Repentance

marks said:

I get what he's saying. You can make yourself crazy thinking you have to become good enough for God, or stay good enough, or however you want to say it.

Our reconciliation to God is found in Jesus Christ's life, His righteousness, His obedience death, alone, having believed. If we try to switch that over to ourselves, as if somehow we have our hand on the spigot, and we have to figure whether we are OK with God or not, and if not, we've got to figure how to make it right again, well, I put that behind me, in faith that Jesus has reconciled me to God. Jesus never changes, so His ministry to me never never never changes, and He remains my High Priest FOREVER! Always always interceding for me!

Can you imagine?

Every out of control act, errent thought, work of the flesh, forever and always He intercedes for me! This is the joy of salvation. I am comletely free to be with my Father, my Brother, free to know my Creator, the peace and joy that is in this thought is inexpressible!

Law provokes sin, because sin is hostile to God. Living according to the knowledge of Good and Evil was not God's original design. God's original design was innocence with liberty. And He included 1 test, that if failed, would require correction. This is nothing different than is in our lives.

God gives us tests. If we do the right thing, we've become more firm in our new creation. If we do the wrong thing, we receive correction. Maybe just the emptiness of something that has no value, maybe the pain of something harmful. All these tests/temptations we get through our lives are there to show where we need work, and contribute towards our repair.

God gave humanity, in Adam, that one test, that if he did the right thing, perhaps then there would have been ripe fruit on the Tree of Life. But he did the wrong thing, and showed something about humanity, that being created good isn't enough, we need to be united to our Creator, to be as one with Him, as He alone is intrinsically good. We can have goodness, and lose it, but He cannot.

So failing the test, and the introduction of sin into humanity is now used by God to drive us into His arms, and once there, He removes the burden. Jesus forever lives to intercede for us. "Come to Me, all you who are weary, heavy laden, and I will give you rest."

And in this way, we don't have to wait until we have the incorruptible flesh before we can have pure and true intimate unbroken communion with our Creator. Because this is found not in me, not in my ability, or my good behavior, fellowship with God is found in Jesus Christ, and Him alone. His righteousness, given to me.

It is in this way that we open our hearts fully to God, trusting Him, because we KNOW He holds NOTHING against us, not now, not ever, again, it's in Jesus, and Jesus does not change. Because we are forgiven, and we know we are beloved, received, accepted, His, and He loves us, and takes us to Himself, promises to never cast us out, promises to care for all our needs, promises to sanctify us, empower us, and lets us know this will be a process, that will last over the course of our lives.

When we get out of control, when we fail to walk in the Spirit, and end up in works of the flesh, because of who we are, we hate it. The part inside that seems to want it, well, it does, that's sin that lives in us, in the flesh, that is, the old man born of Adam. Make no mistake - you are the new man born of God, and you hate sin. Isn't that true?

We can only do what we can do, and God knows that. He knows are weakness, He is sympathetic to our weakness. And He's bringing us home.

He promised.

Much love!

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CharismaticLady said:

Now that I've walked with the Lord for a long time, I have discovered that true repentance is not something that needs to be done daily as some believe, but is something you do once to be filled with the Holy Spirit. From then on, just obey your conscience where He lives, and don't do anything against your conscience. 1 John 3:21-24.

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Desire Of All Nations said:

Where in the Bible is it written"just obey your conscience"?

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Desire Of All Nations said:

This is human reasoning talking, and not biblical Christianity. If you're the slightest bit honest with yourself, you know you sin daily and are in need of God's forgiveness everyday. You're far from being more righteous than David or Daniel was, and both men acknowledged how much forgiveness they needed from God on a daily basis. I know i need it.

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Jones12849 said:

How often should Christians pray for forgiveness? I have decided not to pray for forgiveness anymore because I want my relationship with Christ to be based in love and not fear. What do you guys think about this decision?

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CharismaticLady said:

Good grief, where is it NOT written in the Bible???

1 John 3:21-24
21 Beloved, if our heart (conscience) does not condemn us, we have confidence toward God. 22 And whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do those things that are pleasing in His sight. 23 And this is His commandment: that we should believe on the name of His Son Jesus Christ and love one another, as He gave us commandment. 24 Now he who keeps His commandments abides in Him, and He in him. And by this we know that He abides in us, by the Spirit whom He has given us.

John 8:9
Then those who heard it, being convicted by their conscience, went out one by one, beginning with the oldest even to the last. And Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst.

Acts 23:1
[ The Jerusalem Jews Plot to Kill Paul ] Then Paul, looking earnestly at the council, said, “Men and brethren, I have lived in all good conscience before God until this day.”

Acts 24:16
This being so, I myself always strive to have a conscience without offense toward God and men.

Romans 2:15
who show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and between themselves their thoughts accusing or else excusing them)

Romans 9:1
[ Israel’s Rejection of Christ ] I tell the truth in Christ, I am not lying, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Spirit,

Romans 13:5
Therefore you must be subject, not only because of wrath but also for conscience’ sake.

Romans 14:21-23
21 It is good neither to eat meat nor drink wine nor do anything by which your brother stumbles or is offended or is made weak. 22 Do you have faith? Have it to yourself before God. Happy is he who does not condemn himself in what he approves. 23 But he who doubts is condemned if he eats, because he does not eat from faith; for whatever is not from faith is sin.

1 Corinthians 8:1
[ Be Sensitive to Conscience ] Now concerning things offered to idols: We know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffs up, but love edifies.

1 Corinthians 8:7
However, there is not in everyone that knowledge; for some, with consciousness of the idol, until now eat it as a thing offered to an idol; and their conscience, being weak, is defiled.

1 Corinthians 8:10
For if anyone sees you who have knowledge eating in an idol’s temple, will not the conscience of him who is weak be emboldened to eat those things offered to idols?

1 Corinthians 8:12
But when you thus sin against the brethren, and wound their weak conscience, you sin against Christ.

1 Corinthians 10:25
Eat whatever is sold in the meat market, asking no questions for conscience’ sake;

1 Corinthians 10:27
If any of those who do not believe invites you to dinner, and you desire to go, eat whatever is set before you, asking no question for conscience’ sake.

1 Corinthians 10:28
But if anyone says to you, “This was offered to idols,” do not eat it for the sake of the one who told you, and for conscience’ sake; for “the earth is the Lord’s, and all its fullness.”

1 Corinthians 10:29
“Conscience,” I say, not your own, but that of the other. For why is my liberty judged by another man’s conscience?

2 Corinthians 1:12
[ Paul’s Sincerity ] For our boasting is this: the testimony of our conscience that we conducted ourselves in the world in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom but by the grace of God, and more abundantly toward you.

2 Corinthians 3:3
clearly you are an epistle of Christ, ministered by us, written not with ink but by the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of flesh, that is, of the heart. (conscience)

2 Corinthians 4:2
But we have renounced the hidden things of shame, not walking in craftiness nor handling the word of God deceitfully, but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God.

2 Corinthians 5:11
Knowing, therefore, the terror of the Lord, we persuade men; but we are well known to God, and I also trust are well known in your consciences.

1 Timothy 1:5
Now the purpose of the commandment is love from a pure heart, from a good conscience, and from sincere faith,

1 Timothy 1:19
having faith and a good conscience, which some having rejected, concerning the faith have suffered shipwreck,

1 Timothy 3:9
holding the mystery of the faith with a pure conscience.

1 Timothy 4:2
speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their own conscience seared with a hot iron,

2 Timothy 1:3
[ Timothy’s Faith and Heritage ] I thank God, whom I serve with a pure conscience, as my forefathers did, as without ceasing I remember you in my prayers night and day,

Titus 1:15
To the pure all things are pure, but to those who are defiled and unbelieving nothing is pure; but even their mind and conscience are defiled.

Hebrews 9:9
It was symbolic for the present time in which both gifts and sacrifices are offered which cannot make him who performed the service perfect in regard to the conscience—

Hebrews 9:14
how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?

Hebrews 10:22
let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.

Hebrews 13:18
[ Prayer Requested ] Pray for us; for we are confident that we have a good conscience, in all things desiring to live honorably.

1 Peter 2:19
For this is commendable, if because of conscience toward God one endures grief, suffering wrongfully.

1 Peter 3:16
having a good conscience, that when they defame you as evildoers, those who revile your good conduct in Christ may be ashamed.

1 Peter 3:21
There is also an antitype which now saves us—baptism (not the removal of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God), through the resurrection of Jesus Christ,

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Jones12849 said:

How often should Christians pray for forgiveness? I have decided not to pray for forgiveness anymore because I want my relationship with Christ to be based in love and not fear. What do you guys think about this decision?

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Truman said:

You know what I'm really good at? Hurting peoples' feelings. Sigh! I don't even have to try.
Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective. James 5:16

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amigo de christo said:

If we speak truth and it offends there is nothing we can do about this .
Our doctrine cannot be dicated by the feelings of men .
For a good example , let me bring us a BIBLE , aka biblical reminder .
Jesus desciples came unto Him and said , DONT YOU KNOW that what you told them
OFFENDED THEM . JESUS Did not then turn and say , OH i better repent cause i hurt some feelings .
HE said this and this alone . LEAVE THEM BE , THEY the BLIND leading the blind , EVERY plant that my Father has not planted
shall be ROOTED UP . Our purpose should not be to purposefully hurt feelings . BUT OUR PURPOSE MUST simply be
SPEAK TRUTH .

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Truman said:

I should be gentle, firm, but gentle. I'm not joking when I say that I would've found it not too difficult to deal with those golden calf worshippers. It's easy to obey God without thinking about others until I realize thinking of others is exactly what He wants me to do. Putting Him first, of course.
I was thinking more along the lines of how I've treated women in the past.

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amigo de christo said:

Treating women bad is just as bad as womens lib . Two wrongs will never make a right .
But warn we must my friend . WE have all done much evil in times past . Look at paul .
That man actually was responsible for having christains put to death . Read acts . He admits this .
YET he always warned and was serious . We cant let our past dictate our future or our speaking .
Simply warn . You dont have to yell . When i warn i speak with a normal voice , maybe some urgency can be heard ,
but its still in normal voice . The one thing we cannot and must not do , is to ease up on correction when we see errror .
IF we do that we have become part of the problem . You are loved my friend . But i gotta go out the way i gotta go out . FAITHFUL TO JESUS
with the love for the peoples upon my heart . DESIRING GOOD for them .
Even when paul brought the rod , IT DIDNT MEAN HE DID NOT LOVE the people .
When a soul is in danger , its in grave danger , it must be warned . IF WE LOVE THEM we would correct them .
March onward my friends . march onward in the glorious Lord .

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Jones12849 said:

How often should Christians pray for forgiveness? I have decided not to pray for forgiveness anymore because I want my relationship with Christ to be based in love and not fear. What do you guys think about this decision?

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Truman said:

I don't mean treating them bad, I repented of that long ago...I mean just being insensitive to their feelings. Expecting them to be like guys emotionally. And treating them like that. They're not guys. When am I gonna get it through my head?

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amigo de christo said:

Women who love JESUS can understand truth as well as a man . Just speak truth . Just simply speak truth .

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Truman said:

You know, I have a run-in with someone who is rude. I brush it off. Don't think much of it. Later, I talk bluntly to someone who has only been kind to me and deal with her like she's a machine that should accept my words with no emotional response. In hindsight, I see that being right just doesn't cut it. And you know what the kicker is? I'm sensitive! As well as a wretch!

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