Repentance: A Necessity for Salvation
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We are transformed like the caterpillar when it becomes a butterfly. We see everything differently because of the presence of the Holy Spirit in our heart.
When we cease to believe in our own righteousness and submit to the righteousness of Christ everything is made new.
For the cause of Christ
Roger
When we cease to believe in our own righteousness and submit to the righteousness of Christ everything is made new.
For the cause of Christ
Roger
The Greek word for "repent" is "metanoia" (noun) and "matanoeo" (verb) you see as defined in the Strongs #3340, 3341: to think differently or afterwards, reconsider. After thought, change of mind. Repentance basically means a "change of mind" and the context must determine what is involved in this change of mind. Where salvation is in view, repentance actually precedes saving faith in Christ (Matthew 21:32; Mark 1:15; Acts 20:21) and is not a totally separate act from faith. It is actually the same coin with two sides. Repentance is on one side, what you change your mind about and faith in Christ is on the positive side, the new direction of this change of mind. *Repentance and faith are two sides of the same experience of being brought to Christ.
In the context of Luke 13:3, Jesus challenged the people's notion that they were morally superior to those who suffered in such catastrophes. He called all to repent or perish. For some people though, prior to coming to the end result of repentance in receiving salvation (faith in Christ), they must change their minds about other specific things in order to get there. Repentance, metanoia, focuses on changing one's mind about his previous concept of God (as in Acts 17:30) and disbelief in God or false beliefs (polytheism and idolatry) about God (see 1 Thessalonians 1:9). On the other hand, this change of mind, focuses on the new direction that change about God must ultimately take, namely, trusting in Jesus Christ as the all sufficient means of our salvation.
Certain people misunderstand the term "repentance" to simply mean "turning from sin" or "stop sinning." This is not the Biblical definition of repentance. In the Bible, the word "repent" means to "change your mind." The Bible also tells us that true repentance will result in a change of actions. Acts 26:20 declares, "I preached that they should repent and turn to God and prove their repentance by their deeds" This is the fruit of repentance (Matthew 3:8), not the essence of repentance. So certain people confuse the "fruit of repentance" with the "essence of repentance" (and also do the same thing with faith) and end up teaching salvation by works.
I have heard certain people say, "If you want to be saved, repent of your sins, turn from your sins." If turning from your sins means to stop sinning, then people can only be saved if they stop sinning. And in that case, it is unlikely that anyone will be saved, since we don't know anyone who has ever "completely stopped sinning."
In the context of Luke 13:3, Jesus challenged the people's notion that they were morally superior to those who suffered in such catastrophes. He called all to repent or perish. For some people though, prior to coming to the end result of repentance in receiving salvation (faith in Christ), they must change their minds about other specific things in order to get there. Repentance, metanoia, focuses on changing one's mind about his previous concept of God (as in Acts 17:30) and disbelief in God or false beliefs (polytheism and idolatry) about God (see 1 Thessalonians 1:9). On the other hand, this change of mind, focuses on the new direction that change about God must ultimately take, namely, trusting in Jesus Christ as the all sufficient means of our salvation.
Certain people misunderstand the term "repentance" to simply mean "turning from sin" or "stop sinning." This is not the Biblical definition of repentance. In the Bible, the word "repent" means to "change your mind." The Bible also tells us that true repentance will result in a change of actions. Acts 26:20 declares, "I preached that they should repent and turn to God and prove their repentance by their deeds" This is the fruit of repentance (Matthew 3:8), not the essence of repentance. So certain people confuse the "fruit of repentance" with the "essence of repentance" (and also do the same thing with faith) and end up teaching salvation by works.
I have heard certain people say, "If you want to be saved, repent of your sins, turn from your sins." If turning from your sins means to stop sinning, then people can only be saved if they stop sinning. And in that case, it is unlikely that anyone will be saved, since we don't know anyone who has ever "completely stopped sinning."
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So, are you saying Jesus and John were telling all those devout Jewish pilgrims who had traveled for days to reach Jerusalem where their religion told them they needed to come to get forgiveness for the sins of the past year.... were not sorry for that sinning, and had to act more sorrowful, or something?
Israel has forsaken every covenant that Jehovah has ever made with them yet Jehovah has not forsaken them. The blood of Christ is an eternal covenant. Once under the blood of Christ sin is remembered no more by God.
Heb 13:20 Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant,
For the cause of Christ
Roger
Heb 13:20 Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant,
For the cause of Christ
Roger
If you are referring to all those Jews gathered in Jerusalem for the Feast of Pentecost, not only were the to be sorry for their sins, but sorry for the greatest sin of all -- UNBELIEF in the Lord Jesus Christ. So they were to repent and also believe on Him and receive Him as both Lord and Savior.
Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ. (Acts 2:36).
Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ. (Acts 2:36).
Try to see the fallacy you are creating here. You are reading this as though these are twentieth-century hearers who are going against beliefs we have read about in our modern Bibles for thousands of years.
That isn't accurate. These men were fully devoted to God and their religion... as they had all been raised to understand it.
To them, believing a carpenter's son from the slum section of the country, is somehow "God", totally defies their ingrained beliefs, and is actually "blasphemy" according to how they know and live the religion God gave them.
We modern people probably destroy more true understanding of the Bible than we can imagine..... simply because we cannot "put on our sandals" and read the Bible as the people it was actually delivered to read it.
That isn't accurate. These men were fully devoted to God and their religion... as they had all been raised to understand it.
To them, believing a carpenter's son from the slum section of the country, is somehow "God", totally defies their ingrained beliefs, and is actually "blasphemy" according to how they know and live the religion God gave them.
We modern people probably destroy more true understanding of the Bible than we can imagine..... simply because we cannot "put on our sandals" and read the Bible as the people it was actually delivered to read it.
Go to biblehub.com & search out the greek word for repent.
It will say something like changing one's mind with a sense of remorse.
It's sad indeed that some deliberately leave that out for the sake of their false doctrine.
It will say something like changing one's mind with a sense of remorse.
It's sad indeed that some deliberately leave that out for the sake of their false doctrine.
2 Corinthians 7
8For though I caused you sorrow by my letter, I do not regret it; though I did regret it—for I see that that letter caused you sorrow, though only for a while— 9I now rejoice, not that you were made sorrowful, but that you were made sorrowful to the point of repentance; for you were made sorrowful according to the will of God, so that you might not suffer loss in anything through us. 10For the sorrow that is according to the will of God produces a repentance without regret, leading to salvation, but the sorrow of the world produces death.11For behold what earnestness this very thing, this godly sorrow, has produced in you: what vindication of yourselves, what indignation, what fear, what longing, what zeal, what avenging of wrong! In everything you demonstrated yourselves to be innocent in the matter.It does not matter. The principle remains the same beginning with John the Baptizer who said *Behold the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world*. This was a matter of public record, and multitudes had come to John for the baptism unto repentance. His job was to point every Jew to Christ as their Savior.
Again, I say.... Try to put on your sandals, and think of what you would say or think if this iterant preacher running a tent revival pointed at his second-cousin who happened to be walking by, and said: "Hey! There goes 'the Lamb of God'.... and he is going to take away the sins of the whole world."
But, what if going into the Catholic Confessional Booth (In truth, very little different than what many Protestants swear "repentance" is,) is not what those two were saying to the people?
What if they were saying: "This sacrificing of animals isn't going to work anymore, and you are going to have to look at a new way of thinking about having your sins forgiven." ?
What if they were saying: "This sacrificing of animals isn't going to work anymore, and you are going to have to look at a new way of thinking about having your sins forgiven." ?