Thread: repent, Repent, REPENT!!! Repent from what?
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repent, Repent, REPENT!!! Repent from what?
Posted : 15 Dec, 2010 03:34 PM
I find it curious that I have NOT found the phrase "repent from your sins" in the New Testament. Is this something we have all just assumed? Is this something that has been taught so much that we take it as incontestable? Is there another meaning that agrees with the Gospel?
marikashome it does not matter how much "I" or "WE" accept anything! If GOD does not accept the sacrifice of Jesus for my payment then I am still a hell bound sinner! I am thankful the GOD does accept Jesus as a sacrifice for my sins.
Where in the bible does GOD ever ask man to accept Him? All through the OT it is ALWAYS GOD that accepts man's prayers, man's sacrifice, men as prophets. Never one time is it man accepting GOD. So why do we think that we are put in the higher position to do the accepting now. What I see is that we are to humble ourselves and ask GOD to accept us to be worthy to have Jesus' sacrifice put in our place. NO ONE gets saved by "accepting Jesus". We are saved when GOD accepts us. And we are never told to "ask Jesus into our hearts" either. Repent and trust, or believe that is what my Bible says.
Hi - I am trying to follow this thread and maybe I need some clarification. Isn't repentance from our own righteousness - isn't that sin in itself? I mean, sin is sin. It's all part and parcel. It is anything that stands opposed to or apart from God. If repenting meant only to repent from your own righteousness, where is the call for a criminal, who never even wants or tries to be righteous? Just asking for the sake of discussion.
Someone can repent and not be saved (as mentioned earlier). It happens all the time. As in the any reformed drug addict, etc. Yet all good works are as filthy rags if that person isn't saved because they are not being seen through Christ's atonement.
Likewise, someone can know who Jesus is and not be saved. It takes both repentance (a change of behavior and Christ's salvation) and hearing the Gospel and believing it to be saved.
For that salvation to take place, it must first come from God's grace. He gives us the faith, and He rescues us from our own miserable deprivaty. We then have the ability at this point to turn away from our sins - (whatever they may be, whether "righteous works" or otherwise), and turn to Him. The proof of that salvation is will show up in the life of that believer. He will perservere in the faith and not fall away.
The Bible may not use the exact words "repent of your sins" or "turn from your sins." But the idea of turning from something is Biblical. In the Old Testament, unbelieving Israel was exhorted: "Turn ye, turn ye, for why will ye die?" Ezekiel 33:11.
That turning required Israel to change her mind about her sin and rebellion against God. Turning from sin is the result of salvation, not the cause of salvation. In the New Testament, Paul reminds believers in Thessalonica that they "turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God." I Thessalonians 1:9.
Turning from sin is not a condition for salvation but turning to God certainly is required. And when someone turns to God and receives the gift of God which is "eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord" Romans 6:23, a change of mind has occurred.
It is important to have faith in the blood of Christ as the acceptable sacrifice/payment for our sins. As the Bible says, we are saved "through faith in his blood" Romans 3:25.
'Changing your mind' about your sins and your need of a Savior leads you to �receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness� which God offers us in Jesus Christ, Romans 5:17.
Change your mind and believe the gospel
Salvation is a free gift of God, �not of works lest any man should boast,� Ephesians 2:9.
Our salvation completely depends on God's mercy through the blood sacrifice of Jesus Christ, Romans 3:25, 5:9, Hebrews 9:12.
We are not saved by "turning from sins.� Repenting does not mean "turn from your sins." Repenting means to "change your mind." Remember what Jesus said in Mark 1:15.
Thank you all for your posts, In reading and considering everyone of the many good answers I realized why the Bible doesn't always specify what we are to repent from....because it doesn't matter!
To explain:
I asked the wrong question..."repent from what?" The question should be "repent 'to' what?" ......repent means to make a U turn....it doesn't matter what we turn from, only what we turn to.
It now makes perfect sense why the Bible doesn't specifically say what to repent from, but it always specifically says what to repent to!
(I think this is one of those positive/negative traps we humans fall into, which is another subject)
I know that i happen to be only a truck driver,who no one even wants to hear from.
Just,because my understanding of the Word is different then theirs.
I have stated more then once on this site what we are to be REPENTING OF.
I will post the Scripture concerning this.
Mar 1:15 And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.
We are to repent of our understanding of Yeshua,the Gospel and the Kingship of GOD.
We are to repent and believe the Gospel of Yeshua.
Mat 4:17 From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.
Our sin was carried by Yeshua upon calvary,and there YHWH judged our/my sin.
SInce my sin has been judged by YHWH and placd behind His bak to be remembered no more,then why are people still trying to deal with sin,that has already been dealt with.
We are called to confees our sin(s),not repent of them.
1John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
When are people going to hear and believe the real Gospel.
You are not "only" a trucker, and we do enjoy hearing from you. Btw, your truck driving job is only a side job and is a temporary job at that....if you get my drift : )
I would like to share about the two scriptures you posted :
Mat 4:17 From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.
Mar 1:15 And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at han repent ye, and believe the gospel.
* If you notice both scriptures do not specifically say what to repent (turn) from, but they both specifically say what to repent (turn) to....ie : The kingdom of heaven, The kingdom of God, The Gospel.
PJ, Eph 2:4 But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, 5 Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) 6 And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: 7 That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. 8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9Not of works, lest any man should boast.
Finally,someoe who is beginning to undstand the Gospel.
ABBA,please open the eyes of the people on this site to the real Gsopel of Yeshua.
Sparrow,The LORD YHWH has shown you,that we turn away from our unbelief to believing Yeshua,and all that He has said concerning,Himself,the Gospel and the Kingship of GOD.
Mrrow, you are right. What we accept doesn't save us. (1 Jn 4:10 10Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.)
However, our faith that He has the power to save is generally what prompts us to begin turning toward Him. Or at least that was my experience. He stirs that faith and begins drawing us, leading us to salvation.
Heb 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.
~JMO, I'm open to others' input on this. My personal feeling is that this is a topic so deep and broad that no matter how much we discuss it or how many responses are put forward, there will always be more to learn, more to see, and more to worship God for.
