Repentance

[chriskjv]

Good point Laura.

[Here Am I]

Some quotes I found:

Quote:"You must not expect that you will be perfect in 'repentance' before you are saved. No Christian can be perfect. 'Repentance' is a grace. Some people preach it as a condition of salvation. Condition of nonsense! There are no conditions of salvation. God gives the salvation himself..."

— Charles Spurgeon

Quote:“The Gospel is not a call to repentance, or to amendment of our ways, to make restitution for past sins, or to promise to do better in the future. These things are proper in their place, but they do not constitute the Gospel; for the Gospel is not good advice to be obeyed, it is good news to be believed. Do not make the mistake then of thinking that the Gospel is a call to duty or a call to reformation, a call to better your condition, to behave yourself in a more perfect way than you have been doing in the past …

Nor is the Gospel a demand that you give up the world, that you give up your sins, that you break off bad habits, and try to cultivate good ones. You may do all these things, and yet never believe the Gospel and consequently never be saved at all.” --- Harry A. Ironside

I think there is a difference between repenting of what you are (a sinner) in order to accept Christ's offer of salvation, and repenting of all the things you have done, in order to accept the same offer.

Repentance should not be a 'work', like some churches teach.

Looking back upon my own salvation experience, I remember that I was scared, that I realized I was headed for Hell, and that Jesus could keep me from going there...and I asked Him to save me.

Did I repent of my sins? No. I realized what I was, and wanted to avoid damnation, that's all.

[chriskjv]

Thats right.. And those are some good quotes.

Same as when I got saved.. I realized I was a sinner headed to Hell and asked Jesus to forgive me of my sins and save me. In my life repentance didn't come till later and I think it was Jesus who made me look at sin different and make me want nothing to do with it. It was not of anything I did.. Christ is cleaning me up. The victories I have gotten over sin is all because of him.. Without him I would still be doing it.

[chriskjv]

I think my study is concluded on this..

Is repentance necessary for salvation? I think the answer is yes and no. If you mean repentance as in realizing you are a sinner and need a Saviour yes repentance is required for salvation. As repent meaning to agree with God you are a sinner.

I f you mean repent as in turning from your sins or try to stop sinning to be saved. I would say not. If you have to do something for salvation it is no longer a gift and becomes a work.

You just need to come to Christ as you are and he will do the cleaning up of your sinful life. Christ came to save sinners not the righteous..

[Here Am I]

(03-04-2011 02:10 PM)chriskjv Wrote:  I think my study is concluded on this..

Is repentance necessary for salvation? I think the answer is yes and no. If you mean repentance as in realizing you are a sinner and need a Saviour yes repentance is required for salvation. As repent meaning to agree with God you are a sinner.

I f you mean repent as in turning from your sins or try to stop sinning to be saved. I would say not. If you have to do something for salvation it is no longer a gift and becomes a work.

You just need to come to Christ as you are and he will do the cleaning up of your sinful life. Christ came to save sinners not the righteous..

[a pilgrim]

Plus also, if we consider that the unsaved are DEAD in trespasses and sins, just what does a dead man do to become undead? Unless a divine hand reaches into his world of darkness and inability, he is without hope. Shall he promise to stop decomposing? To stop lying in inactivity? To begin working on his continued state of deadness?

I like to look at it like the defibrillator. The spiritual heart is in inactivity, God, in his mercy, injects an initial shot of awakening faith, (I believe scripture calls it a "measure of faith,") and the dead man has that opportunity to respond.

Again, this is not the time to promise to eat better and exercise, or to bemoan his former lack thereof, but to simply RESPOND.

[William]

I've been a Christian for 43 years, and it was only within the past few years that my understanding of repentance began to grow: this is encouraging, because it means that God is still teaching me. I've spent decades repenting of actions or inactions, but now I find myself repenting, not for what I've done, but for what I am. 1 John 1:9 is still on my lips all to frequently; but that's confession, not repentance. I now repent of who and what I am: a miserable and unprofitable servant. I know, and rejoice in the knowledge, that the Father looks at me and sees only His dear Son; no words of praise can adequately express my feelings about that! But as long as I'm in this body, and I look in the mirror each day, I know full well what I am. There's only one thing greater than my carnality and laziness: the grace and mercy of God!

[Here Am I]

Quote:There's only one thing greater than my carnality and laziness: the grace and mercy of God!

And I speak for myself, dear brother, when I shout that "Amen!"

[redeyedtreefrog]

(02-21-2011 12:51 PM)Here Am I Wrote:   and

My son was saved over a year ago, and I have been looking for changes in him. I've noticed he's not cussing as much, nor drinking with friends as much, and he appears to be gentler and kinder most of the time. Last weekend he witnessed to a friend on Facebook, telling his friend he'd be praying for his salvation!

This is encouraging. I will pray you keep seeing changes like this.

[PeanutGallery]

Repentance:
Giving up on our own righteousness to please God's just demand for holiness, and turning to our only hope of salvation from God's wrath to come.

Rom 10:3 For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.
Rom 10:4 For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.