in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance." Luke 15:7 KJV
What Does it Mean to Repent?
Jesus came preaching the Gospel of the Kingdom of God. What were the first words in His message? Matthew 4:17 tells us: "Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." Jesus was not suggesting repentance here, He was commanding it. Indeed, God commands all people everywhere to repent (see Acts 17:30) because repentance is a prerequisite to seeing and entering the Kingdom of God. Those who don't repent cannot be saved; they will perish in their sins. "I tell you, nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish" (Luke 13:3).
Those who justify their sin by saying they will simply repent afterwards do not understand repentance. Repentance is not a penance for guilt or a quick prayer for forgiveness. Repentance is a complete brokenness, a change of heart, and a detest of one's sin. "Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, every one according to his ways, saith the Lord GOD. Repent, and turn yourselves from all your transgressions so iniquity shall not be your ruin" (Ezekiel 18:30).
Those who sin willfully, knowing the commandment of God, risk enslavement by their sin and the very real possibility that they will not be able to repent (Hebrews 6:4-6). We see this in the example of Esau, who sold his birthright to his brother Jacob for some bread and a bowl of lentil stew (see Genesis 25:34). But then "afterward, when he would have inherited the blessing, he was rejected: for [ he found no place of repentance, ] though he sought it carefully with tears" (Hebrews 12:17). Judas also, when he had betrayed Jesus, regretted his actions but found no way out: "Then Judas, which had betrayed him, when he saw that he was condemned, [ repented himself, ] and brought again the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders, saying, 'I have sinned in that I have betrayed the innocent blood.' And they said, 'What is that to us? See thou to that.' And he cast down the pieces of silver in the temple, and departed, and went and hanged himself" (Matthew 27:3-5). Jesus' words in John 17:12 tell us that Judas was lost and would not be saved.
True repentance means grieving over our sin (which God hates) and coming to the sobering realization that it was our sin that put Jesus on the cross. The Bible calls this godly sorrow, and it leads to salvation. "For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death"
(II Corinthians 7:10). Godly sorrow must occur before a person is ready to receive God's mercy and forgiveness. Until a person realizes the condemnation of his sin, he will not see the need for a Savior. Jesus told some who were healed by Him to "go, and sin no more" (John 8:11), and "behold, thou art made whole: sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee" (John 5:14).
Repentance is a change of mind that involves turning away from idols in the heart and making a complete change of direction (180� turn) toward God. Ezekiel 14:6 says, "Thus saith the Lord GOD; Repent, and turn yourselves from your idols; and turn away your faces from all your abominations." When a person changes his mind about sin, a change in behavior will naturally result. For example, those who repented of their sins in the Old Testament often showed outward evidence by tearing down idolatrous statues (see II Kings 11:18). In the New Testament, signs of repentance included water baptism, restitution for theft, and the burning of occultic possessions (see Matthew 11:20-21; Mark 1:4; Luke 19:8; Acts 19:19). Such deeds are called "fruits meet for repentance" (Matthew 3:8).
The Scriptures warn us not to trivialize repentance, for even the ability to repent is a direct result of the goodness of God working in our lives (see II Timothy 2:25). Don't you know that "the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance? But after thy hardness and impenitent [unrepentant] heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God; Who will render to every man according to his deeds"
(Romans 2:4-6). Thanks be to God that He is longsuffering, "not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance" (II Peter 3:9).
The result of repentance is freedom from the condemnation of sin and joy from a pure conscience before God. "Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord" (Acts 3:19). Even now, God is calling both believers and unbelievers to repentance, that they might turn from their sin and experience the riches of His goodness and mercy.
Good word Jude! Through God Himself we see true repentance form the heart as David also experienced in Psalm 51.The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit,
Gen 6:6~ And it [[[ repented ]]] the LORD [[[ that he had made man on the earth,]]] [[[ and it "grieved" him at his heart. ]]]...
You asked ~ So how do we see the word repent if He Grieved separately, sister?
*** :rolleyes:...Ummmm�Do you read the writing in the scripture as in the Word Repent ???�Do you Read the writing in the scripture as in the Word Grieved ???�Did I say the Scripture speaks for itself ???�Ima sure I did�Maybe I forget to give clear enough definitions that need no translation ???�Nahhh�I believe you are trying to Point out something or make a Point�so by all means please do so�Oh�and afor I forget�the part you shared bout �He Grieved "seperatly"�I pray you haven�t forgot that GOD is Triune in His Omniness�Be Blessed�xo
"True repentance means grieving over our sin", the article said. That is why i asked if God repented. Did God sin in order to repent or is this article?
Or do we notice that repentance comes first before grief, sorrow, confession of sin, or anything else worded this in Scripture. The repentance is a necassity but WHAT this repentance is has nothing to do with what we are taught it means.
Look at the definitions of the Hebrew word for example. it has repent in the definitions several times and yet still doesn't have a clear definition of the actual word repentance to begin with.
That is what I'm trying to get at.
If repentance is "grieving over our sin" as the article put it, then God has sin in Him that he repented of.
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteoursness. ( I John 1:9)
From the days when I first came to know You, O God, I believed Your promise that forgiveness required only simple, honest confession and repentance.
But how my soul struggles to daily frame those words of repentance. willfulness and rebellion make my confessions stick in my throat. Though I ache to admit my faults, Sin holds me back.
Free me, Savior, to open my soul to You. May my heart show me error and prompt me to quickly see pardon. Cleanse me from all Sin and glorify Yourself in my life.
Shared ~ If repentance is "grieving over our sin" as the article put it, then God has sin in Him that he repented of.
*** It�s an Article Agapeton�its not talking about GOD's sin...its talking about man/women and giving a view/opinion of "What does it mean to Repent"...God�s children and some people will receive Word from any Source the LORD Jesus works through Gladly�others will want to Disect it just like they do to the Word of GOD�and NO!!!! GOD has NO sin in HIM�I believe GOD �grieves� for mans "continued" sin�Remember�Jesus is GOD�He feels Everything and Grieves�He IS worth Repenting of sins for He boar them�Be Blessed Yall�xo
I understand that it is an article, sister Jude. But the article is explaining what "repent" means. So how can one figure out what it means when the same word is used in God's example.
See that is the gist of it. If Jesus gave an example of repentance in Luke 14 and 15 (with the prodigal son) then repent must mean something other than what we have been taught to mean.
Jesus says that one has to "count the cost"(Luke 14:29, 31) as in reviewing everything. Even in the prodigal son the man came to himself and then contemplated (15:17-18) so this repentance has to do with some sort of contemplation or consideration of what is in store.
What if repent meant to "consider" or something like that? I mean why else would Jesus say that one had to count the cost to follow him? One has to consider something before acting on the decision one makes. Correct?
So maybe repent means consider or count it and then the Godly act of the new birth comes through belief because sorrow is not necessarily something that brings about repentance from what I read of the Scriptures.
Thats a lot to ponder Agapeton...I don�t really read "count" the cost here in "Luk 14:29-31...what I read is an example about reasoning and/or �consulting��choices not counting costs however I understand the point are trying to convey�
Luk 14:29 Lest haply, after he hath laid the foundation, and is not able to finish [it], all that behold [it] begin to mock him,
30~ Saying, This man began to build, and was not able to finish.
31~ Or what king, going to make war against another king, sitteth not down first, and consulteth whether he be able with ten thousand to meet him that cometh against him with twenty thousand?
And Luke 15:17-18
17~And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father's have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger!
18~ I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee,
*** I read in 17 when he came to him self��reasoning���contemplating��and 18�I read a decision made�a direction to go�a Right Choice�for he realized the error of his way�a Repentant heart�
It would be good to see and also remember the entire context of this parable in Luke 15�this is not only about a son Repenting from evil living and Returning to home�It is about He (Is) and (Always) will be the Fathers Son�More Importantly�the Fathers Mercy when the Rebellious son Returned�In the days prior�during and after Jesus walk here�The Hebrew law was to Stone to Death a Rebellious son�Its more about the Fathers Mercy upon a Sinning son in this Scripture�Be Blessed�xo
I understand about the Law of the Jews, sister. But let's look into the text. Ok? If we see that Jesus was within the whole context saying was about following Him. Then the counting the cost, then she mentions about 1 sinner coming to repentance compared to the 99 sheep. After this example he points to the prodigal son. He was one who counted the cost after having finally come to himself. True it is about the Father' goodness but the prodigal was still one of the lost sheep. So we have the same example of repentance. The prodigal came to himself and considered what he had compared to what good he could have. Then he decided to go back to the father.
So with that being said, it still comes to the same conclusion. How did the prodigal repent? The same way that Jesus explained in Luke 14. The prodigal contemplated then chose.
Your thoughts?
By the way, I do like the way you respectfully respond, sister. I praise the Lord for your obedience to Him so that all who read and partake in the same example can be edified. I am greately being blessed by your responses.
Shared ~ So with that being said, it still comes to the same conclusion. How did the prodigal repent? The same way that Jesus explained in Luke 14. The prodigal contemplated then chose. Your thoughts?
*** Yes!!!...The repentance is as Jesus explained it in Luke 14..."Contemplated" (thought/reason) and a Action of "Choice"...the lost son repented...turnd from Wretchedness to Righteousness...:bouncy:
I to appreciate the peaceably communications�always pray that others maybe lead to do so also...regardless of differences as we all here profess the LORD Jesus and in that we are all In Christ...xo
