Where In The Bible Will I Find:

Repentance Preceding Faith In The Plan Of Salvation?

The position taken by denominations is that forgiveness of sins comes at the point of faith, or belief, and without any further acts of obedience. For, as according to their view, repentance obviously cannot come after faith, because in that event the sinner would be saved from his sins before he repented. So in order to overcome that difficulty, but include repentance among the condition of pardon (all denominations believe that repentance is necessary for salvation), they have simply switched these two acts of obedience, thereby holding that repentance precedes faith in natural sequence. This arrangement not only opposes the plain gospel plan of salvation but it is contrary to sound reasoning.

Repentance is a change of mind with reference to one's manner of life; and it is therefore absurd to expect one to repent before lie believes or has faith in the reason in which he MUST repent in order to be saved. Faith in Christ becomes the moving force, or provides the ground for repentance. Until this faith in Christ leads one to repentance, it’s against plain reasoning to expect one to repent. The Hebrew writer said, "But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him" (Heb. 11:6). Therefore if one repents before faith it is "without faith," and not pleasing to God.

"So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God" (Rom. 10:17). Without hearing the Word of God there could be no faith, and, therefore, no repentance. If it was possible to repent before faith in Christ, it would still be "impossible to please God" in so doing. "Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?" (Rom. 2:4). The goodness of God gives us reason for repentance. But since the goodness of God was shown in His giving of His only Begotten Son to die on the cross for our sins, it shows that before we can know that God is good we must believe that He has given His Son to die for us, and this cannot be believed without faith in the Son.

It was Jesus who said, "I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish" (Luke 13:3, 5). No one would have a desire or reason to repent unless he believed in the Son and had faith in Him. So therefore, it is impossible for repentance and faith to come in any other sequence than their natural order; (1) Hearing the Word of God (Rom. 10:17); (2) Believing it to be the Word of God (Heb. 11:6); (3) Repenting of all sins (Acts 17:30); (4) Confessing belief in the Lord Jesus Christ (Rom. 10:9-10; 8:37); (5) Immersed in water for the remission of sins (Mark 16:16, Acts 2:38; 22:16; 1 Peter 3:21 ); and then living a faithful Christian life (Rev. 2:10).