No I don’t. In truth, I believe you take this passage out of context and misuse it. Let’s look at what this passage ACTUALLY says in context...
John 1:11-13 He came unto his own,
Who is “his own”. It not you. It’s the nation of Israel. Am I right? So, right from the start this context begins with Christ’s relationship to his own people. That does not include you.
and his own received him not.
Who did not receive him? His own. The jewish people. This is not you.
But as many as received him,
As many of who? As many of his own people. This is the context of this passage. This passage context does not have all mankind in consideration. But as many of his own that received him. This, in context, does not include you.
to them gave he power to become the sons of God,
To who did he give power within this context? The honest Bible student will realize he is directly talking about the nation of Israel.
even to them that believe on his name: Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
The question I now have is.....did these individuals of the nation of Israel have to do more than “just believe”? Of course they did. The rest of chapter 1 spoke of John baptizing in water. If you care to read Lk 7:29,30 you will see that those that rejected baptism rejected God at the same time. So, can one be “born of God” if they reject his counsel instructing to be baptized as stated in Lk 7? If you care to read Jn 12:42 you will see they needed to do more than “just believe”.
So, my answer after studying this passage is you are not presenting this passage correctly. Did the Jews at this time have to believe that he was raised from the dead? No. But you do. Rom 10:9,10. See the difference.
I will let the Bible define repent...
Matthew 21:29-32 But what think ye? A certain man had two sons; and he came to the first, and said, Son, go work to day in my vineyard. He answered and said, I will not: but afterward he repented, and went.
The Bible shows us that repentance is a changing of your mind. You are going in one direction and then you change your mind to go in the opposite direction. This man said I won’t, but then changed his mind which in turn changed his direction. Did Saul of Tarsus repent on the road to Damascus? Yes. We know by his actions. He was on his way to arrest Christians, but after meeting Jesus he completely changed his mind and went in the opposite direction. He stated...lord what will you have me to do.
And he came to the second, and said likewise. And he answered and said, I go, sir: and went not. Whether of them twain did the will of his father? They say unto him, The first.
This son just plain lied, and did not repent.
Jesus saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That the publicans and the harlots go into the kingdom of God before you. For John came unto you in the way of righteousness, and ye believed him not: but the publicans and the harlots believed him: and ye, when ye had seen it, repented not afterward, that ye might believe him.
This is the interesting part. Christ admonished these people by saying they did not believe John. What did he mean when he used the word believe?
He meant they would not obey in being baptized by John. This is exactly what is being said in Lk 7:29,30. The publicans and harlots believed him. Why does he say this? It’s because they submitted to John in water baptism. They were obedient.
See how the Bible includes obedience within the word believe. This is Bible commentary showing that a person cannot be a true believer without obedience. So it is not “belief” alone.
