Hello HeRoseFromTheDead. Nobody challenges my long held beliefs the way some of your, if you will, 'outside the box' posts have done over the last year or so. Love it. Its invigorating and definitely "iron sharpening iron".
I appreciate the response. I was grouping the actions by what He does and what we do. Not necessarily chronologically.
Repent *AND* turn around??? My own bias read "change your mind [repent] and stop sinning [turn around]", but by your parenthesis suggest (to me anyway) that you are saying stop sinning and change my mind. Since these are so directly linked together I see no difference here. (Unless I am the only one seeing them as inseparable??)
However, I am confused about how I am able to change my mind and actions and THEN God empowers me??? If I am following you correctly, I have already changed both mind and behavior. What is God empowering me to do at that point?
Perhaps you are not listing the steps chronologically either? Merely including some omissions that I made? (ie conscience) Or correcting a perceived inaccurate chronological order?
Keep shining your unique light brother!
Yes I am definitely outside of the box.
A fine compliment, I might say. A lot of times I'm just trying to figure out things for myself, and am just following my nose, so to speak. So thanks for your gracious feedback. It helps to ameliorate some of the pain.
Well I based my "turn around" comment on Acts 3:19.
Therefore repent and turn back, so that your sins may be blotted out, Acts 3:19
The King James has 'be converted', but the word actually means
turn around.
Convert
G1994 ἐπιστρέφω epistrepho (ep-ee-stref'-o) v.
1. to revert
First we are convicted (by the spirit and our conscience), then we repent (change our minds by our will), then we turn around (by our will), then GOD gives us the ability to do his will through his spirit. When Peter said the above, the
turn around part came before baptism and receiving the spirit.
But you will receive power (δύναμις) [when] the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the farthest part of the earth. Acts 1:8
The word δύναμις (dunamis) is almost always translated
power, but it actually means
ability. So,
"you will receive ability [when] the Holy Spirit has come upon you".
Theological Dictionary of the New Testament
Power, δύναμις (dunamis)
Words of this stem all have the basic sense of ability or capability. dýnamai means a. “to be able” in a general sense, b. “to be able” with reference to the attitude that makes one able, hence sometimes “to will,” and c. (of things) “to be equivalent to,” “to count as,” “to signify.” dynatós means “one who has ability or power,” “one who is powerful”; the neuter adjective signifies “what is possible or practicable.” dynatéō means “to have great ability.” adýnatos means “one who has no ability or strength”; the noun tó adýnaton signifies “impossibility” and adýnatón esti “to be impossible.” adynatéō means “not to be able.” dýnamis, the most important word in the group, means “ability,” then “possibility,” then “power” both physical and intellectual or spiritual. dýnastēs has the sense of “one who can do something” and was early used for “ruler” (including God as ruler). dynamóō and endynamóō both mean “to give power,” “to make strong,” “to strengthen.”
I hope I covered all of your questions.