False Teachers Say…
Deathbed Repentance Will Save
The churches of Christ Greet You (Romans
The thought of a
minister
going into a hospital room to comfort and encourage the sick or dying
is right
and good in its proper context. Repentance indeed is a true Biblical
subject,
but it must be taken in context. One must distinguish between the lost
alien
sinner and the erring Christian. Does the Bible say anything about this
well-known subject?
Many people of old
did their
best to hold out from obeying the Gospel until that point of failing
health,
when it was necessary to obey. Tertullian (155‑223 A.D.) was an
outspoken
advocate of putting off baptism until old age. Constantine of the third
century
received baptism and communion on his deathbed at the hands of an Arian
bishop,
Eusebius of Nicodemia. In light of history we can see men desiring to
live like
their father the devil (John 8:44) and attempt to pinpoint the very
time in
which one will obey the commands of God (Luke 12:16‑21). The rich
"fool" thought he could do the same, but his life was taken before he
thought. Does God accept premeditation as an acceptable sacrifice
(Rom. 12:1‑2)?
Many use Simon from
Acts
eight to drive home their point that "All one needs to do is repent to
be saved
from past sins." They fail to realize that Simon had already obeyed the
Gospel when he was found in sin. Thus, he was an erring Christian (Acts
8:17‑23).
The Christian can fall away from the Lord, because of sin's separating
effect
(Isa. 59:2). At that point, as with Simon, he must repent and pray for
forgiveness (Acts 8:24; James 5:19‑20).
However, the alien sinner cannot be acceptable to God in the closing
moments of
his life by simply asking for forgiveness. On his deathbed, will he be
able to
obey from the heart, knowing he planned it this way? The alien
sinner
must believe, repent, confess Christ, and be immersed in water (obey
the Gospel
– Romans 10:16; 2 Thess. 1:6-9) in order to have his sins washed away
(Mark
16:15‑16; Luke 13:3; Matt. 10:32-33; Acts 2:38). On the deathbed one's
heart may have become hardened and unwilling to carry out these
requirements.