What about the ‘NT Christian’… and “Repentance?” When one is truly Born Again by the Holy Spirit of God are they required to be of a ‘Repent Spirit?’ Many simply state… “We are under Grace and ‘Not’ under the Law!” Is that True… or is it a ‘misunderstanding’ of the Scriptures… on their part? How long have you claimed… “Christ Jesus”… as your “Lord & Savior?” Did you notice I did not say; how long have you been a Christian? “Many”, who say they are Christian… simply are ‘not’, just as ‘Jesus’ said in… “Matthew 7:21-22-23.”
*** (Matthew 12:33) "Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or make the tree rotten and its fruit rotten. For a tree is known by its fruit.
*** (James 3:10-11-12) Out of the same mouth proceeds blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so.
(Jas 3:11) Does a fountain send forth at the same hole the sweet and the bitter?
(Jas 3:12) Can the fig tree, my brothers, bear olive berries; or a vine, figs? So no fountain can yield both salt water and fresh.
*** (Luke 6:46) "Why do you keep calling Me [Jesus] 'Lord, Lord,' but don't do what I tell you?
http://truth459.blogspot.com/2009/08/grace-away-sin-101blog.html
About now… one may question what the Bible really teaches about “Repentance?” Simply as previously stated; “Repentance is a change of mind that is followed by a change in actions!” If you actions ‘do not’ change and/or restitution is ‘not’ made; then it ‘cannot’ be “True Biblical Repentance!” Is short… IF: you do not Stop Committing that Sin… THEN: you have not truly repented! Do the Scriptures bear this Truth out in ‘both’ the OT & NT…?
*** (Proverbs 28:13) He who covers his sins shall not be blessed; but whoever confesses and leaves them shall have mercy.
*** (Jonah 2:8) They that observe lying vanities forsake their own mercy.
*** (Luke 3:8-to-14) Produce fruit [actions] that is consistent with repentance! Don't begin to say to yourselves, 'We have Abraham for our forefather.' For I tell you that God can raise up descendants for Abraham from these stones!
(Luke 3:9) The ax already lies against the roots of the trees. So every tree not producing good fruit will be cut down and thrown into a fire."
(Luke 3:10) The crowds kept asking him, "What, then, should we do?"
(Luke 3:11) He answered them, "The person who has two coats must share with the one who doesn't have any, and the person who has food must do the same."
(Luke 3:12) Even some tax collectors came to be baptized. They asked him, "Teacher, what should we do?"
(Luke 3:13) He told them, "Stop collecting more money than the amount you are told to collect."
(Luke 3:14) Even some soldiers were asking him, "And what should we do?" He told them, "Never extort money from anyone by threats or blackmail, and be satisfied with your pay."
After reading these Bible verses… one can readily see that a definite “Change in Actions”… follows that ‘true’ change of mind and heart. The Bible is ‘replete’ with such verses, but most preachers ‘never’ speak such things from the pulpit. A true change of mind is always reflected in a change of actions. Did you know that Jesus even ‘evaluated and validated’ such actions? Many do not study the Word to learn God’s Truths. They would rather be ‘spoon fed’ instead of being responsible to God alone. Say it isn’t so…? How then did America get in to such ‘degenerate’ Spiritual, Moral and Social condition… when so very many claim to be Christian…?
*** (Luke 19:7-to-10) But all the people who saw this began to complain, saying, "He went to be the guest of a notorious sinner!"
(Luke 19:8) Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, "Lord, I'll give half of my possessions to the poor. I'll pay four times as much as I owe if I have cheated anyone in any way."
(Luke 19:9) Then Jesus said to him, "Today salvation has come to this home, because he, too, is a descendant of Abraham.
(Luke 19:10) For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save the lost."
*** (Ephesians 4:28-29-30) Let him who stole steal no more, but rather let him labor, working with his hands the thing which is good, so that he may have something to give to him who needs.
(Eph 4:29) Let not any filthy word go out of your mouth, but if any is good to building up in respect of need, that it may give grace to the ones hearing.
(Eph 4:30) And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by Whom you are sealed until the day of redemption.
*** (Romans 13:9) For: "Do not commit adultery; do not murder; do not steal; do not bear false witness; do not lust;" and if there is any other commandment, it is summed up in this word, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself."
“Hyperbole”:
I am a Christian and work in an accounting firm. I have control of the … ‘Monies & Securities’… for that ‘Firm’. I get tempted and “Steal” some ‘Barer Bonds [Ten Thousand ‘US’ Dollars– 10K].’
Because of the nature of such securities, I get away with it. I am ‘convicted’ in my heart about the “Theft”… and… “Confess it to Jesus!” …I claim… “1John 1:9 – If we confess our sin, He is faithful to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
Am I… “Then” required to… “Give back the Monies or Securities”…? Please answer this question for yourself. …“Yes” = or = “No”…?
About now… ‘One’ is faced with a quandary. Depending ‘if’ you believe the Bible… or ‘if’ you do not believe the Bible; you answer this question according to your ‘understanding’ of repentance. Just confessing the Sin does not grant you temporal forgiveness. If there are penalties involved, then you must pay them also. No one wants to go to jail, but if you break man’s law, you must. Do you think that God, the God of the Bible… has standards ‘lower’ than that of simple humans? “Absolutely… NOT!” Please read… “Isaiah 55:6-to-11”
*** (Galatians 6:7-8-9) Do not be deceived, God is not mocked. For whatever a man sows, that he also will reap.
(Gal 6:8) For he sowing to his flesh will reap corruption from the flesh. But he sowing to the Spirit will reap life everlasting from the Spirit.
(Gal 6:9) But we should not lose heart in well-doing, for in due season we shall reap, if we do not faint.
*** (1Timothy 5:24-25) Some men's sins are open beforehand, going before to judgment. And some they also follow after.
(1Tim 5:25) Likewise also the good works of some are manifest beforehand, and those who are otherwise cannot be hidden.
*** (Numbers 32:23) But if you will not do so, behold, you have sinned against Jehovah. And be sure your sin will find you out.
About now… one can plainly see from the Scriptures, that ‘accountability’ is required for the “True Believer”. Yes, our eternal rewards are dependent on our ‘obedience’ to the Holy Word of God. In this age of ‘license & promiscuity’… there is very little accountability to ‘any’ authority figure. Parents try to be ‘friends’ with their children; thus bring them up with ‘wants’ rather than ‘accountability!’ That is reflected in both the parent and child and their ‘interactions’ in society. The ‘Entitlement Mentality’… has replaced the ‘Servants Mentality’.
*** (Matthew 23:11-12) But he who is greatest among you shall be your servant.
(Matt 23:12) And whoever shall exalt himself shall be abased, and he who shall humble himself shall be exalted.
*** (Luke 17:10) So likewise you, when ye shall have done all those things which are commanded you, say, “We are unprofitable servants: we have done that which was our ‘duty’ to do.”
*** (Romans 6:1-2) What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?
(Rom 6:2) God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?
*** (Romans 6:16) Don't you know that when you offer yourselves to someone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one you obey-either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness?
http://truth459.blogspot.com/2009/08/isnt-it-about-time-101.html
Once Again… “True Biblical Repentance”… is followed by the ‘corresponding actions’, at any cost you one’s self. Those that ‘keep on sinning’ and ‘practicing that sin’… really do now know, “Christ Jesus as their – Lord & Savior!” Obedience always has a cost to one’s self and the appropriate blessings ‘or’ consequences. But they will never even come close to the Price Paid… for our redemption in Christ, and what He paid for our redemption…!
*** (Hebrews 9:14-15) how much more will the blood of Christ, Who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without sin to God, cleanse our consciences from dead works so that we may serve the living God!
(Heb 9:15) This is why he is the mediator of a new covenant; so that those who are called may receive the eternal inheritance promised them, since a death has occurred that redeems them from the offenses committed under the first covenant.
*** (1Corinthians 6:18-19-20) Keep on running away from sexual immorality. Any other sin that a person commits is outside his body, but the person who sins sexually sins against his own body.
(1Cor 6:19) You know that your body is a sanctuary of the Holy Spirit who is in you, Whom you have received from God, don't you? You do not belong to yourselves,
(1Cor 6:20) because you were bought for a price. Therefore, glorify God with your bodies.
Continued next blog.
Thanks, In Christ, Roger
Ende…!
