YOU MUST REPENT OF YOUR SINS! ???

[lekh l'kha]

strange then that Jesus should warn some to go and sin no more unless something worse befall them, if He only meant that they should have faith? God has always offered His grace to repent, we must do our part and exert our will towards Gods will.

I think this demonstrates why I find what Lekh posted somewhat confusing.....it is obvious that Dr Curtis Hutson believes in repentance, and is not trying to preach an 'easy grace'...he is trying to demonstrate from the Greek that repentance is incorporated in the overall idea of us having faith in the L-rd Jesus, and that the word repent is somewhat archaic and superfluous as the action of repentance is already implied in the whole concept of faith in Messiah....where I believe he goes a little too far on this point is by consigning to others what he thinks they mean, which in this case is thinking that we somehow have a part to play in the finished work of Messiah...which of course we don't!

The part we have to do is either remain in unbelief and in our trespasses and sins and condemnation...or believe in what has been accomplished on our behalf...even when we hated and rejected the One who died for us....it is black and white....'Today if you hear His voice...' etc. Repent or Reject. We cannot straddle the fence, we are either for Him or against Him.

Lots of misunderstanding though. But God's Word says (through His apostle):

"For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remains no more sacrifice for sins," (Heb 10:26).

The operative word is "after". That's basically the same as the Lord saying, "go and sin no more".

But it's impossible for an unregenerate person to overcome the sin-principle in him, since this can only be done through faith in Jesus, when he repents of his unbelief and Christ gives him a new heart. So why tell an unregenerate person he has to repent of his sins when he can't possibly do that?

Lekh

[lekh l'kha]

strange then that Jesus should warn some to go and sin no more unless something worse befall them, if He only meant that they should have faith? God has always offered His grace to repent, we must do our part and exert our will towards Gods will.

"For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remains no more sacrifice for sins," (Heb 10:26).

The operative word is "after". It's basically the same as the Lord saying, "go and sin no more". But an unregenerate person cannot repent of his sins, because he cannot sin no more, because he has not yet received a new heart and been cleansed by Christ - in fact, even afterward, it's the only way a regenerate believer can "cleanse himself and turn away from sin":

"Now you are clean through the Word which I have spoken to you." (Joh 15:3).

"Sanctify them through Your truth. Your Word is truth." (Joh 17:17).

"For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remains no more sacrifice for sins," (Heb 10:26).

"I am the Vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, the same brings forth much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing." (Joh 15:5)

"And I will give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit within you. And I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you a heart of flesh. And I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you shall keep My judgments and do them." (Eze 36:26-27).

It is Jesus who saves us from our sins and from our sinning - He makes it possible for us to "go and sin no more".

So we cannot tell an unregenerate person to repent of his sins. It's like telling an elephant he must learn to fly if we wants to be saved.

We're also elephants. It's only by the Spirit of God that we can "put off" the old man.

Lekh

[BlindSeeker]

So we cannot tell an unregenerate person to repent of his sins. It's like telling an elephant he must learn to fly if we wants to be saved.

Jonah 3:1 And the word of the LORD came unto Jonah the second time, saying,

2 Arise, go unto Nineveh, that great city, and preach unto it the preaching that I bid thee.

3 So Jonah arose, and went unto Nineveh, according to the word of the LORD. Now Nineveh was an exceeding great city of three days' journey.

4 And Jonah began to enter into the city a day's journey, and he cried, and said, Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown.

5 So the people of Nineveh believed God, and proclaimed a fast, and put on sackcloth, from the greatest of them even to the least of them.

6 For word came unto the king of Nineveh, and he arose from his throne, and he laid his robe from him, and covered him with sackcloth, and sat in ashes.

7 And he caused it to be proclaimed and published through Nineveh by the decree of the king and his nobles, saying, Let neither man nor beast, herd nor flock, taste any thing: let them not feed, nor drink water:

8 But let man and beast be covered with sackcloth, and cry mightily unto God: yea, let them turn every one from his evil way, and from the violence that is in their hands.

9 Who can tell if God will turn and repent, and turn away from his fierce anger, that we perish not?

10

And God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way

; and God repented of the evil, that he had said that he would do unto them; and he did it not.

[lekh l'kha]

So we cannot tell an unregenerate person to repent of his sins. It's like telling an elephant he must learn to fly if we wants to be saved.

Jonah 3:1 And the word of the LORD came unto Jonah the second time, saying,

2 Arise, go unto Nineveh, that great city, and preach unto it the preaching that I bid thee.

3 So Jonah arose, and went unto Nineveh, according to the word of the LORD. Now Nineveh was an exceeding great city of three days' journey.

4 And Jonah began to enter into the city a day's journey, and he cried, and said, Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown.

5

So the people of Nineveh believed God

, and proclaimed a fast, and put on sackcloth, from the greatest of them even to the least of them.

10

And God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way

; and God repented of the evil, that he had said that he would do unto them; and he did it not.

So the people of Nineveh believed God.

It;s faith first, then "go and sin no more"

[BlindSeeker]

So we cannot tell an unregenerate person to repent of his sins. It's like telling an elephant he must learn to fly if we wants to be saved.

Jonah 3:1 And the word of the LORD came unto Jonah the second time, saying,

2 Arise, go unto Nineveh, that great city, and preach unto it the preaching that I bid thee.

3 So Jonah arose, and went unto Nineveh, according to the word of the LORD. Now Nineveh was an exceeding great city of three days' journey.

4 And Jonah began to enter into the city a day's journey, and he cried, and said, Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown.

5

So the people of Nineveh believed God

, and proclaimed a fast, and put on sackcloth, from the greatest of them even to the least of them.

10

And God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way

; and God repented of the evil, that he had said that he would do unto them; and he did it not.

So the people of Nineveh believed God.

It;s faith first, then "go and sin no more"

Repentance is the first fruit of faith. If there is no repentance than the body of faith is but a lifeless shell without the spirit of action.

[lekh l'kha]

So we cannot tell an unregenerate person to repent of his sins. It's like telling an elephant he must learn to fly if we wants to be saved.

Jonah 3:1 And the word of the LORD came unto Jonah the second time, saying,

2 Arise, go unto Nineveh, that great city, and preach unto it the preaching that I bid thee.

3 So Jonah arose, and went unto Nineveh, according to the word of the LORD. Now Nineveh was an exceeding great city of three days' journey.

4 And Jonah began to enter into the city a day's journey, and he cried, and said, Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown.

5

So the people of Nineveh believed God

, and proclaimed a fast, and put on sackcloth, from the greatest of them even to the least of them.

10

And God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way

; and God repented of the evil, that he had said that he would do unto them; and he did it not.

So the people of Nineveh believed God.

It;s faith first, then "go and sin no more"

Repentance is the first fruit of faith. If there is no repentance than the body of faith is but a lifeless shell without the spirit of action.

Right, but you quoted the passage without comment, stressing only their repentance of sin, and thereby implying that it's their repentance of their sins that saved them - but the passage sates that they believed God (they believed the Word of God). It's quote obvious that as a result they received from God the ability to "go and sin no more". They couldn't have done that if they had not received the cleansing supplied only by the Spirit of God, who worked in the world even before Jesus ascended into heaven.

You implied through stressing only their repentance of their sins (and not stressing the fact that the passage says they believed God first) that their repentance of their sins saved them:

"For what does the Scripture say? "Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him for righteousness." (Rom 4:3)

Was it Abraham's righteousness that was credited to him for righteousness? Was it through Abraham's repentance from sin that he found grace in the sight of God? Or did he have to believe first, like everyone else - including the Ninehvites?

Lekh

[Botz]

Right, but you quoted the passage without comment, stressing only their repentance of sin, and thereby implying that it's their repentance of their sins that saved them - but the passage sates that they believed God (they believed the Word of God). It's quote obvious that as a result they received from God the ability to "go and sin no more". They couldn't have done that if they had not received the cleansing supplied only by the Spirit of God, who worked in the world even before Jesus ascended into heaven.

You implied through stressing only their repentance of their sins (and not stressing the fact that the passage says they believed God first) that their repentance of their sins saved them:

"For what does the Scripture say? "Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him for righteousness." (Rom 4:3)

Was it Abraham's righteousness that was credited to him for righteousness? Was it through Abraham's repentance from sin that he found grace in the sight of God? Or did he have to believe first, like everyone else - including the Ninehvites?

Lekh

Without trying to go round the Mulberry bush, the whole point is which person on these boards actually believes that repentance is what saves them?...surely it is a question of preaching to the 'converted'...the example of Nineveh is just the same as any of us, we hear...we believe...we repent....A person cannot repent if they don't recognise who it was who died in their place and will free them from the convicting weight of sin.

[Fez]

Right, but you quoted the passage without comment, stressing only their repentance of sin, and thereby implying that it's their repentance of their sins that saved them - but the passage sates that they believed God (they believed the Word of God). It's quote obvious that as a result they received from God the ability to "go and sin no more". They couldn't have done that if they had not received the cleansing supplied only by the Spirit of God, who worked in the world even before Jesus ascended into heaven.

You implied through stressing only their repentance of their sins (and not stressing the fact that the passage says they believed God first) that their repentance of their sins saved them:

"For what does the Scripture say? "Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him for righteousness." (Rom 4:3)

Was it Abraham's righteousness that was credited to him for righteousness? Was it through Abraham's repentance from sin that he found grace in the sight of God? Or did he have to believe first, like everyone else - including the Ninehvites?

Lekh

Without trying to go round the Mulberry bush, the whole point is which person on these boards actually believes that repentance is what saves them?...surely it is a question of preaching to the 'converted'...the example of Nineveh is just the same as any of us, we hear...we believe...we repent....A person cannot repent if they don't recognise who it was who died in their place and will free them from the convicting weight of sin.

Exactly

[~candice~]

Repetance doesn't save, faith does...

Eph 2:8-9 MKJV

8 For by grace you are saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God,

9 not of works, lest anyone should boast.

And we know that we cannot have two masters....

Mat 6:24 MKJV

24 No one can serve two masters. For either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will hold to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.

To me, sin is the outworking of having the wrong master. We turn from that, to a belief in Christ, through faith.

[enoob57]

REPENTANCE:

First of all we are commanded to by God because of judgment and Christ being raised from the dead-

Acts 17:30-31

30 Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent, 31 because He has appointed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by the Man whom He has ordained. He has given assurance of this to all by raising Him from the dead."

NKJV

Second it cannot be a work of our own for it is given by God-

Acts 11:18

When they heard these things they became silent; and they glorified God, saying, "Then God has also granted to the Gentiles repentance to life."

2 Tim 2:25-26

25 in humility correcting those who are in opposition, if God perhaps will grant them repentance, so that they may know the truth, 26 and that they may come to their senses and escape the snare of the devil, having been taken captive by him to do his will.

Third it is the call of repentance to Salvation-

2 Cor 7:10-11

10 For godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, not to be regretted; but the sorrow of the world produces death.

NKJV

2 Peter 3:9

9 The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.

NKJV

A neccessary element in Savlation-

Acts 2:38 Then Peter said to them, "Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission

of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. NKJV

Acts 3:19 Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from

the presence of the Lord NKJV

Acts 8:20-23 20 But Peter said to him, "Your money perish with you, because you thought that the gift of God could be

purchased with money! 21 You have neither part nor portion in this matter, for your heart is not right in the sight of

God. 22 Repent therefore of this your wickedness, and pray God if perhaps the thought of your heart may be forgiven

you. 23 For I see that you are poisoned by bitterness and bound by iniquity." NKJV

It was preached by Christ:

Matt 4:17

17 From that time Jesus began to preach and to say, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand."

Mark 1:14-15

14 Now after John was put in prison, Jesus came to Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, 15 and saying, "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel."

NKJV

Preached by John the Baptist: (The Old covenant Law making staight the path of the New covenant Grace "Jesus Christ The Savior of the world")

Matt 3:2-3

2 and saying, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!" 3 For this is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah, saying:

"The voice of one crying in the wilderness:

'Prepare the way of the Lord;

Make His paths straight.'"

NKJV

Preached by the Apostles:

Mark 6:12

12 So they went out and preached that people should repent.

NKJV

Acts 20:20-21

20 how I kept back nothing that was helpful, but proclaimed it to you, and taught you publicly and from house to house, 21 testifying to Jews, and also to Greeks, repentance toward God and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.

NKJV

We are to proclaim it:

Luke 24:46-47

46 Then He said to them, "Thus it is written, and thus it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day, 47 and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.

NKJV

Not by any other way but your Word Oh Lord! Help us to place a smile upon your face with our Obedience to your Word

for by that obedience we are saying we love You 1 John 2:5-6

5 But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him. 6 He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked.

NKJV

... This is the work of the Holy Spirit- enabled Holiness God's work in us! Love Steven