What does 'Repent' mean ?

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Mar 28, 2016
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On that we agree, the scriptures seem to indicate that He does so when agree that we are in need of a Savior. We repent and believe and He quickens our spirit.

There would be no need for anyone to share the gospel if man has no part, albeit, such a small one, as to only believe.
Mankind does have apart . The commandment not a good suggestion is to out with the gospel and make disciples of men . We plant the incorruptible born again seed and water it with the doctrine that fall like rain (inspired from above) .God who is of one mind and always does whatsoever his souls pleases repents us causes belief.
 

Sipsey

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Mankind does have apart . The commandment not a good suggestion is to out with the gospel and make disciples of men . We plant the incorruptible born again seed and water it with the doctrine that fall like rain (inspired from above) .God who is of one mind and always does whatsoever his souls pleases repents us causes belief.
So you are saying we can’t really repent, that its God repenting for us?
 
Mar 28, 2016
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So you are saying we can’t really repent, that its God repenting for us?
Yes he moves us turning us to both hear his will and empowers us to do it as we work with . Yoked with Christ he makes our burden or sufferings of the flesh lighter by giving us his rest . Philippians 2:13 informs us it is God who does empower us who were dead in our trespasses and sin. Philippians 2:14 informs us we should believe without murmuring.

It would seem that some say they have a free will separate from Emanuel .God with us. Working to perform his good pleasure. His god pleasure becomes our . he makes our hearts soft .

Job 23 says it directed . We cannot turn or repent Him who is of one mind and always does whatsoever his soul pleases. For he performs that in us what he appoints to us as his commandments .Again he makes or hearts soft . Commandments come from without. They are not our commandments.

He promises believers in Hebrews 6 as to the better things that accompany salvation .He will not forget the good works we work with him if we accredit the power to His name.

If we say we performed them of our own power or will .Our hearts remains hard.

Philippians 2: 13-14 For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure. Do all things without murmurings and disputings:

Job 23 : 13-16 Neither have I gone back from the commandment of his lips; I have esteemed the words of his mouth more than my necessary food. But he is in one mind, and who can turn him? and what his soul desireth, even that he doeth. For he performeth the thing that is appointed for me: and many such things are with him.Therefore am I troubled at his presence: when I consider, I am afraid of him. For God maketh my heart soft, and the Almighty troubleth me:

Hebrew 6: 9-10 But, beloved, we are persuaded better things of you, and things that accompany salvation, though we thus speak. For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love, which ye have shewed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister.

Free will is to do the will that works in us.
 

Sipsey

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Yes he moves us turning us to both hear his will and empowers us to do it as we work with . Yoked with Christ he makes our burden or sufferings of the flesh lighter by giving us his rest . Philippians 2:13 informs us it is God who does empower us who were dead in our trespasses and sin. Philippians 2:14 informs us we should believe without murmuring.

It would seem that some say they have a free will separate from Emanuel .God with us. Working to perform his good pleasure. His god pleasure becomes our . he makes our hearts soft .

Job 23 says it directed . We cannot turn or repent Him who is of one mind and always does whatsoever his soul pleases. For he performs that in us what he appoints to us as his commandments .Again he makes or hearts soft . Commandments come from without. They are not our commandments.

He promises believers in Hebrews 6 as to the better things that accompany salvation .He will not forget the good works we work with him if we accredit the power to His name.

If we say we performed them of our own power or will .Our hearts remains hard.

Philippians 2: 13-14 For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure. Do all things without murmurings and disputings:

Job 23 : 13-16 Neither have I gone back from the commandment of his lips; I have esteemed the words of his mouth more than my necessary food. But he is in one mind, and who can turn him? and what his soul desireth, even that he doeth. For he performeth the thing that is appointed for me: and many such things are with him.Therefore am I troubled at his presence: when I consider, I am afraid of him. For God maketh my heart soft, and the Almighty troubleth me:

Hebrew 6: 9-10 But, beloved, we are persuaded better things of you, and things that accompany salvation, though we thus speak. For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love, which ye have shewed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister.

Free will is to do the will that works in us.
You answered “yes.” You affirm that we cannot choose to repent, when the Bible over and over commands people to do so. Thats a strange take you and some others seem to have.

I can only assume from our short exchange that you believe God has a lottery whereby He chooses some for eternal life with Him, and He chooses the rest to spend eternity in hell.

If God does the choosing can man in any way influence whether God chooses him for eternal life, or not?

Since God alone decides, how does He decide whom He will save?

ps-please be succinct
 

throughfaith

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The Gospel of John does not mention the words “repent” or “repentance” one single time. The most detailed book in the Bible on salvation is the book of Romans. The chapter in Romans on what one must do to be saved is Romans 4, but Romans 4 does not contain the words “repent” or “repentance.” In fact, the word “repentance” only occurs once in the book of Romans (Rom. 2:4) and there it is a virtual synonym for faith. The only book in the Bible written to defend the Gospel is Galatians. Neither the word “repent” nor the word “repentance” makes an appearance in that book at all.
 

throughfaith

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In the New Testament, repentance is definitely not turning from sin. It makes a distinction between repentance and turning. There is another Greek word for turning (epistrephō) and it is never translated “to repent” Acts 26:20 clearly demonstrates that repenting and turning are two different things. Paul says that the Gentiles should “repent and turn to God”
 

throughfaith

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The conclusive evidence that repentance does not mean to be sorry for sin or to turn from sin is that in the Old Testament, God repents! To illustrate, in the King James Version of the Old Testament, the word repent occurs forty-six times. Thirty-seven of these times, God is the one repenting (or not repenting). If repentance means sorrow for sin or turning from sin, God would be a sinner.
 

throughfaith

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Repentance is a change of mind—period. A change of mind should result in a change in behavior, but the word repent looks at the change of belief, not the change in behavior. Repentance is the root; change in behavior is the fruit.
in sign language, the sign for “repent” is made up of two signs (it’s a compound word!), one for “change” and another for “mind.” There are other signs for changing your actions or behavior. Interesting. The deaf, who can’t hear, have it right. Maybe, some do not have it right because of what they have “heard.” Perhaps, they should look what is said in the Word instead of listening to what others say.
 

OneFaith

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Repenting means to make a u-turn away from sin.
 

Sipsey

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Repent-
NT Usage. The noun metanoia and its related verb metanoeō occur 26 times in the gospels, though not at all in John. They are found eleven times in Acts, five times in the Pauline epistles, three times in Hebrews, once in 2 Peter, and twelve times in Revelation. The minority term metamelomai is encountered three times in Matthew, twice in 2 Corinthians, and once in Hebrews.

In the gospels, John the Baptist burst onto the scene in Israel “preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins” (Mark 1:4; Luke 3:3). His urgent message was “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near” (Matt 3:2). Those who came to be baptized by John were warned, “Produce fruit in keeping with repentance” (Luke 3:8). Here the basic flavor of intellectual change in metanoia is evident. It is also clear that behavioral “fruit” (i.e., a changed life) is expected to flow from repentance (Turner 1975: 63–64).

In his early ministry, Jesus’ own message was expressed in similar ways. Like the Baptizer, he proclaimed, “Repent, for the kingdom . . . is near” (Matt 4:17). His mission focused on calling “sinners to repentance” (Luke 5:32). What that meant is clarified in Mark 1:15: “Repent and believe the good news.” Any conception of repenting (metanoeō) not wedded to faith in the gospel falls short of the full biblical message.

On the other hand, the proclamation of Jesus (Jeremias 1971: 152–58) and his apostles sometimes utilized the idea of metanoia to include faith (Mark 6:12). In a real sense, “Repentance and faith are two sides of the same coin” (IDB 4:34). The issue could be sharpened to “repent” or “perish” (Luke 13:3, 5), “repent” or go to “hell” and “torment” after death (Luke 16:23, 28, 30). For those sinners who do repent, however, there is “joy in heaven” (Luke 15:7, 10). Thus, it can be concluded that, in the gospels, metanoia stands for the entire response bringing about eternal life, including faith when it is not stated. Accordingly, the Great Commission statement which concludes Luke’s gospel reads, “Repentance and forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations” (24:47).

At the human level, sincere repentance (metanoeō) for interpersonal sin demands forgiveness, according to Christ (Luke 17:3–4). Surprisingly, John’s gospel contains no reference to repentance in either dimension, the idea apparently being included in John’s concept of faith (IDB 4: 34).

The three uses of metamelomai in the gospels are instructive. In Matt 21:29, 32, it is similar, but not equivalent, to metanoeō. In Matt 27:3 the “remorse” of Judas does not have “the power to overcome the destructive operation of sin” (TDNT 4:628). This example “makes it clear that metamelomai and metanoeō do not have identical meanings in the NT” (NIDNTT 1: 356).

Virtually echoing John the Baptist, Peter’s sermon at Pentecost in Acts urged, “Repent and be baptized . . . so that your sins may be forgiven” (Acts 2:38). Further usage links repentance not only with forgiveness (5:31) but also with “faith in our Lord Jesus” (20:21) and with “life,” as a result of repentance (11:18). In Acts 17:30–31 Paul on the Areopagus states God’s command for “all people everywhere to repent” or be justly judged. Parallel to the phenomena in the gospels (NIDNTT 1: 359), repentance in Acts may be complementary to faith (20:21) or include faith (17:30) and leads to forgiveness of sins (2:38; 5:31) and eternal life (11:18).

Two other passages bring epistrephō alongside metanoeō in noteworthy ways. Acts 3:19 records Peter’s offer to Israel: “Repent . . . and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out.” Paul’s explanation of his apostolic commission to Agrippa in Acts 26:18 clarifies this turning (epistrephō): “from darkness to light,” from Satan’s power to God to receive forgiveness of sins. The apostle’s obedience to that commission meant that he preached that his hearers “should repent and turn to God and prove their repentance by their deeds” (Acts 26:20). Here again is the expectation that the one who changes his mind (metanoeō) about the gospel and turns (epistrephō) to the Lord will display a “converted” lifestyle (cf. Luke 3:8).

The Pauline literature rarely uses the terms for repentance, and the Johannine epistles not at all. For Paul, like John, repentance is included in faith (IDB 4: 34). Besides several standard uses (Rom 2:4; 2 Cor 12:21; 2 Tim 2:25), Paul strongly contrasts metanoeō and metamelomai in 2 Cor 7:8–10 (TDNT 4:629).

The writer of Hebrews refers to the God who “will not change his mind” (7:21) and Esau, who could not achieve repentance (12:17). He also speaks of foundational initial repentance (6:1) and the utter impossibility of returning to the point of first repentance (6:6). Peter describes the patient God, who desires “everyone to come to repentance” (2 Pet 3:9), apparently including forgiveness and salvation (See 1 Tim 2:4). Again the basic idea of a change of mind is demonstrated in the epistles.
The letters to the churches in the Roman province of Asia in the book of Revelation contain eight uses of “repent” (2:5 [twice], 16, 21 [twice], 22; 3:3, 19). The glorified Christ’s command to repent was directed at a lukewarm church in Laodicea (3:19), but also at the great church at Ephesus (2:5), which had “forsaken its first love” (2:4). All these sinful churches needed to change their minds and bring forth the fruit of repentance (Luke 3:8; Acts 26:20), turning again to Christ.

Sadly, the last mentions of “repent” (metanoeō) in the NT picture an unrepentant mass of humankind as God’s climactic wrath is poured out on the earth (Rev 9:20, 21; 16:9, 11). Instead of turning to the Lord in repentant faith through his longstanding patience (2 Pet 3:9) or to escape his righteous judgment, these sinners continued with their abominable acts (9:20, 21) and cursed God instead of glorifying him (16:9, 11).

In conclusion it can be said that repentance in the NT is always anchored in a change of thinking (metanoia), although the psychological and emotional aspects sometimes color or expand the concept (especially the usage of metamelomai) (ISBE 4: 136–37). Repentance must not be separated from its flip side of faith (Mark 1:15; Acts 20:21), or from the realization that it sometimes stands for the package of human response to the good news of Jesus Christ (2 Pet 3:9; cf. Acts 2:38). True repentance, whether by an unbeliever or a believer (Acts 26:18, 20; Luke 17:3–4), receives the gracious forgiveness that God continually offers all humankind in Christ (Luke 24:47).
 

throughfaith

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Repent-
NT Usage. The noun metanoia and its related verb metanoeō occur 26 times in the gospels, though not at all in John. They are found eleven times in Acts, five times in the Pauline epistles, three times in Hebrews, once in 2 Peter, and twelve times in Revelation. The minority term metamelomai is encountered three times in Matthew, twice in 2 Corinthians, and once in Hebrews.

In the gospels, John the Baptist burst onto the scene in Israel “preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins” (Mark 1:4; Luke 3:3). His urgent message was “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near” (Matt 3:2). Those who came to be baptized by John were warned, “Produce fruit in keeping with repentance” (Luke 3:8). Here the basic flavor of intellectual change in metanoia is evident. It is also clear that behavioral “fruit” (i.e., a changed life) is expected to flow from repentance (Turner 1975: 63–64).

In his early ministry, Jesus’ own message was expressed in similar ways. Like the Baptizer, he proclaimed, “Repent, for the kingdom . . . is near” (Matt 4:17). His mission focused on calling “sinners to repentance” (Luke 5:32). What that meant is clarified in Mark 1:15: “Repent and believe the good news.” Any conception of repenting (metanoeō) not wedded to faith in the gospel falls short of the full biblical message.

On the other hand, the proclamation of Jesus (Jeremias 1971: 152–58) and his apostles sometimes utilized the idea of metanoia to include faith (Mark 6:12). In a real sense, “Repentance and faith are two sides of the same coin” (IDB 4:34). The issue could be sharpened to “repent” or “perish” (Luke 13:3, 5), “repent” or go to “hell” and “torment” after death (Luke 16:23, 28, 30). For those sinners who do repent, however, there is “joy in heaven” (Luke 15:7, 10). Thus, it can be concluded that, in the gospels, metanoia stands for the entire response bringing about eternal life, including faith when it is not stated. Accordingly, the Great Commission statement which concludes Luke’s gospel reads, “Repentance and forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations” (24:47).

At the human level, sincere repentance (metanoeō) for interpersonal sin demands forgiveness, according to Christ (Luke 17:3–4). Surprisingly, John’s gospel contains no reference to repentance in either dimension, the idea apparently being included in John’s concept of faith (IDB 4: 34).

The three uses of metamelomai in the gospels are instructive. In Matt 21:29, 32, it is similar, but not equivalent, to metanoeō. In Matt 27:3 the “remorse” of Judas does not have “the power to overcome the destructive operation of sin” (TDNT 4:628). This example “makes it clear that metamelomai and metanoeō do not have identical meanings in the NT” (NIDNTT 1: 356).

Virtually echoing John the Baptist, Peter’s sermon at Pentecost in Acts urged, “Repent and be baptized . . . so that your sins may be forgiven” (Acts 2:38). Further usage links repentance not only with forgiveness (5:31) but also with “faith in our Lord Jesus” (20:21) and with “life,” as a result of repentance (11:18). In Acts 17:30–31 Paul on the Areopagus states God’s command for “all people everywhere to repent” or be justly judged. Parallel to the phenomena in the gospels (NIDNTT 1: 359), repentance in Acts may be complementary to faith (20:21) or include faith (17:30) and leads to forgiveness of sins (2:38; 5:31) and eternal life (11:18).

Two other passages bring epistrephō alongside metanoeō in noteworthy ways. Acts 3:19 records Peter’s offer to Israel: “Repent . . . and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out.” Paul’s explanation of his apostolic commission to Agrippa in Acts 26:18 clarifies this turning (epistrephō): “from darkness to light,” from Satan’s power to God to receive forgiveness of sins. The apostle’s obedience to that commission meant that he preached that his hearers “should repent and turn to God and prove their repentance by their deeds” (Acts 26:20). Here again is the expectation that the one who changes his mind (metanoeō) about the gospel and turns (epistrephō) to the Lord will display a “converted” lifestyle (cf. Luke 3:8).

The Pauline literature rarely uses the terms for repentance, and the Johannine epistles not at all. For Paul, like John, repentance is included in faith (IDB 4: 34). Besides several standard uses (Rom 2:4; 2 Cor 12:21; 2 Tim 2:25), Paul strongly contrasts metanoeō and metamelomai in 2 Cor 7:8–10 (TDNT 4:629).

The writer of Hebrews refers to the God who “will not change his mind” (7:21) and Esau, who could not achieve repentance (12:17). He also speaks of foundational initial repentance (6:1) and the utter impossibility of returning to the point of first repentance (6:6). Peter describes the patient God, who desires “everyone to come to repentance” (2 Pet 3:9), apparently including forgiveness and salvation (See 1 Tim 2:4). Again the basic idea of a change of mind is demonstrated in the epistles.
The letters to the churches in the Roman province of Asia in the book of Revelation contain eight uses of “repent” (2:5 [twice], 16, 21 [twice], 22; 3:3, 19). The glorified Christ’s command to repent was directed at a lukewarm church in Laodicea (3:19), but also at the great church at Ephesus (2:5), which had “forsaken its first love” (2:4). All these sinful churches needed to change their minds and bring forth the fruit of repentance (Luke 3:8; Acts 26:20), turning again to Christ.

Sadly, the last mentions of “repent” (metanoeō) in the NT picture an unrepentant mass of humankind as God’s climactic wrath is poured out on the earth (Rev 9:20, 21; 16:9, 11). Instead of turning to the Lord in repentant faith through his longstanding patience (2 Pet 3:9) or to escape his righteous judgment, these sinners continued with their abominable acts (9:20, 21) and cursed God instead of glorifying him (16:9, 11).

In conclusion it can be said that repentance in the NT is always anchored in a change of thinking (metanoia), although the psychological and emotional aspects sometimes color or expand the concept (especially the usage of metamelomai) (ISBE 4: 136–37). Repentance must not be separated from its flip side of faith (Mark 1:15; Acts 20:21), or from the realization that it sometimes stands for the package of human response to the good news of Jesus Christ (2 Pet 3:9; cf. Acts 2:38). True repentance, whether by an unbeliever or a believer (Acts 26:18, 20; Luke 17:3–4), receives the gracious forgiveness that God continually offers all humankind in Christ (Luke 24:47).
= Change of mind . Thats it .
 

throughfaith

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John the Baptist preached, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!” (Mt. 3:2). Several clues in this passage indicate that by “repent” John meant a change of mind. In Matthew 3:9, John says, “Do not think to say to yourself, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’” (According to Luke, John said, “Do not begin to say to yourselves;” see Lk. 3:8.)
The Jews of John’s day were of the opinion that being a son of Abraham was a “pledge of safety” , that because they were the descendents of Abraham they had a part in the world to come . Thus, John is telling people who thought that they would enter the kingdom because they were descendents of Abraham that they must “repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” That is, they must not think that because they are descendents of Abraham they will enter the kingdom. Obviously, they must think something else, which John mentions later, but the point is that when John the Baptist said, “Repent,” he meant “change your mind” about what you think it takes to enter the kingdom.
They must cease to trust their own merits and trust the coming Messiah.
 

throughfaith

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repentance is a transfer of trust from self-righteousness to the Savior.
 

TheDivineWatermark

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John the Baptist preached, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!” (Mt. 3:2). Several clues in this passage indicate that by “repent” John meant a change of mind. In Matthew 3:9, John says, “Do not think to say to yourself, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’” (According to Luke, John said, “Do not begin to say to yourselves;” see Lk. 3:8.)
The Jews of John’s day were of the opinion that being a son of Abraham was a “pledge of safety” , that because they were the descendents of Abraham they had a part in the world to come . Thus, John is telling people who thought that they would enter the kingdom because they were descendents of Abraham that they must “repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”
That is, they must not think that because they are descendents of Abraham they will enter the kingdom. Obviously, they must think something else, which John mentions later, but the point is that when John the Baptist said, “Repent,” he meant “change your mind” about what you think it takes to enter the kingdom.
They must cease to trust their own merits and trust the coming Messiah.
Well said. (y)
 

ForestGreenCook

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I would offer it would appear they did hear the gospel of their salvation revealed in parables through the ceremonial laws. The Spirit of Christ that worked in them preached the gospel beforehand. We look back to that glorious day they looked ahead by the same spirit of faith as it is written

Of which salvation the prophets have enquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you: Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow. 1 Peter 1:10-11
I agree with you, but most on this forum do not believe that God put the Holy Spirit within the old testament saints.
 

ForestGreenCook

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I just checked and the word “believe” and its various derivatives is used about 250 times in Scripture. Many are associated with eternal life. It makes absolutely no sense to assert that God makes one “believe” to be saved.

According to your theory God makes one believe, in order that they might believe. See how silly that looks?
When we reference the word "believe", we are referencing "spiritual belief". The natural man cannot discern the things of the Spirit 1 Cor 2:14, until he is quickened to a new spiritual life. God gives spiritual life, with the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, to a person before that person can discern the things of the Spirit. Because "spiritual faith" is a fruit of the Holy Spirit Gal 5:22, A person cannot have spiritual faith until he has been born to a new spiritual life. See how that is not silly?
 

TheDivineWatermark

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[re: Post #336 "most"] I doubt that... but consider the following (re: the text of 1 Peter 3) -

[quoting old post]

[quoting Gaebelein on 1 Peter 3]

"The chief question is: Did our Lord go to Hades in a disembodied state? In fact, all depends on the question of what is the true meaning of the sentence, “quickened by the Spirit.” Now, according to the interpretations of the men who teach that the Lord visited Hades, the spirits in prison, during the interval between His death and the morning of the third day, He descended into these regions while His dead body was still in the grave. Therefore, these teachers claim that His human spirit was quickened, which necessitates that the spirit which the dying Christ commended into the Father’s hands had also died. This is not only incorrect doctrine, but it is an unsound and evil doctrine. Was the holy humanity of our Lord, body, soul and spirit dead? A thousands times No! Only His body died; that is the only part of Him which could die. The text makes this clear: “He was put to death in flesh,” that is, His body. There could be no quickening of His spirit, for His spirit was alive. Furthermore, the word quickening, as we learn from Ephesians 1:20 and Ephesians 2:5-6, by comparing the two passages, applies to His physical resurrection, it is the quickening of His body. To teach that the Lord Jesus was made alive before His resurrection is unscriptural. The “quickened by the Spirit” means the raising up of His body. His human spirit needed no quickening; it was His body and only His body. And the Spirit who did the quickening is not His own spirit, that is, His human spirit, but the Holy Spirit. Romans 8:11 speaks of the Spirit as raising Jesus from among the dead.

"We have shown that it was an impossibility that Christ was in any way quickened while His body was not yet raised, hence a visit to Hades is positively excluded between His death and resurrection. There is only another alternative. If it is true that He descended into these regions, then it must have been after His resurrection. But that is equally untenable. The so-called “Apostle’s Creed” puts the descent between His death and resurrection and all the other theorists follow this view. We have shown what the passage does not mean. It cannot mean a visit of the disembodied Christ to Hades, for it speaks of the quickening by the Spirit, and that means His physical resurrection.

"What, then, does the passage mean? It is very simple after all. He preached by the Spirit, or in the Spirit, that is, the same Spirit who raised Him from among the dead, the Holy Spirit of life and power, to the spirits who are now in prison. But when the preaching occurred they were not in prison. And who were they? All the wicked dead for 4,000 years? The text makes it clear that they are a special class of people. They were living in the days of Noah. It is incomprehensible how some of these teachers, misinterpreting this passage, can teach that it includes all the lost, or angels which fell, or the righteous dead. The Spirit of God preached to them, that is, the Spirit who quickened the body of Christ, the same Spirit preached to the generation of unbelievers in the days of Noah. The time of the preaching, then, did not occur between the death and resurrection of Christ, but it took place in Noah’s day. Christ was not personally, or corporeally present, just as He is not present in person in this age when the gospel is preached; His Spirit is here.

"So was He present by His Spirit in the days of Noah. It is written: “My Spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh; yet his days shall be one hundred and twenty years” (Genesis 6:3). His Spirit was then on the earth. In long-suffering God was waiting for one hundred and twenty years while the ark was preparing. His Spirit preached then. But He needed an instrument. The instrument was Noah; in him was the Spirit of Christ and as the preacher of righteousness (2Peter 2:5) he delivered the warning message of an impending judgment to those about him, who did not heed the message, passed on in disobedience, were swept away by the deluge and are now the spirits in prison. As the Spirit of Christ was in the prophets (1Peter 1:11) testifying beforehand of the suffering of Christ and the glory that should follow, so the Spirit of Christ preached through Noah. This is the meaning of this passage, and any other is faulty and unscriptural."

-- https://biblehub.com/commentaries/gaebelein/1_peter/3.htm

[bold and underline mine]
 

ForestGreenCook

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Is paul talking about salvation there ?
You are trying too hard to make this say something that it does not say. The good work that God began in them is "their fellowship in the gospel (verse 5) and God will perform their fellowship in the gospel until Christ comes at the last day.
 

ForestGreenCook

Well-known member
Jul 8, 2018
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lol does your entire theology rest on ' the natural man ' . ?
Your theology rests upon giving the natural man "the ability to discern the things of the Spirit", which contradicts 1 Cor 2:14. All scriptures must harmonize if you are to understand the doctrine that Jesus taught.