What is God's solution to the world's problem of lawlessness?

What is God's solution to the world's problem of lawlessness?
- Repentance; but it is not just any kind of repentance!

We now know that there are many kinds of repentance. One of the most popular belief of repentance is the type of repentance preached by radical grace preachers who believe that repentance is just a change of mind without any confession of sins or thinking of God's laws. However, I believe that we are saved only by the kind of solution or repentance preached by John the Baptist, Jesus Christ, and His disciples, which has the confession of sins and thinking of God's laws in our hearts and minds.

• Mat 3:5-9 KJV  Then went out to him Jerusalem, and all Judaea, and all the region round about Jordan,  (6)  And were baptized of him in Jordan, confessing their sins.  (7)  But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism, he said unto them, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come?  (8)  Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance: (9) And think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham.
• Luk 3:2-20 KJV  Annas and Caiaphas being the high priests, the word of God came unto John the son of Zacharias in the wilderness.  (3)  And he came into all the country about Jordan, preaching the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins;  (4)  As it is written in the book of the words of Esaias the prophet, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.  ..  (6)  And all flesh shall see the salvation of God.  (7)  Then said he to the multitude that came forth to be baptized of him, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come?  (8)  Bring forth therefore fruits worthy of repentance, and begin not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, That God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham.  .. (18)  And many other things in his exhortation preached he unto the people.  (19)  But Herod the tetrarch, being reproved by him for Herodias his brother Philip's wife, and for all the evils which Herod had done,  (20)  Added yet this above all, that he shut up John in prison.
• Mar 1:5-15 KJV  And there went out unto him all the land of Judaea, and they of Jerusalem, and were all baptized of him in the river of Jordan, confessing their sins... (14) Now after that John was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God,  (15)  And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.

Hence, according to the Bible, confession of sins is not just limited by verbal announcement or proclamation of sins in the public. It was also a non-verbal proclamation of sins through water baptism before others. John the Baptist refused to accept the Pharisees' repentance because he knew that they wanted only to show people that they had repented when they would never repent.


Repentance is a change of mind which has the confession of sins and thinking of God's laws in Jesus Christ
I have said that, if we just want to 'repent' or change our mind by believing more about God's grace, resting more in the Lord, confessing more of God's righteousness, and have a good opinion of ourselves and God, we have not repented. We believe only like the Pharisees:

• Luk 18:10-14 KJV  Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican.  (11)  The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican.  (12)  I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess.  (13)  And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner.  (14)  I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.

Please think, how can we believe only when we know that we have sinned. From the preaching John the Baptist, Jesus Christ, Paul, Peter, John, and James, we know that we all need to repent AND do something if we know that we have sinned against God.
Hence, if we just confess our sins before God, it is just the beginning. We ought to say sorry to the men whom we have offended too. But still, saying sorry may not be enough if we have sinned like Zacchaeus. We may need to make recompense. Of course, many would just argue, "No, repentance is just a change of mind. Jesus would just want us to believe and full stop. Jesus did not ask the adulterous woman or the thief on the cross to repent at all. He healed people without asking them to repent too".
I will tell them, Of course, you can repent without doing anything if you are stuck on the cross like the thief. However, if you have prospered and sinned like Zacchaeus, I don't think you can just repent by not doing anything; except by giving thanks every day to God, like the Pharisee? 


Repentance is a process; not an act and full stop
Many people argue, "But repentance is just a change of mind and full stop. Jesus died once and for all so that we do not need to do anything to earn our salvation. That's why we believe in the FINISHED work of Jesus Christ and we are saved.."
I will tell them, Yes, Jesus has finished His work; but we have not. Yes, Jesus died once and for all because he could just die once and it is enough, but we don't repent once and for all. We keep repenting. It's because Jesus is God, we are not God. Jesus is the Savior; we are the saved. Jesus is perfect, we are not...

• 1Jn 3:1-4 KJV  Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not.  (2)  Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.  (3)  And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.  (4)  Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.

We know that most believers do not change immediately. For example, Zacchaeus claimed that he repented because of what Jesus had taught him and because of grace. However, did he immediately give away half of his goods to the poor and make recompense to everybody immediately. No, if he had cheated thousands of people, he might need one month, two months, or even a year, to find the people and return the money to them. Hence, in the process of doing what we need to do, we may still struggle, encounter difficulties, and face the temptation to dishonor our decision to repent. That's why I would still believe that repentance is a process. As long as we are still prospering, living, and working with other people in the world, we need to maintain the repentance attitude. Hence, repentance is not just the change of mind or returning of a $5 dollar bill to your neighbor and full stop. Repentance is the change of mind to keep God's laws in our minds for the rest of our lives.


Repentance involves conscience or thinking of God's law
Many will argue, "What has repentance got to do with God's laws and commandments? We can just repent without thinking of God's laws." I will ask them, Of course, repentance involves thinking of God's laws in our lives, even though you may not be aware of it. Please think, When you repent and know that you must return the $5 dollar bill to your neighbor, how do you know that what you had done was wrong? It's because you were taught to know that stealing or cheating is wrong. How did those who taught you, know that stealing or cheating is wrong? They have the laws of the country or God's laws. Even lawless people may argue that they have no law, but they can never argue against their conscience is the law to them. Their conscience will tell them that stealing or cheating is wrong:

• Rom 2:14-21 KJV  For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves:  (15)  Which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another;)  (16)  In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel.  (17)  Behold, thou art called a Jew, and restest in the law, and makest thy boast of God,  (18)  And knowest his will, and approvest the things that are more excellent, being instructed out of the law;  (19)  And art confident that thou thyself art a guide of the blind, a light of them which are in darkness,  (20)  An instructor of the foolish, a teacher of babes, which hast the form of knowledge and of the truth in the law.  (21)  Thou therefore which teachest another, teachest thou not thyself? thou that preachest a man should not steal, dost thou steal?

Lawlessness or chaos came into the world because men had departed from God's laws
Many of us limit God's laws to God's audible voice or written words. However, God's law or command can be non-verbal too. It could be conveyed to men verbally and non-verbally, through the spirit. It can also be seen by us through the nature too. For example, the law of nature, the law of gravity, the law of sowing and reaping, and the law of life and death are all God's law. They can never be man's law. Hence, God's words related to His law will never change too, God's words for men will never change too. What will change is the covenant He made with men. However, I would still think that He has not changed His covenant. I would consider both the Old Covenant and the New Covenant as one covenant. Yes, the New Covenant came after the Old Covenant and replaced it; but we could never have the New Covenant without the Old Covenant. Hence, both are important covenant given by God.
However, Satan would want to change God's law. He would start by changing God's words to men. When he managed to do that, he would corrupt God's law and bring chaos to the world too.   


If we repent, we will believe, do, and keep His commandments
What should men do if lawlessness and chaos have come into the world? We

1. repent, 
2. believe Jesus, 
3. do His words, and 
4. keep His commandments:

• Mat 4:1-4 KJV  Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil.  (2)  And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungred.  (3)  And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread.  (4)  But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.
  Mar 1:13-15 KJV  And he was there in the wilderness forty days, tempted of Satan; and was with the wild beasts; and the angels ministered unto him.  (14)  Now after that John was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God,  (15)  And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.
• Mat 7:15-24 KJV  Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves...  (21)  Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.  (22)  Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?  (23)  And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.  (24)  Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:
• Luk 6:46-48 KJV  And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?  (47)  Whosoever cometh to me, and heareth my sayings, and doeth them, I will shew you to whom he is like:  (48)  He is like a man which built an house, and digged deep, and laid the foundation on a rock: and when the flood (false doctrine) arose, the stream beat vehemently upon that house, and could not shake it: for it was founded upon a rock. (Hence, Jesus said clearly that He would not just want us to have right believing, right faith, right miracles, right preaching, or right confession only; he wants us to have right doing with His words too, because right doing would prove that we are His true disciples on the rock of salvation.)
• Joh 14:15 KJV  If ye love me, keep my commandments. ... Joh 15:10-12 KJV  If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love.  (11)  These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.  (12)  This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.
• 1Jn 5:2-4 KJV  By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments.  (3)  For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.  (4)  For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.
• Rev 12:17 KJV  And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.
   

If we repent, we will not believe only and do nothing; we will do good and turn from our old ways of thinking or old ways of life

• Col 1:5-6 KJV  For the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, whereof ye heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel;  (6)  Which is come unto you, as it is in all the world; and bringeth forth fruit, as it doth also in you, since the day ye heard of it, and knew the grace of God in truth: 
• Jon 3:4-10 KJV  And Jonah began to enter into the city a day's journey, and he cried, and said, Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown.  (5)  So the people of Nineveh believed God, and proclaimed a fast, and put on sackcloth, from the greatest of them even to the least of them. ..  (10)  And God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way; and God repented of the evil, that he had said that he would do unto them; and he did it not. ...  Mat 12:39-42 KJV But he answered and said unto them, An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas: .. (41)  The men of Nineveh shall rise in judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: because they repented at the preaching of Jonas; and, behold, a greater than Jonas is here.. (Jesus said that the people of Nineveh repented not because they believed only; but because they did more than that. They did much effort to turn from their evil way. The unrepentant generation today will ask for some other sign too, but Jesus will still tell them that there is no other sign, except the same sign for them: To Repent and believe the gospel of Jesus Christ through His resurrection) 

If we repent, we will change our mind from thinking of the things on earth to thinking of the things above

• Col 3:1-9 KJV  If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.  (2)  Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.  (3)  For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.  (4)  When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.  (5)  Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry:  (6)  For which things' sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience:  (7)  In the which ye also walked some time, when ye lived in them.  (8)  But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth.  (9)  Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds;

Hence, repentance is the solution, only if we, the sinners, would turn from our sins and turn back to God's laws through Christ 

The ultimate solution is not grace first or repentance first; it is, 'Will men repent ultimately' ? 
Many still argue, "No, repentance is not the solution; Jesus is the solution because the grace of Jesus will ultimately lead us to repentance. But the churches have got it all wrong. They said, You must repent and sin no more first, and then God will forgive you."
I will ask them, So, are you saying that God must forgive you first, before you repent or sin no more? If God must forgive everyone of you just because you are all sinners or you have all sinned, you are greater than God. When you said that God must forgive you first, you have knowingly or unknowingly indicated that God is 'obliged' to forgive you unconditionally, even if you do not repent or have not repented. You think that you are so 'precious' or 'fantastic' that God must forgive you. This is only what you think.
Of course, I agree that grace will lead to repentance because we know that Jesus was gracious to the sinners. But, if we want to be more biblically correct, we should say that God Himself is the ultimate solution because God the Father is the one who  ultimately save us by giving us His Son Jesus Christ. Yes, we all believe in the ultimate solution, but we don't argue with everyone who disagree with us. We can still accept it if they would rather preach that the Bible is the solution, the right preaching is the solution, humility is the solution, God's word is the solution, patience is the solution, or honesty is the solution. It is absurd to argue with everyone and force everyone to say that God is the solution when we know that God wants us to preach His words and His commandments too.


We don't preach grace to accuse others who preach repentance; neither do we preach repentance to condemn those who preach grace too 
Similarly, of course, we can believe that grace is the solution and that grace can lead to repentance too. But it is absurd to argue with everyone and force everyone to preach it like a revolution. However, many preachers are accusing others who do not preach grace radically, like them. They said, "The churches have got it all wrong by telling us to repent or sin no more first, and God will then forgive us. No, Jesus forgave the sinners first, and the sinners would then repent. Hence, the churches have preached the gospel wrongly. They do not preach grace or the gospel that Paul preached; they preach the law.."
I will ask them, Do you know that the way you criticize the churches is like the way you criticize others who disagree with you for preaching God the Father as the ultimate solution? Of course, we know the ultimate solution is God. But we won't accuse others for getting it all wrong just because they preach differently. For example, we can say that Jesus showed more grace to the adulterous woman before He asked her to sin no more. However, we do not insist that that is the ultimate way to preach grace and that others who preached repentance are wrong. I will tell them, Yes, there are sinners who were forgiven before they said or indicated that they repented (like the adulterous woman and the thief on the cross). However, there are many examples in the Bible which tell us that people received grace because they repented. In fact, Jesus and His disciples always preached that sinners should repent first before they will receive grace or forgiveness of sins:

• Mar 1:4-5 KJV  John did baptize in the wilderness, and preach the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins.  (5)  And there went out unto him all the land of Judaea, and they of Jerusalem, and were all baptized of him in the river of Jordan, confessing their sins.
• Luk 3:3 KJV  And he came into all the country about Jordan, preaching the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins;
• Luk 11:4 KJV  And forgive us our sins; for we also forgive every one that is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil. 
• Luk 15:17-20 KJV  And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father's have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger!  (18)  I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee,  (19)  And am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants.  (20)  And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him.
• Luk 19:8-10 KJV  And Zacchaeus stood, and said unto the Lord; Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have taken any thing from any man by false accusation, I restore him fourfold.  (9)  And Jesus said unto him, This day is salvation come to this house, forsomuch as he also is a son of Abraham.  (10)  For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.
• Luk 24:47-48 KJV  And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.  (48)  And ye are witnesses of these things.
• Act 2:37-38 KJV  Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?  (38)  Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.
• Act 3:19 KJV  Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord;
• Act 5:31 KJV  Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins.
• Jas 5:14-16 KJV  Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord:  (15)  And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him.  (16)  Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.
• 1Jn 1:9 KJV  If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

We can show many Bible verses which show us that we repent for the remission of our sins. In another words, repentance comes first, before grace will come. However, we would never argue and insist that we have the only and ultimate solution for preaching repentance. Similarly, we would expect the radical grace preachers not to accuse others who tell people to repent or sin no more too.
Hence, I am not bothered if men will sin no more first or receive grace first. However, ultimately all men must repent and turn to God:

• Luk 13:5-9 KJV  I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.  (6)  He spake also this parable; A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came and sought fruit thereon, and found none.  (7)  Then said he unto the dresser of his vineyard, Behold, these three years I come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and find none: cut it down; why cumbereth it the ground?  (8)  And he answering said unto him, Lord, let it alone this year also, till I shall dig about it, and dung it:  (9)  And if it bear fruit, well: and if not, then after that thou shalt cut it down.
• Act 17:30-31 KJV  And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent:  (31)  Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead.
• Act 26:20-21 KJV  But shewed first unto them of Damascus, and at Jerusalem, and throughout all the coasts of Judaea, and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, and do works meet for repentance.  (21)  For these causes the Jews caught me in the temple, and went about to kill me.

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