He spoke incessantly of things done/not done, to do/not to do - obedience, faithfulness far outweigh mental agreement.
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Most of the things being focused on were already discussed in addressment when it
came to the ways people think that faith must mean simple mental agreement - even though it means action. This in conection with addressing the ways people claim that Christ focused on actions/faithfulness and yet simultaneously claim that all Jewish people from every age/era will be saved fully without qualification (due to the belief of GOD never rejecting at any point) - for those two things are mutually exclusive...and the latter (i.e. "All Jews will be saved by Hashem and they're good simply obeying the Mosaic Law!") is a form of
Universalism (which is unbiblical..and, for that matter, not allowed for discussion on the boards).
2 Corinthians 7:9-11/
2 Corinthians 7
Even if I caused you sorrow by my letter, I do not regret it. Though I did regret itI see that my letter hurt you, but only for a little while 9 yet now I am happy, not because you were made sorry, but because your sorrow led you to repentance. For you became sorrowful as God intended and so were not harmed in any way by us. 10 Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death. 11 See what this godly sorrow has produced in you: what earnestness, what eagerness to clear yourselves, what indignation, what alarm, what longing, what concern, what readiness to see justice done. At every point you have proved yourselves to be innocent in this matter.
Worldy sorrow is always focused upon the individual, be it the one saying they see nothing wrong with their sin....or the other saying that they can atone for their sin by being pious/attempting to be righteous enough for the Lord (i.e. trying to clean onself up before coming to Yeshua rather than letting the Lord cleanse and seeing how he made cleansing possible by His work on the Cross/Shed blood). The latter can be one of the more deadlier since it often seems to be more "godly" than saying they don't care for anything since it can be a form of reverse pride....self-pity/attempt to base righteousness on the individual, which basicially says "Christ didn't suffer enough.."....and the latter can be dangerous since it can give a wrong impression of righteousness, like the two men who went to pray and the Lord noted that the former boasting of his works before the Lord was worthless
Luke 18
The Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector 9
To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everyone else, Jesus told this parable: 10 Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11 The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed: God, I thank you that I am not like other peoplerobbers, evildoers, adulterersor even like this tax collector. 12 I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.
13 But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, God, have mercy on me, a sinner. 14 I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.
Before anything was done by man, the Lord took the first steps...and made his grace available to all:
Before anything was done on the parts of others in turning toward the Lord, grace was released---and those choosing to place their trust in the grace given are those able to walk in the fullness of that grace with being transformed into sons/daughters of the Lord.
Peter said it best:
2 Peter 1:10
Confirming Ones Calling and Election
3 His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. 4 Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.
5 For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; 6 and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; 7 and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. 8 For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 But whoever does not have them is nearsighted and blind, forgetting that they have been cleansed from their past sins.
10 Therefore, my brothers and sisters,[a] make every effort to confirm your calling and election. For if you do these things, you will never stumble, 11 and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
That said, with the grace the Lord has provided in sacrificing his Son, those trusting in it are to demonstrate the evidence of that via repentence of sins....as they truly see the things they used to do as not comparable to the ways of the Messiah
From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand (Matthew 4:17).
But go ye and learn what that meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance (Matthew 9:13).
Then began he to upbraid the cities wherein most of his mighty works were done, because they repented not: Woe unto thee, Chorazin! woe unto thee, Bethsaida! for if the mighty works, which were done in you, had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes (Matthew 11:20-21).
And Jesus answering said unto them, Suppose ye that these Galilaeans were sinners above all the Galilaeans, because they suffered such things? I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish. Or those eighteen, upon whom the tower in Siloam fell, and slew them, think ye that they were sinners above all men that dwelt in Jerusalem? I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish (Luke 13:2-5).
I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance.
Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth (Luke 15:7, 10).
And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day: And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. And ye are witnesses of these things (Luke 24:46-48).
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Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost (Acts 2:38).[/FONT][/FONT][FONT=Verdana,Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,Sans-serif,sans-serif]
[FONT=Verdana,Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,Sans-serif,sans-serif]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).[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana,Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,Sans-serif,sans-serif]Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins (Acts 5:31).[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana,Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,Sans-serif,sans-serif]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." ( Acts 11:18 )[/FONT]
Therefore having overlooked the times of ignorance, God is now declaring to men that all people everywhere should repent, ( Acts 17:30 )
[FONT=Verdana,Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,Sans-serif,sans-serif]solemnly testifying to both Jews and Greeks of repentance toward God and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. ( Acts 20:21 )[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana,Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,Sans-serif,sans-serif]but kept declaring both to those of Damascus first, and also at Jerusalem and then throughout all the region of Judea, and even to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, performing deeds appropriate to repentance. ( Acts 26:20 )[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana,Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,Sans-serif,sans-serif]I preached that they should repent and turn to God and prove their repentance by their deeds. ( Acts 26:20 )[/FONT]
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[FONT=Verdana,Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,Sans-serif,sans-serif]With the repentence that comes, there's the other reality easily forgotten that repentence doesn't just mean one is sorry for their sins.[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana,Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,Sans-serif,sans-serif][FONT=Verdana,Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,Sans-serif,sans-serif]The remorse, self-condemnation, anger or regret we feel when we make mistakes does not constitute Biblical repentance..for even the prisons are full of people who fall into this category since they are very sorry they got caught, but if released would just go out and do it again. Even among those that genuinely feel remorse for what they have done and want to make changes in their lives, there are few that exercise repentance toward God and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. [/FONT][/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana,Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,Sans-serif,sans-serif][FONT=Verdana,Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,Sans-serif,sans-serif]Going along with that, many others think that avoiding sin for fear of the consequences is repentance....but one can go about ajusting our life-style, demeanor, manner of speech and conduct so as to look better in the eyes of others, or to avoid consequences of socially unacceptable or illegal behavior does not mean we have necessarily undergone any real repentance. Essentially, doing that means that we may merely have changed from openly obvious sinners to hypocrites, which is worse. It's like o[/FONT][FONT=Verdana,Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,Sans-serif,sans-serif]beying traffic laws because tickets are very expensive, or avoiding shoplifting because we could be badly embarrassed if we were caught rather than doing so because we hate those things the way the Lord does.[/FONT]
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