PERFECTION

PERDITION

OR

_ Repentance

`

Internal and Doctrinal

_ Faith

_ Baptisms

`

External and Confirmatory

_ Laying on of hands

_ Resurrection

`

_ Judgment aionian

1 Thessalonians 1:9 shows how fundamental this must be. `Ye turned to God from idols'. It is manifest that it is

not contemplated by the apostle that this `repentance' should be repeated. This is also true for the Hebrews.

Turning from idols and repentance from dead works marked a vital fundamental change. That Galatians was a

covering letter to this epistle to the Hebrews, and the apostle's words both to Peter and to the Galatians are more

than suggestive here.

`For if I build again the things which I destroyed, I make myself a transgressor' (Gal. 2:18).

`Howbeit then, when ye knew not God, ye did service unto them which by nature are no gods. But now, after that ye

have known God, or rather are known of God, how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements (stoicheia,

same word as `principles' in Hebrews 5:12), whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage' (Gal. 4:8,9).

Does this mean that we are to have no sorrow for sin, no departing from iniquity? No! `Repent' is the keyword

of the gospel of the earthly Kingdom. John the Baptist, the Lord Jesus, and Peter alike commenced their ministries

with this word. Let the reader turn to Ephesians; let him read through the six chapters, seeking every occurrence of

the word `repent' and `repentance'; he will not find one. Let him continue through Philippians and Colossians; the

result will be the same. Why is it that this word, so frequent in the Gospels and the Acts, is so rigorously excluded

from these epistles which give the foundation teaching of the present dispensation? Is it not that the Lord, by

omitting this key-word of the earthly Kingdom, would lead us to observe that we are in an entirely different

We shall find by turning to Hebrews 9:14 that the apostle, who told them to leave `repentance from dead works',

has a very satisfactory reason, and one which glorified the Lord Jesus Christ. `How much more shall the blood of

Christ ... purge your conscience from dead works'! Reader, which is better, the oft-repeated repentance, or the once

completed purgation? Let Hebrews 10:1-14 answer the question. This is in harmony with Colossians 2:13, `Having

forgiven you all trespasses'. The apostle's standard is an infallible test for doctrine so far as we are concerned, and

`He shall glorify Me' is surely heard here.

If it seemed strange to speak of leaving the doctrine of repentance, it must sound doubly strange to speak of not

laying again the foundation of `faith toward God'. We may be perfectly sure that the one who so emphasized

justification by faith is not advocating its abandonment here. Let us again apply the touchstone. How does the

apostle Paul speak of faith in the epistles?

`The faith of Jesus Christ' (Gal. 2:16).

`The faith of the Son of God' (Gal. 2:20).

`By faith of Jesus Christ' (Gal. 3:22).

`By faith in Christ Jesus' (Gal. 3:26).

`Your faith in the Lord Jesus' (Eph. 1:15).

`Through the faith of Christ' (Phil. 3:9).

`Your faith in Christ' (Col. 2:5).