So was the Apostle Paul wrong when he wrote, ". . . the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels,
In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: . . . " -- 2 Thessalonians 1:7-8 ?
Preaching precedes hearing, hearing preceded repentance, repentance precedes believing, believing precedes regeneration.
Now that is how I understand this.
And it is they who did not obey the gospel and so did not know God.
Those who have obeyed the gospel in turn come to know God through His Christ (John 14:6).
Of course I believe saved by Grace through Faith alone :rolleyes:.
What about Mark 1:14-15 ?
"Now after John was put in prison, Jesus came to Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, and saying,“The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel.”
or Acts 2:38
"Then Peter said to them, Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit."
Repentance, then belief. We can see the proper sequence here:
For John came to you to show you the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and the prostitutes did. And even after you saw this, you did not repent and believe him. Matthew 21:32
“The time has come,” he said. “The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!” Mark 1:15
Furthermore, the thing the Jews in Jesus' day needed to repent of was unbelief! So how could they believe so they could repent of unbelief?!
The repentance being addressed here though is not a sinner repenting of all of his sins becore coming to Jesus to get saved, but of change in how they view the very nature of salvation, as in repenting of trying to get saved by anything they can do, and to rely and trust only in what Jesus had already done for them! Repenting of saving themselves by their
so called good works and deeds!
i'll try and explain my position clearly. I believe the distinction between repentance and faith is futile. for faith without repentance is not faith, and repentance without faith is not repentance. coming to faith and repentance is simultaneous.
They would be like the flip sides of a coin, as in real salvation, both are happening, as both of them would be due to the Holy Spirit Himself producing them in us!