Yeah, I would never say repentance is: "To have a change of mind about sin." What does that even mean? Do we change our perception about sin thinking it no longer effects us? Meaning, do we just acknowledge sin and then sin anyways? To me, it is foggy statement in my view that is not clear. That is why I believe in saying repentance is "To forsake sin," and to have a Godly sorrow concerning it. Or like you said, to make a "u-turn and go the opposite way of sin."
Is Repentance Necessary For Salvation?
- Thread starter Jason0047
- Start date
-
Christian Chat is a moderated online Christian community allowing Christians around the world to fellowship with each other in real time chat via webcam, voice, and text, with the Christian Chat app. You can also start or participate in a Bible-based discussion here in the Christian Chat Forums, where members can also share with each other their own videos, pictures, or favorite Christian music.
If you are a Christian and need encouragement and fellowship, we're here for you! If you are not a Christian but interested in knowing more about Jesus our Lord, you're also welcome! Want to know what the Bible says, and how you can apply it to your life? Join us!
To make new Christian friends now around the world, click here to join Christian Chat.
Just making the point with a quote from the actual site. Relax. Check your sources. Always. Even if you agree with something on a site, if the site isn't sound and you recommend it to others, you may be indirectly leading others astray.
I would also caution you against hunting for views that agree with your own in lieu of letting contextual Scriptures speak for themselves. We must be willing to mold our views to what the Scriptures actually say and not mold the Scriptures to what our views are.
Grace and peace,
-JGIG
I would also caution you against hunting for views that agree with your own in lieu of letting contextual Scriptures speak for themselves. We must be willing to mold our views to what the Scriptures actually say and not mold the Scriptures to what our views are.
Grace and peace,
-JGIG
So if someone has an epiphany about their sin and turns their life around to live a moral and upright life, they're good to go? No belief in the Work of Christ required?
You see how your 'turning from sin' definition (which is not the Biblical definition of repentance, btw) fails?
Repentance is not about YOU; repentance is about Him and you changing your mind about Who Christ is, what He came to do, what that actually accomplished, and who those who believe on Him are in Christ. It's about the Work of Christ and you entering into His Work by faith.
Repentance will RESULT in one progressively turning from sinning, but the ACT of turning away from sinning is NOT a prerequisite for salvation.
We come to Christ to be cleansed; we do not cleanse ourselves in order to come to Christ.
-JGIG
When I have a view in Scripture, it is based on what the Word of God actually says. I need more than just one verse saying something for it to be true. I always look for confirmation of other verses and then see how that fits in light of the whole Bible. Also, I have many times temporarily considered something to be true but God had talked to my heart about it and told me to keep searching instead of just settling for what was someone was saying on a specific matter, too. So no. I just don't believe whatever someone is saying. In fact, even in the article I quoted, I did not agree with their thinking that the Prodigal Son is step by step play of how everyone comes to the Lord. Sometimes things can be a little more basic then the way they describe repentance. However, that is not to say that such a step by step process cannot happen, though (Which is depicted in the Parable).
As for my double checking of sources: Yep, you are right. I need to work on that one. But many times we agree with people here and we find out later that we do not agree with them so much.
As for my double checking of sources: Yep, you are right. I need to work on that one. But many times we agree with people here and we find out later that we do not agree with them so much.
Last edited:
28 Then they asked him, “What must we do to do the works God requires?”
29 Jesus answered, “The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent.” (from Jn. 6)
You can't 'make amends' with God; that's why we need Christ.
19 “For through the law I died to the law so that I might live for God. 20 I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. 21 I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing!” (from Gal. 2)
Only by entering into the Work of Christ by faith (believing in the One God has sent - also see 1 Jn. 3:23-24) are 'amends' made. That's the thing that folks need to get their minds around and to which they must respond (repentance).
-JGIG
Guys, God repented in Gen. 6:6, Ex. 32:14, and Jonah 3:10.
If you define repentance as turning away from sin . . . well, you DO see the problem here, don't you?!
Did God turn away from sin?
Of course not!
And if that's the case, then you need to reexamine whether or not you're defining repentance the way the Bible defines repentance.
-JGIG
If you define repentance as turning away from sin . . . well, you DO see the problem here, don't you?!
Did God turn away from sin?
Of course not!
And if that's the case, then you need to reexamine whether or not you're defining repentance the way the Bible defines repentance.
-JGIG
This is the false standard laser beam focus type tactic. You isolate verses and make that passage the center of the universe that teaches truth. But the Scriptures say, here a little and there a little. Meaning, a particular truth in Scripture is not isolated to just one passage or set of passages that say the same thing. Truth has to be looked at by comparing the rest of Scripture on that matter. 1 John 1:9 says if we confess our sins he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins. 1 John 1:7 says if we walk in the light as he is in the light, then the blood of Jesus cleanses us from all sin. 2 Corinthians 7:10 says Godly sorrow leads to repentance unto salvation. In the Parable of the Tax Collector and the Pharisee, the Tax Collector was praised by Jesus in being more justified for crying out to God to have mercy on him. In the Parable of the Prodigal Son we see an example of repentance from the son. Jesus first words were, Repent for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand. Acts says God commands all men everywhere to repent.
No, words have multple meanings in the Scriptures. Sons of God can refer to angels and to believers. Repentance can be a change of mind. Yes. But it also relates to the physical act, too. Meaning, if God said he repented in bringing about justice against such and such nation, that means God is not going to take action against that nation. The thought and action are tied together.
Last edited:
Repent can be in reference to regret or being in grief, too. Which is I said before, repentance can be in reference to confession (Which would obviously involve one being sorrowful or in grief over their sins so as to confess them to God). Repentance is feeling sorry about your sin and seeking forgiveness (With a turning away from one's evil).
If one has not turned away from their evil, then one has not truly repented or felt sorry for what they did. That is why Godly sorrow is connected to repentance in 2 Corinthians 7:10.
If one has not turned away from their evil, then one has not truly repented or felt sorry for what they did. That is why Godly sorrow is connected to repentance in 2 Corinthians 7:10.
Last edited:
Well, I do consider Christ and His Work to pretty much be the center of the universe that teaches Truth. Ya got me there, ha.
Let's go with your 'here a little, there a little' quote and see that Scripture in context:
and to whom will he explain the message?
Those who are weaned from the milk,
those taken from the breast?
10 For it is precept upon precept, precept upon precept,
line upon line, line upon line,
here a little, there a little.”
11 For by people of strange lips
and with a foreign tongue
the Lord will speak to this people,
12 to whom he has said,
“This is rest;
give rest to the weary;
and this is repose”;
yet they would not hear.
13 And the word of the Lord will be to them
precept upon precept, precept upon precept,
line upon line, line upon line,
here a little, there a little,
that they may go, and fall backward,
and be broken, and snared, and taken.
That's talking about people who will reject the Gospel (rest for the weary yet they would not hear) and will go back to Law, centered on the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil rather than centered on the Gospel and the Tree of Life Who is Christ.
See, if one looks through the lens of the Work of Christ and what He accomplished with the Crucifixion, Resurrection, Ascension and Perfect, Permanent High Priesthood, repentance is a joyful practice - one of coming to the One Who has (past tense) forgiven all of our sins and is not counting any of them against us. And when we're focused on HIM, and not so much on SIN or OURSELVES, sinning becomes less and less in our lives.
And about that Prodigal . . . go through the actual dialogue between the son and the father. The son was never given the chance to go through any of the steps you outlined earlier. He was tired, dirty, and starving; he had come to the end of himself and hoped that his father's love would still receive him. His father was looking for him and ran to meet him, embracing him and declaring him his son before The parable is much more about the FATHER than it is about the son. We're all the son in many respects; Jesus was letting us know that the Father will always love us and receive us when we come to Him. Then take a look at the older brother, the one who really didn't have sins he needed to turn from - he was doing all the right things. Yet he needed to have a change of mind and heart about who his father was and what it meant to be his father's son. Again, the parable is more about who the FATHER is and how we need to put our faith and trust in Him and there find rest and provision.
-JGIG
Let's go with your 'here a little, there a little' quote and see that Scripture in context:
7 These also reel with wine
and stagger with strong drink;
the priest and the prophet reel with strong drink,
they are swallowed by wine,
they stagger with strong drink,
they reel in vision,
they stumble in giving judgment.
8 For all tables are full of filthy vomit,
with no space left.
9 “To whom will he teach knowledge,and stagger with strong drink;
the priest and the prophet reel with strong drink,
they are swallowed by wine,
they stagger with strong drink,
they reel in vision,
they stumble in giving judgment.
8 For all tables are full of filthy vomit,
with no space left.
and to whom will he explain the message?
Those who are weaned from the milk,
those taken from the breast?
10 For it is precept upon precept, precept upon precept,
line upon line, line upon line,
here a little, there a little.”
11 For by people of strange lips
and with a foreign tongue
the Lord will speak to this people,
12 to whom he has said,
“This is rest;
give rest to the weary;
and this is repose”;
yet they would not hear.
13 And the word of the Lord will be to them
precept upon precept, precept upon precept,
line upon line, line upon line,
here a little, there a little,
that they may go, and fall backward,
and be broken, and snared, and taken.
That's talking about people who will reject the Gospel (rest for the weary yet they would not hear) and will go back to Law, centered on the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil rather than centered on the Gospel and the Tree of Life Who is Christ.
See, if one looks through the lens of the Work of Christ and what He accomplished with the Crucifixion, Resurrection, Ascension and Perfect, Permanent High Priesthood, repentance is a joyful practice - one of coming to the One Who has (past tense) forgiven all of our sins and is not counting any of them against us. And when we're focused on HIM, and not so much on SIN or OURSELVES, sinning becomes less and less in our lives.
And about that Prodigal . . . go through the actual dialogue between the son and the father. The son was never given the chance to go through any of the steps you outlined earlier. He was tired, dirty, and starving; he had come to the end of himself and hoped that his father's love would still receive him. His father was looking for him and ran to meet him, embracing him and declaring him his son before The parable is much more about the FATHER than it is about the son. We're all the son in many respects; Jesus was letting us know that the Father will always love us and receive us when we come to Him. Then take a look at the older brother, the one who really didn't have sins he needed to turn from - he was doing all the right things. Yet he needed to have a change of mind and heart about who his father was and what it meant to be his father's son. Again, the parable is more about who the FATHER is and how we need to put our faith and trust in Him and there find rest and provision.
-JGIG
M
Ro 10:3 For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.
4 For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.
Heb 6:1 ¶ Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God,
REPENTANCE FROM SELF-RIGHTEOUSNESS AND HYPOCRISY IS TRUE BIBLICAL REPENTANCE...UNTIL YOU GET THAT RIGHT, THE REST OF IT IS JUST A RELIGIOUS GAME.
4 For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.
Heb 6:1 ¶ Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God,
REPENTANCE FROM SELF-RIGHTEOUSNESS AND HYPOCRISY IS TRUE BIBLICAL REPENTANCE...UNTIL YOU GET THAT RIGHT, THE REST OF IT IS JUST A RELIGIOUS GAME.
M
Ac 11:17 Forasmuch then as God gave them the like gift as he did unto us, who believed on the Lord Jesus Christ; what was I, that I could withstand God?
18 When they heard these things, they held their peace, and glorified God, saying, Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted
repentance unto life.
Mr 1:15 And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.
Repentance is never turning toward legalism or back to the law...repentance is always about having faith and believing the gospel.
18 When they heard these things, they held their peace, and glorified God, saying, Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted
repentance unto life.
Mr 1:15 And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.
Repentance is never turning toward legalism or back to the law...repentance is always about having faith and believing the gospel.
Yes repentance is needed for Salvation.
Acts 3:19 Parallel Verses
"Repent therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out; that times of refreshing may come from the presence of Yahweh."
King James Bible
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;
New International Version
Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord,
New Living Translation
Now repent of your sins and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped away.
English Standard Version
Repent therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out,
New American Standard Bible
"Therefore repent and return, so that your sins may be wiped away, in order that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord;
Acts 3:19 Parallel Verses
"Repent therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out; that times of refreshing may come from the presence of Yahweh."
King James Bible
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;
New International Version
Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord,
New Living Translation
Now repent of your sins and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped away.
English Standard Version
Repent therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out,
New American Standard Bible
"Therefore repent and return, so that your sins may be wiped away, in order that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord;