Repentance
Hodges is known for his rejection of the view of repentance as a "change of mind", holding instead the view that it is a God fearing decision to turn from sin. "Repentance is the decision to turn from sin to avoid, or bring to an end, God's temporal judgment."(p. 57, Harmony with God) Hodges stresses that repentance facilitates faith in Christ, but is not a condition for eternal salvation, nor is it part of faith itself. "It is one thing to say that repentance facilitates faith in Christ--the Bible teaches that. It is quite another thing to say that repentance is a requirement for eternal life. That the Bible does not teach." (p. 93, Harmony with God)
Initially in Hodges' book Absolutely Free! and later in more detail in his book, Harmony With God Hodges took the position that the process of repentance may be a preparatory step in coming to salvation, and should be evident in the life of a believer, but eternal life is received by believing in Jesus, not by turning from sin. Hodges points out that the gospel of John, the only book of the Bible written to lead the unsaved to Christ never once uses the term "repentance", which is telling given the frequent use of the term "repentance" by the same author in the book of Revelation. In Harmony with God Hodges said there is only one answer to the question, “What must I do to be saved?” Hodges emphatically stated, “ answer said absolutely nothing about repentance. Instead they gave the famous and simple reply "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved" (Acts 16:31).”
Read more about this topic: Zane C. Hodges
Famous quotes containing the word repentance:
“Try what repentance can. What can it not?
Yet what can it, when one cannot repent?”
—William Shakespeare (1564–1616)
“Wooing, wedding, and repenting, is as a Scotch jig, a measure, and a cinquepace; the first suit is hot and hasty, like a Scotch jig, and full as fantastical; the wedding, mannerly-modest, as a measure, full of state and ancientry; and then comes repentance and, with his bad legs, falls into the cinquepace faster and faster, till he sink into his grave.”
—William Shakespeare (1564–1616)
“Had Adam tenderly reproved his wife, and endeavored to lead her to repentance instead of sharing in her guilt, I should be much more ready to accord to man that superiority which he claims; but as the facts stand disclosed by the sacred historian, it appears to me that to say the least, there was as much weakness exhibited by Adam as by Eve. They both fell from innocence, and consequently from happiness, but not from equality.”
—Sarah M. Grimke (1792–1873)