Deeds in Keeping with Repentance

Is repentance necessary for salvation? Or to ask it another way: If a person believes the message of the gospel but does not repent are they saved?

Are works a necessary part of salvation? Or to ask that in another way: If a person believes the message of the gospel, but never manifests any sort of deeds in keeping with repentance, do they have reason to believe that they are in fact saved?

These two questions spring out of this single verse in Acts where the Apostle Paul summarizes his preaching for Agrippa by saying that he fulfilled the mandate given to him by Jesus by declaring that people should repent and turn to God and perform deeds in keeping with repentance.

This sermon takes a deep look at these two questions, searching the scripture for understanding of why Paul would define the gospel as he does in Acts 26:20. We must take time to understand the second point especially! Works or deeds have no place as the 'ground' or 'means' by which we are saved - this is abundantly clear from the scriptures. But works are clearly shown to be the fruit of salvation to such an extent that the absence of 'deeds in keeping with repentance' should cause the one professing faith but having no evidence to go straight to Jesus in search of salvation.