What does 'Repent' mean ?
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Hello @throughfaith, 
Repent means to have a complete and total change of heart and mind.......how often have we said, "If I had it to do all over, I'd do it right this time!"
Sometimes we don't get a chance to do something over but, we can say we're sorry and do our best to make up for it - do what it takes to "fix" the hurt or wrong that was done.
I like that God is the God of Second Chances........meaning that when we do something wrong, we get the "test" again!
The parable you chose, is really more about obedience to the Father's Will and how sinners will actually obey God, while "religious" folk will talk like they do but, do not do the Father's Will.
Opposition to obedience is "pride" and/or "ignorance." God rejects the proud and pride rejects God. Then, there's ignorance........God says, "My people perish for lack of knowledge," even Jesus said on the cross......"Father, forgive them they don't know what they are doing."
Repent means to have a complete and total change of heart and mind.......how often have we said, "If I had it to do all over, I'd do it right this time!"
Sometimes we don't get a chance to do something over but, we can say we're sorry and do our best to make up for it - do what it takes to "fix" the hurt or wrong that was done.
I like that God is the God of Second Chances........meaning that when we do something wrong, we get the "test" again!
The parable you chose, is really more about obedience to the Father's Will and how sinners will actually obey God, while "religious" folk will talk like they do but, do not do the Father's Will.
Opposition to obedience is "pride" and/or "ignorance." God rejects the proud and pride rejects God. Then, there's ignorance........God says, "My people perish for lack of knowledge," even Jesus said on the cross......"Father, forgive them they don't know what they are doing."
God's people, when they are first quickened to the new spiritual life, are considered to be "babes in Christ". As babes in Christ, we are no different than when we were first born a natural birth, in the fact that, we did not have any knowledge of things until we gradually began to learn from listening to our parents and other people about things of the world. In like manner, we, as babes in Christ learn in the same manner, by listening to the word of God being preached, and reading for ourselves to gradually gaining knowledge of spiritual things.
The natural man has his faith placed in man, and man's accomplishments. This is not spiritual faith. Spiritual faith is a fruit of the Holy Spirit, Gal 5:22. Before a person has spiritual faith, he has to be quickened th the new spiritual life with the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. Eph 2, quickened together with Christ, Eph 2:5.
Then you must not believe that all scriptures must harmonize, if you are willing to ignore the fact that God changed Jacob's name to be no more Jacob, but to be called Israel. If you apply all of the scriptures that reference Israel to the nation of Israel, you are not harmonizing the scriptures, and your biblical theory is wrong. Jacob, as Israel, is the body, and bride of Christ.
Never did I say God's people lose their connection to being God's people because of "lack of knowledge"....
In regards to one of the reasons why we disobey God, I did say in Post #190:
Then, there's ignorance........God says, "My people perish for lack of knowledge," even Jesus said on the cross......"Father, forgive them they don't know what they are doing."
As Believers, if we have lack of knowledge we will make bad decisions that are contrary to God's Will and we will suffer, cause others to suffer and maybe even die a physical death because of IGNORANCE.
However, NEVER do we lose our connection to being God's Child. We are forever His possession - bought and paid for with the Blood and Body of Jesus Christ.
As new born babes in Christ we are washed clean from all our sins with the Blood of Jesus Christ and we are clothed with the Body of Jesus Christ which is the Righteousness of God in Christ, and we are sealed with the Holy Spirit which is the promise of Eternal Life - the same Spirit that raised Christ from the dead will also raise us up and quicken our mortal bodies.
We do need the Baptism with the Holy Spirit which is the First Time we are Filled with the Holy Spirit with power to be an effective witness of Jesus Christ because it is the Spirit of God that gives witness to the Son of God Jesus Christ.
The Holy Spirit will open up the scriptures and give us understanding whether a preacher is preaching or we are reading the scriptures for ourselves. Understanding of Truth comes only from the Holy Spirit.
The Holy Spirit of God with the Word of God renews our minds which is how our souls get restored and we are able to discern the perfect Will of God, choose it and do it, thereby learning how to walk by the Spirit so we do not fulfill the lusts of the flesh.
In regards to one of the reasons why we disobey God, I did say in Post #190:
Then, there's ignorance........God says, "My people perish for lack of knowledge," even Jesus said on the cross......"Father, forgive them they don't know what they are doing."
As Believers, if we have lack of knowledge we will make bad decisions that are contrary to God's Will and we will suffer, cause others to suffer and maybe even die a physical death because of IGNORANCE.
However, NEVER do we lose our connection to being God's Child. We are forever His possession - bought and paid for with the Blood and Body of Jesus Christ.
As new born babes in Christ we are washed clean from all our sins with the Blood of Jesus Christ and we are clothed with the Body of Jesus Christ which is the Righteousness of God in Christ, and we are sealed with the Holy Spirit which is the promise of Eternal Life - the same Spirit that raised Christ from the dead will also raise us up and quicken our mortal bodies.
We do need the Baptism with the Holy Spirit which is the First Time we are Filled with the Holy Spirit with power to be an effective witness of Jesus Christ because it is the Spirit of God that gives witness to the Son of God Jesus Christ.
The Holy Spirit will open up the scriptures and give us understanding whether a preacher is preaching or we are reading the scriptures for ourselves. Understanding of Truth comes only from the Holy Spirit.
The Holy Spirit of God with the Word of God renews our minds which is how our souls get restored and we are able to discern the perfect Will of God, choose it and do it, thereby learning how to walk by the Spirit so we do not fulfill the lusts of the flesh.
...The unbeliever has his faith placed in man, and man's accomplishments. This is not Faith in Jesus . After a person responds to hearing the Gospel and believes he Recieves the Holy Spirit,and has access to the fruit of the Holy Spirit Gal 5:22. when a person has faith in Jesus and receives Him ( John 1.13 , he is made alive with the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. Eph 2, quickened together with Christ, Eph 2:5.
I read and understood repent to mean ‘be truly and sincerely sorry for your past sins’ (wrong doings) That is why i have not been able to truly and honestly repent before the lord. I am an ex drug/alcohol addict and find it very hard-as shameful as this sounds-to repent for transgressions i have no memory of. I’m not a person who says ‘that wasn’t me it was the drugs’ because that’s BS to put it firmly. The substances only brought out what was already lurking in my heart and mind anyway. But as i have no memory attached to the event it’s hard to repent based only on reports and witnesses rather than my own feelings. However if my understanding of the word repent is correct than i am very sorry and ashamed that i allowed myself to purposely get into such a monstrous state of mind. (Sorry new here don’t know whether that’s a too long answer 🤷♂️)
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The natural, / babe believer as opposed to the mature believer as this verse says cannot understand the spiritual ( mature ) things. Notice they are unable at this time . Paul cannot even speak to them on the things .
1¶And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ.
2I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able.
3For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?
Yes the unbelievers can and do think the Gospel is foolish. Just like Abraham thought it was foolish to have a child at his age . I think Sarah even laughed ..But by faith they believed. Many calvinists hear the Gospel several times thinking it foolish
rejecting it even over years. But then come to believe and recieve Jesus .. Then become a calvinist.
1¶And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ.
2I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able.
3For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?
Yes the unbelievers can and do think the Gospel is foolish. Just like Abraham thought it was foolish to have a child at his age . I think Sarah even laughed ..But by faith they believed. Many calvinists hear the Gospel several times thinking it foolish
rejecting it even over years. But then come to believe and recieve Jesus .. Then become a calvinist.
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These babies in Christ cannot understand the things.
1¶And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ.
2I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able.
3For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?
1¶And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ.
2I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able.
3For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?
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We were all born into this world as natural beings. Here is the only way that as a natural man we can be saved; 1. Christ died as a sacrifice to God for the payment of the sins of those that God gave to him. Sometime in their lifespan, God quickened them to a spiritual life Eph 2:1 and quickened them together with Christ, putting the Holy Spirit within them, Eph 2:5.
Notice in verse 1 that this quickening took place while the natural man was still spiritually dead in his sins. and had nothing to do with him being quickened. That's why it is referred to as a gift of God. It is by God's sovereign grace, without any help from man.
Notice in verse 1 that this quickening took place while the natural man was still spiritually dead in his sins. and had nothing to do with him being quickened. That's why it is referred to as a gift of God. It is by God's sovereign grace, without any help from man.
When you were first born into this world were you ABLE to understand everything about life? No! I don't think so. You had to listen to your parents and gradually learn the things of life. Were you quickened to a natural life? Yes! In the same manner, the natural man has to be quickened to a spiritual life, before he can gradually grow to maturity, by listening to the word of God being preached, and reading the scriptures himself to see if what the preacher said was true.
I, honestly, can not understand why you can not get this simple fact straight in your mind.
You are so dogmatic about disproving Calvinism wrong that your mind is blocked to any constructive information.
I, honestly, can not understand why you can not get this simple fact straight in your mind.
You are so dogmatic about disproving Calvinism wrong that your mind is blocked to any constructive information.