It goes to show that the devil can use people who mean well but who have been incorrectly taught.
A member of this forum (sorry not allowed to specifically address issues about another member publicly to shame them; even though he has sought to publicly shame me by calling my gospel "FALSE and PERVERTED" and this rule applies apparently only to me but not to that other person)...has come on the record as saying that the gospel that I preach is a "FALSE and PERVERTED" gospel.
Let me say that the burden of proof is on him since he has made this accusation (I originally intended for him to respond but apparently it is against the rules to mention certain folks by name).
It started when he challenged anyone to show biblically how it might be taught that repentance is a requirement for salvation; and he would give them $1,000 if they could show this from the Bible.
I responded with Ezekiel 33:11-20; which does indeed prove him wrong: and from there, instead of giving the promised reward of $1,000, he rewarded me instead with a blot on my name as a teacher.
Pro 9:7, He that reproveth a scorner getteth to himself shame: and he that rebuketh a wicked man getteth himself a blot.
The fact that the scripture in question shows that repentance is a requirement for salvation did not cause him to change his mind; instead, he doubled down and accused the person who proved him wrong of being a false teacher. After all, he could not have been wrong, from his perspective; he knows the Bible better than anyone else: because he has asked the Lord to send him to the best teachers in the world.
(Unfortunately, for him, they were the best Bible teachers in the world, not in the church!)
I will also present now as the proof text that repentance is needed for forgiveness, 2 Chronicles 7:14 and Ezekiel 33:19.
2Ch 7:14, If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.
Eze 33:19, But if the wicked turn from his wickedness, and do that which is lawful and right, he shall live thereby.
The context of Ezekiel 33:19 is also of importance; for it shows more clearly the reality of the issue:
Eze 33:11, Say unto them, As I live, saith the Lord GOD, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live: turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways; for why will ye die, O house of Israel?
Eze 33:12, Therefore, thou son of man, say unto the children of thy people, The righteousness of the righteous shall not deliver him in the day of his transgression: as for the wickedness of the wicked, he shall not fall thereby in the day that he turneth from his wickedness; neither shall the righteous be able to live for his righteousness in the day that he sinneth.
Eze 33:13, When I shall say to the righteous, that he shall surely live; if he trust to his own righteousness, and commit iniquity, all his righteousnesses shall not be remembered; but for his iniquity that he hath committed, he shall die for it.
Eze 33:14, Again, when I say unto the wicked, Thou shalt surely die; if he turn from his sin, and do that which is lawful and right;
Eze 33:15, If the wicked restore the pledge, give again that he had robbed, walk in the statutes of life, without committing iniquity; he shall surely live, he shall not die.
Eze 33:16, None of his sins that he hath committed shall be mentioned unto him: he hath done that which is lawful and right; he shall surely live.
Eze 33:17, Yet the children of thy people say, The way of the Lord is not equal: but as for them, their way is not equal.
Eze 33:18, When the righteous turneth from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, he shall even die thereby.
Eze 33:19, But if the wicked turn from his wickedness, and do that which is lawful and right, he shall live thereby.
Eze 33:20, Yet ye say, The way of the Lord is not equal. O ye house of Israel, I will judge you every one after his ways.
Here it is clearly shown that if a righteous man turns from his righteousness and commits iniquity, he will die because of his iniquity; but if a wicked man turns from his iniquity and does what is lawful and right, he will even live
thereby.
I don't know how the scriptures can be any clearer than this.
Some say, Ezekiel is in the Old Testament and therefore we ought not to heed it or pay attention to it. To which I have four things to say (A,B, C, and D):
A) All scripture is inspired of the Lord and is profitable for doctrine (2 Timothy 3:16)
B) Even in the New Testament the sentiment is repeated that one must repent in order to be saved (in Matthew 3, Luke 13:1-5, in Acts of the Apostles 2:38, Acts of the Apostles 3:19, Acts of the Apostles 17:30).
So, they say, that the term "repent" does not mean "away from sin" but "towards God".
To which I say, that
1) God is holy (1 Peter 1:15-16); and that to turn to God means to turn to holiness, which means away from unholiness or sin.
2) That the Old Testament has defined what repentance means; that it means to turn away from sin.
and, C) In Hebrews 10:26-31 we find a New Testament example of what it says so clearly in Ezekiel 33:11-20; it is a perfect repeat of the doctrine found in that passage.
and, D) The law and the prophets are not to be done away with (Matthew 5:17-20); but the law and the prophets testify to the righteousness of God that is within us apart from the law (Romans 3:21).