Repentance
I have added in a video I made on this topic with the orignal post below the video icon.
Matthew 9:13 For I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, TO REPENTANCE (KJV/NKJV)
Most Christians have heard of the above verse from Matthew but they typically only hear it taught or remember the verse through the word “sinners”. Many recent Bible translations such as the NIV leave out these critical words that detract from the message. They understand that Jesus came for us sinners, but they don’t truly grasp that He came to call us sinners TO REPENTANCE. The verse takes on a whole different meaning when the repentance part is included and understood.
The bible is perfectly clear that Jesus did not come to give sinners a free pass to heaven. But this is exactly what is being taught by most churches, especially all the large popular ones. Not understanding what repentance really is and our clear call to exercise it, is leading the majority of Christians down the broad path which leads to destruction. Jesus said that only those that followed the NARROW path and enter through the SMALL gate will enter heaven. He went on to say in Matthew 7 that the majority of professing Christians will not enter the kingdom. If repentance is not understood or practiced actively in a Christian’s physical life, there is a very good chance they are not going to enter heaven.
Many key provisions of God’s instructions like righteousness and grace are taught in error to excuse sin. But repentance has a special place in the apostatizing of the church — it is simply not taught about at all. This is a grievous error and helps explain the general state of apostasy in the professing church and the worldly lifestyles that most Christians lead. Repentance is a critical truth that must be grasped for anyone to abide in the vine of Christ and be saved. The NON TEACHING on repentance is a byproduct of the fact that SIN (and its consequences) isn’t taught anymore in the vast majority of churches. If we are taught correctly that our sin indeed matters to our salvation, then repentance would certainly be taught.
Jesus and all the prophets and the Apostles all taught repentance. Jesus did many miracles and the people saw these miracles and still did not repent. Hear what Jesus said about these cities and the judgment that will come upon them. Without repentance our faith is dead, of no effect and totally in vain.
Matthew 11:20-24 Then Jesus began to denounce the cities in which most of his miracles had been performed, because they did not repent. 21“Woe to you, Korazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! If the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. 22But I tell you, it will be more bearable for Tyre and Sidon on the day of judgment than for you. 23And you, Capernaum, will you be lifted up to the skies? No, you will go down to the depths. If the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Sodom, it would have remained to this day. 24But I tell you that it will be more bearable for Sodom on the day of judgment than for you.”
Consider a sampling of other scripture that shows the proactive teaching of repentance as central to the gospel of Christ. We must turn away from our sinful nature and turn to God with full trust and surrender. That is repentance.
Mark 6:12 So they went out and preached that people should repent
Acts 17:30 Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent
Ezekiel 18:30 Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, every one according to his ways,” says the Lord GOD. “Repent, and turn from all your transgressions, so that iniquity will not be your ruin
2 Kings 17:13 Yet the LORD testified against Israel and against Judah, by all of His prophets, every seer, saying, “Turn from your evil ways, and keep My commandments. All the prophets had the same message, REPENT or TURN FROM EVIL. Jesus did not change this message but he provided something far more greater than a message. He provided the means to be successful at turning from evil. That is the true nugget of wisdom in the Good News.
Almost all the warnings about false teachers warn about doctrine that says your sin doesn’t matter after you believe in Jesus. The devil loves deceiving people about this and getting them to believe they shall not surely die by disobeying God. Woe to them. It is very unpopular to teach the truth about God, but instead false teachers yearn to please men instead of God and those living in sin and following the ways of the “world”, heap upon them preachers who teach them what their itching ears love to hear. Hosea said God’s people will be destroyed for lack of knowledge. Not having true knowledge about sin and repentance has and will continue to destroy many. Galatians 1:6-9 teaches that there is only one gospel, and if any gospel message leaves out the doctrine of repentance or faith or both, you can be assured it is a false gospel.
What is Repentance?
I think most Christians would say the repentance means to confess your sin to God. Others will more correctly answer that repentance is a turning away from sin and towards God. There has been a lot of misunderstanding and confusion over what the word repentance means. Repent, taken in context of salvation means a true change of heart and turning away from sin and towards pleasing God. Repentance is part of God’s provision of grace to us. He is the initiator of repentance but we must step out in real faith and surrender our hearts to Him. True repentance is best understood by tying it to what Jesus said was the foremost commandment, or later called the Royal Law.
Matthew 22:35 Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with ALL thy heart, and with ALL thy soul, and with ALL thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. On these two commandments hang ALL the law and the prophets.”
When we give God our whole heart we put to death our flesh nature and our led by the Spirit of God that comes into us, the Holy Spirit. The whole heart means ALL, 100%. Anything less is not true repentance and we harbor idols in our hearts. If we do not repent we do not fulfill God’s law, we practice sin or said another way commit lawlessness. Once we fully repent, the power of God comes into us and circumcises our heart and so long as we are led by the Spirit we will purify ourselves of all sin and idols. Paul told us in Romans 8:14 Those who are led by the Spirit of God those are the sons of God.
If we are not led by the Spirit of God, we are tares and deceive ourselves about our faith. Jesus cannot be our Lord, we have not repented or if we had, we have fallen away from the faith. Paul confirmed that repentance is a change of heart. Not a partial change of the heart, but a radical change of heart.
Romans 2:5-8 But because of your stubbornness and unrepentant heart you are storing up wrath for yourself in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God, 6who WILL RENDER TO EACH PERSON ACCORDING TO HIS DEEDS: 7to those who by perseverance in doing good seek for glory and honor and immortality, eternal life; 8but to those who are selfishly ambitious and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, wrath and indignation.
Our hearts must be circumcised. That is the sign of our covenant with God, when two are made one in the flesh. We must repent of our sinful nature and surrender so the Lord can give us a new heart.
Colossians 2:11 In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ:
Subsequent to this writing, I did a much better job of speaking to the truth of God’s Foremost Commandment. Click the link to access the post.
Jesus is coming for a pure and spotless bride. He is not coming for a bride that loves sin and practices lawlessness. The scriptures are absolutely chock full of passages that consistently state this in clear terms. If our sins are not blotted out, they are remembered and we will not be spotless and will not enter the kingdom of God. To sincerely repent, we must not only avoid our sin, we must HATE SIN. The flesh, our unrepentant heart is hostile to God and cannot please Him period.
Being a new creation in Christ is evidence we have made the turn, we no longer pursue the lusts of the flesh but instead pursue the fruit of the spirit. When our old man is dead, we have been crucified with Christ and practicing righteousness becomes easy. We are told that by the Apostle John, that if we love the Lord, we will obey His commandments and His commandments are not burdensome. They are indeed burdensome when we are walking in the flesh but that burden becomes light and the yoke becomes easy as Jesus told us, WHEN we are truly abiding in Him. This is what grace enables, our salvation, by giving us the power to defeat sin in our lives.
Repentance from Sin is the beginning of our transformation. When Jesus first started his earthly ministry, he picked up where John the Baptist left off, preaching REPENTANCE.
Mark 1:14-15 Now after John was put in prison, Jesus came to Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel.”
Repentance is required for sins to be forgiven. It is not simply enough to believe Jesus is God or to proclaim the obvious (that God already knows) that he is your Savior and your Lord. Without true repentance, one will remain dead in their sins and they will perish. Consider what Jesus said about the topic.
Luke 13:3 I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish. The context of this verse was Jesus having just been told about some Galileans who Pilate had killed. Jesus then asked the crowd if they thought those killed were worse sinners than the other Galileans that were not killed. We perish because without repentance, there is no change of heart, there is no rebirth and transformation. We remain dead in our sins and a slave to our fleshly sinful nature. We will be powerless to obey God’s law and will be lawbreakers and evildoers. Jesus is coming for a PURE and SPOTLESS bride, not a bride that simply believes He is Lord and Savior.
Luke 24:46-47 Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures. He told them, This is what is written: The Messiah will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, and repentance for the forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. Jesus told this to the disciples after his resurrection and right before he was to ascend back to heaven. Repentance for the forgiveness of sins WILL be preached to all nations. Is it still being preached? When I have heard about it preached at all, it has been in the context of a ONE TIME, as the lead in to saying the ONE TIME sinners prayer. The little prayer some pastors use, in some cases has the congregant say “I repent of my sins”. Yet the sheep are not being taught the truth that we must crucify and put to death our body of death by the power of God. That is what following Jesus means.
We simply cannot serve two masters. We are slaves to the one we obey. Repentance is part of God’s provision of grace. If and when we stumble, if we have repented and God has our whole heart, we will be chastised by God and disciplined. The Holy Spirit does this work in us and when we respond, we confess our sin and we are cleansed anew. But there is a big difference between stumbling or making a mistake versus practicing sin and taking pleasure in our sin. If we do any of the latter, we are not Born Again and are lacking in true repentance. The deception in the church and in the pulpits of today is destroying God’s people. Most are holding on to a false security about their salvation.
God is merciful however. He is patient beyond belief and if we turn back to Him with our whole heart, like the Prodigal Son did, God is there to take us back and rejoice with us.
Luke 15:7 I say to you that likewise there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine just persons who need no repentance. I love this verse and there is some powerful meaning in the verse as well. First I want to point out that some people need no repentance. Who are these people? These are people who have been purified and who have stopped sinning by walking fully in the Spirit. Going forward, repentance is only needed when we sin. While most of us do continue to sin, this verse points to the aim of perfection which is attainable via the grace of God. In fact that is the will of God, that we be sanctified meaning pure and spotless. 1 Thess 4:3 For this is the will of God, your sanctification.
Secondly Jesus said there will be great joy in heaven over a single sinner who repents. If one repents, he turns from his sin and defeats it. That is why Jesus came to defeat the works of the devil, which is sin. 1 John 3:8-9 He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil. Whoever has been born of God does not sin, for His seed remains in him; and he cannot sin, because he has been born of God.
Summary
1. Repentance is required for us to be cleansed and purified in God’s eyes — have our sins forgiven.
2. Repentance begins the process to transform us (sanctify us)into the image of Christ and make us pure and spotless
3. Repentance is initiated by God but we must in our hearts make the choice to live for Him and repent. If we choose to remain in our sins, we shall die. God must have all our heart. Anything we love more than Jesus is an idol and this makes us unworthy for the Kingdom of God. That is the very thing(s) we need to turn from and surrender it to God.
4. Confessing ones sin but continuing to live in those sins is not true repentance in any way shape or form. We cannot live with two natures and serve two masters. This is playing religion, honoring God with our lips and not our hearts. True repentance leads to change and putting to death the deeds of the flesh.
5. Repentance is both turning away from sin, but also turning towards God. Anything besides being led by the Spirit of God is a works salvation.
Precusor to Repentance: Hate Your Sin
We will not repent until we come to the point of desperation where we hate our sin. I pray that all of us will examine ourselves and ask the Holy Spirit to show us where we have unrepented sin. This is the godly sorrow Paul spoke about.
2 Cor 7:10 Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death
Consider some examples of what was said about hating and mourning over our sins.
Psalm 38:18 For I will declare my iniquity; I will be in anguish over my sin
Joel 2:12 Now, therefore,” says the LORD, “ Turn to Me with all your heart, With fasting, with weeping, and with mourning.”
James 4:8-9 Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Lament and mourn and weep! Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. Until and unless we go through this kind of process to hate sin and weep over it, we have not repented. It is much more than confession. We have to hate SIN as God hates SIN.
We have much to look forward to on the other side of true repentance. Following the false teachings of men will keep us in bondage to sin and to Satan. Many of our brothers and sisters are under a delusion that their sin does not matter to their salvation and that the whole gospel is John 3:16 or Ephesians 2:8-9. We must instruct them gently and pray as Paul told Timothy that God will grant them repentance. To not repent is to perish and that is not God’s will or desire for anyone.
2 Peter 3:9 The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance
If the false teachers of today are not challenged and continue to tell people their sins do not matter and do not teach true repentance, souls will perish. Jesus will tell these people Depart From Me I Never Knew You on the last day. We cannot compromise the truth and call it Love, fellowship, unity or whatever. People that are living in sin need to know the truth and the consequences of believing a lie.
May God Bless You Richly!
Acts 3:19 Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord,
@Miguel – I am in agreement with the words that others have shared with you, and my prayers are with you friend.
I can confirm that through Christ Jesus ALL things are possible, and that without Him we can do nothing of our’self’.
I posted a comment, in reply to Mark, on the discussion thread – it is for you too.
As others have counselled, if we believe that Christ Jesus is Lord, and we repent from the heart, and ask Him for forgiveness – He will freely forgive our sin.
Rom 10:9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
Rom 10:10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
Be blessed, and may His presence be with you..
Roger
Migeul, Please take a look at my confession and testimony of deliverance just posted on discussion. It is, in a large part, by way of the Spirit, for you my friend. ” Php 4:13 I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.” NOTHING is impossible with God. BELIEVE that. Love, Mark.
Randall and Pete, very good words of truth, hope, and encouragement….. Miguel be blessed in the good news of the gospel, Jesus will never forsake his own.
agape
Bill
@miguel.
I was one of the worst of the worse. In my darkest hour………..instead of the condemnation i deserved, instead of death………….it was GRACE. God came unto me………..and the spirit led me to the son, Christ the savoir . I became a new creature……..old things passed away.
I became aware of the evil within myself, to a level that sin became exceeding sinful.
And know i see and understand………………i will always need a savoir to keep me from the very evils within my own flesh. Read romans seven. Paul speaks of the evil within man.
But …………..we have hope Miguel,,,,,,,,,,,,,,we have hope.
Christ has overcome the world. Now we must abide in Him and HE in us……..unto the end.
Many will sadly turn away from this Grace , but let it not be us. LEt us ever cling to the promises of Life eternal in Christ. TO all who endure, faithful till the end………….brother it is eternal life. This life, is but a fleeting moment, a vapour in time……………..but the reward…………..tis eternal………..and no man can measure, nor comprehend eternity.
Nor has entered into the heart of man………….the things which God has prepared and given……….unto all who hold dear the name of Christ.
Miguel…………..this is a gift. Grace truly is . I was not looking……………..He came to me……….and pulled mefrom darkness…………..THEN my heart said…………….i shall seek you with the whole heart. And miguel…………………this is my HOPE every day . No matter what comes against me, no matter what trials, afflictions, all things work together for good unto those who love Him and wait for him. To GOd be all the priase with much thanksgiving.
FOr he desires none to perish………………..sadly many will, for they reject Grace, truth, salvation. His word says he desires none to perish…………and how i understand this to be true. For when he called me out of darkness…………..i indeed was one of the worst of them.
SO my brother……………………my prayers are for your good. And we shall all be praying one for another. Miguel , never feel condemned because evil thoughts come to your mind……………..in all our flesh, mine, PEtes all of us here,,,,,,,,,,,,,,is evil.
But when the evil pops into your mind. Pray it out, quick.
And know that many shall be praying FOR YOU, not against you.
For i know deep truth of GOd………………i was the worst of many, and if i were to tell you all the evil i had done……………..you would feel like a saint. But all has been forgiven in CHrist.
I was not forgiven by my own actions…………….but soley upon the actions of another.
And HE IS LORD OF LORDS< KING OF KINGS. Tis why its called Grace……………..and i share this grace with you with much love in my heart and only good unto you.
None deserves forgivness………………GOD IS LOVE. And in CHRIST , we repent of our old ungodly ways……….by the Power of the HOLY SPIRIT, and we walk as CHrist. HE IN US, WE IN HIM………….the only way to the Father is in the son.
I judge nor condemn no man………………i only warn in much love for them to come to CHRIST so they too can have the life, hope and joy in the salvation of GOD.
We are here for you Miguel………….and you are our brother in CHRIST.
Be blessed.
@Miguel All have sinned and have fallen short of the glory of GOD. There is not a man or woman anywhere who needs not repentance and the grace and mercies of the Lord. Yes we must repent which means to turn our hearts to GOD. We must come to the point of realization that there is nothing good inside of us that are so called goodness is filthy rags before an almighty God. But the gospel means GOOD NEWS Miguel. If you turn to God and place your trust in HIM sincerely in your heart, God will come give you a new heart and begin the process of transforming you. All you do is keep following the Lord being led by the Holy Spirit and you will be changed forever and will become a child of the Most High God.
There is no sin to big or a quantity of sins that is beyond the forgiveness of God. Turn to Him my friend. His grace is sufficeint for all of us and will wipe away the debt of your past sins. I will be praying for you. Return to your Father in heaven. Cry out unto the Lord.
I am repenting of my sins because God expects us to be holy for in heaven there is no sex. There is only friendship, brotherhood and happiness and nothing that leads astray from God.There is only joy, happiness and eternal life. This is all what I want and desire to do God’s will. I am happy and will take a repentance process.
The people are right. They have not sinned. I am the wrong who has made mistakes. No one has made errors. Everyone is right. Of course. God shall not punish you. It is me that God has to punish me.. I have made mistakes and have sinned against God. This is not a joke. I am not kidding. I am in real trial with God. Because I have sinned against God for having made personal covenants, with God because I wanted to get married with a man. I have sinned against God.
Amy, do you still have the link to the story of the sheep and pigs in mud? If so, would you please share the link? It sounds like something that would be great to share with others.
Amy , thats truth. The truth!!!. Only those born again Know and are convicted. IF one goes on in sin, they are condemned. Heres what i say. Lets teach what the bible says. By the grace of God, he has put such a love of readin the word. hours every day, hours. Not missing a day. Just growing in Christ, the truth. By his continued grace i have done so hours every day since may 30 2006. So many , wonder think etc. If we want truth, knowledge, understanding etc, Read the word.
Such wisdom , to make one wise unto salvation. Amy be blessed!!!!!!!
I’m learning that you cannot teach someone who has never been born from above HOW to walk.
And we cannot speak peace to those who are not born from above, if they reject the “good news” that they can have His Spirit, walk in it, and live in Christ.
If someone denies the gospel time and time again that includes repentance whereby they are choosing death, we shouldn’t tell these that they are not condemned if they do so.
The talk about what repentance means seems to go around and around. Sometimes pictures work much better than words. I saw an analogy online that describes this issue in such a way that it can put this issue to rest.
The Lord has said that He has a flock of sheep. It is also said that pigs wallow in mud. There is a difference between these two animals:
His sheep fall in the mud. But His sheep don’t like the mud, and want to get out, and hope not to fall in again. But if a pig falls in the mud, it will lie there and stay there. Pigs may not even be aware of the mud. They don’t care about the mud, and they don’t follow their keeper as sheep do.
We know if we have repented unto salvation if we have the nature of sheep and not the pig. Becoming like sheep is a gift that He will grant if that is what we desire. It is His desire that all would become like sheep.
We all wallowed and loved the mud at one time. His spirit changes that.
i was saved when i was a little girl and baptized when i was a little girl, I grew up in church and i always had the holy spirit reminding me when i did something wrong. Im so glad that God never gave up on me. After i had , had my 3rd child i got severe depression, and my prayer partner told me i needed to find out how much god loved me and who i was in Christ. I knew i was saved but i honestly couldn’t tell you who i was in chrirst. We prayed and after thoughts of suiside, God showed me who i was, and completely delivered me from depression and anxiety attacks and panic attacks, and after not being able to leave my house for a year, i was delivered. There is a difference between delivered and healed. People need to talk more about how to find stuff out, like who they are in Christ. I know now that im a blood bought child, his favorite,lol, the apple of his eye, im wriiten on the palm of his hand, his princess. I have his favor. After having 3 of my own children he has opened the door and we have adopted 3 more children 2 with very special needs, but i don’t have to work cause he has completly provided for our family. I had fallen away for a while, but not anymore, i want to please not disappoint him. I want to make him happy and i get sad and afraid to make him mad, but he loves me and i am a sinner but i know he forgives me when i truely repent. I can’t make it in this world without him, and wouldn’t want to
Pete I agree with you 100% We all must repent no doubt about it. Jesus does teach repentance over and over. I’d like to offer some food for thought though. There are two schools of thought concerning this and I think each side hears one thing and blocks out the rest. Let us reason. Both sides are true and correct BUT missing the WHOLE story.
and its Beautiful that the first thing he says is there is NO condemnation in Christ. So many Christians want to condemn. Condemnation ISN’T Love. Let us teach the sinner “HOW TO” WALK in this Freedom, to WALK in the Spirit !!! God help us who condemn and don’t teach. Roamns 8 – “Free from Indwelling Sin” 1 There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus,[a] who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. 2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death. 3 For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh, 4 that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. 5 For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. 6 For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. 7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be. 8 So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God. 9 But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His. 10 And if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. 11 But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you. Also in Galatians 5 also gives us some Great “HOW TO’S” Verse 16 starts with “WALK IN THE SPIRIT you SHALL NOT FULFILL the desires of the FLEASH. Sounds like a “HOW TO” and it goes on to explain if we don’t know how to identify those in the Flesh from those in the Spirit.
“We are saved by Grace through Faith” As you point out Grace IS a free gift from God. There is Nothing man can do to earn it lest any man boast. If we think we can earn it we have, will, and do fall from Grace and go right back to the Law. The entire old testament shows us that we can’t meet the requirements of the Law and NEED a/the Savoir. My sins are nailed to that cross as yours are. Paid for in FULL by the Precious Precious Blood of the Lamb.
For the record I am by NO way saying we need not repent from our sin. I’m not saying we can go on sinning.
One school says DON’T DON’T DON’T and forces us back to the Law (and the curse). The other school “implies” we can go on sinning since all of our sin is covered forever more.
I can see both sides of the issue “Scripturally” I say both sides are right but both sides are missing the “HOW TO” The “how to” Repent, The “How to” walk in Faith, The “How to” walk in Love, the “How to” walk in the Spirit.
We get saved and think we or others can automatically turn from thier sin that may be soooooo ingrained over a life time that it takes time for them to learn how to walk this walk. Yes God can change someone in the blink of and eye (i.e. Paul) but thats usually not the case. The word tells us we put the Flesh to death “Daily”. As I’m sure you, myself, and many other Chrsitians can attest to things of the Flesh don’t always just “drop off” and “Righteousness drops on”
So we know that Jesus and all the prophets preach repentance. What I would like to see taught more of in our churches is the “How To’s” For those of us (like may of the old Prophets and Apostles, i.e. Peter) who didn’t become Righteous over night or in the blink of and eye. Truth be told, even though Paul had a face to face with Christ he still had struggles with the Flesh.
For example, in the end Romans 7 Paul goes into depth about this; Verse 14- For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am carnal, sold under sin. 15 For what I am doing, I do not understand. For what I will to do, that I do not practice; but what I hate, that I do. 16 If, then, I do what I will not to do, I agree with the law that it is good. 17 But now, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me. 18 For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells; for to will is present with me, but how to perform what is good I do not find. 19 For the good that I will to do, I do not do; but the evil I will not to do, that I practice. 20 Now if I do what I will not to do, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me. 21 I find then a law, that evil is present with me, the one who wills to do good. 22 For I delight in the law of God according to the inward man. 23 But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. 24 O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? 25 I thank God—through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, with the mind I myself serve the law of God, but with the flesh the law of sin.
Oooooohhhhhh why do I do the things I wish not to do ???? Romans 7 can be quite confusing and even scarey to those un-learned. And even condeming to sinners Jesus came to save by those that Preach the Law of DON’T DON’T DON’T or you’ll burn in Hell !!!!
Aaaahhhhh may someone teach the sinner how to put the Flesh to death (our Carnal nature) and no longer be a slave to sin but a slave unto Righteousness !!!
Romans 8 sure helps with this “HOW TO”
16 I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. 17 For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. 19 Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery,[c] fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, 20 idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, 21 envy, murders,[d] drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. 24 And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. 26 Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.
I guess I have babbled enough here. I mean NO offense to anyone. I just wish we could finally stop preaching the LAW which comes with the curse and stop preaching we are Free to keep on sinning without repentance but instead come together and TEACH HOW TO WALK THIS WALK !!!! Even sinners run the other direction when we “Christians” yell DON”T DON’T DON’T or burn because they don’t want to be condemned for their sin. Even most sinners recognise we CAN’T do it on our own and Forcing the LAW don’t, can’t, and NEVER has worked. The sad part is WHO is Teaching them “HOW TO” walk Free ???? Its also sad that some preach we are automatically Free without Repentance.
Let us Reason and set the captives Free !!!!
Repentance, without it there is no salvation, because the Born Again experience is missing if a Christian does not come to the point of repentance. Our modern day churches filled with ear ticklers are taking many down the road of destruction. Thank the Lord Yeshua for websites such as yours teaching the truth. Keep up the good work, I too am in the trenches stressing the need of all to repent. It’s not glamourous work, for at times it is like selling sand in the desert, but our rewards will be great in the Kingdom.
Excellent!!! May God bless you!
I had clearly got the meaning of repentance and we need to change our hearts and repent and decide not to sin.Repentance is not only asking forgiveness but change that can be seen by people in our walk with God.I am very much blessed and I will teach this subject.I think revival starts with me
You had really said the truth about repentance.You are a dear Brother.Be blessed and enjoy the grace of God
Weep.
Jon, Repentance is a gift from God, no argument there. Nobody comes to God unless the Father draws them near. This is part of grace, which has appeared to all mean teaching them to say no to ungodliness (Titus 2:14). I am wary of any doctrine that does not conform us to godliness as we are told they will be based on controversial questions and disputes about the meaning of words (1 Tim 6:4). I am not sure I understand your comment so I hope you are not supporting the idea we can repent and still practice sin. If one’s repentance is sincere, and we really turn to God in our hearts, He says, He will accomplish His Word, it will not fail. So if we say we have changed our mind and repented, yet we are not transformed and do not stop practicing sin, then we are a liar and the truth is not in us. Forms of godliness is not godliness.
If we find ourselves continuing to practice sin, we have not repented they way the Bible defines it and we are not Born Again. NOBODY born again from the spirit of God continues to practice sin. Paul feared for the early church, He wrote harshly to them to bring them to a godly repentance based on the fear of God. Many of them were running their race in vain, perverting the truth into a license for immorality. They were not walking in the spirit where we are told we WILL NOT carry out the lusts of the flesh (Gal 5:23). What the world thinks of repentance is not repentance. The Holy Spirit is only given to those that OBEY CHRIST, not those that merely say some intellectual words with their lips. If we love Him, we WILL obey His commandments.
REPENTANCE
The Greek transitive verb metanoeo means to change one’s thinking, or to change the
mind. Repentance connotes a decision based on mentality and it is rational, not
emotional. All of us repented at the moment of salvation because we changed our
thinking concerning the person of Christ. The cognate noun metanoia, Rom 2:4, means a
change of mind, a conversion, a turning away. Doctrinal viewpoint changes every bit of
human viewpoint you’ve learned.
All praise to Yeshua. May you rest in His peace and grace.
shalom brother
how refreshing it is to hear a article on this much needed subject, It is like drinking a cup of cool water. I dont know where I would be had I not come to understand how wretched and filthy my flesh and own righteousness was. like a menstrual rag, good for nothing.
let us endure to the end, for the cause of Yeshua our king.