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Repentance - Biblical Viewpoint


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Hebrews 6:1. "Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God." The 'repentance from dead works' is obviously a change of mind that results in a change of action.

Edited by LindaR
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Hebrews was not speaking to the unsaved. Hebrews 6 is addressing a saved people who were not growing, but holding on to dead works.


He is talking about HOW they were saved....the FOUNDATION which is speaking of SALVATION. And when speaking of the foundation he says,

"not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God,"


Repentance from WHAT? Dead works. NOT sins. Repent does NOT mean to turn from sin. Salvation is not turning from sins. It is turning from trusting / believing in anything other than Jesus Christ, to trusting and believing ONLY in Jesus Christ. Turning from unbelief to belief on the Son of God.


I have clearly explained what the word repent means, and does not mean in this thread over and over again. The problem is, that really, no matter how much proof I show for the true meaning of the word, you will NOT believe. You will not honestly consider the fact that you could be wrong, and look at the scriptures honestly enough to admit that the word simply means to turn, and adding "from sins" is not what the Bible teaches.

Luke 16 tells a similar story with the rich man and Lazarus.

Luke 16:27-31
Then he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father's house:
For I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment.
Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.
And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent.
And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead.

The rich man thought that his brother would turn from their unbelief and BELIEVE if one went unto them from the dead. I mean, SURELY, that would convince them! But, Abrahams says if the Word of God doesnt convince them, neither would one rose from the dead.
No matter how plainly in the Word of God I show you the truth concerning what repentance means, you refuse to believe. Hebrews 6:1 is crystal CLEAR. Yet, you refuse to let go of your "religion" of repenting from sins.
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I apologizes to all if I come across offensive in any way or cause hurt with any of the scriptures quoted. The Word says it and I believe it. I can do nothing else but believe what it tells me in the most simplistic terms as quoted in bold black above. Not twisted nor incorrectly interpreted. Not false doctrine or theology, but God's Word.


In so far as I am aware no one on this board believes that the repentance that is necessary before salvation is cleaning yourself up, ceasing from sin or anything like that. It is a willful directional change of the heart.

"1 Thessalonians 1:9-10 For they themselves shew of us what manner of entering in we had unto you, and how ye turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God; And to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come."

The church at Thessaloniki is a case in point. They turned to God from idols. They didn't just add Jesus to their other idols(then they would have been catholics :wink ), they had to choose to turn away from the idols in order to choose God. That is what repentance unto salvation is all about. Before you get married you have to be ready to enter into a specific and exclusive covenant with the individual your marrying, and likewise when you come to Christ for salvation your heart(not just the mind) must be turned toward him before you can be in a position to truly believe from the heart and be saved. If your heart is truly turned toward Christ then by default it must choose to turn away from sin. It is an either or situation, your heart can't be turned toward Christ and willfully hanging on to known sin at the same time. As it is written:

"1 John 1:5 This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all."

If you believe that a person can call on God and expect him to save them while willfully and knowingly holding on to sin then look at Psalm 66:18, Proverbs, 1:24-31, Ezekiel 14:1-8 etc.

I also wonder how the idea that a person can be saved and live "like the devil"(indefinitely?) fits in with this and other similar NT passages:

"Luke 6:43-46 For a good tree bringeth not forth corrupt fruit; neither doth a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. For every tree is known by his own fruit. For of thorns men do not gather figs, nor of a bramble bush gather they grapes. A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh. And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?"

Now to be clear a Christian can "live like the devil" temporarily if they so choose, but if they do so choose they will be miserable in that lifestyle and will be chastened by God until they either get right or until they "sin unto death" and God deals with them accordingly. They can't just live their whole life like a lost person without any kind of judgment from God if they are truly saved. Hebrews 12:6-13, 1st Corinthians 11:29-32, 1st John 5:16-17 etc.


I did not come to this forum to cause anger, hurt or dissent and was unaware that the predominant doctrine here was based on one man - Calvin. I assumed being IFB that you would all hold to the fundamentals of the faith. Again - sorry. This will be my last post here.


If you only knew how many arguments we have had with Calvinists over the years. It is pretty funny to accuse this board of being predominately Calvinist, I think your the first person who has ever felt that way. :biggrin: Anyway, sorry to see you go if you do decide to leave, as for what ever reason I get the impression that you are either just slightly misguided or misunderstanding and therefore hung up on what is meant by repentance. :saint2:
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Here is a Scriptural example of repentance called for:

1 Kings 8:35 When heaven is shut up, and there is no rain, because they have sinned against thee; if they pray toward this place, and confess thy name, and turn from their sin, when thou afflictest them:

Notice what it says they needed to turn from? Sin... that is repentance.

Again...

2 Chronicles 6:26 When the heaven is shut up, and there is no rain, because they have sinned against thee; yet if they pray toward this place, and confess thy name, and turn from their sin, when thou dost afflict them;

And turn from their sin... repentance from sin.

Ezekiel 33:14 Again, when I say unto the wicked, Thou shalt surely die; if he turn from his sin, and do that which is lawful and right;


If he turn from his sin... repentance from sin.

2 Chronicles 7:14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

God would not hear the Israelites if they did not repent of their sins... nor will He hear an unrepentant sinner as evidenced in the following account.

Luke 18:10 Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican.
Luke 18:11 The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican.
Luke 18:12 I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess.
Luke 18:13 And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner.
Luke 18:14 I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.

The Pharisee was unrepentant. He was not rewarded, the repentant publican was rewarded.

So, are you going to turn from sin and to God? or are you going to continue to try to please Him your own way?

Proverbs 14:12 There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.

Sorry your theory has you blinded to the fact that one must repent of sin or that one will not be accepted of God.

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Here is a Scriptural example of repentance called for:

1 Kings 8:35 When heaven is shut up, and there is no rain, because they have sinned against thee; if they pray toward this place, and confess thy name, and turn from their sin, when thou afflictest them:

Notice what it says they needed to turn from? Sin... that is repentance.

Again...

2 Chronicles 6:26 When the heaven is shut up, and there is no rain, because they have sinned against thee; yet if they pray toward this place, and confess thy name, and turn from their sin, when thou dost afflict them;

And turn from their sin... repentance from sin.

Ezekiel 33:14 Again, when I say unto the wicked, Thou shalt surely die; if he turn from his sin, and do that which is lawful and right;


If he turn from his sin... repentance from sin.

2 Chronicles 7:14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

God would not hear the Israelites if they did not repent of their sins... nor will He hear an unrepentant sinner as evidenced in the following account.

Luke 18:10 Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican.
Luke 18:11 The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican.
Luke 18:12 I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess.
Luke 18:13 And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner.
Luke 18:14 I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.

The Pharisee was unrepentant. He was not rewarded, the repentant publican was rewarded.

So, are you going to turn from sin and to God? or are you going to continue to try to please Him your own way?

Proverbs 14:12 There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.

Sorry your theory has you blinded to the fact that one must repent of sin or that one will not be accepted of God.


You list verses like 2 Chronicles 6:26 When the heaven is shut up, and there is no rain, because they have sinned against thee;
as proof for what you believe, which tells me you are trying to either be deceitful, or are ignorant. Either way, it is not good.

God had a covenant with Israel that if they do good and obey his laws and keep his commandments he would do good unto them. If they did not, then he would do evil unto them. It was not for salvation. It was for blessing and cursing.

Joshua 24:
[15] And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.
[16] And the people answered and said, God forbid that we should forsake the LORD, to serve other gods;
[17] For the LORD our God, he it is that brought us up and our fathers out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage, and which did those great signs in our sight, and preserved us in all the way wherein we went, and among all the people through whom we passed:
[18] And the LORD drave out from before us all the people, even the Amorites which dwelt in the land: therefore will we also serve the LORD; for he is our God.
[19] And Joshua said unto the people, Ye cannot serve the LORD: for he is an holy God; he is a jealous God; he will not forgive your transgressions nor your sins.
[20] If ye forsake the LORD, and serve strange gods, then he will turn and do you hurt, and consume you, after that he hath done you good.
[21] And the people said unto Joshua, Nay; but we will serve the LORD.
[22] And Joshua said unto the people, Ye are witnesses against yourselves that ye have chosen you the LORD, to serve him. And they said, We are witnesses.
[23] Now therefore put away, said he, the strange gods which are among you, and incline your heart unto the LORD God of Israel.
[24] And the people said unto Joshua, The LORD our God will we serve, and his voice will we obey.
[25] So Joshua made a covenant with the people that day, and set them a statute and an ordinance in Shechem.
[26] And Joshua wrote these words in the book of the law of God, and took a great stone, and set it up there under an oak, that was by the sanctuary of the LORD.
[27] And Joshua said unto all the people, Behold, this stone shall be a witness unto us; for it hath heard all the words of the LORD which he spake unto us: it shall be therefore a witness unto you, lest ye deny your God.

The nation of Israel would often repent of their sins in order to keep God from doing evil unto them. It was not for the salvation of the soul. Romans 4 explains clearly how the old testament saints were saved. By FAITH. Just as we are saved by FAITH....BELIEVING.

Please do not quote verses to support your theory which are out of context and try to pass them off as "salvation" verses. It is deceitful.
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Repentance from WHAT? Dead works. NOT sins. Repent does NOT mean to turn from sin. Salvation is not turning from sins. It is turning from trusting / believing in anything other than Jesus Christ, to trusting and believing ONLY in Jesus Christ. Turning from unbelief to belief on the Son of God.


I have clearly explained what the word repent means, and does not mean in this thread over and over again. The problem is, that really, no matter how much proof I show for the true meaning of the word, you will NOT believe. You will not honestly consider the fact that you could be wrong, and look at the scriptures honestly enough to admit that the word simply means to turn, and adding "from sins" is not what the Bible teaches.


Repentance unto salvation most certainly does include the heart turning away from known sin in spite of your unsubstantiated claims to the contrary. :icon_mrgreen:

"John 3:17-21 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God."

Now we probably agree about the first part "He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already" but notice later on: "And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil." The condemnation is that men love their sin, not just that they don't believe. Now why don't they believe? Because they love their sin. Now can they love and cling to their sin and in that state come to Christ? No, because in that state they they hate the light and therefore cannot truly believe.

"Acts 26:16-18 But rise, and stand upon thy feet: for I have appeared unto thee for this purpose, to make thee a minister and a witness both of these things which thou hast seen, and of those things in the which I will appear unto thee; Delivering thee from the people, and from the Gentiles, unto whom now I send thee, To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me."

Notice for what purpose Christ sends Paul to the Gentiles, to "open their eyes", or to take away their ignorance, "to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God," or to teach them biblical repentance so that: "they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me." Which is why in verse twenty of the same chapter Pauls says that: "But shewed first unto them of Damascus, and at Jerusalem, and throughout all the coasts of Judaea, and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, and do works meet for repentance." Edited by Seth-Doty
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Now to be clear a Christian can "live like the devil" temporarily if they so choose, but if they do so choose they will be miserable in that lifestyle and will be chastened by God until they either get right or until they "sin unto death" and God deals with them accordingly. They can't just live their whole life like a lost person without any kind of judgment from God if they are truly saved. Hebrews 12:6-13, 1st Corinthians 11:29-32, 1st John 5:16-17 etc.



Seth,

I agree with the portion I quoted from you above. It is scriptural and truthful. The problem is, that "standingfirm" and "lindaR" do NOT believe what you said above. They said a "saved" person cannot goto heaven if they choose to live a life of sin after believing.

Their definition of repent is a subtle way to add something to salvation that isnt there. Jesus does it all. All to HIM I owe. I don't have to clean up, quit sinning, or turn from sins in order to be saved. I just have to come to Christ as I am and BELIEVE. If they believe there is anything else to it, then they are preaching a false gospel and another Jesus.
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Like I mentioned in an earlier post. I believe that StandingFirm and LindaR and probably others are both not even considering the fact that they could be wrong and will not believe no matter how many times I show them scripture that is contrary to what they say.

StandingFirm has now said there are THREE definitions of repentance. Yet sees no problem with this in his own mind.

One for God
One for unsaved men
One for saved men

He likes to have the word change meanings to fit his own ideas instead of changing his ideas to fit God's Word.

I have posted enough verses, and comments that I believe anyone with an open mind can clearly see the definition of the word Repent. I will be following 2Tim215 and leaving this forum as well. I hope for those few open-minded people that might be following this thread that it has been a help.

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Seth,

I agree with the portion I quoted from you above. It is scriptural and truthful. The problem is, that "standingfirm" and "lindaR" do NOT believe what you said above. They said a "saved" person cannot goto heaven if they choose to live a life of sin after believing.

Their definition of repent is a subtle way to add something to salvation that isnt there. Jesus does it all. All to HIM I owe. I don't have to clean up, quit sinning, or turn from sins in order to be saved. I just have to come to Christ as I am and BELIEVE. If they believe there is anything else to it, then they are preaching a false gospel and another Jesus.


I don't think they believe what you think they do, perhaps they didn't word it the best way or perhaps you misunderstood them. I strongly suspect they would also agree with the portion you quoted. If I am wrong I am sure they will say so.
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A saved person is not going to choose to live a life of sin. A saved person is going to want to please God, and when he or she sins, the Holy Spirit chastises them and brings them to repentance from that sin. That which is born of God cannot sin... that is cannot live a lifestyle of continued sin.

And, contrary to your teaching in the above post, you do have to turn from sin to come to Christ. If you don't turn from sin, Christ will not hear you.

Psalms 66:18 If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me:

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Now to be clear a Christian can "live like the devil" temporarily if they so choose, but if they do so choose they will be miserable in that lifestyle and will be chastened by God until they either get right or until they "sin unto death" and God deals with them accordingly. They can't just live their whole life like a lost person without any kind of judgment from God if they are truly saved. Hebrews 12:6-13, 1st Corinthians 11:29-32, 1st John 5:16-17 etc.

I agree 100% with that statement and I think I posted something similar about God's chastisement of the Christian who temporarily "lives like the devil"....using Hebrews 12:6-8, but I can't find the post. The point I was trying to make is this: If there is no Holy Spirit conviction, then perhaps that person never trusted Christ in the first place...no repentance (turning from sin and turning to God in faith), no saving faith and no Holy Spirit conviction of sin. God chastises His children.

Hebrews 12:6 For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.

Hebrews 12:7 If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not?

Hebrews 12:8 But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons.
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Like I mentioned in an earlier post. I believe that StandingFirm and LindaR and probably others are both not even considering the fact that they could be wrong and will not believe no matter how many times I show them scripture that is contrary to what they say.

StandingFirm has now said there are THREE definitions of repentance. Yet sees no problem with this in his own mind.

One for God
One for unsaved men
One for saved men

He likes to have the word change meanings to fit his own ideas instead of changing his ideas to fit God's Word.

I have posted enough verses, and comments that I believe anyone with an open mind can clearly see the definition of the word Repent. I will be following 2Tim215 and leaving this forum as well. I hope for those few open-minded people that might be following this thread that it has been a help.
The word meaning has not changed one iota. For the unsaved man, repentance is to turn away and to turn to. Turn away from what? From sin.

He cannot continue in sin. A good tree beareth not evil fruit no matter how much you think he can.

For God, repentance is turning away from calamity and turning to good.

In all three instances, it is a turning away and a turning to. The meaning has not changed at all. Your understanding of repentance limits the truth of what repentance is in each case..

I believe you and 2Tim are not considering the fact that you are wrong. It is you who is not conforming to what is written in God's Holy Word. I believe the Word. When the unsaved repents, he turns from sin and to God. If he does not turn from sin, he has not repented. If you have not turned from sin, you have not repented. When the saved repent, they turn from sin, and occasionally dead works, and turn to God. I know this is above your head, but just rely on the Holy Spirit to speak rather than your limited understanding. When God repents, he turns from intended calamity and turns to intended good. Edited by Standing Firm In Christ
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