Guest wei Posted April 11, 2005 Share Posted April 11, 2005 I read in a christian book that repentance consists of 3 aspects-of the will, of the nature, of the emotion. Well, reading the part about emotion made me feel really unsure of myself and made me doubt my salvation. I know that i am a sinner and that i need God to forgive and save me, but what if when i prayed for Him to do so, i did not feel any guilt or remorse? Don't get me wrong, i know i am a sinner and that it is bad, but how come I don't feel repentance? I want to turn from my sins,i really do...but how come i don't feel all that I am suppose to feel? does not feeling anything whatsoever mean that God did not listen to me when I asked him to forgive me and enter my life? does that mean i am not saved? if so, then how does one develop such a feeling? please, anyone, answer me as soon as possible and as clearly as possible...this has really been bothering me...I really want to be assured that i am saved and have become a christian...please answer me.thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leonard Posted April 11, 2005 Group: Royal Member Followers: 2 Topic Count: 115 Topics Per Day: 0.02 Content Count: 8,281 Content Per Day: 1.12 Reputation: 249 Days Won: 3 Joined: 03/03/2004 Status: Offline Birthday: 10/30/1955 Share Posted April 11, 2005 If the book you were reading told you that you must 'feel' something to be repentent, then the book was wrong. Repentence should not be confused with feelings. The New Testament was originally in Greek, and the Greek word usually translated as 'repent' was also used as a military command for 'about face.' That's what repentence means: To change direction with God's help. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yomotalking Posted April 11, 2005 Group: Royal Member Followers: 1 Topic Count: 154 Topics Per Day: 0.02 Content Count: 2,838 Content Per Day: 0.40 Reputation: 19 Days Won: 0 Joined: 10/18/2004 Status: Offline Birthday: 05/29/1991 Share Posted April 11, 2005 Although Leonard has said it for me.... I'll add a bit. Wei, you do not have to be crying, and breaking down to repent. This just shows that the Lord is actually convicting you of your sin.....but it does not mean that you have to act this way to become a Christian. Don't get me wrong. There's nothing bad about crying, and being very tearful.......I have seen someone in floods of tears, as they have been convicted of sin. What I'm trying to say is, you can be very serious when you accept Christ, you might have not one tear at all.........but at the end of the day, it comes down to faith in Christ Jesus, how he can save you for Eternity........and how you can become a Child of God, and live in Obedience to Christ. Please don't put it off until you "feel" something!!!! It may be too late........and you wouldn't have accepted Jesus as Lord and Saviour.....and then you would be lost for Eternity.........please don't let that happen. Pray to God now. Ask Him to come in, and save you........... Yomo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest benji Posted April 14, 2005 Share Posted April 14, 2005 Repentance is basically a changing of mind about our sin. We have to see our sin as God sees it. We have to realize that even our righteousness is as "filthy rags" and there is nothing we can do to merit eternal life. "Feeling" is not important. "Knowing" and "recognizing" our sin are. Then we have to pray and receive Christ and the gift of eternal life. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jesussaves Posted April 14, 2005 Group: Diamond Member Followers: 0 Topic Count: 210 Topics Per Day: 0.03 Content Count: 1,144 Content Per Day: 0.15 Reputation: 11 Days Won: 0 Joined: 06/14/2003 Status: Offline Share Posted April 14, 2005 I gotta tell you, when I realized I was sinning against the Lord it broke my heart. To see myself , O how wretched, and to know of His goodness and mercy was enough to bring streams of tears to this repentant heart. It is a very hard thing not to experience the God given emotions we have when we realize we have sinned against the Lord. Like Isaiah, we are a people of unclean lips and sometimes we need to fall on our faces and ask Him to forgive us and be Lord in our lives. To repent is more than a mental acknowledging of our sin and a mental turning away. It is a change of mind and heart. "Godly sorrow worketh repentance." 2Cor. 7:10 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yomotalking Posted April 14, 2005 Group: Royal Member Followers: 1 Topic Count: 154 Topics Per Day: 0.02 Content Count: 2,838 Content Per Day: 0.40 Reputation: 19 Days Won: 0 Joined: 10/18/2004 Status: Offline Birthday: 05/29/1991 Share Posted April 14, 2005 Any news, Wei? I hope this Thread has helped you a lot. I hope that you will accept Christ. Yomo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
other one Posted April 14, 2005 Group: Worthy Ministers Followers: 29 Topic Count: 599 Topics Per Day: 0.08 Content Count: 56,262 Content Per Day: 7.56 Reputation: 27,991 Days Won: 271 Joined: 12/29/2003 Status: Offline Share Posted April 14, 2005 wei, I can't tell what's going on in your heart about repentance from a few words on a single post. I might add though that just realising that you need his forgiveness and want to turn from sinful ways is the answer you are looking for. I am not sure what you are expecting to feel, for I don't know how much you have done to be forgiven for. Speaking for myself there was much to forgive, so maybe I was a bit more emotional about it than you, I just don't know.... some people are more emotional than others. In the end, if you have asked Him to come into your life and you have made him the Lord of your life and believe that the Father raised Him from the dead the bible says you are saved. It has been my experience in life for a long time that the real question is have you really made Him your Lord. It's not that you feel convited of your past with much emotion, it's whether or not He is your future that is the real question. If you put Him in charge don't worry that much about the rest. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest wei Posted April 14, 2005 Share Posted April 14, 2005 Any news, Wei? I hope this Thread has helped you a lot. I hope that you will accept Christ. Yomo <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Actually, i have prayed for Christ to forgive me and enter my life before. It was because of the ideas that came into my head when i read that book that mad eme doubt. I'll pray some more. :} thanks for all your replies! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DocHoliday Posted April 15, 2005 Group: Members Followers: 0 Topic Count: 0 Topics Per Day: 0 Content Count: 7 Content Per Day: 0.00 Reputation: 0 Days Won: 0 Joined: 12/03/2004 Status: Offline Share Posted April 15, 2005 DEAR WEI... GBU DEAR FRIEND Wei, this book about the three aspects of salvation, is a book written by a personality type, who likes to have things all figured out and in order. There is nothing wrong with this. In fact, God more than likely made this author to tick that way, and I'd be willing to bet, that this person is more than likely, a true and sincere servant of the Lord. One whom the Lord loves, and one who loves the Lord. But Wei, there is nothing in the bible that talks about repentance having to do with a feeling! Nor is it written in the word of God that you must qualify in any of these listed categories to be on some "Heaven Approved Checklist". But I'm willing to bet that this author wasn't even talking about a one-time feeling that comes over you when you repent. If anything, they might be saying, (and if not, then I'm saying) that in time, a spiritual life in Christ, should cause some longer term emotional changes in how you view sin. That is, you become more sensitive and aware of damaging and even, fruitless things. And your desire to go back to those things is for the most part, gone. But those emotional changes are not necessarily moments of strong and convincing feelings. And I wouldn't look for them in that, because you'll be looking for evidence of your salvation in the wrong place, and you'll end up frustrated and confused. I agree with many of the other replies as well. (as far as those who understand that feelings are not necessary to prove savlation) I am someone who, when born again, cried uncontrollably, and still couldn't express the amazing and over-whelming "feeling" that stayed with me during those few hours in my 7th grade year at a mountain retreat for youth. But there have been many dear friend, who have fully and completely come to God, and have never "felt" anything to prove that they had come to repentance. The word of God says to repent. It doesn't say, "Go and repent, and when, or if you boo-hoo for a couple hours, congratulations! You've made it!!" God is the one in control of your life and salvation. Not some person's check-off list! And He alone proves your position in Christ. Not man's book! Again understand that I am not putting this person (author) down, just know and learn wei, that people will come from every angle with their own perspective's, solution's and formulas, as to what it is to be a Christian in their opinion or observations. And because they might have experienced something, or come to understood their salvation in a certain way, they might come across as sounding or even demanding that every person is suppose to experience it, or come to see it in that same way they have. We're all responsible for making statements that limit God's sovereignty in another person's life. "If you're a Christian, then you must look like this, sound like that, do in this manner, know in this way, feel in this fashion, adopt these ideas, or simply, see it in the way that I declare a "true" Christian is suppose to see it.. otherwise, you must not be saved"! But none of these so called qualifications have the authority that God has when it comes to His choosing and saving one's soul. Nor do they have the ability to with 100% accuracy, determine who is and who isn't of the Lord! Wei, I encourage you to look up GREG LAURIE of HARVEST CHRISTIAN FELLOWSHIP in RIVERSIDE CA. This is a man who is used in a very large way in the ministry field today, and definitely one of the most well known Pastor/Evangelists in America. See if you can find anything about his testimony. Because he will tell you, that he never experienced the "feeling" of repentance, that so many talked about. Instead, he repented and gave his life to Christ wondering if he himself had it, because he went through what you are going through now. He didn't "feel" nothing. But he asked God into his heart, walked with Him, turned from sin, and did the basics. And he soon came to see that God had indeed received and accepted him. And now look at where he is. If you ask me brother (or sister ) your salvation sure sounds genuine. Otherwise, you wouldn't care. Maybe, God's allowing you to go through the feeling of having no feelings (lol ) so that as you grow and see Christ in your life for yourself, you'll be able to help and assist others whom you might find struggling with what you are going through now. But please Wei, don't make the mistake of trying to figure it out. Don't compare yourself to other peoples formatted ideas. In time you'll probably be able to better understand what that author was talking about, if indeed there was more to what he was saying. For now, just stick to the basics. Don't look for signs. Just ask Jesus to reveal Himself to you more and more, so that you won't have to doubt. Our God is so patient, gentle, loving and faithful. He will not let you wonder on your own. But don't put Him on your clock and schedule to work. Just do the basics and live for Him as best as you can! And with that Wei, I'll leave you with one more thing. The rest is for you and the Lord to "work out"... All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will by no means cast out. (John 6:37 New King James Version) Well... two more things... lol Do not fear, little flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom. (Luke 12:32 New King James Version) Your pal... Doc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts