Repentance Part 1

INTRO: (Before I begin the message let me share a few things with you. James, this is not part of the message. I will be dealing with repentance. I was preparing to have a meeting with some pastors and it will involve whether forgiveness is conditional or not. In doing so I realized that though I have dealt systematically with in messages on forgiveness I have not done so on repentance. Since my studies require me to study both, I thought I would use my studies to put together some messages on repentance in a systematic. Numerous things will not be new to you, so bear with me. Other things will be new to you. But most of all, I hope it will help to tie together numerous loose ends in my own understanding and in yours as well.)

Due to certain circumstances in my life I needed to review the subject of forgiveness. There are two views. One is unconditional forgiveness. When I am wronged, I need to immediately forgive. The other is conditional forgiveness. It says forgiveness is due after repentance has taken place. I take the view that forgiveness is not possible without repentance taking place. By doing what some call forgiving, they might have gotten something off their chest and think you have forgiven, but true forgiveness has not happened. Forgiveness is the wrong term because even those who teach unconditional forgiveness admit that the sin involved is not yet forgiven if there is no repentance. So they say, "Well, on my part I have forgiven. I am clear." You might be clear, but you have given what you did the wrong name and because you call it forgiveness, it will cause you to fail to do what the Bible requires.

Pastor Gary Inrig, who pastored in Calgary Alberta f