How does repentance relate to salvation?

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How does repentance relate to salvation?

  • Repentance leads to salvation

    Votes: 1 33.3%

  • Salvation leads to repentance

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • None of the above

    Votes: 2 66.7%
  • Total voters
    3
S

starfield

Senior Member
#1
Jun 13, 2009
3,393
58
48
#1
I have heard some say salvation precedes repentance, essentially the sinner does not have to do away with their sins before salvation, and that the opposite would be trying to earn salvation ("justification by your works").

What is repentance and when does/should this change occur?
I believe repentance is an essential part of faith wrought by the Holy Spirit. It entails a complete turning away from sin (a U-turn), submitting your heart to God, and then God will pardon and save. It is simply based on faith and love for God and all glory is ascribed to God throughout the entire process because He convicts the sinner of sin.
For godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, not to be regretted; but the sorrow of the world produces death. For observe this very thing, that you sorrowed in a godly manner: What diligence it produced in you, what clearing of yourselves, what indignation, what fear, what vehement desire, what zeal, what vindication! In all things you proved yourselves to be clear in this matter (2 Cor 7:10-11).

Faith is worthless without repentance likewise repentance is worthless without faith.
Repentance and Faith = Salvation
Testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ (Acts 20:21).
 
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M

mule

Guest
#2
#2
Question:
How can you repent of a sin if you don't know what your sins are ?
Don't you need to learn what transgresses against God and others?
And no I don't think it is obvious.
Now it seems so because we know Him that we believe in. When we come to Jesus we come to Him as strangers called to a wedding. Once we know Him we come to the wedding as brides.
 
S

starfield

Senior Member
#3
Jun 13, 2009
3,393
58
48
#3
mule said:
Question:
How can you repent of a sin if you don't know what your sins are ?
Don't you need to learn what transgresses against God and others?
And no I don't think it is obvious.
Now it seems so because we know Him that we believe in. When we come to Jesus we come to Him as strangers called to a wedding. Once we know Him we come to the wedding as brides.
Click to expand...
Thanks for your comment.
How can one repent of a sin they are unaware of?
Sin is transgression against God. People know what are trespasses even though they've never heard the gospel message. We have conscience given to us by God as guidance as well as the Holy Spirit who convicts the sinner of their sinful condition even though they are unaware of all the sins. This is the power of God.

Heb 4:12- For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. The word is the instrument of repentance.
The word is sharper than any two-edged sword dividing the soul from the spirit, through the Holy Spirit, awakens the sinner and exposes the sins, just like a mirror shows you your outward appearance, it exposes the heart that even though you were unaware of every little sin you committed, you become aware that you are far from God. The word is powerful to open the eyes of the spiritually blind to bring to the knowledge of the vilest offender their sins that they will show godly sorrow and go to the cross.

The stranger's attendance to the wedding is a step of faith. Going to the throne of grace for mercy and cleansing, turning away from rebellion, and heeding to salvation's invitation, is the sinner's step of faith.

I would have written more but gotta run for now.
 
C

carey

Guest
#4
#4
This is what i believe:
When you repent, it's because you know in your heart you did something wrong. So you ask for forgiveness, the bible says God has written His word in our hearts. We know the truth of God but we chose to trade it for a lie, instead of worshipping the creator, we worship things that have been created.
About salvation, there is an order we automatically follow, weither we realize it or not, we know in our hearts that we have trespassed against God, so we admit that we are sinners, and ask Jesus into our hearts to cleanse and change us, then we proclaim Him as Lord. The A, B, C, effect. Admit that we are sinners and need a saviour, Believe that Jesus died on the cross for our sins, Confess Him as our Lord. Does this mean we stop repenting? Not at all, because we are human and will sin again, that's why God gave us the Holy Spirit, to convict us of our sin, so we continually come before the Lord.
 
S

Skinski7

Banned
#5
Nov 26, 2011
3,818
62
0
#5
It is rebellion from the heart that ceases in repentance. This does not mean that someone becomes perfect, it means that they have simply been broken and have forsaken self in order to fully yield to the leading to God.

James described it like this...

Jam 1:21 Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls.

One cannot receive the implanted word within lest they forsake all known rebellion. Receiving the implanted word is the opposite of rejecting it. To continue in sin is to reject the implanted word. Light and darkness do not mix, one cannot serve two masters.

This is why repentance is a key requirement for salvation.

God will not refresh someone unless they repent (mind change) and convert (actions change).

Act 3:19 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;

Paul described the godly sorrow that works a genuine repentance unto salvation when he wrote to the Corinthians.

2Cor 7
10 For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death.
11 For behold this selfsame thing, that ye sorrowed after a godly sort, what carefulness it wrought in you, yea, what clearing of yourselves, yea, what indignation, yea, what fear, yea, what vehement desire, yea, what zeal, yea, what revenge! In all things ye have approved yourselves to be clear in this matter.

If there is no clearing of wrong doing in repentance there can be no reconciliation with God because the sinner has not forsaken their rebellion.

Many in the church system today do not understand what a genuine repentance experience is and have thus never gone through it. They falsely they believe they are saved by some magic provision which cloaks them in their ongoing rebellion and they have been deceived into believing that sin is inbred in their flesh and thus it simply cannot be forsaken.

It is the error of the wicked and Satan has many in his clutches. Dig deep and study to show thyself approved.
 
K

kenisyes

Guest
#6
#6
Repentance is turning aside from your former way of life, and letting Jesus have His way. I you want the salvation, you have to want the Lordship, so you have to turn away from the lifestyle without it. You can confess the specific sins if you like, but turning against the old habits could take quite a while to work out everything.
 
E

eternally-gratefull

Guest
#7
#7
repent means to change.

1. before, God was our enemy, After, God is our redeemer
2. Before, we are good people and do not need saved. After, I am a sinner, fully deserving of judgment,
3. Before. I am my own God, after, God is God
4. Before. I can save myself, After, I can do nothing to save myself, I am utterly hopeless

without any of this, there will never be faith in Christ, without faith in Christ, there will be no salvation

thus without repentance, there will be no salvation.
 
N

nw2u

Guest
#8
#8
So... what you are all saying is?

We must first know there is a God, that He loves us, and that He has provided a kind of reward for those who love Him and do His will.
We then must learn what His will is.
Then, we must ask ourselves if we want to follow Him and decide to do so. Once we decide to follow Him, we learn the only way to receive the reward is to believe in His son, Jesus Christ.
Once we do this, we have the opportunity to be with God in heaven.
The only thing I cannot put into the equation is, if we are saved by accepting Christ as our savior, what are the works for? For myself, I believe works are how we show we love God and want to be with Him. Our works may fall short of deserving heaven, but our failings will be covered by the blood of Jesus. Without works, we cannot show our devotion to God. Without Christ, the works are too little to get us to heaven.
Does this sound correct?
 
C

carey

Guest
#9
#9
After we are saved and covered by the blood, works will automatically come, faith first then works
 
E

eternally-gratefull

Guest
#10
#10
nw2u said:
So... what you are all saying is?

We must first know there is a God, that He loves us, and that He has provided a kind of reward for those who love Him and do His will.
We then must learn what His will is.
Then, we must ask ourselves if we want to follow Him and decide to do so. Once we decide to follow Him, we learn the only way to receive the reward is to believe in His son, Jesus Christ.
Once we do this, we have the opportunity to be with God in heaven.
The only thing I cannot put into the equation is, if we are saved by accepting Christ as our savior, what are the works for? For myself, I believe works are how we show we love God and want to be with Him. Our works may fall short of deserving heaven, but our failings will be covered by the blood of Jesus. Without works, we cannot show our devotion to God. Without Christ, the works are too little to get us to heaven.
Does this sound correct?
Click to expand...
works come from faith and repentance. It is sorta hypocritical to say you have repented and have faith. when your life shows otherwise. Those who do these things will work out of gratitude and knowledge of who God is, not in order to save themselves.
 
N

nw2u

Guest
#11
#11
eternally-gratefull said:
works come from faith and repentance. It is sorta hypocritical to say you have repented and have faith. when your life shows otherwise. Those who do these things will work out of gratitude and knowledge of who God is, not in order to save themselves.
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Not sure I understand this. Please explain.

You are saying I(me personally) have not repented and don't have faith?
 
E

eternally-gratefull

Guest
#12
#12
nw2u said:
Not sure I understand this. Please explain.

You are saying I(me personally) have not repented and don't have faith?
Click to expand...

why would I say this, I do not know you. and how do you get that from what I said?
 
resurrection33

resurrection33

Banned
#13
Dec 19, 2009
27,513
128
0
71
#13
We have all sinned and need the Lord’s forgiveness. That said, repentance leads to salvation:

[12] Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling;
[13] for God is at work in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure. Phil 2:12-13 RSV
 
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