say that they agree with Potter that evangelical faith and repentance are not required for salvation, but rather a non evangelical faith and repentance, one which they have imagined, are given in regeneration.
In lieu of the text at the head of this post, it is obvious that the apostle Peter did not teach such a view regarding the necessity of repentance and conversion for the blotting out of (or forgiveness) of sins. But, not only Peter, but the bible is filled with others who testified that repentance towards God, the real God and not some idol god, and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ were essential to salvation.
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