I find it very sad when Christians put their opinions over scripture. Some examples.

[tourist]

To be fair, the Bible doesn't record Jonah repented. We have no idea if he eventually does or not.

That's my take as well.

 

[studentoftheword]

Actually, it appears that @JohnB is correct. God tells Jonah to go to Ninevah and he goes in the opposite direction. Very angry at God, no repentance noted in the book of Jonah.[/QUOTE

You and JohbB need to read on and discover that Jonah did repent -----Research ---Research --Research --and ask the Holy Spirit to guide you into the truth ------

from Google

The storm stopped, and Jonah was swallowed by a large fish. Jonah prayed and repented. After three days the fish put him on dry land. This time Jonah obeyed the Lord and preached repentance to the people of Nineveh.

In what verse did Jonah repent?


Jonah 1:1–2—Jonah is called to go to Nineveh to preach repentance to the people.

 

[JohnB]

I've talked to Christian couples who would not kiss, hug, hold hands, no one on one dating. They said they were making themselves pure and holy before they got married, so god would bless their marriage. There is nothing in the bible to support this. Paul even said.....But if they cannot control themselves, they should marry, for it is better to marry than to burn with passion. 1 Corinthians 7:9 .

This goes along with Deuteronomy 22:28-29 "“Suppose a man has intercourse with a young woman who is a virgin but is not engaged to be married. If they are discovered, "......they were to get married.

I actually told these people, you are playing games with god. You think your actions will make god bless your marriage. You're saying, "if we do this and don't do this, god will bless our marriage" It doesn't work that way. You don't tell god when and where to bless something.

 

[JohnB]

Actually, it appears that @JohnB is correct. God tells Jonah to go to Ninevah and he goes in the opposite direction. Very angry at God, no repentance noted in the book of Jonah.

There is a reason god chose Jonah. god needed someone so stubborn they would be swallowed by a large fish, than do what they were asked to do. This way Jesus would use the story about Jonah be 3 days and 3 nights in the large fish. He served god's purpose long before Jesus was even born.

I read that while in the body of the fish, Jonah would have turned all white, lost all his hair from the acid in the fish's stomach. Imagine the sight he would have caused walking through the city with his message. People would have been shocked.

 

[FollowingtheWay]

One of the street preachers I follow has this to say.

 

[Dino246]

Jonah hated what god did and never repented of it.

And?

 

[ThereRoseaLamb]

It still ought to be, if a woman respects herself.

Yes, but I'm not so sure it's taught or taken as seriously anymore.

 

[ThereRoseaLamb]

Excellent post.

Your post of scripture here wraps up the whole discussion.
It shows Jonah turning back to God (which is what repentance means),
and it shows God accepting his change of heart by removing him from the fish,
and sending him back to finish his ministry.

There is just nothing left to argue with; the scripture here is very clear.

However, as some have mentioned, there are those that have difficulty understanding simple scripture.
I think there are a number of possible causes.
I don't know JohnB well enough to offer a particular explanation.

I think it's good he's here, and that he wants to discuss scripture.
I'm all for that.



.

Thank you brother. I felt like Scripture was clear there and nothing more needed to be said. I don't know about you, but I grew up in Sunday school. Of course Jonah and the whale or big fish was one of those well told Bible stories. The whole point of Jonah learning his lesson, that he could not flee the will of God, was learned in the belly of the fish. Maybe some didn't grow up on these Bible lessons. That preacher needs to possibly pick up his Bible and read it though.

 

[ThereRoseaLamb]

I know some people look at kissing, holding hands, and hugging, as innocent, but it is not to be done for there should be no contact for they should not be intimate in any way.

And boyfriend and girlfriend as saying they are a couple is wrong for it should not be but only married.

Did God say you can steal a small item but do not steal a big item.

You can call someone an idiot but do not call them a fool.

You cannot kiss and say it is alright but not fornicate because kissing is intimate with another person, and should only be reserved for marriage.

I see some parents kiss their children on the lips but I do not think it is right for that should only be for spouses.

Kissing, holding hands, and hugging, does not make any sense in this way that they would be considered temptations that could lead to doing more.

That reason alone would mean you cannot do those things.

Jesus said do not even lust after a woman in your heart for it is the same thing as doing the act.

I think all of this depends on the age of the couple we are talking about. Younger couples shouldn't be left alone. But again it's a different day in age. There was a time where you met your future spouse in church. You married young and started a family. There was really no worry about purity because people married so young. My father was 19 when he married my mother, a year or two older. Now the "courting" period is sometimes longer than the actual marriage.

 

[ThereRoseaLamb]

Show me where it says that God won't help you find a spouse if you ask!
.

He will give you the desires of your heart, a faithful Christian spouse, I would say God answers that prayer.

 

[ThereRoseaLamb]

"“Suppose a man has intercourse with a young woman who is a virgin but is not engaged to be married. If they are discovered, he must pay her father fifty pieces of silver. Then he must marry the young woman because he violated her, and he may never divorce her as long as he lives. " Deut. 22:28.....seems like here they were given a pass.

You consider that a pass do you?

 

[JohnB]

And?

too many people believe he did, but he didn't. They read into the story something that did not happen.

 

[JohnB]

You consider that a pass do you?

They were not put to death, there was no sin offering. They got married.

 

[ThereRoseaLamb]

yes, he did what god asked him to do, but he never repented of hating it.

No he did repent, that's what the verses just said.

 

[maxwel]

Thank you brother. I felt like Scripture was clear there and nothing more needed to be said. I don't know about you, but I grew up in Sunday school. Of course Jonah and the whale or big fish was one of those well told Bible stories. The whole point of Jonah learning his lesson, that he could not flee the will of God, was learned in the belly of the fish. Maybe some didn't grow up on these Bible lessons. That preacher needs to possibly pick up his Bible and read it though.

Your post was very good, but the whole issue does have a bit of complication - I tried to detail it in post #40.

I'm afraid my post (#40) was a bit rambly and hard to read, lol.


Here is the whole issue in a nutshell:
Did Jonah repent or not? Well... he did and he didn't... and then he probably did some more, but not with 100% certainty.
1. The story of Jonah has 2 instances of sin, and requires 2 instances of repentance.
2. The first instance of sin is refusing to go to Nineveh, and there is repentance in chapter 2.
3. The second instance of sin is anger because God spared Nineveh... this sin has no explicit resolution.
4. So there are many things going on, some are neatly resolved, and some are not.
5. I think I could make a case that the existence of repentance after chapter 4, though not explicit, is implicit.
* If we consider: Jonah's position as a prophet, his previous relationship with God, his previous ability to repent, and God's patience with him at the very end... I think these all lead us to an implicit understanding there was probably repentance again at the end.


God Bless.

.

 

[Truthnightmare]

Matthew 21
28 But what think ye? A certain man had two sons; and he came to the first, and said, Son, go work to day in my vineyard.

29 He answered and said, I will not: but afterward he repented, and went.

30 And he came to the second, and said likewise. And he answered and said, I go, sir: and went not.

The first son repented.. But “repent” means to have a change of heart, or change one’s mind.

Is it possible Jonah’s repentance was in his actions?

 

[ThereRoseaLamb]

They were not put to death, there was no sin offering. They got married.

Why did he have to pay money to the father? Why'd he have to marry her for life instead of hookup with another hottie the next night?

 

[maxwel]

Matthew 21
28 But what think ye? A certain man had two sons; and he came to the first, and said, Son, go work to day in my vineyard.

29 He answered and said, I will not: but afterward he repented, and went.

30 And he came to the second, and said likewise. And he answered and said, I go, sir: and went not.

The first son repented.. But “repent” means to have a change of heart, or change one’s mind.

Is it possible Jonah’s repentance was in his actions?

"But “repent” means to have a change of heart, or change one’s mind"

1. Repent means to "change direction", it does not specifically mean a change of heart... though a change of heart is usually part of the process.
2. Regardless of definitions, Jonah had both a change of direction, and a change of heart, in chapter two. It's very clear and explicit.
3. What is less clear is how he handled his anger issue at the very end, in chapter 4.

.

 

[Truthnightmare]

"But “repent” means to have a change of heart, or change one’s mind"

1. Repent means to "change direction", it does not specifically mean a change of heart... though a change of heart is usually part of the process.
2. Regardless of definitions, Jonah had both a change of direction, and a change of heart, in chapter two. It's very clear and explicit.
3. What is less clear is how he handled his anger issue at the very end, in chapter 4.

.

I agree, I just wanted to keep it simple…there are so many words and terms that can describe repentance.

 

[JohnB]

Why did he have to pay money to the father? Why'd he have to marry her for life instead of hookup with another hottie the next night?

He paid the bride's price. For her future care. By the law he had to marry her, IF the father said so. If the father refused, he could tell the guy you cannot marry her. He still had to pay the bride's price.