Jesus Christ and Repentance

In-Christ-Alone said:

Conviction from the Holy Spirit

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That produces the GIFT of repentance, by or through the work of the Holy Spirit -

"God exalted him at his right hand as Leader and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins." (Acts 5:31 RSV)

"When they heard this, they were silenced. And they praised God, saying, 'Then God has given even to the Gentiles the repentance that leads to life.'” (Acts 11:18 NRSV)

"And the Lord's servant must not strive, but be gentle towards all, apt to teach, forbearing, in meekness correcting them that oppose themselves; if peradventure God may give them repentance unto the knowledge of the truth, and they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, having been taken captive by him unto his will." (2Tim 2:24-26 ASV)

In-Christ-Alone said:

Conviction from the Holy Spirit

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Good Day, ICA

That is correct the Holy Spirit is the sufficient cause that is used by the triune God to gift both Faith and repentance. Now those gifts have inescapable effects.

In Him

Bill

In-Christ-Alone said:

Are you saying that God causes the sinner to repent

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"And a certain woman named Lydia, a seller of purple of the city of Thyatira, one that worshipped God, heard us: whose heart the Lord opened to give heed unto the things which were spoken by Paul." (Acts 16:14 ASV)

"So then, my beloved, even as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who worketh in you both to will and to work, for his good pleasure." (Phil 2:12-13 ASV)

In-Christ-Alone said:

So no sinner makes any personal decision to repent and believe

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Good Day, ICA

Never said that you were asking what was the cause.... not the effects

There is a reason why... the correct question is why do any sinners do so??

That answer is God.

Consider:

A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh. And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them.

God takes out... he puts in, gives and puts in for a purpose. His actions (doing) is the only effective and sufficient cause. The direct effect (s) of that doing of God are we walk in his statutes and keep his judgement. We do those thing as they are direct affects and the purpose of God in doing.

In Him,

Bill

Guojing said:

As I already said, the gospel of the kingdom was not meant for gentiles.

Paul was the apostle of the Gentiles. For us saved under the gospel given to Paul for us in the Body of Christ, yes, you are correct, water baptism is not necessary.

We are saved by believing Christ died for our sins and rose again on the 3rd day for our justification.

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Why did Paul baptize some people?

bling said:

Why did Paul baptize some people?

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Because Acts was a transitional period between the 2 gospels.

When Paul was initially saved, the first gospel he preached was Jesus as the Son of God (Acts 9:20), God had not revealed to him fully the gospel of the grace of God yet.

Hammster said:

So which comes first?

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Under the gospel preached by Paul, believing in synonymous with repentance, see row 8

Guojing said:

Because Acts was a transitional period between the 2 gospels.

When Paul was initially saved, the first gospel he preached was Jesus as the Son of God (Acts 9:20), God had not revealed to him fully the gospel of the grace of God yet.

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There is only one gospel. Paul did not say, "I quit baptizing because it was no longer necessary". You are blaming God for not informing Paul? Paul never said he had a new gospel?
Those he baptized in Corinth came on Paul's second or third journey, not that early in Paul's ministry?

bling said:

Paul never said he had a new gospel?

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He did in these

Galatians 1
11 But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man.

12 For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ.

Romans 16:25
Now to him that is of power to stablish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began,

and many other passages.

Jesus also commanded baptism so it could be required though I don’t know but since it could be required people should be baptized because others could not be saved if they are not only God knows


Jesus said unless you are born of water and the Spirit you can not enter the kingdom of God and he who believes and is baptized will be saved however one can take that to mean to be saved upon death because Jesus also said people will be saved in the world to come if they do not blaspheme the Holy Spirit which is to reject Jesus as messiah and to not follow what you know for sure His will for your life is. To be born of water some take to mean to be enlightened and washed of your sins first by action of God as Ezekiel says I will wash you with pure water and then says I will put My Spirit in you acts shows the gentiles received the Holy Spirit without baptism so one is made clean born of water and Spirit by God alone yet baptism was still commanded as that was the means God wanted to use to ensure people have remission of sins now for sins one continues to commit but the initial water was to show God initiative and to make someone new in his heart yet for him to have remission of sins for sins after as elsewhere he wanted them to be baptised to be united to God now for remission of sins but they still have new heart as they are born again of water and the Spirit but can not be fully united to God now without baptism but they still have the Holy Spirit


And when Jesus says he who believes and is baptized will be saved He could mean you still need to be completely changed which is what is meant by baptism it normally happens with water when one is changed but it can happen also without water as Jesus said God will give Holy Spirit to those who ask Him He knows when to bind baptism for a time for His purposes but later not require it but give Holy Spirit to all who genuinely seek Him. Or He could make baptism to be able to give an experience in the moment to aid one but others who are not baptized may also have the experience as they seek God in their life but just not in the first moment. Those are my thoughts so it could not be required. But we do not know as Jesus commanded it so we should get baptized it is the only thing mentioned those who believe and are baptized will be saved communion could be required too for sanctification but it could be only baptism is. I think when Jesus says he who eats my flesh and drinks my blood has life it is because if you are not living in communion with the Holy Spirit as you read His word and meditate and pray you are not being sanctified by His sacrifice you eat His flesh as you realise His flesh needed to suffer and is why you are sanctified as you pray to Him. One should also seek to have communion because it is was commanded so could be required though I don’t know and it could be required for sanctification so you should do it though it may be only baptism is required though we don’t know it is but since it may be required if one is not baptized maybe he risks not being saved so one should be baptized