Repentance is fastly disappearing in the church. The idea that we must repent of our sins and receive God forgiveness through Christ Jesus has been replaced with simply believe and be forgiven. Repentance is becoming rejected by both the church and world. The church rejects it because of warped cousin Pennace or Penitence which the Roman Catholic Church considers a sacrament and turns into a source of salvation through good works (Ephesians 2:5-6). The world rejects the repentance because no one wants to be told they have done wrong, are wicked, or are sinners who must confess their misdeeds and acknowledge them before God. With remove of repentance we see removal of standards and morals and so then love dies because no one can access the source of Love (1 John 4:8) because they don't believe they need to repent and seek out a Redeemer. Remove the need to repent, and you remove the Gospel. Beyond that for anyone to remove repentence from the Christian faith is to go against the teachings of Christ and the Apostles, "Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline, so be zealous and repent," (Revelation 3:19), "Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord, then times of refreshment will come from the presence of the Lord, and he will again send you Jesus, your appointed Messiah " (Acts 3:19-20), "He told them, “This is what is written: The Messiah will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, and repentance for the forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things," (Luke 24:46-48), "Produce fruit in keeping with repentance," (Matthew 3:8), "Jesus answered them, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance," (Luke 5:31-32), "God exalted him to his own right hand as Prince and Savior that he might bring Israel to repentance and forgive their sins," (Acts 5:31), "Or do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, forbearance and patience, not realizing that God’s kindness is intended to lead you to repentance?," (Romans 2:4), "yet now I am happy, not because you were made sorry, but because your sorrow led you to repentance. For you became sorrowful as God intended and so were not harmed in any way by us," (2 Corinthians 7:9), "So watch yourselves. “If your brother or sister sins against you, rebuke them; and if they repent, forgive them. Even if they sin against you seven times in a day and seven times come back to you saying ‘I repent,’ you must forgive them.” (Luke 17:3-4), "Remember, therefore, what you have received and heard; hold it fast, and repent. But if you do not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what time I will come to you," (Revelation 3:3), "But because of your stubbornness and your unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath against yourself for the day of God’s wrath, when his righteous judgment will be revealed," (Romans 2:5), and, "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness." (1 John 1:9).
What does it mean to repent? Repent means to confess our sins and feel remorse, regret over our sins. It being truly contrite and sorry for the giving in to flesh desires. For since Eden, when Adam and Eve fell, there is a nature inside us, what the Apostles called the flesh, it craves with passion all that is base, it wants to harm, it wants treasures and pleasures without commitment and self control. This nature we are told by the Apostle Paul is at war with the nature we receive upon repenting and receiving Christ inside us, "For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want," (Galatians 5:17) and "Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak." (Matthew 26:41). This flesh wants to assert itself, but so does the Spirit. Each day we must choose, do we build the Spirit of God in us (through Matthew 22:37-40) and build the new man and new creation we are in Christ, or you can give power to old nature and flesh. The Apostle John put it like this, "Little children, let no one deceive you: The one who practices righteousness is righteous, just as Christ is righteous. The one who practices sin is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the very start. This is why the Son of God was revealed, to destroy the works of the devil. No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God’s seed abides in him; and he cannot keep on sinning, because he has been born of God. This is how we know who the children of God are and who the children of the devil are: Anyone who does not do what is right is not God's child, nor is anyone who does not love their brother and sister." (1 John 3:7-10). We build Christ up or the devil, there is no grey. Repentance factors in, for the essence of the word is not "I am sorry," but rather, "I regret this, forgive me, and I will turn from it, and do it no more." We can only do this through Christ. For it is written, "So then, since Christ suffered physical pain, you must arm yourselves with the same attitude he had, and be ready to suffer, too. For if you have suffered physically for Christ, you have finished with sin." (1 Peter 4:1). For Jesus suffered for our sins once for all, died for them to cover us from sin's power and reconcile us to God the Trinity, but if we suffer for Christ we are allowing that death of Christ to spill into our very lives, our souls and spirits are saved by Christ when we trust in Him for salvation alone (Romans 10:9) but if we suffering for Christ then our bodies begin to join our blameless Spirit in Christ, and so our bodies become a living sacrifice as well (Romans 12:1). This suffering for Christ is not to merit salvation and eternal life, that is a free gift (gracias) from God (Ephesians 2:4) but if we suffering in our bodies to obey Christ and not the flesh then our bodies are sharing in crucifixion, (Romans 6:6, Galatians 2:20)
Repentance is part of this. We will stumble, we will fall and so we must be zealous to repent (Revelation 3:19). The truth is that we can never be perfect enough, at some point we fail and Christ's blood is sufficient to cover it, but we must repent. Do not make a mistake, the Apostles and Jesus as aforementioned tell us to live lives of repentance, not penance as in self abasing ourselves and adding hardships under Roman Law, but rather to repent, to show our regret and remorse to the Redeemer as He takes our misdeeds upon Himself as Messiah. King David discovered the secret of repentence, "You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it; you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings, The sacrifice you desire is a broken spirit. You will not reject a broken and repentant heart, O God." (Psalm 51:16-17). Satan and fallen angels had no broken spirit or repentant hearts, their rebellion is absolute, but God smiles upon a sinner whose spirit is broken and their heart repentant before Him, "O Lord, save me!" Repentance matters to God and should to us too, for one it a crucial part to the whole salvic process of the Gospel, that we must repent of our sins and believe Jesus Christ has broken down that barrier of sin through His blood.
The Lord Jesus even has delayed His return over repentance, "Most importantly, I want to remind you that in the last days scoffers will come, mocking the truth and following their own desires. They will say, “What happened to the promise that Jesus is coming again? From before the times of our ancestors, everything has remained the same since the world was first created They deliberately forget that God made the heavens long ago by the word of his command, and he brought the earth out from the water and surrounded it with water. Then he used the water to destroy the ancient world with a mighty flood. And by the same word, the present heavens and earth have been stored up for fire. They are being kept for the day of judgment, when ungodly people will be destroyed. But you must not forget this one thing, dear friends: A day is like a thousand years to the Lord, and a thousand years is like a day. The Lord isn’t really being slow about his promise, as some people think. No, he is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent. But the day of the Lord will come as unexpectedly as a thief. Then the heavens will pass away with a terrible noise, and the very elements themselves will disappear in fire, and the earth and everything on it will be found to deserve judgment." (2 Peter 3:3-10). Make no mistake, the hour for repenting is not infinite, at any moment Christ could return like a thief and those who delayed to repent and believe in Redeemer will find themselves under His reckoning and wrath! (Revelation 19:3-15). Now is the hour of salvation, "For he says, "In the time of my favor I heard you, and in the day of salvation I helped you." I tell you, now is the time of God's favor, now is the day of salvation," (2 Corinthians 6:2) and "I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of His appearing and His kingdom. Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and encourage with every form of patient instruction./Preach the word of God. Be prepared, whether the time is favorable or not. Patiently correct, rebuke, and encourage your people with good teaching." (2 Timothy 4:1-2). Repent, not penance; Trust in Christ Jesus to save you (Romans 10:9-10). Remember He is love (1 John 4:8), not a tyrant, but I ask this of all skeptics, if you new there was one cure for cancer, one serum, and all others like Chemotherapy didn't work, wouldn't you pick the cure? Its the same with Christ, He is the only way of salvation (John 14:6, Acts 4:10-12, John 3:16); why then tarry and play around with tricksters and other religions that aren't cures, but only build the cancer that is killing you! Why delay and play around with dead gods and demons, when you could be disciple of the One True God and have cure for your immorality, eternal life, and cure for this life, a relationship with the One True God. Amen.
Repentance is part of this. We will stumble, we will fall and so we must be zealous to repent (Revelation 3:19). The truth is that we can never be perfect enough, at some point we fail and Christ's blood is sufficient to cover it, but we must repent. Do not make a mistake, the Apostles and Jesus as aforementioned tell us to live lives of repentance, not penance as in self abasing ourselves and adding hardships under Roman Law, but rather to repent, to show our regret and remorse to the Redeemer as He takes our misdeeds upon Himself as Messiah. King David discovered the secret of repentence, "You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it; you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings, The sacrifice you desire is a broken spirit. You will not reject a broken and repentant heart, O God." (Psalm 51:16-17). Satan and fallen angels had no broken spirit or repentant hearts, their rebellion is absolute, but God smiles upon a sinner whose spirit is broken and their heart repentant before Him, "O Lord, save me!" Repentance matters to God and should to us too, for one it a crucial part to the whole salvic process of the Gospel, that we must repent of our sins and believe Jesus Christ has broken down that barrier of sin through His blood.
The Lord Jesus even has delayed His return over repentance, "Most importantly, I want to remind you that in the last days scoffers will come, mocking the truth and following their own desires. They will say, “What happened to the promise that Jesus is coming again? From before the times of our ancestors, everything has remained the same since the world was first created They deliberately forget that God made the heavens long ago by the word of his command, and he brought the earth out from the water and surrounded it with water. Then he used the water to destroy the ancient world with a mighty flood. And by the same word, the present heavens and earth have been stored up for fire. They are being kept for the day of judgment, when ungodly people will be destroyed. But you must not forget this one thing, dear friends: A day is like a thousand years to the Lord, and a thousand years is like a day. The Lord isn’t really being slow about his promise, as some people think. No, he is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent. But the day of the Lord will come as unexpectedly as a thief. Then the heavens will pass away with a terrible noise, and the very elements themselves will disappear in fire, and the earth and everything on it will be found to deserve judgment." (2 Peter 3:3-10). Make no mistake, the hour for repenting is not infinite, at any moment Christ could return like a thief and those who delayed to repent and believe in Redeemer will find themselves under His reckoning and wrath! (Revelation 19:3-15). Now is the hour of salvation, "For he says, "In the time of my favor I heard you, and in the day of salvation I helped you." I tell you, now is the time of God's favor, now is the day of salvation," (2 Corinthians 6:2) and "I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of His appearing and His kingdom. Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and encourage with every form of patient instruction./Preach the word of God. Be prepared, whether the time is favorable or not. Patiently correct, rebuke, and encourage your people with good teaching." (2 Timothy 4:1-2). Repent, not penance; Trust in Christ Jesus to save you (Romans 10:9-10). Remember He is love (1 John 4:8), not a tyrant, but I ask this of all skeptics, if you new there was one cure for cancer, one serum, and all others like Chemotherapy didn't work, wouldn't you pick the cure? Its the same with Christ, He is the only way of salvation (John 14:6, Acts 4:10-12, John 3:16); why then tarry and play around with tricksters and other religions that aren't cures, but only build the cancer that is killing you! Why delay and play around with dead gods and demons, when you could be disciple of the One True God and have cure for your immorality, eternal life, and cure for this life, a relationship with the One True God. Amen.
I believe God spared us because of three things. Firstly, Satan and fallen angels will never be forgiven because they are subjected to God's reckoning already, "For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but sent them to hell, putting them in chains of darkness to be held for judgment," (2 Peter 2:4), "Then he will say to those on his left, 'Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels," (Matthew 25:41), "And the angels who did not keep their positions of authority but abandoned their proper dwelling--these he has kept in darkness, bound with everlasting chains for judgment on the great Day," (Jude 1:6), they (the devil and fallen angels) also have no remorse, not regret, no repentance in them, they do not love but hate God and will do so until judgement (Revelation 20:10, and Matthew 25:41). In contrast, Adam and Eve not only felt remorse and shame, the aptitude to repent was within them and their descendants did repent. Secondly, we are God's relatives, or family. You see, God spared us I believe because we are relatives, his children (Galatians 3:26) and made in His image (Genesis 1:27), unlike the angels, but in addition we were remorseful and repentant, and regretted the sin that separates us from God, and so in His mercy God sent us salvation, His Son Jesus Christ (John 3:16) to save us because we do not hate God, we love God and are sorry. I believe God saw the capacity in human heart not only to break and repent, but to want God again, that like a wife that has become unfaithful or husband who cheats (Genesis 3) they come to their senses and want forgiveness, and so the Husband, Jesus Christ says I forgive you from the cross. Repentance is crucial for receiving God's free gift of grace and salvation, but it also I believe is what God wants from us (Psalm 51:16-17), for us to be broken hearted over seeking after other gods (our idolatry is adultery) and seeking sin, and then to turn to our tender Savior. who is ready to receive us with open arms and scars that read SAVED
Satan and fallen angels hate God and want His throne, they play the Game of Thrones, but the only way to get the throne is through God (Revelation 3:27) and loving God (Matthew 22:37-40), so Satan can never get it, but we Christians are freely given the Throne just as we are freely forgiven of our sins through Jesus Christ (Romans 8:27, John 3:16). We are given the throne too because we are God's Bride, "Then I heard again what sounded like the shout of a vast crowd or the roar of mighty ocean waves or the crash of loud thunder:
“Praise the Lord!
For the Lord our God,the Almighty, reigns.
7 Let us be glad and rejoice,
and let us give honor to him.
For the time has come for the wedding feast of the Lamb,
and his bride has prepared herself.
8 She has been given the finest of pure white linen to wear. (2 Corinthians 11:3)”
For the fine linen represents the good deeds of God’s holy people/the Saints.
For the Lord our God,the Almighty, reigns.
7 Let us be glad and rejoice,
and let us give honor to him.
For the time has come for the wedding feast of the Lamb,
and his bride has prepared herself.
8 She has been given the finest of pure white linen to wear. (2 Corinthians 11:3)”
For the fine linen represents the good deeds of God’s holy people/the Saints.
9 And the angel said to me, “Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding feast of the Lamb.” And he added, “These are true words that come from God." (Revelation 19:7-9). Thus we through repentance and believing in Redeemer and Lord Jesus, have not just the privilege of being God's Sons (Galatians 3:26), we become His bride. As a bride we have access and close relationship with Christ, who is God himself (Colossians 2:9) and what this means we have marriage rites, for when you marry a person you give them your body, wealth, and beyond, and so Christ has already honored us with his body on cross, promises wealth (Revelation 21:1-35), and beyond (Revelation 21, 22). We are called Bride of Lamb because it signified the relationship status we shall have with God, one that has unlimited access, and all benefits and closeness of a marriage. If we understood this well, it means God the Trinity wants to be as close to us as a spouse, and we shall be more than heirs and co heirs with Christ (Romans 8:17), we are to be honored to point of sitting beside Christ Jesus as a Queen sits beside her King! How incredible! God would elevate us from sinner to saint to son to spouse! [Please understand that God is honorable, and no acts dishonorable would be permitted in his Paradise, the marriage is like that of a Nun and Christ, strictly plutonic].
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