Dan57 said:
I don't think we've forgotten, we just resist repenting because its the most difficult. We can believe in our minds and hearts, but repentance requires a change in direction and obedience.
I say we have forgotten for the very reason that you have said " it's the most difficult" to hear and do, because we can't handle the TRUTH, we like to hear the good and smooth things that make us have false hope. Many teach that all we have to do is just believe in Jesus as the Son of God. But this is not so, for even the demons do that but they will not be saved.
Luke 4:41 And
devils also came out of many, crying out, and saying, Thou art Christ the Son of God. And he rebuking them suffered them not to speak:
for they knew that he was Christ.
KJV
Luke 8:27 And when he went forth to land, there met him out of the city
a certain man, which had devils long time, and ware no clothes, neither abode in any house, but in the tombs.
28
When he saw Jesus, he cried out, and fell down before him, and with a loud voice said, What have I to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of God most high? I beseech thee, torment me not.
29(
For he had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man. For oftentimes it had caught him: and he was kept bound with chains and in fetters; and he brake the bands, and was driven of the devil into the wilderness.)
30 And Jesus asked him, saying, What is thy name? And
he said, Legion: because many devils were entered into him.
KJV
If we do not first repent of being our own god and desire to turn from our wicked ways then we are deceiving our selves. We tell others of Jesus as savior, but we don't tell them that unless they first recognize they are a sinner and desire to repent(turn away from sin) then we are only teaching a partial gospel and they will miss the most important part.
James 2:18 Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.
19
Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.
20 But wilt thou know, O vain man,
that faith without works is dead?
21
Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar?
22 Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect?
23 And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham
believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God.
24
Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only.
25 Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out another way?
26
For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.
KJV
We must rid our selves from the works of the flesh though.
Gal 5:19
Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,
20 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,
21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
24 And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.
25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.
KJV
aspen2 said:
Look elsewhere for your happiness
I look to Christ who is our blessed hope for when we exalt the Word up keeping him ever before us as our way of life and keep the Word as the center of everything we do, we shall be blessed and make our paths smooth and straight and in a restful state of Peace in God for we will have found our promised land that God has for us. The kingdom of God is within us.
Luke 17:20 And when he was demanded of the Pharisees,
when the kingdom of God should come, he answered them and said, The kingdom of God cometh not with observation:
21 Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you.
KJV
Just as the Word who became flesh was tempted of the devil to be tested... so are we tempted and tested to see if we are led of the Spirit or the flesh. Flesh and blood can not inherit the kingdom of God for they are still carnally minded.
