When God asks us to repend, He does not simply mean to feel sorry, regret, for something wrong that we have done.
Repentance means a total change in mentality, a total change of mindset, a total change in the way we are thinking. A total change in the way we evaluate things in our life. A total change in behavior.
What seems to be weakness in the eyes of the world, it is power in God's eyes, and what seems to be retreat and loss in the eyes of the world, it is victory in God's eyes.
That is why we must change the way we are thinking. This is what repentance means, a change in mind, a change in the way that we face situations in our life. .
Judas didn't repent. He just felt sorry, he regreted, for what he had done.
Exodus 32:14 And the Lord repented of the evil which he thought to do unto his people.
This verse proves along with some others that the Lord; who is sinless can change His mind based on people's repentance or change of heart. Such subjects get into different aspects of God; His eternal plans and truths stand and of course His heart is perfect and pure. Some of this perhaps can be understood in this time (I won't use the word dispensation) but His patience before inevitable and final judgment when there is no turning back.
I am sure you are aware of verses that state God grants repentance; as mentioned above a change of heart initiates our ability to desire to serve the Lord out of love; not just fear and dread of a just sentence of punishment. Sadly today of course we have a lack of much good preaching such as "Sinners in the hands of an angry God" by Jonathan Edwards. To cry out to a God we know we have offended and has an enmity with unregenerate man should be part of sharing the Gospel; not some way to make people feel they can cozy up to a Holy God based on any merits of their own.
No need to quote the verse you already know about worldly repentance leading to death; and Godly repentance salvation in 2 Cor. 7:10 (roughly translated); I'm sure you know how that applies to Judas Iscariot. Really repentance like salvation is a beginning of something. A believer is sanctified after being saved; and repentance means not turning back and reorienting our whole lives. We have to plan as much as possible to avoid sin; and that means individuals that are bad influences need to be removed from our social life; and replacing our days with things that please the Lord. It includes sins of commission and omission. It means trusting God ( Psalm 37:4) to meet our desires and needs in His timing rather than trusting in our own understanding.
Luke 3:8 mentions fruits worthy of repentance. I'm glad the Lord supplies all our need for that task.
Yes Luke 3:8 that mentions fruits worthy of repentance shows that repentance is a way of thinking, living, facing life, not just a mere feeling of regret.
Now, I wouldn't agree to present God as an angry God. Definitely we must talk to people about the consequences of unbelief. That hell is very serious thing, it is not a weekend trip to a bad place but a horrible eternity away from God in the lake of fire.
Not everybody comes to Christ for the same reason. Others come to God because of fear of death or hell, others because they are looking for God, others for healing or solution to a serious problem, others are looking for freedom from a sin or passion etc etc. This is in the begining. But as we spend time near God and start understanding His character and His love for us and what He has done for us, then we are attracted to Him by His love for us. And God uses this method often. He gives various gifts to people to draw us to Him and then He gradually reveals His true character to us, God is Love. And He expects us to love Him back. The first and most important commandement is to love God with all yourself. But one can not do that if they don't understand His character and if one never gets anything from God.
Is a man drawn to God because they are regenerated first OR one is regenerated first and thus they are drawn to God? Difficult question. There are good arguments on both sides. Was Paul regenerated before Jesus appeared to him in his way to Damascus? Honestly, I do not think so. But what I can tell is that God often uses specific methods to approach a person whom He knows they will believe. Methods that He may never use for a person who will never believe. But often He does that latter thing. So what we can say for sure is that we can not place God in a pattern. It seems that God alters His methods according to whom He deals with, believers or unbelievers.
When God asks us to repend, He does not simply mean to feel sorry, regret, for something wrong that we have done.
Repentance means a total change in mentality, a total change of mindset, a total change in the way we are thinking. A total change in the way we evaluate things in our life. A total change in behavior.
What seems to be weakness in the eyes of the world, it is power in God's eyes, and what seems to be retreat and loss in the eyes of the world, it is victory in God's eyes.
That is why we must change the way we are thinking. This is what repentance means, a change in mind, a change in the way that we face situations in our life. .
Judas didn't repent. He just felt sorry, he regreted, for what he had done.
This verse proves along with some others that the Lord; who is sinless can change His mind based on people's repentance or change of heart. Such subjects get into different aspects of God; His eternal plans and truths stand and of course His heart is perfect and pure. Some of this perhaps can be understood in this time (I won't use the word dispensation) but His patience before inevitable and final judgment when there is no turning back.
I am sure you are aware of verses that state God grants repentance; as mentioned above a change of heart initiates our ability to desire to serve the Lord out of love; not just fear and dread of a just sentence of punishment. Sadly today of course we have a lack of much good preaching such as "Sinners in the hands of an angry God" by Jonathan Edwards. To cry out to a God we know we have offended and has an enmity with unregenerate man should be part of sharing the Gospel; not some way to make people feel they can cozy up to a Holy God based on any merits of their own.
No need to quote the verse you already know about worldly repentance leading to death; and Godly repentance salvation in 2 Cor. 7:10 (roughly translated); I'm sure you know how that applies to Judas Iscariot. Really repentance like salvation is a beginning of something. A believer is sanctified after being saved; and repentance means not turning back and reorienting our whole lives. We have to plan as much as possible to avoid sin; and that means individuals that are bad influences need to be removed from our social life; and replacing our days with things that please the Lord. It includes sins of commission and omission. It means trusting God ( Psalm 37:4) to meet our desires and needs in His timing rather than trusting in our own understanding.
Luke 3:8 mentions fruits worthy of repentance. I'm glad the Lord supplies all our need for that task.
Agape. RP
Yes Luke 3:8 that mentions fruits worthy of repentance shows that repentance is a way of thinking, living, facing life, not just a mere feeling of regret.
Now, I wouldn't agree to present God as an angry God. Definitely we must talk to people about the consequences of unbelief. That hell is very serious thing, it is not a weekend trip to a bad place but a horrible eternity away from God in the lake of fire.
Not everybody comes to Christ for the same reason. Others come to God because of fear of death or hell, others because they are looking for God, others for healing or solution to a serious problem, others are looking for freedom from a sin or passion etc etc. This is in the begining. But as we spend time near God and start understanding His character and His love for us and what He has done for us, then we are attracted to Him by His love for us. And God uses this method often. He gives various gifts to people to draw us to Him and then He gradually reveals His true character to us, God is Love. And He expects us to love Him back. The first and most important commandement is to love God with all yourself. But one can not do that if they don't understand His character and if one never gets anything from God.
Is a man drawn to God because they are regenerated first OR one is regenerated first and thus they are drawn to God? Difficult question. There are good arguments on both sides. Was Paul regenerated before Jesus appeared to him in his way to Damascus? Honestly, I do not think so. But what I can tell is that God often uses specific methods to approach a person whom He knows they will believe. Methods that He may never use for a person who will never believe. But often He does that latter thing. So what we can say for sure is that we can not place God in a pattern. It seems that God alters His methods according to whom He deals with, believers or unbelievers.
Thanks for your comment. GBU
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