What Happened to Repentance?

Recently someone said, "You should know that John's Gospel was the last one written and that John never uses the word repentance once. In fact John 20:31 says, But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name." This was an attempt to minimize the necessity of repentance in the matter of salvation. I've heard the, "John's Gospel" argument, worded slightly different, on several occasions. Each time it has been a way of silencing the preaching of Repentance to the lost. In the space I have I would never try to tackle the whole issue but I would like to dispel this lame argument. This is an argument of silence, which says, "Because repentance is not in the Gospel of John, it is not legitimate to preach repentance." I don't think those who use this argument realize what its consistent application produces.

First note, the word faith is used some 340 times in the New Testament, but *never once* is it used in John's Gospel. Therefore faith goes out of the window with the consistent use of this argument. John in his Gospel never uses one of the terms used for hell (Gehenna, Tartarus, and Hades). So preaching hell-fire is out. He says, "The Word was made flesh," but he does not even mentions the virgin birth! Should we stop preaching on the Virgin Birth while we are giving up every subject John's Gospel didn't deal with? There is no mention the Gethsemane agony. Do we leave that out too?

There are at least a dozen vital things, mentioned by the other Gospels, that John omits. John says he is writing "that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God." John's gospel is to make clear that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. In the very first verse we read: "In the beginning was the Word [eternity], and the Word was with God [equality], and the Word was God [deity]." John clearly accomplishes what he set out to do.

Matthew uses repent or a derivative 11 times. Mark uses repent or a derivative 4 times. Luke uses repent or one of its derivatives 13 times. Does John gospel cancel out the synoptic gospels? In John's last message, The Revelation, he used the word repent seven times. Does this cancel out the Gospel of John since it came latter? I trow not!

Many may remember the name Mickey Cohen, he was a famous gangster of the post war era. One night Cohen attended an evangelistic meeting and seemed to be interested. Realizing what a dramatic impact his conversion could have on the wold, many Christian leaders began visiting him. After one long night session, he was urged to open the door and let Christ in, based on Revelation 3:20. Cohen responded. He made a Decision!

Months passed, people saw NO CHANGE in his life of Crime. When confronted, he responded that no one had told him he would have to give up his work or his friends. After all, there were Christian Football players, Christian Cowboys, Christian Politicians; why not a Christian Gangster? It was only then that he was confronted with REPENTANCE! At that point, he wanted nothing to do with Christianity! I wonder how many are like that today? They want heaven! The don't sure don't want hell! They also want to live the way THEY want to live. They don't want to turn from all things they have placed before God!

In this sin filled world, men and women, boy and girls, need to understand why the Lord Jesus Christ came, Luke 5:32, "I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance." Thank God he is not slack concerning His promises as some men count slackness, but is long suffering, not willing that any should perish, but that ALL SHOULD COME TO REPENTANCE! In these last days listen to Acts 17:30, "And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent:" People need to repent as much today as they did 2000 years ago. Christ came to save and deliver folks from sin, not to comfort and insure folks who want to stay in sin. Preach on Repentance Preacher. Tell sinners to Repent soul winner!