Now, the message today is taken
from Acts 20, verse 20 and 21. Let's read these two verses again. Acts 20, verse 20. He says, How I kept back nothing
that was profitable unto you, but have showed you and have
taught you publicly and from house to house. Paul is saying
when we met in public, in public places, like a synagogue or other
places, he said my message was the same, Christ and Him crucified.
Or whether I was in your home, house to house, traveling from
different ones, different families, from family to family, house
to house, my message was the same. The gospel, testifying
of the gospel of the grace of God. Testifying, 21, both to
the Jews and also to the Greeks, whoever will listen, repentance
toward God and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ. Now, that's the title of the
message today. Faith and Repentance. Or, if you like, Repentance and
Faith. Now, it is impossible to have
true faith without true Holy Spirit conviction of sin. Likewise,
it is impossible to have true repentance, true godly repentance,
what Paul called a godly sorrow over sin, true godly repentance
without true faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. They go hand in
hand. Both dwell in the heart of the
sinner, planted by the sovereign hand of Almighty God. That is, God Almighty, to the
heart of God's elect, when He gives salvation, God Almighty,
with that mighty hand of grace, operates in your heart. He invades your territory, and
He enthrones Himself in your heart. That's salvation. Christ in you, the hope of glory. Now listen to this. Someone said
years ago, I preach the gospel to you today as one who may never
preach again. This could very well be my last
sermon. And you who are listening to
the gospel may never hear it again. For I preach as a dying
man, but I also preach to you who are dying. That's so. We have no guarantee of tomorrow. None. That's why the Scripture
says today, today is the day of salvation. Harden not your
heart. Today is the day of salvation.
Every time we come together to hear the gospel of God concerning
the Lord Jesus Christ, we ought to come with an eager, an eagerness,
An eager attitude. We have to come with great anticipation
to hear a word from God. Not only to hear a word from
God, but to receive it gladly. To submit unto what God says
in His Word. To believe it. To bow to it. To love it in our heart. You
may never hear it again. in this life. Oh, may God be
pleased to speak to our heart today. Oh, that God will speak in power
to our heart today on this vital and important issue
found in verse 21 of Acts 20, repentance toward God and faith,
faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ. Now these words found in Acts
20 are the last words the believers from Memphis have heard from
the Apostle Paul when he parted their company. Can't you imagine? They're probably near the coastline
as Paul was getting ready to take ship and to travel on down
to Jerusalem. Maybe they somehow got off a
side away from the busy harbor and away from all the hustle
and bustle of the day and they just got over here in a quiet
place and they kneeled down together and prayed, sorrowing and weeping
that they'd never see one another again in this life. You know, that was a touching
scene. I could just imagine, just imagine in your heart, But
the apostle Paul, he declared unto them that he had kept nothing
back. Notice verse 20. He said, And
now, he said, I have kept nothing back that was profitable unto
you, but I have showed you and have taught you from house to
house and in public. He kept nothing back from them
that they needed to hear in regard to the gospel of the Lord Jesus
Christ. Let me show you a reference on
that. Hold your place there. But find 1 Thessalonians chapter
2 this time. 1 Thessalonians chapter 2. He said, I didn't keep back.
I didn't keep back anything. But rather, he said, I told you
This is 1 Thessalonians chapter 2 verse 4. But as we are allowed
of God to be put in trust with the gospel, even so we speak
not as pleasing men, but God which tries our heart. For neither
at any time use we flattering word, as you know, as a cloak
of covetousness. God is witness. Nor have men
sought we glory, neither of you or of others, that we might be
in a burden, some unto you as the apostles of Christ, but we
were gentle among you, even as a nurse. that would cherish her
children. So being affectionately desirous
of you, we were willing to have imparted unto you not the gospel
of God only, but our own soul, because you were dear unto us."
He kept back nothing from them. He didn't preach to please men.
What he declared unto the church, There he also declared in public,
for everyone needs to hear the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ.
That's what this community needs to hear. That's what this county
needs to hear. They need to hear the gospel
of the grace of God in Christ Jesus. Our Lord said, go into
all the world and preach the gospel, the gospel to everyone
that will hear it. Go preach Christ. I like what
he says, not only that he kept nothing back, but look at the
last part of verse 24. He said, I've received this ministry
from the Lord. This ministry from the Lord Jesus
Christ to testify the gospel of the grace of God. The gospel of the Lord Jesus
Christ is the gospel of the grace of God. It's the grace of God
who has chosen us. It's the grace of God that has
called us. It is the grace of God that has
made us new creatures in Christ Jesus. I want to be a witnesser
of the grace of God in Christ Jesus. Something else he says
in verse 27 of this text, he said, I have not shunned to declare
unto you all the counsel of God. Paul did not disguise the truth
or take the edge off the truth to keep from offending someone.
He said in another place, if I preach the gospel so as to
take the offense off, I'm not the servant of Christ. Do we
tone down the gospel? Do we mold our message to fit
the sophistication of the crowd? Do we preach a different message
to the king than we would to the peasant in the street? Or
do we have but one single message? Paul says we have but one message.
We've not shown to declare that one message. Paul means that
he did not disguise any truth. He did not withdraw or keep back
any truth, but he rather declared it. He didn't say, I explained
it. As old Rothbarnard used to say,
I'm not into explaining business. I'm in the proclaiming business,
preaching Christ and Him crucified. Paul did not disguise any truth
or withdraw or keep it back. He declared all the counsel of
God. The counsel of God in saving sinners, who works all things
after the counsel of His own will. And he says that in Ephesians
chapter 1 verse 11. May we be determined as God's
church As God's people, be determined as Paul to preach Christ and
Him crucified as all the counsel of God, all the purpose and will
of God in redemption. That's what the counsel of God
is. The will of God. The purpose of God. In redemption. How are we redeemed? Through
the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ. Justified freely by His grace
through the blood that is in our Lord Jesus Christ. And God
help us. God help me. to be consistent
as Paul, to continue to declare that salvation is of the Lord.
Salvation is all of God's grace. He is the Alpha and Omega, the
beginning and the end of all of salvation. Paul had but one
message for the Jew and Gentile. He says in verse 21 of Acts 20,
testifying, preaching both to the religious Jew or the pagan
Gentile, but one message. One message. He had but one message
because there's just one gospel. There's just one Lord. There's
just one faith. There is just one way. As he says to the Galatians when
he writes there, he said, though we are an angel preaching any
other gospel, any other message, well, let that man be damned. Now, we have but one Savior,
one gospel, one God, one faith, and one, repentance. Now let's
take a closer look at this subject, repentance toward God and faith
in the Lord Jesus Christ. I have seven things. Seven things. First of all, let me say this.
A belief in sovereign grace does not exempt the sinner from believing
or repenting. but rather is given of God to
glorify His mercy in Christ Jesus. Now here's the first thing. How
important is faith in Christ and repentance toward God? How
important is it? Is it a side issue? Does it really
matter? Let's find the answer from the
Word of God. Luke 13. Turn over there. I'll give you
time to find these, and I want you to follow along and read
this with me. How important is faith and repentance? Repentance and faith. Well, what
does the Lord say about repentance? Luke 13, verse 2. Suppose ye
that these Galileans were sinners above all Galileans, because
they suffer such things. Verse 3. I tell you nay, but
except you repent, you'll all likewise perish." I'd say it's
pretty important, wouldn't you? In the realm of salvation, forgiveness
of sin, or those eighteen upon whom the tower of Siloam fell
and slew them, think they were sinners above all men that dwelt
in Jerusalem? I tell you, this religious self-righteous
crowd, but except you repent, you'll all likewise perish. So what would you say? How important
is faith and repentance? Well, repentance is absolutely
vital. Now, how about faith? Turn to
Hebrews 11. Hebrews chapter 11. How about
faith? Hebrews chapter 11. Faith is
the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not
seen. Hebrews 11 verse 6. Hebrews 11
verse 6. But without faith, it is impossible
to please God. For he that cometh to God must
believe that he is, and that he is rewarder of them that diligently
seek him." Without faith, it's impossible to please God. A man
without faith is a man without Christ. Without Christ, it is
impossible to please God. So that's the first question.
How important is repentance and faith? Now if you're honest, you have
to say it's vitally important to my salvation. To my salvation. Now here's the second thing.
What do we know about faith and repentance? Both faith in Christ
and repentance toward God are sovereign gifts of God. That is, he says, I will have
mercy on whom I will have mercy. So then it's not with him that
willeth, nor with him that runneth, but it's God that gives salvation. It's the goodness of God, now
listen to me, it is the goodness of God that leads a sinner to
repentance. It is not preaching damnation,
hell, and fire and brimstone. and trying to scare somebody
into profession. That which is born in the storm
will die in the calm. It is the goodness of God that
leads you to repentance. It is the good mercy of God that
draws you to the Lord Jesus Christ. So, both faith and repentance
are sovereign gifts of God. Now, repentance. Is it God's
gift? Yes, it is. Acts chapter 5. Turn
there. Acts chapter 5, verse 31. So repentance is the
sovereign gift of God. If a man truly is given repentance
in his heart, it's not something that blooms here naturally. It's not native to the heart.
Repentance is not native to this old rotten heart. Rebellion is
native. Broken heartedness is not native. That's the gift of God. Now,
Acts chapter 5 verse 31, "...Him hath God exalted with His right
hand to be Prince and Savior, for to give repentance to Israel
and forgiveness of sin." So it's His gift. Here's another reference,
Acts 11. Turn there. Acts 11, 18. Sovereign gifts of God. Acts
11, 18. When they heard these things,
they held their peace and glorified God, saying, Then hath God also
to the Gentiles granted repentance. So you have to conclude If a
man truly is given a heart of repentance and brokenheartedness
over sin against God, not that he got caught, not that he just
showed remorse that he got caught, but a genuine brokenheartedness
over sin against God, if you have that, that's because God
has convicted you in your heart of what you are. How about faith? Faith, again, is not something...
find Ephesians 2. Faith is not something that blooms
in the heart of man by nature. What blooms in the heart of a
fallen, wicked, wretched heart? What blooms in that heart naturally?
Unbelief. We love darkness, not light. Man, nature loves darkness. He's
in love with sin. He's in love with himself. He
hates God. A true believer only believes because God granted
and given faith. Ephesians 2. Every one of you
could quote this, couldn't you? Ephesians 2, 8 and 9. For by
grace are you saved through faith, and that not of yourselves. It is a gift of God, not a worse,
lest any man should boast. Turn to Acts 13. Back over to
the book of Acts 13 verse 38. We had this recently from a message
a few weeks back. I'm saying as clearly as I can
that both faith and repentance are sovereign gifts of God. Acts
13, verse 38, Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren,
that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sin,
and by him, by him all that believe are justified from all things
which you could not be justified by the law of Moses. So, how
important is repentance and faith? It's important, isn't it? Faith
and repentance are both the sovereign gifts of Almighty God. He grants
and gives repentance to whom He will. From some, He simply
leaves them to perish in their own rebellion, and others, His
elect, He sweetly draws them to Himself. Sovereign mercy. That's what this book teaches.
Sovereign grace. Now, here's the third thing.
Both faith in Christ and repentance toward God are the sovereign
commands of God. If you truly repent, find Acts
17, if you truly repent in your heart, and if you have a continuous
repenting heart, and that's what true repentance is, it's an ongoing
state of being. It's not some isolated thing
in the past. It's an ongoing life, the life
of repentance. Act 17, if you have a true repenting
heart, it's because God sovereignly commanded you. Look what it says
here. Act 17, verse 30. Time to this
ignorance God winked at, but now God commandeth all men everywhere
to repent. And if you truly do, it's because
God has made that command effectual to your heart. So it's the command
of God. Same thing about faith. Faith
is the sovereign command of God. 1 John chapter 3. Turn over there. 1 John chapter 3. 1 John chapter 3 now. This is 1
John chapter 3. If you have to Cambridge, it's page
333. Likewise, faith is a command
of God. God commands His people to believe. A king doesn't invite his subjects
to believe on Him. A king commands his subjects
to believe on Him. 1 John 3, 23, and this is His
commandment, that we should believe on the name of His Son, Jesus
Christ, and love one another as He gave the commandment. He
that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him, and he in him,
and hereby we know that he abideth in us by the Spirit which he
hath given unto us." Sovereign commands of God. I'm on number
four now. You with me? Being analytical
on purpose now. Here's the fourth thing. Both
faith in Christ and repentance toward God. Now this is key. Stay with me on this fourth point.
If you're keeping score, put a star by this one. Both faith
in Christ and repentance toward God, both own, bow, and submit
to God who is God, bow and own and submit to the sovereign will
of God as salvation is revealed in Christ who is the truth, the
only just God and Savior, the one who is just and the justifier. Both faith in the Lord Jesus
Christ and repentance, both faith and repentance look to the Lord
Jesus Christ for all salvation. They both acknowledge the truth. Now, turn and read this with
me. Don't miss this point here. 2
Timothy 2. 2 Timothy 2. True godly repentance acknowledges
the truth of the gospel. That God is God. That man is
a sinner. that the Lord Jesus Christ is
a successful, victorious Savior, that none of His people will
perish, that He saves them by His almighty grace. That's what
true, godly repentance acknowledges, the truth. 2 Timothy chapter
2, verse 23. But foolish and unlearned questions
avoid, knowing that they do gender strife, And a servant of the
Lord must not strive, but be gentle unto all, able to teach,
in meekness instructing those that oppose themselves, if, peradventure,
if God, peradventure, will give them repentance to acknowledging
the truth." That's just not, oh, you know, I'm sorry. True
repentance acknowledges God is God. The God who elects, the
God who saves whom He will, the God whose Christ is successful,
the God who calls by irresistible grace, the God who saves with
everlasting salvation. This true godly repentance acknowledges
the true and living God. Are you with me? Now here's the second thing.
Turn to this. Just over a few pages. Titus. One page. Titus
chapter 1. 2 Timothy, then Titus chapter 1.
Likewise, faith. This is not historical faith.
This is not just the faith of facts. This is true faith that
looks to Christ. The Christ of God. Titus 1.1. Paul, a servant of God. an apostle
of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of God's elect, the
faith of God's elect, and the acknowledging of the truth, which
is after godliness, that truth which magnifies the glory of
God and hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised
before the world began, but hath in due time manifest his word
through preaching, which is committed unto me according to the commandment
of God our Saviour." So both faith, true repentance now. I
think you can realize in your heart now, to some extent and
to some degree, do I have that repentance that's given of God?
Do I have that faith that's given of God? If you do, it's because
He gave it to you. If you do, it's because he taught
you the true gospel of the grace of God. Now, I'm on point number
five. Here's the fifth thing. Both
faith in Christ and repentance toward God are not isolated,
single, one-time experience, but rather a lifelong state of
being that is both powerful Perpetual, I mean by perpetual, you know
the word means continuous. Permanent, growing, and increasing. It never ends in this life. I
have repented. I am repenting. And by His grace,
I do have a broken heart over my sin. You see, it's a state
of being. Same thing with faith. I have believed. I am believing. And by His grace, I continue
to believe. You see, it's an ongoing... That
which is alive and that which is given of God, it grows. It continues. We are believing. We are repenting. Now, believers do continually
come to Christ. 1 Peter, turn there. Believers
do continually come to the Lord Jesus Christ with brokenheartedness
and with faith. They do come to the Lord Jesus,
continually coming. 1 Peter chapter 2 verse 3, verse
2 says, Newborn babes desire the sincere milk of the word
that they might grow thereby. 1 Peter 2. If so, be ye tasted,
the Lord is gracious." Now look at verse 4. What does that say
there? To whom coming. To whom coming. To whom coming. As unto a living
stone, disallowed indeed of man, but chosen of God and precious.
You see, we're continually coming to the Lord Jesus. Now back a
few pages to Hebrews 12. Turn over there. So I'm saying
true godly repentance and faith continues to come, continues
to look. Hebrews chapter 12. Now turn
there. Hebrews chapter 12, look at verse 2. Looking unto Jesus,
the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was
set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set
down to the right hand of God. Looking. You see, true faith
has a single eye to Christ. A repentant heart has an eye
to Christ. Looking unto Him. Looking to
Him. Believers do continually believe
on Him. He that believeth. He that believeth. Not that, well, you know, I used
to believe. If you ever did, you still do. And by His grace
you will die believing the true gospel. Die believing it. One day my faith will end in
sight when I behold Him face to face. Now here's number six. Both faith in Christ and repentance
toward God are the fruit and evidence of salvation. Now get this, not the cause,
ground, or reason of salvation. Are you with me? Truth, faith, and repentance
are the fruit of salvation. Not the cause. Faith! Okay. Preacher, can you make
good on that? I think I can. But let's see.
John chapter 1. Turn there. Now, I know a lot of people say, well,
you don't believe, believe, believe, believe, believe, and you'll
be born again. No. You believe because you have
been. begotten of God. You see, His purpose and grace
is the reason, I believe. John chapter 1. Now this is John
chapter 1. Look at verse 11. It says, He
came unto His own, and His own received Him not. But as many
as received Him, to them gave He power, right, privilege to
become sons of God, even to them that believe on His name. preachers,
not grace preachers, but most preachers in this world, will
read that part and stop. But notice the punctuation there.
I'm not an English teacher, but there's not a period there, is
there? After his name, there's a colon, which means the thought
continues. Which were born They believe
they received Him because they were born. Then it gives the
negatives. Not of the blood, not fleshly
inheritance, that's what he's talking about there, nor of the
will of the flesh, nor of the will of man. They believe and
receive because they were born of God. That's the difference. Now what distinguishes the message
that's preached here from what you hear down the street or in
other places? What I'm saying, if you're a
true believer, and what this book teaches, a true believer
of the grace of God and salvation by the grace of God, it's because
He's made you to differ. It's because you've been sovereignly
begotten of God. And here's another reference
on that, 1 John, 1 John chapter 5. You see, salvation is not
just me making the decision. Repentance is not reformation. You know, they'll preach, well,
you know, stop the drinking, stop the gambling, stop the running
around, stop all that, stop all this. That's Reformation. That's not repentance. And somehow
we've confused that in our day. You hear things like, well, you
stop this and you stop that and you stop this and you stop the
other, then God will do this and this and this. No. No. God will have mercy on whom
He will. And when He does the work of
grace in your heart and breaks your stubborn will and hard heart,
He'll grip your life. He'll change your life. You see,
repentance is not just reformation. It's a change. It's a change. God works in your heart. He'll
cause you to love things you've never loved before. He'll cause
you to want to come to services and to hear His Word. My wife's not here today, so
I'll tell this on her. She used to drag me to services.
I hated it. I hated it. Before I knew the
gospel, before I knew the truth, I went because I knew if I didn't
go, she'd get mad. I'd love to go now. God's changed
my heart. He changed my want to. He changed
my will. Giving me life in Christ Jesus. But this is because one
day God in His sovereign purpose gave me life. 1 John 5 verse
1. 1 John 5 verse 1. Whosoever believeth that Jesus
is the Christ. Whosoever believeth that Jesus
is the Christ. What does that say? Read those
words. Is born of God. The reason you believe that God
Almighty from the sovereign throne gave you life, resurrected you,
pulled you from the dung heap of sin, death, darkness, the
dungeon of sin and depravity, and made you a prince of glory. Faith and repentance are both
the fruit of the Spirit, not the product of the flesh. Did
you get that? Faith and repentance are the fruit of the Spirit,
not the product of the flesh. For the fruit of the Spirit is
love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, meekness, temperance,
faith. Where you have faith, you have
repentance. You see, we believe according
to the working of His mighty power. Now, I bet you thought
I'd never say this. Number seven, the last one. Though
faith in Christ and repentance toward God are given at the same
time. They're given at the same time,
from the same hand. They're part of this package
of salvation. And when God grants it, He grants
both. They bloom in the heart of the
sinner by the sovereign grace of God, fertilized by His almighty
power when you find one you find the other. Like a piece of paper. That piece of paper has how many
sides on it? One, two. Where you find salvation in the
heart of a sinner, you find both faith in the Lord Jesus Christ
and repentance toward God. They come together. They come
together. Let me show you this reference.
Find 2 Corinthians 7. 2 Corinthians 7. 2 Corinthians
chapter 7, a little verse 9. Now I rejoice, not that you were
made sorry, but that you sorrowed to repentance, for you were made
sorry after a godly manner That is the marginal reference, you
were made sorry according to God, that you might receive no
harm, no damage, by often nothing. For godly sorrow worketh repentance
to salvation. Evidence of salvation. Not to
be repented of, but the sorrow of the world worketh death. For
behold this selfsame thing, that you sorrowed after a godly sword. Repented after a godly sword.
What carefulness it wrought in you. What clearing of yourselves. What indignation. What fear. What desire. What zeal. What revenge. Against things that are false.
And all things you have approved yourself to be clear in this
matter. Repentance after a godly sword. Now listen to this. If you miss true Holy Spirit
conviction, if you miss true Holy Spirit conviction of sin,
Our Lord said, when He, the Spirit of Truth, has come, He will reprove,
convict the world of sin, of righteousness, and judgment.
Of sin, what I am. Of righteousness, what I need.
Of judgment, having my sin judged in Christ Jesus. If you miss
true Holy Spirit conviction, you'll miss true heart repentance. If you miss true heart repentance,
you'll miss faith in Christ Jesus. And if you miss faith in Christ
Jesus, You'll miss salvation in Him. As repentance grows, so our conviction
of sin grows. As faith grows, the greater our
love and esteem and appreciation for Christ grows who put away
our sin. On this vital matter of faith
and repentance, the Lord Jesus Christ is everything. He's everything. True repentance says we are guilty
before God. True faith looks to the Lord
Jesus Christ to put away our sin for justification. True repentance
says we are guilty, sinners. True faith looks to the Lord
Jesus Christ for righteousness. True faith says we are empty.
Man in his best state is vanity. True repentance says we are empty.
True faith looks to the Lord Jesus Christ for all fullness. Of His fullness have we received
grace for grace. That conversion experience that
is all joy, but lacks deep conviction, lasting conviction of sin, is
not real. Let us not be afraid to examine
ourselves whether we be in the faith. Do I have that repentance
towards God that leads me to look to the Christ of God? Do
I have that faith that leads to a godly repentance that looks
to Christ Jesus? These two graces are inseparable. Now, I read this verse every
time I do a wedding right down here. What God hath joined together,
let not man put asunder. But this is also true with faith
and repentance. Isn't it? What God had joined
together, let us not try to isolate them. Let's not try to separate
them. They come together. They're the
evidences of being saved. They're a state of being for
a believer. Ongoing. And they remain until
God takes us home to glory.