
ezio6
Pareto
- Joined
- Jul 8, 2020
- Posts
- 1,723
- Reputation
- 1,480
The Gospel of John presents the clearest, most powerful message of salvation in all of Scripture—believe and live. Strikingly, the word *“repent”* is never used in its 21 chapters, while *“believe”* appears 85 times. Why? Because true repentance—*metanoia*, a change of mind—is inseparable from genuine belief. To believe on Christ is to turn from unbelief, to acknowledge your guilt before God, and to place your trust entirely in the crucified and risen Savior. When Jesus spoke of being lifted up like the serpent in the wilderness (John 3:14–16), He was teaching that eternal life comes not through self-reformation or sin-turning, but by simply looking to Him in faith. Just as the dying Israelites looked and lived, so must we.
This is the heart of the Gospel—*not a call to clean up, give up, or straighten up, but to believe*. Faith is not a promise to do better; it's the cry of a sinner who knows he can't. Men like Curtis Hutson, Harry Ironside, and Jack Hyles stood boldly for this free grace truth: salvation is not earned by turning from sin but received by trusting in Christ alone. To add works, reform, or commitment to the Gospel is to corrupt it. The thief on the cross had no time to “turn from sin”—he simply believed. So too must we. The Gospel isn’t “Do better and live,” but “Look to Jesus and live.” Always has been. Always will be.

This is the heart of the Gospel—*not a call to clean up, give up, or straighten up, but to believe*. Faith is not a promise to do better; it's the cry of a sinner who knows he can't. Men like Curtis Hutson, Harry Ironside, and Jack Hyles stood boldly for this free grace truth: salvation is not earned by turning from sin but received by trusting in Christ alone. To add works, reform, or commitment to the Gospel is to corrupt it. The thief on the cross had no time to “turn from sin”—he simply believed. So too must we. The Gospel isn’t “Do better and live,” but “Look to Jesus and live.” Always has been. Always will be.