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“<font style="font-size: 11pt;" size="2"><b>TWO ARE BETTER THAN ONE”
MINISTRIES</b></font></p>
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<font style="font-size: 11pt;" size="2"><b>Jim & Marie Watt</b></font></p>
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<font style="font-size: 11pt;" size="2"><b>Tel: 253-517-9195 - Email:
<a href="mailto:jmbetter@gmail.com">jmbetter@gmail.com</a></b></font></p>
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<font style="font-size: 11pt;" size="2"><b>Web: <a href="http://www.2rbetter.org/">www.2rbetter.org</a></b></font></p><p style="margin-top: 0.01in; margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none;" align="CENTER">
September 16, 2011</p><p style="margin-top: 0.01in; margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none;" align="CENTER"><br></p>
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<p style="margin-top: 0.01in; margin-bottom: 0in;" align="CENTER"><b>2011-09-16
- REPENT AND BE CONVERTED - Don Krow</b></p>
<p style="margin-top: 0.01in; margin-bottom: 0in;" align="CENTER"><b>Discipleship
Evangelism Ministry - P.O. Box 150, Ralston, OK 74650 USA</b></p>
<p style="margin-top: 0.01in; margin-bottom: 0in;" align="CENTER"><b>(May
be copied and used for Bible Study and Discipleship Purposes. Not to
be Sold.)</b></p>
<p style="margin-top: 0.01in; margin-bottom: 0in;" align="CENTER"><b><a href="http://www.krowtracts.com/">www.krowtracts.com</a>
- <a href="http://www.delessons.org/">www.delessons.org</a> </b>
</p>
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For many years I have emphasized God's unconditional love and grace.
But I must admit that many in the grace teaching movement have
overlooked and even scorned one of the most foundational subjects
that accompanies God's grace, that is, the subject of repentance.
Because of a lack of understanding of this subject, many have thought
that repentance is a work of the law, legalism or man's human effort
to do right etc. None of these things are true. Repentance involves a
change of mind, a change of heart and has nothing to do with works of
law. Without repentance Jesus Himself said that people will perish
(See Luke 13:1-5). It is of the utmost importance that we know and
understand this subject thoroughly.</p>
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Many today preach “only believe,” but that was not the message of
Jesus or his apostles. Christ and his apostles preached “repent and
believe” (See Mark 1:15; Mark 6:12). Any message that leaves out
the call to repentance is misleading people and not representing God.
The general edict of God to the human race is “repentance toward
God and faith toward the Lord Jesus” (See Acts 20:20-21). The
apostle Paul declared that all men everywhere must repent (Acts
17:29-31; 2 Peter 3:9). It is a command and not an option. Repentance
must always accompany true faith and without it such faith is always
an empty profession (See James 2:19-20). According to Jesus' words,
repentance and remission of sins is a packaged deal (See Luke
24:46-47; Acts 2:38). The New Testament is absolutely clear, the
first move that any sinner must make who wants reconciliation with
God is repentance (See Acts 3:19).</p>
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So, what is repentance? Repentance is an inner change of mind, a
change of heart that results in an outward turning around, to face
and move in a completely new direction (that direction is towards
God). Repentance turns you FROM something, TO something. For the
Thessalonian believers it turned them FROM idols TO serve the Living
and True God (See 1 Thess. 1:9). The apostle Paul preached repentance
FROM darkness TO light and FROM Satan UNTO God. In this turn the free
gift of grace that results in forgiveness (righteousness) was granted
to those who believed (See Acts 26:18). Paul stated that his ministry
was to call people to repent and turn to God and prove their
repentance by their deeds (See Acts 26:19-20).</p>
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Many in the Christian church today are so afraid of the word “works”
(not recognizing that there are different kinds of works described in
Scripture - 1 Thess. 1:3; Eph. 2:10; Acts 26:20) that they have
denied the reality that faith and repentance both require evidence
(or fruit) to prove their existence (Acts 26:20; Jas. 2:17-20).</p>
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To say that because we are believers, that we do not need to continue
in repentance is as silly as saying that we do not need to continue
in faith (See Col. 1:21-23), yet this is the attitude of many in the
church today. That Jesus emphasized the seriousness of repentance or
its lack thereof is truly an understatement (See Luke 13:1-5). That
conversion cannot take place without repentance is the teaching of
the early church (See Acts 3:19). That “repentance” is the first
foundational teaching of Christ cannot be denied (See Hebrews 6:1-3).</p>
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Scriptural repentance begins with God. Jesus said, “No man can come
to Me, except the Father which has sent Me draw him ... (John 6:44).
For this reason the supreme crisis of every human being comes at the
moment of the Spirit's drawing to repentance. When a person says,
“Yes” to that drawing it will lead to saving faith. If rejected
it will leave a person to continue in his own way. “As I live, says
the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that
the wicked TURN from his way and live” (Ezek. 33:11).</p>
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The early Christian Church continued the call for repentance. This
early preaching linked repentance with faith (Acts 20:21), the demand
to be baptized (Acts 2:38), and the promise of the forgiveness of
sins (Luke 24:47). “Repentance” and “conversion” are
identical twins (Acts 3:19). The Greek word for “conversion” is
<i>epistrepho</i><span style="font-style: normal;"> and means to turn
about, a turning from and a turning to. This corresponds to
“repentance” and “faith.” 'Divine grace is the efficient
cause, human agency the responding effect' (Vine's Lexicon).</span></p>
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<span style="font-style: normal;">Have you turned from darkness to
light, from the authority of Satan unto the authority of God, that
you may receive the forgiveness of sins by calling on His name? (Acts
26:18; Acts 4:12). </span><span style="font-style: normal;"><b>Repentance
is not perfection, it is a new direction</b></span><span style="font-style: normal;">
- and it is towards God (Acts 20:21). Have you turned to “follow”
Him? (Matt. 8:22; 16:24; Luke 9:23; John 10:27). “Follow” means
to come or go after; to accept the guidance or leadership of; to be
governed by (Rom. 10:9-10, 13). </span>
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<p style="margin-top: 0.01in; margin-bottom: 0in;" align="LEFT"><u><b><span style="font-style: normal;">NOTE</span></b></u><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><b>:
</b></span></span><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="">The
above article by Don Krow is from “The Foundation Series -
Discipleship Evangelism”. It is taken from a booklet produced by
DKM, a non-profit organization that provides benevolent help and
discipleship materials for third-world nations. It may be copied and
used for Bible study and discipleship purposes, but not to be sold.</span></span></span></p>
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</p>
<p style="margin-top: 0.01in; margin-bottom: 0in;" align="LEFT"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="">I
was introduced to Don Krow and his ministry on September 13, 2011 by
Ross Johnson, Executive Director & CEO of Life Messengers,
publishers of Christian outreach materials since 1944. Ray W. Johnson
is founder, now deceased. “The Simplified King James Version,
Paraphrase and Commentary” is brought to you under the title of
“The Last Days Bible.” The New Testament has been published under
that title and is available through </span></span></span><b><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><<a href="http://www.lastdaysbible.org/">www.lastdaysbible.org</a>>.
</span></span></b><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="">One
of our grandsons has given an excellent review of this.</span></span></span></p>
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</p>
<p style="margin-top: 0.01in; margin-bottom: 0in;" align="LEFT"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="">In
1955 we were pastoring the “Kostner Avenue Baptist Church” of
Chicago following my graduation at “Northern Baptist Theological
Seminary” in 1952. Many of the pamphlets written by Ray Johnson
came into our hands at that time including, “Here's How”, and “Is
This Your Life?” We probably passed out thousands of these; and
when in 1962 we moved to the Seattle are, we soon contacted Ray
Johnson, and developed a meaningful friendship. In the midst of his
new endeavor of publishing the “Last Days NT”, he invited me to
become a member of the “Life Messengers” board, of which I am
still a member, but now under his son Ross.</span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-top: 0.01in; margin-bottom: 0in;" align="LEFT"><br>
</p>
<p style="margin-top: 0.01in; margin-bottom: 0in;" align="LEFT"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="">Don
Krow found a copy of “The Last Days NT” in a second hand
bookstore, and he and his wife fell in love with it. He has contacted
Ross, and has made an offer to update it in some minor areas, and
republish it. He is already using it in a booklet on Hebrews and 1
John. As a board member I am impressed with his creative ideas, plus
his activation ability to bring such ideas to fruition. For myself, I
count it a privilege to be a member of this board, and trust to see
the full Bible published. I have proof-read for Ray large portions of
the OT. </span></span></span>
</p>
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</p>
<p style="margin-top: 0.01in; margin-bottom: 0in;" align="LEFT"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="">This
is the second Bible I have helped get published. I was asked in 1955
by Mr. Roberts of Toronto to contact Rochunga Pudaite of Assam,
India, then in Wheaton, to help him in publishing the whole Bible in
his Hmar language, plus a hymn-book. This Rochunga did in the next
17 years, and also founded “Bibles for the World.”</span></span></span></p>
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</p>
<p style="margin-top: 0.01in; margin-bottom: 0in;" align="LEFT"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="">Then
for the past 67 years I have been active in preparing for publication
an Outlined Interlinear Greek NT making use of the Bible Numeric
Greek and English NT texts prepared by Russian Dr. Ivan Panin. This
with Ray Johnson's Last Days Bible await publication now. Don Krow
has suggested a rename for the latter - “The Simplified King James
Version, Paraphrase and Commentary”. </span></span></span>
</p>
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</p>
<p style="margin-top: 0.01in; margin-bottom: 0in;" align="LEFT"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="">When
you read Don Krow's article “Repent and be Converted and check out
his Website on </span></span></span><b><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><<a href="http://www.delessons.org">www.delessons.org</a>></span></span></b><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="">
on Discipleship and Evangelism - I believe that you with me will want
to pray for a fruitful alliance between him and Ross Johnson for the
completion of that which was so close to the heart of his father Ray.
Jim Watt.</span></span></span></p>
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