True or False, one can NOT repent unless God allows it.

[RepentingChristian]

I believe TRUE! Please read the scriptures below for confirmation. Thoughts?

Acts 5:31
Verse Concepts
He is the one whom God exalted to His right hand as a Prince and a Savior, to grant repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins.

Acts 11:18
Verse Concepts
When they heard this, they quieted down and glorified God, saying, “Well then, God has granted to the Gentiles also the repentance that leads to life.”

2 Timothy 2:25
Verse Concepts
with gentleness correcting those who are in opposition, if perhaps God may grant them repentance leading to the knowledge of the truth,

Romans 2:4
Verse Concepts
Or do you think lightly of the riches of His kindness and tolerance and patience, not knowing that the kindness of God leads you to repentance?

2 Peter 3:9
Verse Concepts
The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.

 

[Ronald David Bruno]

Also John 6:44
No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up at the last day.

John 12:32 signifies that when Jesus was crucified and was resurrected, He, for all future generations, draws all men to Himself.

What does that mean? It is a universal call for all to take notice that this event is the most important event in history and that based on our believing or rejecting it, determines our eternal destiny.

It is only fair that God gives all men the opportunity to repent. Some say it's a common call, not effectual. ? Well, why would He do something that had no effect? I think Jesus has had an effect on the world. He has changed the world. All have taken notice and most have rejected that Jesus is the way, the truth and the life. 2.7 billion believe ... or at least have made that claim.

His sheep hear His voice and they come.
So what makes us His sheep, chosen before the foundation of the earth? He knew along that the gate is narraw, that few find it and that would continue to be true til the end. Narrow would imply less than half ... and the Bible seems to imply 1/3 will make it and that seems to hold true currently.
One would think that because God is love, that He is fair and all would have the opportunity. I'd like to think that. In a mysterious way the numbers that are written in the Book of Life are set ... or are they? Were all written in there at birth and then through time He just blotted out ones along the way as they lived their lives and made their own bad decisions? I don't know.
His ways are beyond my knowledge. He operates outside of our time domain, in another dimension. He sees the end from the beginning. His plan is perfect. He is the Author of our faith - we aren't.

Certainly our spiritual blindness ( that mysterious veil), cannot be removed by us. God lifts it. We can't jumpstart that process of sanctification. We need His help along the way.
He has a plan for each of our lives, orchestrates events and people who minister and witness to us, love us, influence us to go this way. The Author writes the story, not the people in it. The soil is prepared, the seed is planted and it grows to maturity. But some seed just does not take root, nor is it nourished. Some soil is not ready to receive the seed ... maybe at another time? Maybe their hearts are too callous and God just let them go -- blot them out?

 

[JLB]

I believe TRUE! Please read the scriptures below for confirmation. Thoughts?

Acts 5:31
Verse Concepts
He is the one whom God exalted to His right hand as a Prince and a Savior, to grant repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins.

Acts 11:18
Verse Concepts
When they heard this, they quieted down and glorified God, saying, “Well then, God has granted to the Gentiles also the repentance that leads to life.”

2 Timothy 2:25
Verse Concepts
with gentleness correcting those who are in opposition, if perhaps God may grant them repentance leading to the knowledge of the truth,

Romans 2:4
Verse Concepts
Or do you think lightly of the riches of His kindness and tolerance and patience, not knowing that the kindness of God leads you to repentance?

2 Peter 3:9
Verse Concepts
The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.

The preaching of the Gospel of the kingdom is where the grace (power) of God is present to enable a person to repent; which means to confess Jesus as Lord.


For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. Romans 1:16


Therefore I make known to you that no one speaking by the Spirit of God calls Jesus accursed, and
no one can say that Jesus is Lord except by the Holy Spirit. 1 Corinthians 12:3

 

[ScottA]

I believe TRUE! Please read the scriptures below for confirmation. Thoughts?

Acts 5:31
Verse Concepts
He is the one whom God exalted to His right hand as a Prince and a Savior, to grant repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins.

Acts 11:18
Verse Concepts
When they heard this, they quieted down and glorified God, saying, “Well then, God has granted to the Gentiles also the repentance that leads to life.”

2 Timothy 2:25
Verse Concepts
with gentleness correcting those who are in opposition, if perhaps God may grant them repentance leading to the knowledge of the truth,

Romans 2:4
Verse Concepts
Or do you think lightly of the riches of His kindness and tolerance and patience, not knowing that the kindness of God leads you to repentance?

2 Peter 3:9
Verse Concepts
The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.

Thank you for prefacing your post with "I believe!" (This is how one who "believes" should speak)

God indeed has "allowed" repentance--to all--all who are born into this world, past, present, and future. For that is His reason for creating this world. Wherein He has "set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live" (Deuteronomy 30:19).

 

[TheOneHeLoves]

I don't know for certainty however pray for God to soften the hearts of unbelievers (including disobedient "believers") and that they would surrender.

 

[RepentingChristian]

I wish it were possible to get simple, straight, answers.

 

[Nancy]

The Holy Spirit convicts the world of sin, righteousness and judgement. John 16:8 Nobody has an excuse. Eventually their consciences will become "seared as with a hot iron" the more they reject. This is how I see it anyhow.

 

[TheOneHeLoves]

I wish it were possible to get simple, straight, answers.

We are not responsible for others. We are to go and teach about God- Father, Son and Holy Spirit. teach to obey and the rest is up to them and God.

How can it get any simple?

We are not God and we don't get all the answers or explanations. We are to have faith and obey.

 

[Bob]

Thank you for the post.

Before one can repent, one must understand what God’s expectations are, desire to meet His expectations, and understand where one falls short (perhaps through self-examination, with God’s help).

Jesus summed God’s expectations in the two great commandments: love God and love your neighbor. With some dedicated Bible study, and God’s help, one can understand these in detail. In daily prayer, then, there may be confession of transgressions, asking of God’s forgiveness, and asking for God’s help in avoiding future transgressions. In other words, for the faithful there must be continual “course corrections.”

Clearly, repentance has a clear meaning for Christians and those of Jewish faith.
Aside: What about indigenous peoples in tribes in remote parts of the world? In their cultures, there are definite expectations, and in the best communities, their cultures (harmonious, egalitarian) closely match a devout Christian culture. Moreover, they have ways for curtailing incipient rebellion, which (if successful) are equivalent to expecting repentance: taking personal responsibility for harm caused, making amends, and asking forgiveness.

Blessings.

 

[LoveYeshua]

I wish it were possible to get simple, straight, answers.

To answer the O.P. simply, God calls many but it is a choice that God places before each of us to do his will or not, I can provide scripture if you need.

Blessings