Repentance

[L.J.]

I want to throw this out there. I really don't know what to think on the subject and hoping someone might enlighten me.

In some places in scripture, repentance is required for salvation, yet others it seems like it isn't.

So the question is:

Does salvation require repentance or does repentance require salvation?

[godrulz]

Not all verses contain all truths. Repentance, faith (repentant faith, two wings of a bird, two sides of a coin), and continuance in the faith are the conditions for appropriating and remaining in grace (grace/work of Christ is the grounds for salvation/reason for/by which saved; repentant faith is the condition/not without which) of salvation.

One must turn from Self, false gods, sin to turn to Christ (see Paul in Acts, Jesus in Gospels). Repentance is a theme throughout Scripture, but faith usually gets emphasized. Faith includes repentance as we turn from something to God. After conversion, confession/repentance still has a place for specific sins (Ps. 91; I Jn. 1).

In Calvinism, regeneration precedes repentance/faith (monergism). In free will views like Arminianism, repentant faith precedes regeneration (manward aspect). In both, God alone provides and initiates salvation (but one is decretal/deterministic, while the other is based on love, relationship, freedom).

[HisMindinme]

Not all verses contain all truths. Repentance, faith (repentant faith, two wings of a bird, two sides of a coin), and continuance in the faith are the conditions for appropriating and remaining in grace (grace/work of Christ is the grounds for salvation/reason for/by which saved; repentant faith is the condition/not without which) of salvation.

One must turn from Self, false gods, sin to turn to Christ (see Paul in Acts, Jesus in Gospels). Repentance is a theme throughout Scripture, but faith usually gets emphasized. Faith includes repentance as we turn from something to God. After conversion, confession/repentance still has a place for specific sins (Ps. 91; I Jn. 1).

In Calvinism, regeneration precedes repentance/faith (monergism). In free will views like Arminianism, repentant faith precedes regeneration (manward aspect). In both, God alone provides and initiates salvation (but one is decretal/deterministic, while the other is based on love, relationship, freedom).

All very well stated.

(Joh 6:44) No one is able to come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him, and I will raise him up in the last day.

The word "draws" here is:

G1670 ἑλκύω, ἕλκω helkuō helkō hel-koo'-o, hel'-ko Probably akin to G138; to drag (literally or figuratively): - draw. Compare G1667.

In our natural state, we are blind, lost and without hope of ourselves. We do not go looking for God. He comes looking for us.

Luk 19:8-10 But standing, Zaccheus said to the Lord, Behold, Lord, half of my possessions I give to the poor. And if in anything I accused anyone falsely, I restore it fourfold. (9) And Jesus said to him, Today salvation has come to this house, for he also is a son of Abraham. (10) For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the one being lost.

The Father arranges and orders the matters of this life for His own good pleasure and there is no unrighteousness in Him in the matter of whom He draws (e.g. drags):

Rom 3:9-12 What then? Do we excel? Not at all! For we have charged both Jews and Greeks before, all with being under sin; (10) according as it has been written, "There is not a righteous one, not even one!" (11) "There is not one understanding; there is not one seeking God." (12) All turned away, they became worthless together, not one is doing goodness, not so much as one!" LXX-Psa. 13:1-3

The "... not so much as one!" is about even you and I. Me -- I am not even one who seeks God. Rather, I turned away. I turned in my blindness and dark heart to my own flesh and sin. This is the choice I made. Scripture tells me it is the choice each of us made -- including you as an individual reading these words. You did not seek. Rather, you turned to your own flesh, sin and lusts in your own dark heart of sin. We did this all together as humanity, starting with Eve, then Adam and then all of us together in all time.

Now -- it is God who draws. Man ignores or man responds to His draw. In response, we either move to repent or we move to attack and rebel. God calls many, but only a few ever respond. God calls whom He will as He sees fit.

Rom 3:13-19 "Their throat is a tomb being opened;" "they used deceit with their tongues; the poison of asps is under their lips; (14) whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness. (15) Their feet are swift to shed blood; (16) ruin and misery are in their way; (17) and they did not know a way of peace; (18) there is no fear of God before their eyes." LXX-Psa. 5:10; 139:4; 9:28; Isa. 59:7, 8; Psa. 35:2; MT-Psa. 14:1-3; 5:9; 140:3; 10:7; Isa. 59:7, 8; Psa. 36:1 (19) But we know that whatever the Law says, it speaks to those within the Law, so that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world be under judgment to God.

The purpose of God first and foremost is to handle this matter of sin loose in His creation. Once the lines are clearly drawn, then His purpose in love is to redeem all that He can, which is His to pick and choose from the entire crop of humanity. He is the Husbandman, Righteous Judge and King.

Gen 18:25b ... The Judge of all the earth, shall He not do right?

Finally:

Rom 1:16-32 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation to everyone believing, both to Jew first, and to Greek; (17) for in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; even as it has been written, "But the just shall live by faith." Hab. 2:4 (18) For God's wrath is revealed from Heaven on all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, holding the truth in unrighteousness, (19) because the thing known of God is clearly known within them, for God revealed it to them. (20) For the unseen things of Him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things made, both His eternal power and Godhead, for them to be without excuse. (21) Because knowing God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful. But they became vain in their reasonings, and their undiscerning heart was darkened. (22) Professing to be wise, they became foolish (23) and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into a likeness of an image of corruptible man, and of birds, and four-footed animals, and creeping things. (24) Because of this, God gave them up to impurity in the lusts of their hearts, their bodies to be dishonored among themselves, (25) who changed the truth of God into the lie, and worshiped and served the created thing more than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen. (26) Because of this, God gave them up to dishonorable passions, for even their females changed the natural use to that contrary to nature. (27) And likewise, the males also forsaking the natural use of the female burned in their lust toward one another, males with males working out shamefulness, and receiving back within themselves the reward which was fitting for their error. (28) And even as they did not think fit to have God in their knowledge, God gave them up to a reprobate mind, to do the things not right, (29) having been filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, iniquity, covetousness, malice, being full of envy, murder, quarrels, deceit, evil habits, becoming whisperers, (30) slanderers, God-haters, insolent, proud, braggarts, devisers of evil things, disobedient to parents, (31) without discernment, covenant breakers, without natural affection, unforgiving, unmerciful, (32) who knowing the righteous order of God, that those practicing such things are worthy of death, not only do them, but also approve those practicing them.

Much Grace and Peace be to you all in Christ!

[mizzdy]

I want to throw this out there. I really don't know what to think on the subject and hoping someone might enlighten me.

In some places in scripture, repentance is required for salvation, yet others it seems like it isn't.

So the question is:

Does salvation require repentance or does repentance require salvation?

Repentance is returning to Him, returning to where we should have started. If one has confessed His name, which is required for salvation then we would start to walk in His ways, which is returning to Him. In the Hebraic thought repent is teshuvah, not making effort to turn from but to turn back to, turning our backs on our fleshly lives and thoughts and to allow the Spirit to return us to a place where we can hear His voice more clearly. Repentance is the condition of the heart, softening it so He can mold us into the person we are meant to be in Him. So if you have confessed His name, you are repenting, you are returning to Him. You cannot confess His name without confessing your sins, repenting them is part of it all.

shalom,

Mizz

[L.J.]

I want to throw this out there. I really don't know what to think on the subject and hoping someone might enlighten me.

In some places in scripture, repentance is required for salvation, yet others it seems like it isn't.

So the question is:

Does salvation require repentance or does repentance require salvation?

Repentance is returning to Him, returning to where we should have started. If one has confessed His name, which is required for salvation then we would start to walk in His ways, which is returning to Him. In the Hebraic thought repent is teshuvah, not making effort to turn from but to turn back to, turning our backs on our fleshly lives and thoughts and to allow the Spirit to return us to a place where we can hear His voice more clearly. Repentance is the condition of the heart, softening it so He can mold us into the person we are meant to be in Him. So if you have confessed His name, you are repenting, you are returning to Him. You cannot confess His name without confessing your sins, repenting them is part of it all.

shalom,

Mizz

That is beautiful!!

[UncleAbee]

Both

Salvation requires repentance - Peter says in Acts 3:19 "Therefore repent and return, so that your sins may be wiped away,...."

Repentance requires salvation - Jesus says in Luke 13:3 "I tell you, no, but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish." This is an ongoing repentance. Only those who have been saved are covered by the blood of Christ. This blood continuously cleanses the Christian who messes up whether intentionally or not (1 John 1:7). In order for the blood to work Christians must repent and confess their sins to God (1 John 1:7,9).

So, the answer is both. You need to repent to be saved. Youcan't become a Christian if you don't turn to God which that is what repentance is. Only those who are saved can continually repent and be cleansed of their sins over and over again.

I want to throw this out there. I really don't know what to think on the subject and hoping someone might enlighten me.

In some places in scripture, repentance is required for salvation, yet others it seems like it isn't.

So the question is:

Does salvation require repentance or does repentance require salvation?

[Gael]

I want to throw this out there. I really don't know what to think on the subject and hoping someone might enlighten me.

In some places in scripture, repentance is required for salvation, yet others it seems like it isn't.

So the question is:

Does salvation require repentance or does repentance require salvation?

Repentance is returning to Him, returning to where we should have started. If one has confessed His name, which is required for salvation then we would start to walk in His ways, which is returning to Him. In the Hebraic thought repent is teshuvah, not making effort to turn from but to turn back to, turning our backs on our fleshly lives and thoughts and to allow the Spirit to return us to a place where we can hear His voice more clearly. Repentance is the condition of the heart, softening it so He can mold us into the person we are meant to be in Him. So if you have confessed His name, you are repenting, you are returning to Him. You cannot confess His name without confessing your sins, repenting them is part of it all.

shalom,

Mizz

Amen!

Repentance is a turn towards God, not necessarily a turn from sin. When we turn to God, there is a heart change which leads us to turn from the things we once loved (sin) to the things of God. We can't "clean ourselves up" before coming to God because we could never "clean up" enough on our own. The actual turning from sin is the work of the Holy Spirit, not of us.

[mizzdy]

I want to throw this out there. I really don't know what to think on the subject and hoping someone might enlighten me.

In some places in scripture, repentance is required for salvation, yet others it seems like it isn't.

So the question is:

Does salvation require repentance or does repentance require salvation?

Repentance is returning to Him, returning to where we should have started. If one has confessed His name, which is required for salvation then we would start to walk in His ways, which is returning to Him. In the Hebraic thought repent is teshuvah, not making effort to turn from but to turn back to, turning our backs on our fleshly lives and thoughts and to allow the Spirit to return us to a place where we can hear His voice more clearly. Repentance is the condition of the heart, softening it so He can mold us into the person we are meant to be in Him. So if you have confessed His name, you are repenting, you are returning to Him. You cannot confess His name without confessing your sins, repenting them is part of it all.

shalom,

Mizz

Amen!

Repentance is a turn towards God, not necessarily a turn from sin. When we turn to God, there is a heart change which leads us to turn from the things we once loved (sin) to the things of God. We can't "clean ourselves up" before coming to God because we could never "clean up" enough on our own. The actual turning from sin is the work of the Holy Spirit, not of us.

Very true, yet we have our part to play, we cannot do it on our own thats for sure! The word repentance in Hebrew is teshuvah meaning to return, not to turn from exactly but to return to God, to where we should have started in the first place. As we are convicted of our sins He shows us how to put them away, to leave behind the sins in which we were mired in before we accepted His sacrifice and received His saving grace. The Spirit convicts us, we make the efforts as He shores us up so we can change. Its a life long process to be sure! Isn't our Adonai just awesome to even want to think about bringing us back into His family!

shalom,

Mizz

[Guest onlybygrace3]

At the fall of man when Adam and Eve first sin, God came to them asking questions. He didn't get angry or accused them. He simply wanted them to come to him with honesty so that he could cover them with his grace. He was to cover all of us with his grace so we can be made perfect with the robe of righteousness. At some point we all will be judged. So to me I would rather repent now instead of standing in front of the book of life trying to see if I can get in a few extra repentances, lol. I don't know if I explained that all the way, I am kinda sleepy, lol. but read my thought from my blog today. the post is called Too Ashamed to Ask, I probaly made better sense earlier when I wasn't so tired, lol. go to friendshipfromheaven.blogspot.com