Acts 3:19-20
1 Corinthians 2:14
John 14:21
Matthew 22:37-38
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Repentance is a necessary part of salvation as provided
by Jesus Christ in His Crucifixion and Resurrection.
According to The Greek-English Interlinear ESV the word
for repent is μετανοησατε and is used in Acts 3:19-20.
The implication of this word is, from my understanding
in the Abridged Liddell and Scott's, to be a complete
change of mind, as in turning completely away from what
you believe and think, and go a completely different
direction with realization that the old path was wrong.
That is a little more that Liddle says, but that is my
take.
Now, a friend of mine, Richard, along with encouraging
me to look at the Greek, has also convinced me to add
Noah Webster's Dictionary that was in use when this
country was founded, so I have a copy of the 1829
dictionary.b
The difference in the definition
found there, and the one found in my Concise Oxforda is
interesting. So, here are the two definitions of
repentance:
Oxford: repent = feel of express sincere regret or
remorse. Feel regret or remorse about.
DERIVATIVES: Repentance, et. al.
Webster 1829: Repentance #3 = Real penitence;
sorrow or deep contrition for sin, as an offense and
dishonor to God, a violation of His holy law, and the
basest ingratitude towards a Being of infinite
benevolence. This is called evangelical
repentance and is accompanied and followed by amendment
of life.
Wow! The modern Oxford Concise dictionary, one
used by many students, doesn't list repentance accept as
a derivative of repent, and repent is no more than
feeling regret or remorse. Yet, when this country
was founded our forefathers had in mind definitions of
repentance that included legal, societal, and Biblical
repentance. A person today, using the Oxford
concise to understand what the Bible means by repent,
would walk away believing that feeling bad about sinning
is all there is to it!
Yet, repentance towards God recognizes Him for who He
is, and changes your life! No wonder Christianity
is full of non-repentant people!
The Apostle Paul, in 1 Corinthians 2:14 states that the
natural person does not accept the things of God because
they are foolishness to them. So then, the natural
man, whether the completely unregenerated man, or the
Christian living in the flesh, will not understand the
things of God. If such a person does not
understand the things of God, then they will have a very
hard time repenting of what is an affront to God; one
must understand their transgression before one can
repent of the transgression. Simply saying
"forgive us our transgressions as we forgive those who
sin against us" doesn't do it. You may not
remember everything you do and ask forgiveness, but
your heart is in the right place in trying to do so.
Blanket prayers, with no real thought or repentance do
little to nothing for the life of the Christian.
So how can a Christian know what to repent of?
This is very simple: one must obey the commandments of
Jesus Christ and the Apostles as He revealed His Will to
them, and any falling short of that obedience is a
transgression that must be repented of.
"But Preacher" you say, "I live by the Ten Commandments,
and I love God with all my heart as He said in Matthew
22:37-38. Isn't that what I am supposed to do
under Grace?"
Oh, you of little understanding! The Law is a
curse that condemns men! Jesus suffered that curse
so that for you the law becomes Grace, not a curse!
What law do I mean? Well, as a Gentile you need
not follow the Jewish law, such as what to eat, wear,
etc. These were laws for the Jews alone. Nor
do you need to sacrifice animals for your sin, as Jesus
was the supreme sacrifice that absolved all who will
accept that atonement and repent!
However, the things that God has said that He hates, He
still hates. Not just the things in the Ten
Commandments, though those are very important, but any
other law that was designed for all men! When God
says He hates murder, the only thing you get under grace
is forgiveness; Grace does not let you go out kill
people as you see fit! This applies to theft,
rape, lies, sexual perversion, and a list of other
things, most found in the first chapter of Romans.
In John 14:21 Jesus says that whoever keeps His
commandments loves Him, and whoever loves Him will be
loved by the Father, and Jesus will love that person and
will manifest Himself to that person.
Let's say that again...Jesus says if you love Him you
will keep His commandments, which we know came from the
Father as Jesus always abided perfectly in the Father's
Will, and if we keep the commandments that the Father
gave us through Jesus His Son, then the Father will love
us, and because we have the Father's Love, Jesus will
love us and be with us.
Is this getting through to you yet? It is all
about the Father! Jesus reconciled us with the
Father, the Holy Spirit teaches us of the Father.
Everything Jesus did was to bring you to the Father!
Not to Himself! You go to the Father THROUGH
JESUS. It is reconciliation with the Father that
was Jesus Goal and Attainment on earth. We love
Jesus for what He did for us, and this love will bring
us to keep the commandments that He gave, that make the
Father happy with us.
But what about Matthew 22:37-38? The Great and
First Commandment? Yes, this is the Great
Commandment, and loving your neighbor as your self is
second to it. If you did this perfectly you would
fulfil all the other laws! You would never
violate one of God's Laws if you walked in perfect Love
for Him. But we don't, so He gives us His Laws,
like "have no other gods before me" because we will slip
up and let some idol in if we are not careful. We
will be hanging Native American blankets on the walls,
and there goes that perfect love for Him. Forgot
He was your protection, didn't you? So, He gives us
law, or rules, that we should love to obey in return for
Jesus paying the price for our salvation.
He writes His law on our hearts, but we get that law
from reading Jesus and the Apostles words in our Bibles.
A ministry called "United in Jesus Christ" publishes a
bookc that is just the commandments that Jesus gave us.
I have ordered a copy, but it is yet to arrive. It
will be an interesting take to go though and read just
the things that Jesus told us to do! Why did I
order it? Because I love Him and want to keep His
commandments.
Do you want to keep His commandments? Or do you
not look to hard at the Gospels for fear of finding out
that there are things you are doing, or want to do, that
you may need to quit. I can guarantee you that
your ignorance of the Law is not going to excuse you!
You had better start searching the scriptures to find
out what you are supposed to repent of, and what you are
to do.
If you don't want to do this, or are afraid of how it
will change your life, then you do not love Jesus Christ
as you should, and you should get down on your knees and
have a heart-to-heart talk with Him. Knowing what
He did for you, how could you not love Him enough to
keep His commandments?
There is no "half in" as a Christian; if you do not love
the Lord enough to keep His commandments, then your
eternal soul is in peril! Anyone who says they
love God but do not keep His commandments is a liar.
If you don't keep His commandments, talk with Him about
it before it is too late! Bottom line is this:
true repentance is turning from breaking His Laws, and
instead following them!
We may cover what loving your neighbor is in another
message...
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a Concise Oxford English Dictionary, Oxford University
Press, Oxford, New York : page 1219 : "Repent"
b American Dictionary of the English Language, Noah
Webster, 1828, Facsimile Edition, Published by
Foundation For American Christian Education : No Page
Number : "Repentance"
c United In Jesus Christ :
UIJC
Store - United In Jesus Christ
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