Poster | Thread | sermonindex Moderator
Joined: 2002/12/11 Posts: 39795 Canada
Online! | Repentance | | From "Men who met God" (p. 45)
There are many peculiar ideas about biblical repentance. I have talked with people who tried to tell me repentance is necessary because "it makes you fit so that God can save you." The Bible does not teach that,and it never did. No man or woman has changed the character and goodness of God by an act of repentance. All the repentance in the universe cannot make God any more loving, any more gracious. Repentance is not a meritorious act. God is eternally good, and He welcomes us into His love, grace and mercy when we meet His condition of an about-face so that we are aware of His smile.
Repentance means turning around from our evil ways in order to look to Jesus. The person who will not repent still has his or her back turned on God.
Repentance is a condition we meet in order that God, already wanting to be good to us, can be good to us, forgiving and cleansing us. In that sense, then, the man who loves his sin and hangs on to it cannot reasonably expect the goodness and the grace of God.
----------------------------------------------
I believe that Dr. Tozer has given us a balanced, Biblical view of repentance. _________________ SI Moderator - Greg Gordon
|
| 2003/10/27 14:41 | Profile | philologos Member
Joined: 2003/7/18 Posts: 6566 Reading, UK
| Re: Repentance | | Quote:
Repentance is a condition we meet in order that God, already wanting to be good to us, can be good to us, forgiving and cleansing us. In that sense, then, the man who loves his sin and hangs on to it cannot reasonably expect the goodness and the grace of God.
One of the great struggles has been whether or not we regard 'repentance' as a necessary condition or as an inevitable consequence. The Reformed position has usually been the latter and the 'reformed' Reformed position that of the former.
I think there is room for both if we understand that genuine repentance is both a gift of God and a human response, that it is both a crisis and a process.
I think, and would genuinely like this to be challenged, that repentance is more linked with conversion than with regeneration. Repentance at this level is man's responsibility but only in response to God's intitiative. At another level 'repentance' or at least contrition is the ultimate consequence of having been given 'a new heart and a new spirit'. Ezek 36:31 where the 'you shall' follows a wonderful list of 'I wills'.
I think, as I write, that 'you shalls' always follow 'I wills'. If this is too mystical ask me to explain! :-o _________________ Ron Bailey
|
| 2003/11/19 11:22 | Profile | sermonindex Moderator
Joined: 2002/12/11 Posts: 39795 Canada
Online! | Re: | | Quote:
I think there is room for both if we understand that genuine repentance is both a gift of God and a human response, that it is both a crisis and a process.
Yes I agree, but a sad thing also is we complicate this issue and take it out of proportion. I always say: 'Put the emphasis on it where the bible puts the emphasis.' I personally like simplier theological answers for this problem:
God will take nine steps toward us, but He will not take the tenth. He will incline us to repent, but He cannot do our repenting for us. -A.W. Tozer
Calvin said, We are saved through faith alone, but the faith that saves is never alone. God is in it! Surely that is what Paul tells us in that great passage. I am crucified with Christ, nevertheless I live. Yet not I, but Christ, He liveth in me. And the life that I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of Paul? Oh no! That woulnt get him very far. I live by the faith of the Son of God! The faith of God. Now Im convinced of this, that if this truth was stressed, there would be less appeals. If this truth was stressed, there would be less appeals. If this truth was stressed, our crusades and campaigns would not be producing harvests of infidels. If men and women would but recognize that glorious truthThey shall seek me and shall find me when they shall search for me with all their heart. That means that they may not find Him tonight. They may not find Him tomorrow night. They may not find Him next week. They may not find Him for a month or for six months, but if they are seeking God with all their hearts, theyre going to find Him, or God is not true to His covenant engagement. -Duncan Campbell (The Nature of a God-Sent Revival pgs.13-14) _________________ SI Moderator - Greg Gordon
|
| 2003/11/19 11:28 | Profile | InTheLight Member
Joined: 2003/7/31 Posts: 2850 Phoenix, Arizona USA
| Re: | | Quote:
I am crucified with Christ, nevertheless I live. Yet not I, but Christ, He liveth in me. And the life that I now live in the flesh I live by - the faith of Paul- Oh no! That wouln't get him very far. "I live by the faith of the Son of God!" The faith of God.
This may be a little off topic but I have pondered, for some time, the use of the word "of" in this verse in Galatians 2 that Mr. Campbell quotes. In the translations that I have looked into, only the King James translates this verse with "...by the faith [i]of[/i] the Son of God...". Most all other translate it "by faith in the Son of God". But I think the KJV translators got it right as Mr. Campbell points out. Amazing how much the meaning can change from this simple little two-letter word.
In Christ,
Ron _________________ Ron Halverson
|
| 2003/11/19 12:12 | Profile | philologos Member
Joined: 2003/7/18 Posts: 6566 Reading, UK
| Re: | | Quote:
Yes I agree, but a sad thing also is we complicate this issue and take it out of proportion. I always say: 'Put the emphasis on it where the bible puts the emphasis.' I personally like simplier theological answers for this problem:
Hi Greg I think I can point you to a higher authority to pursue this theme. If we could find Jesus' definition of 'repentance' this would satisfy us I think. Well, He had one. On one occasion He said 'the men of Nineveh.. repented'. So all we need to do is read Jonah 3 and we have the Lord's definition of 'repentance'. Yes? An examination of Jonah 3 will show several ingredients to repentance which will include: 1. Faith in the word of God (as spoken by Jonah) 2. Mourning; sackcloth 3. Abdication of the right to ourselves 4. Earnest prayer to God 5. and a Conscious turning from known sins
If you want a longer version of this you have it on your site @ Repentance
_________________ Ron Bailey
|
| 2003/11/19 13:44 | Profile | aphill777 Member
Joined: 2003/6/11 Posts: 24 Wisconsin
| Re: | | I can't imagine that anyone would consider repentance a "gift". Jesus said in Luke 13:3&5 that "except ye repent shall likewise perish" How is it that many will perish because God did not give them a "gift"?
Again the only thing worse than oversimplifying a subject is overcomplicating it. _________________ Tony Phillips
|
| 2004/2/14 10:58 | Profile | flyfishing Member
Joined: 2004/2/11 Posts: 15
| Re: Repentance | | Romans 2:4, acts 11:18.. |
| 2004/2/14 16:20 | Profile | jeremyhulsey Member
Joined: 2003/4/18 Posts: 777
| Re: | | Quote:
aphill777 wrote: I can't imagine that anyone would consider repentance a "gift". Jesus said in Luke 13:3&5 that "except ye repent shall likewise perish" How is it that many will perish because God did not give them a "gift"?
Again the only thing worse than oversimplifying a subject is overcomplicating it.
In think that what is meant by repentance being a gift is that God has allowed us the oppurtunity to repent. He has given us the gift of repentance, or you could word it that He has given us the oppurtunity to repent.
One point often over looked in repentance is that it is not only turning from something, but turning to something. We repent from our sin, and repent toward God and trust in Christ.
In Christ Jeremy Hulsey _________________ Jeremy Hulsey
|
| 2004/2/14 19:59 | Profile | philologos Member
Joined: 2003/7/18 Posts: 6566 Reading, UK
| Re: the gift of repentance | | aphill777 writes I can't imagine that anyone would consider repentance a "gift". Jesus said in Luke 13:3&5 that "except ye repent shall likewise perish" How is it that many will perish because God did not give them a "gift"?
Again the only thing worse than oversimplifying a subject is overcomplicating it.
"Repent" is a word from God. Every word from God had power inherent to effect what God has said. To refuse to obey the command is not just disobedience but unbelief. cf Heb 3,4. The action of Israel in Heb 3:12 is described as 'unbelief' but in Heb 4:11 as 'disobedience'.
When God says 'Repent' it is a gift. Repentance is a response, and without the initial word from God there could be no response. Hence, repentance is a gift, and our response to the gift is called 'faith'.
Acts 11:18 When they heard these things, they held their peace, and glorified God, saying, Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life.
_________________ Ron Bailey
|
| 2004/2/19 3:11 | Profile |
|