Dr. Jack
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- Mar 9, 2019
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Please do me a favor, do not assume to know that I think sin is trivial.First, if what you say is true on repentance, then John the Baptist was teaching falsely. He said bring forth fruits worthy of repentance and he mentioned how the axe is laid to the root of the tree. Meaning, they were going to be cut down if they do not bring forth deeds (or fruits) befitting of repentance. Examples of what John the Baptist said in Matthew 3 for fruit (or deeds) worthy of repentance is giving your second coat to the person who has none, and giving some of your meat (food) to the person has none. Jesus said a similar thing in John 15:5-6 and He essentially said that branch that does not bear fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. This lines up with the Parable of the Talents where the unprofitable servant is cast into outer darkness where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth (Matthew 25:30). For the servant who was faithful over a little was said to enter into the joy of His Lord (Matthew 25:21).
Second, you did not offer any counter explanation on the points I made for repentance, and how your version does not make any sense. In fact, to say that your version of repentance is Belief Alone-ism or believing in Christ is not exactly accurate in light of what we see in Scripture. Repentance is different than trusting in Christ as your Savior. It is clearly a word that means "seeking forgiveness" (as I demonstrated by the verses I shown to you before). Your more detailed explanation on what repentance means only makes it worse when you try to apply that meaning to other parts of the Bible where the word "repent" appears. Again, try and replace the word with your definition for the word "repent" and the text is rendered nonsensical and has less meaning of what is taking place.
Three, none of the verses you presented actually show the word "repent" and how that fits with your definition of repentance. Your definition for repentance has to FIT THE CONTEXT or the surrounding words where the word "repent" appears. Your definition for repent does not fit or work when reading the text. It only causes confusion in what the text plainly says.
Four, 2 Corinthians 7:10 is about Paul talking about seeking forgiveness with GOD whereby they would forsake certain sins. For Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 12:20-21,
20 "For I fear, lest, when I come, I shall not find you such as I would, and that I shall be found unto you such as ye would not: lest there be debates, envyings, wraths, strifes, backbitings, whisperings, swellings, tumults:
21 And lest, when I come again, my God will humble me among you, and that I shall bewail many which have sinned already, and have not repented of the uncleanness and fornication and lasciviousness which they have committed." (2 Corinthians 12:20-21).
Your version would say,
20 "For I fear, lest, when I come, I shall not find you such as I would, and that I shall be found unto you such as ye would not: lest there be debates, envyings, wraths, strifes, backbitings, whisperings, swellings, tumults:
21 And lest, when I come again, my God will humble me among you, and that I shall bewail many which have sinned already, and have not trusted in Jesus for his righteousness alone and not worry about sin so much of the uncleanness and fornication and lasciviousness which they have committed." (2 Corinthians 12:20-21).
Your definition of repentance above makes the above passage into utter nonsense and does not fit what the text plainly says. In the beginning of verse 21 Paul is hypothetically speaking that if he were to visit them again and he found them sinning, and that he would need to be humbled among them in the fact that they are still sinning the kinds of sins like fornication, etc. But that makes no sense because if they were simply trusting in the finished work of the cross and they were still sinning, Paul would not be upset that they are still sinning because they are still saved and secure in God's grace (by which God is glorified in your view).
My version would say,
20 "For I fear, lest, when I come, I shall not find you such as I would, and that I shall be found unto you such as ye would not: lest there be debates, envyings, wraths, strifes, backbitings, whisperings, swellings, tumults:
21 And lest, when I come again, my God will humble me among you, and that I shall bewail many which have sinned already, and have not sought forgiveness with the Lord Jesus by way of prayer [with a godly sorrow] of the uncleanness and fornication and lasciviousness which they have committed." (2 Corinthians 12:20-21).
Seeking forgiveness with the Lord (repentance) with a godly sorrow leads to upright actions (the fruits of repentance).
How does a godly sorrow even work in your view?
Your version of grace can make for an allowance for a person to sin and still be saved.
For do you not believe future sin is forgiven a person?
If so, a person can turn God's grace into a license for immorality on some level as a result of such.
No godly sorrow would be present in such a belief.
Godly sorrow is where a person is truly sorrow about their sin whereby they are truly sorry before the Lord that they sinned against Him, and that they would make good on their prayer with God and forsake such a sin and or sins. For if they do not forsake such a sin, they are not really sorry. It would be like a husband who cheats on his wife, and he tells her that he is sorry for doing so, and yet he has no intention of ever stopping or he does not take his unfaithfulness that seriously. But if this was the case, can the husband expect his wife to stay with him even if he said he could continue to cheat on her and he just paid lip service to her that he was sorry? No. He would not really be sorry unless he stopped being unfaithful to her and he was truly sorry in his heart.
This morning, as I lay in bed, I thought about eating breakfast. There was no immediate need for me to get up, and I considered staying in bed a little while longer. As I do a great amount of traveling, It means going to the restaurant for breakfast. As I continued to think about remaining in bed a bit longer, I began to realize that since it was rather early, their would be fewer patrons in the restaurant, and the service would probably by a bit quicker. Hence, I repented concerning staying in bed, (I changed my mind), and got up in order to have breakfast.
If someone knew that I desired to remain in bed, the evidence that I repented was that I went to breakfast.
When John told the Pharisees in Matthew to ...
3:8 Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance: Matthew
It was because he knew that they were not genuine in their statements, nor there actions.
Repentance occurs in the heart as to what we actually believe concerning our eternal destiny.
We also repent (in our hearts) about how to live, in order to glorify Christ. The ACTION that follows repentance, is not repentance, it is the result of repentance. it is the difference between justification, and sanctification. Justification is the legal term used in defense to show that condemnation can no longer be applied to our account. Sanctification is that process in which the Holy Spirit purifies us in order to now be used by Him.
If I purchase a set of dishes at Salvation Army, I now own them (we have been bought with a price); now I must wash them prior to using them to eat,
6:20 For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's. 1 Corinthians
Paul wrote this epistle to a very, very carnal church. Yet, He told them that they were owned by God.
What was Paul telling them?
They needed to cleanse their lives in order to be used by God for His glory. (They weren't currently glorifying God by their carnality; but, they were still saved.
6:19 What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?5:1 It is reported commonly that there is fornication among you, and such fornication as is not so much as named among the Gentiles, that one should have his father's wife.5:2 And ye are puffed up, and have not rather mourned, that he that hath done this deed might be taken away from among you.5:3 For I verily, as absent in body, but present in spirit, have judged already, as though I were present, concerning him that hath so done this deed,5:4 In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when ye are gathered together, and my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ,5:5 To deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.5:6 Your glorying is not good. Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump? 1 Corinthians
Now if you ask me, you would have told the folks in Corinth that they had no works, and were therefore lost ... It seems like you and Paul would have issues.
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