There is incontrovertible proof that "belief" and "faith" mean the same thing when the Bible calls on sinners to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ to be saved. Here is the verse, spoken DIRECTLY by Jesus!(goes hand in hand with all salvation verses!):
"Then saith he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing." John 20:27
Jesus goes on and says in vs 29, "Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed."
Now, the big question is why did Jesus not say anything about "repentance" here? In fact that word does not even appear in the gospel of John ONCE! It's not because "repentance" is not important. The word "repentance" is not a word in and of itself to build doctrine upon. "Repentance" means "to change one's mind". Now of course, you cant just go up to someone and say "change your mind" without telling them EXACTLY what it is they need to change their mind about!
"I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish. " Luke 13:3
"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." John 3:16
"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
"But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness. Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works, Saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin." Romans 4:5-8
Acts 3:19 and Romans 4:5-8 speak of the exact same thing!(so does John 3:16 & Luke 13:3) Your sins are blotted out, forgiven by believing the gospel! To believe, one must go from unbelief to belief! That is the change of mind(repentance) that Jesus is talking about in the Bible! In fact, John 3:18 explains John 3:16!:
"He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God." John 3:18
People fall into one of two categories when they die. Believers or unbelievers. All the Word requires to be saved is placing complete trust(belief, faith) on Him(John 3:16-18, Romans 4:5-8, etc). To "repent" in regards to salvation, literally means to change one's mind about not believing the gospel. Faith in Christ cannot save anyone if they are in denial of their sins. Because the Jesus of the Bible deals with the fact that we are all sinners(Romans 3:23). What is the gospel?
"Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you...For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:" 1 Corinthians 15:1;3-4
The "belief" the Bible is calling is for one to TRUST in Christ solely for salvation! A number of heretics today have butchered and added to the simple plan of salvation. They frequently quote this verse:
"Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble." James 2:19
Number one, you NEVER go to just one verse and build doctrine off of it. Number two, you can't just slant whatever meaning one wants any verse to say. You must read it in context! The entire point of James is about our testimony before men. How do I know that you are saved? Why should I believe you are saved if you don't show evidence of it in your life?(James 2:14 & 18). Anyone who attempts to use James 2:19(or any other verses) to teach that a lost sinner must do more than believe to be saved, is teaching damnable heresy! Another point should be made about James 2:19. An unbeliever who dies in their sins, and goes to hell, find out TOO LATE about what God says about sin and punishment! They are NOW believers, but they believed too late! The rich man of Luke 16:22-24;27-28 was in hell! He believed too late though! Man only gets one chance, when he dies, his eternity is set forever. Demons already have their verdict pronounced, its too late for them(Matthew 25:41). Oh yes, they believe in Jesus, but they believed too late!
Many attempt to use Acts 20:21 as a building block to add to the simple gospel, but I'll show you using a Greek rule of exegesis, that such people are false teachers:
“Testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ” Acts 20:21
Granville Sharp's Rule of Greek Exegesis:
Rule I.
When the copulative kai connects two nouns of the same case, [viz. nouns (either substantive or adjective, or participles) of personal description respecting office, dignity, affinity, or connection, and attributes, properties, or qualities, good or ill,] if the article ho, or any of its cases, precedes the first of the said nouns or participles, and is not repeated before the second noun or participle, the latter always relates to the same person that is expressed or described by the first noun or participle: i.e. it denotes farther description of the first-named person,
“Testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ” Acts 20:21
Any time two singular Greek nouns appear in a sentence and are connected by the conjunction "and" (kai Greek) and the definite article "ho" precedes the first noun, but not the second, they both mean the same person! This means that the appositive, our Lord Jesus Christ, is referring to "God" in the first clause! Rendering this into the sentence it is then to be read as follows:
Testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, ("EVEN") or ("that is") faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ”. The exegesis of this verse does not fail because it points to TWO truths found in the Bible. One, faith alone saves(Ephesians 2:8-9, etc). Two, Jesus is God in the flesh!(1 Timothy 3:16).
Even if you are not convinced about the Greek rule, cross reference Acts 20:21 with Rom 1:16:
“Testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ” Acts 20:21
"For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek." Romans 1:16
Romans 1:16 plainly states that salvation comes to BOTH the Jew and Greek by believing. Acts 20:21 says the same thing, in just a different way.
Ray comfort foolishly defines "repentance" to mean "turning from sins". I've already shown you that the word itself means "a change of mind",and concerning salvation, it means one believes the gospel to save them from their sins. Here's a Scripture to ponder:
"And it repented the LORD that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart." Genesis 6:6
What makes sense? Was God turning from sin here? Or was He changing his mind about the fact of creating man?
"Lord" means "supreme in authority". Of course, this simply refers to fact that Jesus is God in the flesh(1 Timothy 3:16, John 10:30, 1 John 5:7). Here are some examples of "Lord" being used in the Word:
"And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest:..." Acts 9:5
"And they entered in, and found not the body of the Lord Jesus." Luke 24:3
"Some trust in chariots, and some in horses: but we will remember the name of the LORD our God." Psalm 20:7
You dont make Jesus Lord, He IS the Lord! Lordship salvation is the most subtle false gospel in circulation today! "Lord" does not mean "a life commitment to the obedience of Christ"! "Lord" is referring to the Savior!
Lord knows how many souls have been doomed to hellfire from this corruption of the words "repentance" and "Lord".
"Then saith he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing." John 20:27
Jesus goes on and says in vs 29, "Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed."
Now, the big question is why did Jesus not say anything about "repentance" here? In fact that word does not even appear in the gospel of John ONCE! It's not because "repentance" is not important. The word "repentance" is not a word in and of itself to build doctrine upon. "Repentance" means "to change one's mind". Now of course, you cant just go up to someone and say "change your mind" without telling them EXACTLY what it is they need to change their mind about!
"I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish. " Luke 13:3
"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." John 3:16
"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
"But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness. Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works, Saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin." Romans 4:5-8
Acts 3:19 and Romans 4:5-8 speak of the exact same thing!(so does John 3:16 & Luke 13:3) Your sins are blotted out, forgiven by believing the gospel! To believe, one must go from unbelief to belief! That is the change of mind(repentance) that Jesus is talking about in the Bible! In fact, John 3:18 explains John 3:16!:
"He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God." John 3:18
People fall into one of two categories when they die. Believers or unbelievers. All the Word requires to be saved is placing complete trust(belief, faith) on Him(John 3:16-18, Romans 4:5-8, etc). To "repent" in regards to salvation, literally means to change one's mind about not believing the gospel. Faith in Christ cannot save anyone if they are in denial of their sins. Because the Jesus of the Bible deals with the fact that we are all sinners(Romans 3:23). What is the gospel?
"Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you...For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:" 1 Corinthians 15:1;3-4
The "belief" the Bible is calling is for one to TRUST in Christ solely for salvation! A number of heretics today have butchered and added to the simple plan of salvation. They frequently quote this verse:
"Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble." James 2:19
Number one, you NEVER go to just one verse and build doctrine off of it. Number two, you can't just slant whatever meaning one wants any verse to say. You must read it in context! The entire point of James is about our testimony before men. How do I know that you are saved? Why should I believe you are saved if you don't show evidence of it in your life?(James 2:14 & 18). Anyone who attempts to use James 2:19(or any other verses) to teach that a lost sinner must do more than believe to be saved, is teaching damnable heresy! Another point should be made about James 2:19. An unbeliever who dies in their sins, and goes to hell, find out TOO LATE about what God says about sin and punishment! They are NOW believers, but they believed too late! The rich man of Luke 16:22-24;27-28 was in hell! He believed too late though! Man only gets one chance, when he dies, his eternity is set forever. Demons already have their verdict pronounced, its too late for them(Matthew 25:41). Oh yes, they believe in Jesus, but they believed too late!
Many attempt to use Acts 20:21 as a building block to add to the simple gospel, but I'll show you using a Greek rule of exegesis, that such people are false teachers:
“Testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ” Acts 20:21
Granville Sharp's Rule of Greek Exegesis:
Rule I.
When the copulative kai connects two nouns of the same case, [viz. nouns (either substantive or adjective, or participles) of personal description respecting office, dignity, affinity, or connection, and attributes, properties, or qualities, good or ill,] if the article ho, or any of its cases, precedes the first of the said nouns or participles, and is not repeated before the second noun or participle, the latter always relates to the same person that is expressed or described by the first noun or participle: i.e. it denotes farther description of the first-named person,
“Testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ” Acts 20:21
Any time two singular Greek nouns appear in a sentence and are connected by the conjunction "and" (kai Greek) and the definite article "ho" precedes the first noun, but not the second, they both mean the same person! This means that the appositive, our Lord Jesus Christ, is referring to "God" in the first clause! Rendering this into the sentence it is then to be read as follows:
Testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, ("EVEN") or ("that is") faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ”. The exegesis of this verse does not fail because it points to TWO truths found in the Bible. One, faith alone saves(Ephesians 2:8-9, etc). Two, Jesus is God in the flesh!(1 Timothy 3:16).
Even if you are not convinced about the Greek rule, cross reference Acts 20:21 with Rom 1:16:
“Testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ” Acts 20:21
"For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek." Romans 1:16
Romans 1:16 plainly states that salvation comes to BOTH the Jew and Greek by believing. Acts 20:21 says the same thing, in just a different way.
Ray comfort foolishly defines "repentance" to mean "turning from sins". I've already shown you that the word itself means "a change of mind",and concerning salvation, it means one believes the gospel to save them from their sins. Here's a Scripture to ponder:
"And it repented the LORD that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart." Genesis 6:6
What makes sense? Was God turning from sin here? Or was He changing his mind about the fact of creating man?
"Lord" means "supreme in authority". Of course, this simply refers to fact that Jesus is God in the flesh(1 Timothy 3:16, John 10:30, 1 John 5:7). Here are some examples of "Lord" being used in the Word:
"And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest:..." Acts 9:5
"And they entered in, and found not the body of the Lord Jesus." Luke 24:3
"Some trust in chariots, and some in horses: but we will remember the name of the LORD our God." Psalm 20:7
You dont make Jesus Lord, He IS the Lord! Lordship salvation is the most subtle false gospel in circulation today! "Lord" does not mean "a life commitment to the obedience of Christ"! "Lord" is referring to the Savior!
Lord knows how many souls have been doomed to hellfire from this corruption of the words "repentance" and "Lord".