The Lord told us that the condition for entry into the heavenly kingdom is to achieve true
repentance, and that those who don’t repent will be swept away by the great disasters with much weeping and gnashing of teeth. Repentance means turning away from sin. But as far as we know, even us Christians we continue to sin somehow, you have turned away from some sins but some you will do willingly and unwillingly. True repentance refers to people no longer sinning, but no man can do it, ONLY Jesus Christ is without sin. My question is this; what does it mean for us Christians? because we sin, even though we confess and ask for forgiveness, will we enter into the heavenly kingdom?
This issue of true repentance has put so many Christians under sheer condemnation, anxiety and fear.
Dear FredBotswana,
True repentance is turning away from our "works" for salvation.
Mat 7:22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
Heb 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,
Rev 9:20 And the rest of the men which were not killed by these plagues yet repented not of the works of their hands, that they should not worship devils, and idols of gold, and silver, and brass, and stone, and of wood: which neither can see, nor hear, nor walk:
Rom 3:26 To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus. 27 To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus. 28 Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law.
Approaching Christ for salvation by our own "works" is the
crooked way and is the way of Satan. That is why scripture calls Satan the "crooked serpent".
Job 26:13 By his spirit he hath garnished the heavens; his hand hath formed the crooked serpent.
Ecc 7:13 Consider the work of God: for who can make that straight, which he hath made crooked?
Isa 42:16 And I will bring the blind by a way that they knew not; I will lead them in paths that they have not known: I will make darkness light before them, and crooked things straight. These things will I do unto them, and not forsake them.
Lam 3:9 He hath inclosed my ways with hewn stone (works of the Law), he hath made my paths crooked.
Satan teaches a doctrine of "works"; doctrines like Free Will, Hell, Tithing, Sabbath Day keeping, circumcision, and any other thing that a believer thinks they must do to be saved or to maintain their salvation.
A believer who has this "
works" based belief system is fallen from grace, even if they only believe that they must do only
one work to be saved:
Gal 5:3 For I testify again to every man that is circumcised, that he is a debtor to do the whole law. 4 Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace.
Turning to "works" for salvation is the
sin that leads to death (1John 5:16) and is how Satan kills the saints.
The verses below are not speaking of a physical death as most believe. They are speaking of a
spiritual death which comes from practicing "works".
Mat 24:9 Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name's sake.
Rev 11:7 And when they shall have finished their testimony, the beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit shall make war against them, and shall overcome them, and kill them.
The verse below is teaching about a fallen away believer (a Man of Sin) who has been deceived by Satan via the indwelling of the spirit of anti-Christ:
2Thes 2:3 Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; 4 Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.
To be saved under the New Covenant, a believer must have
faith in Christ and
trust Him to do all the "works" necessary for our salvation. When Christ does His works, He will do them "within" us (spiritually). In other words, Christ will give us a new spiritual nature which will change our heart and mind to be like His. From this spiritual change, we will begin to do the "works" of God (works of faith).
Even Christ did not have any works of His own. He openly admits that the works that He did, were the works of God.
John 9:4 I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work (meaning the works of faith).
John 14:10 Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works.
Once a believer is converted, they will do the same works that Christ did:
John 14:11 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.
Acts 26:20 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 (works of faith) meet for repentance.
John 6:28 Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God?
These verses also apply to the difference between
works of the Law and
works of faith:
Rom 11:6 And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then is it no more grace: otherwise work is no more work.
Rom 13:12 The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light.
Gal 3:10 For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them.
Gal 5:3 For I testify again to every man that is circumcised, that he is a debtor to do the whole law.
Heb 4:9 There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God. 10 For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his.
The apostate church, through their doctrine of Free Will, is following the crooked way of man's works. They are fallen from grace. For the fallen away believers who are also "chosen", Christ will send a person to them in the
spirit of Elijah to make the call of repentance.
When an Elect believer responds to that call of repentance, the pathway for Christ to "come again" to them will be made "straight". When He comes, He will bring salvation with Him and will pour out the Latter Rain. This is the salvation event the 120 Jewish Elect experienced on the Day of Pentecost. The Gentile Elect must travel this same pathway to Salvation.
Joe
