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If we truly are in Christ Jesus, we will not fulfill the deeds of the flesh.but then the "repent or perish", why is there a contradiction, or is it? Thanks this can really help me right now.
Because if you haven’t repented you are not in Christ. No contradiction.but then the "repent or perish", why is there a contradiction, or is it? Thanks this can really help me right now.
Wow, love it! So perfectly said, Nancy. :)If we truly are in Christ Jesus, we will not fulfill the deeds of the flesh.
"There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit."
Romans 8:1
I'm not sure where you are coming from with "repent or perish" although, it is true if we do not repent of our sins, we will not be saved so, I see no contradiction there.. But He gives us so many chances to turn to Him, we don't know when our last day on Earth will be so...today IS the day of salvation! :)
Hope others will chime in here and give their take.
To be forgiven does not mean we either have disposed of the Sin Nature or stop sinning entirely. It means that based on our repentance from living a life of sin we are granted salvation on the basis of our choice to live in Christ.but then the "repent or perish", why is there a contradiction, or is it? Thanks this can really help me right now.
I see that Paul in latter part of Romans 7 is using himself as a Jew who lived under the OT as an example of how hard that law was to live under. To be justified by that OT law, it required the Jew to do the wotk in keeping all of it flawlessly perfect....the Jew had to continue in all things (Gal 3:10) or be cursed....the law showed no mercy. Under that OT law one was a debtor to the whole law (Gal 5:3).but then the "repent or perish", why is there a contradiction, or is it? Thanks this can really help me right now.
Hi Randy Kluth,To be forgiven does not mean we either have disposed of the Sin Nature or stop sinning entirely. It means that based on our repentance from living a life of sin we are granted salvation on the basis of our choice to live in Christ.
To choose to live in Christ does not mean we will live in him perfectly. It just means that we have chosen to embrace Christ as our proper way of life, designating him the basis of all our choices, whether we succeed at all times or not. It is the choice *to make him Lord* that saves us--not the ability to do so at all times.
It is casting our vote for Christ that becomes acceptable for the Lord to invite us into heaven. All God wants of us is our choice to live with him forever. It is not a choice for paradise, but more, a choice for him as the definition of our paradise.
Let's say a man chooses a woman to be his bride. He is not promising to be a perfect husband, but rather, simply determining his future to live with his wife until death do they part. It is his choice for her, when it is real, that makes the marriage final.
It is not the promise to always be perfect in the way he treats her. The marriage is not stopped because he is flawed during the period of their engagement. The marriage is settled by their mutual choice for each other.
What gives us cover for our sins is this choice for Christ as our God, In doing so with sincerity we are granted the experience of Rebirth, the means of regularly walking in relationship with Christ. All men have access to this, but not all men choose to do this. Some simply choose for a spiritual experience, for good works, or for the hope of eternal paradise. But they really need to *choose him!*
We are not covered for our sins on the basis we repent and never again sin. Repentance is the choice to return to a walk with God, and not just a choice to do good again. When we choose to do good we are essentially choosing to walk with God again. But are we choosing to simply "be good," or are we choosing to return to a proper relationship with God--something that we have already chosen?
If we have already chosen God as our life-long partner, repentance is merely the choice to return to this commitment and to this relationship. Forgiveness is without question.
There may not always be instant feelings of bliss, or a lack of consequences--consequences for choices to sin are very real, despite our salvation. Only God can undo them, if He does so at all in this lifetime. We should just trust in God's love, and cast our burdens on Him, because he is a kind God.
People who have only accepted the "gifts of Christ," but not his own Person, can also be forgiven when they repent of their sin and stop doing the wrong thing they're doing. But for them this does not mean Salvation. It is only God's willingness to return them to living right, and not the cancellation of the sin debt as far as receiving Eternal Life. That only comes in our choice for *him.*
In sum, your sense of "repent or perish" is the Salvation Question: do we accept Christ himself as a person, or do we merely accept good things that he offers us? Forgiveness comes, or release from condemnation, when we receive Christ's *person.* In him we are viewed as liberated from the guilt of sin because in him was found no sin. Our righteousness comes from his record when we choose him as our Savior and Lord.
This choice for *person,* instead of mere reward is an essential distinction in the removal of condemnation. It is not necessarily a removal of the *feeling* of condemnation. When we sin, we will feel condemned.
Rather, the release from condemnation is being expressed by Paul in the *legal sense* that our choice for Christ removes us from *eternal* condemnation. Whether we *feel* condemned or not, our choice for him is inviolable--we have indeed been liberated from *eternal* condemnation in the act of having chosen him.
I've gone to lengths to try to explain this because your concern, as expressed, has been mine. It is a very deep problem. I hope this begins to help?
Yes, it always helps to hear an honest message. As you say, any sense of liberation from condemnation is a *process.* Sometimes we feel we have it, and at other times not.Hi Randy Kluth,
I'm so sorry to hear that you are suffering the same thing, hardship of repentance.
I think I'm feeling better about repenting now but now I know another sin I should totally repent from as well. I will do my best.
So I also think there's a sin in which the Holy Spirit prompts you not to do, but you don't trust in God and believe the "worldly" Satanic lie and then sin, but if you repent of this then there's no condemnation of those who are in Christ sin who walketh not in the flesh but by the Spirit.
Then there's the sin in which you're under pressure so you accidentally sin but then you repent right away so you're redirected so you're covered, there's no condemnation for you in Christ Jesus...
Then there's the sin that you can't help but 'feel', but you don't 'act' on it, then you're covered, there's no condemnation for you in Christ Jesus, etc (the whole verse).
Then there's a sin that's tempting but it seems like God can provide a way out of it, meaning it becomes not that tempting (you can pray about it), then you can probably stop it, then there's no condemnation for you in Christ Jesus... if you stop it.
In conclusion, I still think repentance is a constant struggle but it says in the Bible, All things are possible with God. I hope this helps.
I don't know what verses you are quoting. I do know Jesus is always trying to help us, and I do know that sin brings trouble into our lives.but then the "repent or perish", why is there a contradiction, or is it? Thanks this can really help me right now.
but then the "repent or perish", why is there a contradiction, or is it? Thanks this can really help me right now.
In one sense all of humanity is 'in Christ'....we need to see it, however, being 'out of Christ' is something we choose....consciously or unconsciously.....by our heart space.but then the "repent or perish", why is there a contradiction, or is it? Thanks this can really help me right now.
How wonderful to know that what God expects us to be He has enabled us to be. Last time we saw that God has sent His Holy Spirit to come and live in us so that we now can be empowered to do His will. Now, when we fail to allow the Spirit to control us, and we put ourselves back under law and the confidence of our flesh, then we sin as chapter 7 showed us.the "repent or perish" I just briefly saw in someone else's thread but I think it's really there in the Bible, I just don't know in what context it was written though I think it might've been written to Christians vs non-Christians, I'm not sure!
I just had to write, I think I will always be condemned in Christ since I find it hard not to walk in the flesh in certain areas. For example, can I buy new clothes even if I still have stained old clothes? lol, this is not the only fleshly area I have trouble with, there's another area too.![]()
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Thanks for replies.
Luk_13:3 No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.but then the "repent or perish", why is there a contradiction, or is it? Thanks this can really help me right now.
Luk 13:1 There were some present at that very time who told him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices.Luk_13:3 No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.
Luk_13:5 No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.”
In one sense all of humanity is 'in Christ'.
Paul is talking about the final judgment. Those "in Christ" will not suffer condemnation, i.e. eternal damnation.but then the "repent or perish", why is there a contradiction, or is it? Thanks this can really help me right now.