Does repentance really do anything?

Repentance doesn't usually stop Earthly consequences. It just restores one's standing with God as they continue to repent, as needed.

If you

• rob a bank,
• get caught,
• get thrown into jail and, then,
• sincerely repent,

your SIN will be forgiven you (before God), but you will still have to finish your sentence.

David was forgiven. Ahab was forgiven, too, but went back to living in sin without further repentance.

I thought the same way when I was a teenager, but THIS PAGE sorted it out for me.

Hi, didn't you post this same question last week or the week before? It must be a sticking point for you hey?
Your question is Fair enough.
Job sort of complained about the same thing when he said God was picking on him for no good reason.
You ought to bang your forehead against God's forehead....and see whose is harder.
Remember you are the clay and He is the Potter.

TommySoda said:

Everyone who repented in the Bible still got punishment. David repented... but his child still died.... David did a census but Israel was still struck by sickness, Ahab repented but his family was still killed.... shall I go on? A common theme is for fellow Christians is to promote repentance as some type of “get out of jail free card” where God won’t punish (or potentially kill you or someone else) by doing it. Is there anyone in the Bible who repented and just went on with their life?

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Clarification.

You are making statements about people in the Old Testament, and then attempting to apply that understanding to Christians.

It sounds like your questioning something about your Repentance unto Salvation.

Do you think your now going to reap for things in your past, that you have Repented of?

Something like, how far does my Repentance take me?

TommySoda said:

..., he personally had David’s and Ahab’ sons killed.

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They were still Earthly consequences. Both kings were truly forgiven, though Ahab didn't make a lifestyle of repentance.

If a pregnant woman does illicit drugs or too much alcohol, doesn't her baby suffer for her poor choices (one way or another)?

TommySoda said:

Is the Old Testament no longer relevant to current Christians?

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Sure it's relevant today, but not the way your trying to apply it.

TommySoda said:

Is the Old Testament no longer relevant to current Christians?

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I look at it this way Tommy.

It's one of two things.

1) You fear something from your past causing you difficulties NOW after your Repentance.

2) You have Repented, gained Salvation, now your doing again what you repented of and you fear what is going to happen now.

TommySoda said:

Everyone who repented in the Bible still got punishment. David repented... but his child still died.... David did a census but Israel was still struck by sickness, Ahab repented but his family was still killed.... shall I go on? A common theme is for fellow Christians is to promote repentance as some type of “get out of jail free card” where God won’t punish (or potentially kill you or someone else) by doing it. Is there anyone in the Bible who repented and just went on with their life?

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.that was then.
But Now... The lord JESUS.. Has come.
And it is the very reason repentance is followed immediatly by water burial in baptism.

In repentance sin is forgiven
In baptism its guilt its record its debt is ALL washed away and there is no more consequence because it is so completly removed there is nothing to cause consequence.
This was not available to david .w.whose sins were remembered every year by a repetative sacrifice.
But now ..one final perfect sacrifice has been done.
Tgus we are COMMANDED to repent ..AND be baptized for the remission ....washing away of sin.its guilt its evidence .everything.
It is absolutley amazing and astounding what God does through water baptism.

It is absolutley not just symbolic

TommySoda said:

Everyone who repented in the Bible still got punishment. David repented... but his child still died.... David did a census but Israel was still struck by sickness, Ahab repented but his family was still killed.... shall I go on? A common theme is for fellow Christians is to promote repentance as some type of “get out of jail free card” where God won’t punish (or potentially kill you or someone else) by doing it. Is there anyone in the Bible who repented and just went on with their life?

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I think it’s less about worldly forgiveness in the flesh and more spiritual after we leave our bodies and receive our heavenly place “rapture” .

2 cor 5-10:For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each of us may receive what is due us for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.

So to me like the parable of the sower reap what you sow we bear the fruits of our labour’s wether we have good or bad crops we receive the fruits of our labour’s .worldly people will call this karma . Repentance is to set us spiritually free from regret , remorse , and any lingering attachment to that sin that threatens to keep us in depression or feeling bad about something knowing that god gave his only son to bear all our sins on the cross and through him and repentance we receive forgiveness and redemption from the things we have done wrong allowing us to continue to sow good fruits for our judgment and determine where we are seated in heaven.

Sorry I’m not the best at linking scripture I’m just sharing my insight on your question.

TommySoda said:

Everyone who repented in the Bible still got punishment. David repented... but his child still died.... David did a census but Israel was still struck by sickness, Ahab repented but his family was still killed.... shall I go on? A common theme is for fellow Christians is to promote repentance as some type of “get out of jail free card” where God won’t punish (or potentially kill you or someone else) by doing it. Is there anyone in the Bible who repented and just went on with their life?

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Well there is 2 kings 20:6

TommySoda said:

Is the Old Testament no longer relevant to current Christians?

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Luke 22:20
In the same way, after supper He took the cup, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in My blood, which is poured out for you.

2 Corinthians 5:17
Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away. Behold, the new has come!

Hebrews 8:13
By speaking of a new covenant, He has made the first one obsolete; and what is obsolete and aging will soon disappear.

TommySoda said:

Everyone who repented in the Bible still got punishment. David repented... but his child still died.... David did a census but Israel was still struck by sickness, Ahab repented but his family was still killed.... shall I go on? A common theme is for fellow Christians is to promote repentance as some type of “get out of jail free card” where God won’t punish (or potentially kill you or someone else) by doing it. Is there anyone in the Bible who repented and just went on with their life?

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Judgment is held until judgment day for everyone. Some people do experience obvious results from their sins, but everyone continues to sin even after repenting. God no longer counts sin against people though, if they continue to live in Faith.

TommySoda said:

Everyone who repented in the Bible still got punishment. David repented... but his child still died.... David did a census but Israel was still struck by sickness, Ahab repented but his family was still killed.... shall I go on? A common theme is for fellow Christians is to promote repentance as some type of “get out of jail free card” where God won’t punish (or potentially kill you or someone else) by doing it. Is there anyone in the Bible who repented and just went on with their life?

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Gods Punishment? Depends on how you look at it. God often lets one experience the consequences of their sins. David did repent (was sincerely sorry for what he did, and asked God for forgiveness) which God eventually did.

Isaiah 59:2

But your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, and your sins have hidden his face from you so that he does not hear.

We sometimes experience a seemingly temporary separation from God.

If one does not sincerely repent .... how can God forgive?

eleos1954 said:

If one does not sincerely repent .... how can God forgive?

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Indeed. As the lord Jesus said -
Repentance for the forgivness of sin will be preached..

Alithis said:

Indeed. As the lord Jesus said -
Repentance for the forgivness of sin will be preached..

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Not quite.

Mark 1:4
John did baptize in the wilderness, and preach the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins.

Luke 3:3,4
3) And he came into all the country about Jordan, preaching the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins;
4) As it is written in the book of the words of Esaias the prophet, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.

TommySoda said:

Is there anyone in the Bible who repented and just went on with their life?

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There is the fundamental flaw in the argument. If you repent, you don't just go on with life as if nothing happened. If you do go on with your life as if nothing is wrong, you have never repented.

TommySoda said:

Everyone who repented in the Bible still got punishment. David repented... but his child still died.... David did a census but Israel was still struck by sickness, Ahab repented but his family was still killed.... shall I go on? A common theme is for fellow Christians is to promote repentance as some type of “get out of jail free card” where God won’t punish (or potentially kill you or someone else) by doing it. Is there anyone in the Bible who repented and just went on with their life?

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Repentance to escape punishment is not repentance because, we are sorry because we got caught and not because we are wicked and evil in our heart. Repentance accepts the consequences because we know that is is right and just.
Just look at the "chief priests and the scribes with the elders" in Luke 20, after he relates the parable of the tenants:

What then will the owner of the vineyard do to them?
16 He will come and destroy those tenants and give the vineyard to others."When they heard this, they said, "Surely not!"
In this passage, the wicked do not accept the right and just punishment of the sin of the tenants (which the "chief priests and the scribes with the elders" were).

That's the same response a truly unrepentant heart displays. Repentance is from Sin, not sins (yet it includes it). Sins are the symptoms of Sin, if you don't cure Sin you can't cure the manifestation of this Sin (sins).

JesusYeshuaisLord said:

Repentance to escape punishment is not repentance because, we are sorry because we got caught and not because we are wicked and evil in our heart. Repentance accepts the consequences because we know that is is right and just.
Just look at the "chief priests and the scribes with the elders" in Luke 20, after he relates the parable of the tenants:

What then will the owner of the vineyard do to them?
16 He will come and destroy those tenants and give the vineyard to others."When they heard this, they said, "Surely not!"
In this passage, the wicked do not accept the right and just punishment of the sin of the tenants (which the "chief priests and the scribes with the elders" were).

That's the same response a truly unrepentant heart displays. Repentance is from Sin, not sins (yet it includes it). Sins are the symptoms of Sin, if you don't cure Sin you can't cure the manifestation of this Sin (sins).

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.
Repentance is not a feeling sorry for sins, it's not a mental or emotional ascent of attitude, it's an action, an actual turning around from, a ceasing from.

The action of our being Baptized is the greatest example of a Believer Repenting of their sins, because they have put away the Flesh, the Old Man,
Died to the Flesh and become alive, unto Newness life in the Spirit.

Now that is True Repentance, where a Believer has Ceased from his sins.