Help please help

[Thomas222]

I am 18 years old and very much a sinner, and of need of whatever this thing called repentance is.

I have reached a spiritual predicament and need advice. I have been told that I need to ‘repent’, in order for my sins to be pardoned by God or whatever. However I am bewildered over the meaning of ‘repent’, no Christian has ever been able to actually give me a definite answer of what It means. I have two interpretations of the meaning of repent:

1. To complete rid oneself of all sin, somehow through the magical power of Jesus.
2. To feel sorry before God, recognise the sin I have committed as evil, and to believe in Christ.

I continue to sin, as a Christian every minute of my life, as I believe, do you. The first and most important commandment being “'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind”. Christ specifies, that we must love God will ‘All” our heart, which must not some of the time, but all of the time. I have never encountered a Christian who is able to do this, every minute, of every day. God is not in the Christians’ heart, mind, or maybe even soul, all the time, because we have other things to worry about in daily life. Therefore every day, each Christian breaks the first and most important commandment. On top of this it is said, James 2:10 "To break the least commandment was to break them all", yet we are breaking the greatest. So I can only conclude that on an hourly basis a faithful Christian breaks every commandment.

The first option, "To complete rid oneself of all sin” is laughably impossible. So the question I ask is how do I repent? is it just a feeling of guilty, or a physical act

Forgive me if my tone sounds conceited or indignant, I just become annoyed at Christians. I feel that Christians now days, put too much emphasis on the law, not the new convent. They hold their heads up, believing they are God’s chosen ones, yet the only reason they are charitable is because they hope for riches in heaven, not out of kindness. They forget about God’s divine love and forgiveness. they seem to hold a barbarian view, that any Christian that does not refrain from or touching yourself or drinking with friends is deserving of an eternity of torture that makes Guantanamo bay look like a resort beach. This is my experience with Christians.


Thank you! I really need my question anwsered, it is very important to my spiritual health.

 

[gideons300]

I am 18 years old and very much a sinner, and of need of whatever this thing called repentance is.

I have reached a spiritual predicament and need advice. I have been told that I need to ‘repent’, in order for my sins to be pardoned by God or whatever. However I am bewildered over the meaning of ‘repent’, no Christian has ever been able to actually give me a definite answer of what It means. I have two interpretations of the meaning of repent:

1. To complete rid oneself of all sin, somehow through the magical power of Jesus.
2. To feel sorry before God, recognise the sin I have committed as evil, and to believe in Christ.

I continue to sin, as a Christian every minute of my life, as I believe, do you. The first and most important commandment being “'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind”. Christ specifies, that we must love God will ‘All” our heart, which must not some of the time, but all of the time. I have never encountered a Christian who is able to do this, every minute, of every day. God is not in the Christians’ heart, mind, or maybe even soul, all the time, because we have other things to worry about in daily life. Therefore every day, each Christian breaks the first and most important commandment. On top of this it is said, James 2:10 "To break the least commandment was to break them all", yet we are breaking the greatest. So I can only conclude that on an hourly basis a faithful Christian breaks every commandment.

The first option, "To complete rid oneself of all sin” is laughably impossible. So the question I ask is how do I repent? is it just a feeling of guilty, or a physical act

Forgive me if my tone sounds conceited or indignant, I just become annoyed at Christians. I feel that Christians now days, put too much emphasis on the law, not the new convent. They hold their heads up, believing they are God’s chosen ones, yet the only reason they are charitable is because they hope for riches in heaven, not out of kindness. They forget about God’s divine love and forgiveness. they seem to hold a barbarian view, that any Christian that does not refrain from or touching yourself or drinking with friends is deserving of an eternity of torture that makes Guantanamo bay look like a resort beach. This is my experience with Christians.


Thank you! I really need my question anwsered, it is very important to my spiritual health.

Brother, I hope what I can share with you can help you in this crisis in your life.

In short, repent has its roots in "re- pente", to think differently, to turn from the sin and run into the arms of a loving savior who paid the price for your sins by suffering and dying the death you deserved.

You have a good measure of understanding when you say no one can love the Lord with all your heart. It is true, yet this is precisely what God asks of us. There is only one hope and that is that God works inside you to change you, to win your love and to then make it overflow out of you to others. That is how we love others as we love ourselves, bt Christ so filling us with His love for us that we ourselves begin to love with His love.

You are right as well that the law says if we break one commandment, we are guilty of all.

So we find ourselves in a great dilemma. The things we are required to do, we cannot do, and yet the obedience demanded is perfect obedience, not partial. What is the answer?

The law is godly and is a sort of guideline of what a heart filled with love will act like, but it is powerless to bring us to that obedience it demands. Yet the law, we are told, has authority over a man as long as He lives. It is clear then that there is one way, and only one to get free from the grip of the law. We must die, for it is only then that the law loses its grip on us. You will see this explained in Romans 7.

Understand, the law rules over what the Bible calls the old nature, the one that likes to sin, to disobey, to be in charge of its own life. We are told the strength of sin is the law. Ahhhh, but if we are dead, the law loses its grip and if the strength of sin is the law, and we are no longer under the law, the power of sin is broken. Do you follow so far?

So, all we have to do is die! LOL. And you thought this would be easy! Now, we know we cannot die in our body, for then we would not need an answer in this life, but God is clear, He wants us to "be preserved blameless unto the coming of the Lord." Victory is for THIS life.

What do we do then? If you go backwards to Romans 6, you will see the answer. Paul clearly says that when Christ died, He died to the power of sin once, and then was raised to newness of life. Then the amazing depth of the power of the gospel, for we are told the amazing truth that when Christ died we died with Him. Our old nature was crucified with Him and we were raised to newness of life with Christ.

So if all this is true, why do we still struggle? Why do we not "feel" new? Because God has asked for faith on our part. It is our part of the bargain so to speak, and yet we are told that even that faith needed is a gift from God. So what are we to believe? We are to believe just what I stated, that we are dead to sin, having died to the grip of commandments and have been born again (this is where the term comes from). We are then asked to reckon ourselves dead to the grip of sin. Paul specifically says how we are to do it, like Jesus did, to die ONCE to sin, not a lifetime of trying in our own efforts that leave is feeling like failures. We are then to believe that we have been made new, that old things are GONE and that we are "new creatures" in Christ.

It is then that we have entered what the Bible calls "the good fight of faith", because there is a battle and the enemy of your soul wants you to stop believing at all costs.

One thing I need to point out...all this will not work if our inner desire is not to please God, to give up our rights to our life, our hopes our dreams, to possess the God that can be that good that He wants to "give us" the kingsom and everlasting life. Salvation may be free but it is not cheap.

I hope in some small way this helps you. Often when one comes to Jesus, all the understanding is not there at first, and God will sort it out for you, IF you are hungry and if you desp[erately want to be free of the sins that grip you (repentance).

Now as to what determines "barbaric", that is between God and you. There are not rules now, but to one who has given themselves to the Lord, He in turn gives that one the Holy Spirit, the indweeling way Christ lives inside us, and we are promised that He will guide us as we need to be guided. Once we give ourselves to Him and believe that Christ's sacrifice has set us free, He begins to change us. You may find that what is "barbaric" and unreasonable to you now, is somewthing you willingly choose later on down the line. God as a habit of going that, and is gentle in His dealing with us to change.

I am praying for you.

Blessings,

Bruce

 

[Michael009]

With prayer, meditate on the following scriptures..

1Thess 5:22 Abstain from all appearance of evil.

1Thess 5:23 And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

1Thess 5:24 Faithful is he that calleth you, who also WILL DO it.

You need to take God at his Word, and start BELIEVING that He WILL DO, what you have thus far failed to do for yourself.

God Bless

 

[capnator]

To realise you need repentance is a good place to be. Your next step is "Matt 11:28 Come unto me, all [ye] that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest."

by yourself You can't truely repent but you can come and ask for help.

 

[1watchman]

Friend, the "bottom line", as they say, is to confess and own your sins and failure before God (see Matt. 6:6). That is repentance; then, receive the Lord Jesus into your heart by faith in Him and He will forgive you and come unto you (see John 14:23). Read these verses and others in the New Testament, such as 1 Jn. 5:10-13. Make reading your Bible a daily practice like brushing your teeth, etc. You will then learn to love the Lord Jesus and walk with Him always.

- 1 Watchman

 

[ToddMyers]

Gideon has said it the way I would try to tell you. Repentance in my view means to turn from sin to God. But it once you do you need to grow in Christ, read the bible and fellowship with other believers. You will still sin as do I but in faith you can go to God and ask for forgiveness,,,,,,but keep in mind Christ bears your sin once you turn in faith to Him.

 

[Servant.DujmovJr]

I am 18 years old and very much a sinner, and of need of whatever this thing called repentance is.

I have reached a spiritual predicament and need advice. I have been told that I need to ‘repent’, in order for my sins to be pardoned by God or whatever. However I am bewildered over the meaning of ‘repent’, no Christian has ever been able to actually give me a definite answer of what It means. I have two interpretations of the meaning of repent:

1. To complete rid oneself of all sin, somehow through the magical power of Jesus.
2. To feel sorry before God, recognise the sin I have committed as evil, and to believe in Christ.
3.To repent means, literally; To turn around and go the other way.
Replace your old habits, for new and completely different habits.
Change old ways into new ways.

I continue to sin, as a Christian every minute of my life, as I believe, do you. The first and most important commandment being “'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind”. Christ specifies, that we must love God will ‘All” our heart, which must not some of the time, but all of the time. I have never encountered a Christian who is able to do this, every minute, of every day.
Love is for you. Many christians are arrogant, two-faced hypcrites, this is true. Stop looking at and considering them. They will only leave you confused and disillusioned.
The world is full of God's beauty and grace. Learn to appreciate what God has given you in life. Even when in poverty or suffering a physical trauma there is always something to be thankful for. Look for the silver lining and don't focus on the black cloud.
The stars and the moon, the sea and the shore, the birds and their songs, the mountains and their waters, and on and on......The world is full of God's beauty and grace.
God is Love. Let love and peace rule in your heart.
In times of anger, turmoil and fustration; Stop, take a breathe and ask God for peace. It does not need to be complicated. God hears your every thought. Simply and quitely ask God for peace.
To love God with all your heart and all your mind and all your soul, is easy; When you learn to appreciate God for His love, for you.

The first option, "To complete rid oneself of all sin” is laughably impossible.
This is true, it is impossible. That is why Christ did it for us, because we can not stop ourselves from committing sin in our hearts. Even if there is no sin in actions, still; sin exist in our thoughts. That is why we should always be humble and remember; it is because of God's love for us, that he saved us. By grace we are saved; and not by works, lest any man should boast.

Forgive me if my tone sounds conceited or indignant, I just become annoyed at Christians.
Once again, stop looking at them. It is easy to become annoyed, disillusioned and/or disappointed.
I made that mistake before. I became disappointed in my pastor. I stopped going to church, thinking that I would make it on my own; Big mistake. Little by little I went back to my old ways. I repented on my repentence.
There are many reasons we are not to look at others and their walk with the Lord. We get annoyed; is one reason. But also, because to their own master, they stand or fall. Who are we to judge?

So the question I ask is how do I repent? is it just a feeling of guilty, or a physical act
Guilt should not exist; do away with it. Guilt is from the enemy; to try to confuse, tear down and destroy. None are perfect; no, not one. God knows this; He created us, and furtheremore; He has already forgiven us.
Repentence is a continuous struggle. Especially, if life has been one of many bad habits. Fight the good fight. Do not be overcome with guilt; continue toward your goal; A heart filled with love and peace.
To repent is turn around and go the other way.
Peace unto you
Steve

 

[joyfulthanks]

I am 18 years old and very much a sinner, and of need of whatever this thing called repentance is.

I have reached a spiritual predicament and need advice. I have been told that I need to ‘repent’, in order for my sins to be pardoned by God or whatever. However I am bewildered over the meaning of ‘repent’, no Christian has ever been able to actually give me a definite answer of what It means. I have two interpretations of the meaning of repent:

1. To complete rid oneself of all sin, somehow through the magical power of Jesus.
2. To feel sorry before God, recognise the sin I have committed as evil, and to believe in Christ.

I continue to sin, as a Christian every minute of my life, as I believe, do you. The first and most important commandment being “'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind”. Christ specifies, that we must love God will ‘All” our heart, which must not some of the time, but all of the time. I have never encountered a Christian who is able to do this, every minute, of every day. God is not in the Christians’ heart, mind, or maybe even soul, all the time, because we have other things to worry about in daily life. Therefore every day, each Christian breaks the first and most important commandment. On top of this it is said, James 2:10 "To break the least commandment was to break them all", yet we are breaking the greatest. So I can only conclude that on an hourly basis a faithful Christian breaks every commandment.

The first option, "To complete rid oneself of all sin” is laughably impossible. So the question I ask is how do I repent? is it just a feeling of guilty, or a physical act

Forgive me if my tone sounds conceited or indignant, I just become annoyed at Christians. I feel that Christians now days, put too much emphasis on the law, not the new convent. They hold their heads up, believing they are God’s chosen ones, yet the only reason they are charitable is because they hope for riches in heaven, not out of kindness. They forget about God’s divine love and forgiveness. they seem to hold a barbarian view, that any Christian that does not refrain from or touching yourself or drinking with friends is deserving of an eternity of torture that makes Guantanamo bay look like a resort beach. This is my experience with Christians.


Thank you! I really need my question anwsered, it is very important to my spiritual health.

I'm a Lutheran Christian. We believe that the Bible teaches that we are not made righteous before God by anything we can do, but rather by faith in what Jesus Christ has done for us by giving His life on the cross for the forgiveness of our sins.

Though we are completely forgiven of our sins by faith in Christ, we are not magically made free from sin. Throughout our lifetime, we are in the strange position of being both sinner and saint at the same time. We are continually engaged in the battle with the world, the devil, and our own sinful nature. We will one day be completely free from temptation and sin - but not until we are with Christ in Heaven.

In the meantime, God offers us His continuous forgiveness and mercy as we confess our sins to him, and have faith in Christ's love and mercy for us demonstrated on the cross. We are never so mature that we can get beyond the cross - it is the center of our life. We do grow in sanctification, but we will not arrive until we are in his presence.

Your definition #2 of repentance is right on the mark. Believe you are a very great sinner, and humbly confess your sins. Even more than that, believe that you have a very great Savior, and trust in the love and forgiveness He purchased for you on the cross!

 

[Samuel Coleridge]

I am 18 years old and very much a sinner, and of need of whatever this thing called repentance is.

I have reached a spiritual predicament and need advice. I have been told that I need to ‘repent’, in order for my sins to be pardoned by God or whatever. However I am bewildered over the meaning of ‘repent’, no Christian has ever been able to actually give me a definite answer of what It means. I have two interpretations of the meaning of repent:

1. To complete rid oneself of all sin, somehow through the magical power of Jesus.
2. To feel sorry before God, recognise the sin I have committed as evil, and to believe in Christ.

I continue to sin, as a Christian every minute of my life, as I believe, do you. The first and most important commandment being “'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind”. Christ specifies, that we must love God will ‘All” our heart, which must not some of the time, but all of the time. I have never encountered a Christian who is able to do this, every minute, of every day. God is not in the Christians’ heart, mind, or maybe even soul, all the time, because we have other things to worry about in daily life. Therefore every day, each Christian breaks the first and most important commandment. On top of this it is said, James 2:10 "To break the least commandment was to break them all", yet we are breaking the greatest. So I can only conclude that on an hourly basis a faithful Christian breaks every commandment.

The first option, "To complete rid oneself of all sin” is laughably impossible. So the question I ask is how do I repent? is it just a feeling of guilty, or a physical act

Forgive me if my tone sounds conceited or indignant, I just become annoyed at Christians. I feel that Christians now days, put too much emphasis on the law, not the new convent. They hold their heads up, believing they are God’s chosen ones, yet the only reason they are charitable is because they hope for riches in heaven, not out of kindness. They forget about God’s divine love and forgiveness. they seem to hold a barbarian view, that any Christian that does not refrain from or touching yourself or drinking with friends is deserving of an eternity of torture that makes Guantanamo bay look like a resort beach. This is my experience with Christians.


Thank you! I really need my question anwsered, it is very important to my spiritual health.

Do you know what is right and what is wrong?

Sure you do.

 

[childofGod31]

I am 18 years old and very much a sinner, and of need of whatever this thing called repentance is.

I have reached a spiritual predicament and need advice. I have been told that I need to ‘repent’, in order for my sins to be pardoned by God or whatever. However I am bewildered over the meaning of ‘repent’, no Christian has ever been able to actually give me a definite answer of what It means. I have two interpretations of the meaning of repent:

1. To complete rid oneself of all sin, somehow through the magical power of Jesus.
2. To feel sorry before God, recognise the sin I have committed as evil, and to believe in Christ.

I continue to sin, as a Christian every minute of my life, as I believe, do you. The first and most important commandment being “'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind”. Christ specifies, that we must love God will ‘All” our heart, which must not some of the time, but all of the time. I have never encountered a Christian who is able to do this, every minute, of every day. God is not in the Christians’ heart, mind, or maybe even soul, all the time, because we have other things to worry about in daily life. Therefore every day, each Christian breaks the first and most important commandment. On top of this it is said, James 2:10 "To break the least commandment was to break them all", yet we are breaking the greatest. So I can only conclude that on an hourly basis a faithful Christian breaks every commandment.

The first option, "To complete rid oneself of all sin” is laughably impossible. So the question I ask is how do I repent? is it just a feeling of guilty, or a physical act

Forgive me if my tone sounds conceited or indignant, I just become annoyed at Christians. I feel that Christians now days, put too much emphasis on the law, not the new convent. They hold their heads up, believing they are God’s chosen ones, yet the only reason they are charitable is because they hope for riches in heaven, not out of kindness. They forget about God’s divine love and forgiveness. they seem to hold a barbarian view, that any Christian that does not refrain from or touching yourself or drinking with friends is deserving of an eternity of torture that makes Guantanamo bay look like a resort beach. This is my experience with Christians.


Thank you! I really need my question anwsered, it is very important to my spiritual health.

Sometimes people don't see the forest for the trees. All the doctrines and confusing statements confuse people. The basic idea is: love God (as you can) love the people (as you can) and just do the best you can. You can't do more than that as you pointed out.

So your belief plus loving God and the people (according to how it's possible for you) would constitute your state of repentance. Repentance is - turning away from the old way of life to the way of life according to God.

Simply feeling sorry for one's sins doesn't actually change the person. But feeling sorry sometimes is a first step which motivates the person to actually do something about it.

LIVE the best you can in the new way (as you have learned it or as you believe to be the best according to what you believe).

 

[wayfaring man]

Well I was with gideons300 all the way until he wrote that we are to die only once to sin as Jesus did.

Perhaps in a superbly idealistic application...but in most of our present states we as The Apostle Paul said of himself, have to "die daily".

I protest by your rejoicing which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily. <-----> 1st Corinthians 15:31

Each day we need to confess and repent and seek God anew.

Even as we are to feed daily upon His Word.

We normally do not shun eating our physical food, because it has to be eaten over and over to sustain us in the long run, but rather are thankful and glad to enjoy eating on a regular basis.

Neither therefore, ought we who hunger and thirst for Christ's Righteousness find it terribly inconvenient that we must maintain our spiritual diet on a daily basis to effectually receive the long term benefits. Yea, rather we are eager and appreciative to receive and ingest further informative, enlightening, + strengthening substance.

Yet, if we are already "full", then eating of any sort may seem a rather unnecessary chore.

Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled. <-----> Matthew 5:6

"shall be filled" is an ongoing futuristic tense, as in "day by day".

In continuation is found completion.

Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed;
And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.
They answered him, We be Abraham's seed, and were never in bondage to any man: how sayest thou, Ye shall be made free?
Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever commits sin is the servant of sin.
And the servant abides not in the house for ever: but the Son abides ever.
If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed. <-----> John 8:31-36

...Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God. <-----> Matthew & Luke 4:4

It is the spirit that quickens; the flesh profits nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life. <-----> John 6:63

This doesn't mean we no longer make any efforts, it means that our own efforts alone are fruitless.

I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman.
Every branch in me that bears not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that bears fruit, he purges it, that it may bring forth more fruit.
Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you.
Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.
I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abides in me, and I in him, the same brings forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.
If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.
If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.
Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples. <-----> John 15:1-8

Without Christ, His Word, and Spirit to lead, guide and empower us we are like someone trying to drain the Red sea with a teaspoon, as the enemy's army marches to overtake us...but with The Lord as our Helper/Saviour a mighty east wind parts that sea so we can walk across it's bounds on dry land, as a result of God's Love and simple child-like faith and obedience, wherein we stretch forth our hand as The Lord commanded. And in like manner, that sea also closes up after us so that those who wrongly seek our hurt cannot follow after ! ( See Exodus 14 )

That's the difference between Christ-like faith and obedience, and trying to live life/survive on our own.

May The Lord Be Pleased to Bless & Keep !

wm

 

[joyfulthanks]

Sometimes people don't see the forest for the trees. All the doctrines and confusing statements confuse people. The basic idea is: love God (as you can) love the people (as you can) and just do the best you can. You can't do more than that as you pointed out.

So your belief plus loving God and the people (according to how it's possible for you) would constitute your state of repentance. Repentance is - turning away from the old way of life to the way of life according to God.

Simply feeling sorry for one's sins doesn't actually change the person. But feeling sorry sometimes is a first step which motivates the person to actually do something about it.

LIVE the best you can in the new way (as you have learned it or as you believe to be the best according to what you believe).

If all that is needed is doing the best you can, then Jesus died on the cross for nothing (See Gal. 2:21). The best we can do is not enough to live up to God's standard of holiness. We are sinful people. The best we can do is marred by sin. And the penalty of sin is death.

We can be forgiven and reconciled with God only because of Christ's death for our sin, and not because of our good works or best intentions. Otherwise, Christ's death was for nothing. The scriptures make this very clear:

"a person is not justified by the works of the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. So we, too, have put our faith in Christ Jesus that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law, because by the works of the law no one will be justified." Galatians 2:16

"I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing!&#8221; Galatians 2:21

That's why the Gospel is such good news! God reconciled Himself to us through Christ, not because we are good and deserve it and try our best, but in spite of our wickedness and rebellion.