Page 526 - Way of Life Encyclopedia of the Bible Christianity. Based on the King James Bible

REPENTANCE

the Apostles, involved a change of mind TOWARD GOD unscriptural.
AND SIN. Note the following summary of Paul’s gospel Hutson even carried his false doctrine of repentance
message: “But showed first unto them of Damascus, and so far that he modified the 1989 edition of “Soul-
at Jerusalem, and throughout all the coasts of Judaea, Stirring Songs and Hymns,” which is the hymnal
and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent and published by the Sword of the Lord. Under the direction
t u r n t o G o d , a n d D O W O R K S M E E T F O R of Pastor Tom Stastny the members of Beaver Valley
REPENTANCE” (Acts 26:20). The gospel message Baptist Church of Montrose, British Columbia, went
preached by Peter on the day of Pentecost and by Paul through the hymnal and documented many changes. In
after Pentecost required repentance and defined that as an open letter to Independent Baptists of Canada dated
a turning to God from evil works. Biblical repentance is April 1, 2000, Pastor Stastny wrote: “Several of the
a change of mind toward God and sin that results in a changes center around the doctrine of repentance i.e.
change of life. To say that it has nothing to do with one’s #245 (The Old Account Was Settled”), #288 (“I Am
attitude toward sin is to throw away 19 centuries of Resolved”), #318 (“Give Me Thy Heart”), #444
Christian preaching. (“Almost Persuaded”). The 1989 version greatly
Repentance is not merely changing one’s mind. weakens this doctrine in its overall message.” Following
Another man who has widely influenced the doctrine of are the changes that were made to these four hymns:
repentance held by independent Baptists is the late “The Old Account Was Settled”
Curtis Hutson, former editor of the Sword of the Lord. 4th verse -- “O sinner seek the Lord, repent of all
His 1986 booklet “Repentance: What Does the Bible your sin, For thus He hath commanded if” CHANGED
Teach?” has been distributed widely. Hutson boldly TO “O sinner, trust the Lord, be cleansed of all your sin,
denied that repentance means to turn from sin (p. 4). For thus He hath provided for.”
He denied that repentance is sorrow for sin (p. 8). He
even denied that repentance means “a change of mind “I Am Resolved”
that leads to a change of action” (p. 16). He claimed 4th verse DELETED (“I am resolved to enter the
that repentance simply is “to change one’s mind” and Kingdom, leaving the paths of sin...”)
that it did not necessarily result in a change of life. In an “Give Me Thy Heart”
attempt to build his doctrine of repentance, Curtis 2nd verse -- “turn now from sin and from evil depart”
Hutson quoted Scripture that appears to support his CHANGED TO “trust in me only, I’ll never depart.”
position but he ignored the Scriptures that plainly “Almost”
denounce his position. He misquoted the writings of 1st and 2nd verses DELETED -- “Almost I trusted in
men like his predecessor John R. Rice. He also mixed in Jesus, Almost I turned from my sin; Almost I yielded
a heavy dose of human reasoning. For example, he completely to the sweet striving within.” “Almost I said,
stated that repentance couldn’t mean to turn from sin ‘Jesus, save me.’ Almost submitted my will; Almost
because man cannot turn from all sin. That is a persuaded to serve Him, but I rejected Him still.”
smokescreen, because no one has defined repentance as
turning from all sin. The historic definition of In a letter to Pastor Statsny dated March 31, 2000,
repentance, as it applies to salvation, is a change of Shelton Smith promised that the Sword would publish a
mind toward God and sin that results in a change of life. new edition of the hymnal that would “use the original
Repentance is not turning from all sin in the sense of editions” of the hymns. As of 2007 this has not been
some sort of sinless perfection; it is a change of mind done, and the changes themselves in the 1989 edition
toward sin so that the sinner no longer intends to walk under Hutson’s administration speak for themselves.
in rebellion against God. Dr. Hutson also reasoned that Repentance is not merely the same as believing. Dr.
to say repentance involves turning from sin is a works Dwight Pentecost is among those who define repentance
salvation. That is nonsense. The Thessalonians turned as merely believing in Christ. “Repentance is not a
from the sin of idolatry (1 Th. 1:9). Obviously, that does prerequisite to salvation; for if repentance is required,
not mean they thought that their works had a part in salvation is based, at least in part on works. … We
their salvation. The fact that God requires that we turn would suggest to you from the Word of God that
from sin does not mean that salvation is by works. We repentance is included in believing. It is not a separate
know that the works are the fruit of genuine salvation, act which conditions salvation, but rather it is included
not the cause of it. Repentance, defined as turning to in the act of believing” (Pentecost, Things Which Become
God from sin, is not a works salvation, as Dr. Hutson Sound Doctrine, 1965, pp. 70,71). This sounds correct to
falsely claimed. It is the sinner’s obedient response to many people, but it is wrong. First, as to repentance
the Holy Spirit’s conviction (John 16:8). Dr. Hutson’s being a works salvation, that is nonsense. To say that
entire line of reasoning about repentance was repentance results in works is not the same as saying

526 Way of Life Encyclopedia of the Bible & Christianity