This may not seem like much of a distinction, but it is actually all important in some raging debates about Christian salvation and works.
The Bible preaches to repent and believe the gospel. It does not say believe the gospel and then repent.
If we believe we are saved by confessing the gospel is true, before repenting of dead works, then unto repentance becomes a gradual thing that is good for life, but not necessary for being justified by Christ. This is what the Christian gospel of justified with works teaches as the Christian life of progressive natural change, that never ends in whole repentance from all dead works.
The Bible says the longsuffering of God is to lead us unto repentance, not unto confession. It is repentance that leads us to confession of our sins with godly sorrow. Some Christians even teach to believe the gospel and skip repent entirely. It teaches believing we are saved first and always, and then gives lip-service unto repenting of dead works.
The problem with the gospel of believing the gospel unto repentance, is that God cannot beget us newborn and clean, without first repenting of dead works. God cannot wash clean in the blood of His Son, any one knowing they will willingly sin again. The blood of His dear Son washes us wholly clean of all past sinning. The blood of the Lamb of God is not like that of a bull or goat, that only covers continued sinning, as we gradually go on unto repentance.
The Bible gospel commands repentance first, that we may indeed believe the gospel to be forgiven by His Son, and believe from the heart that we can now live righteously as Him on earth.
If we haven't yet repented of sinning, then we can't possibly believe from the heart the good news of Jesus Christ, that with His power through faith, we can also live righteously as He did on earth.
The Bible teaches we must first repent from dead works, that we can believe the gospel of being born of God and doing good.
The Bible preaches to repent and believe the gospel. It does not say believe the gospel and then repent.
If we believe we are saved by confessing the gospel is true, before repenting of dead works, then unto repentance becomes a gradual thing that is good for life, but not necessary for being justified by Christ. This is what the Christian gospel of justified with works teaches as the Christian life of progressive natural change, that never ends in whole repentance from all dead works.
The Bible says the longsuffering of God is to lead us unto repentance, not unto confession. It is repentance that leads us to confession of our sins with godly sorrow. Some Christians even teach to believe the gospel and skip repent entirely. It teaches believing we are saved first and always, and then gives lip-service unto repenting of dead works.
The problem with the gospel of believing the gospel unto repentance, is that God cannot beget us newborn and clean, without first repenting of dead works. God cannot wash clean in the blood of His Son, any one knowing they will willingly sin again. The blood of His dear Son washes us wholly clean of all past sinning. The blood of the Lamb of God is not like that of a bull or goat, that only covers continued sinning, as we gradually go on unto repentance.
The Bible gospel commands repentance first, that we may indeed believe the gospel to be forgiven by His Son, and believe from the heart that we can now live righteously as Him on earth.
If we haven't yet repented of sinning, then we can't possibly believe from the heart the good news of Jesus Christ, that with His power through faith, we can also live righteously as He did on earth.
The Bible teaches we must first repent from dead works, that we can believe the gospel of being born of God and doing good.