and .... for that to be applied to us OR for us to enter into it .. we must
REPENT
be baptised for the remission of sin
and we will receive the promise of the holy Spirit
all covenants are two party involvement never only 1 .
i do this .. you do that -and a covenant is entered into .
Thank you Alithis!
I suppose I proceed from the understanding that people who are not born again are completely incapable of repenting from sin. Therefore I do not see pre-new birth repentance as possible and is not a requirement. You should be sorry for your sinful nature... but at the same time realize you are hopelessly lost. After all, if a person could repent from all sin before they were saved... that would be an indicator that they were not actually lost and did not even need to be saved.
In the book of Acts, references to repentance (which were spoken to the Jews) should be understood in the context of repenting from rejecting Jesus and crucifying Him. For instance, Peter on the day of Pentecost:
Acts 2:
36 Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same
Jesus whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ.
37
Now when they heard [this], they were pricked in their heart, and said to Peter and to the rest of the apostles
, Men, brethren, what shall we do?
38 Then Peter said to 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 Spirit.
Essentially this was not a call to repent from sin before they believed. This was a call to repent from what they did with Jesus. They crucified Him. And the answer was to repent of that act of rejection and accept Him as both Lord and Christ.
Another good example is Heb 6:1-3
1 Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on to perfection;
not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith towards God,
2 Of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of the resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment.
3 And this will we do, if God permit.
Here Paul refers to the foundation, baby, milk doctrine of "repentance from dead works."
This is not "repentance from sin." This is almost the exact opposite. They were to repent of trying to please God by obeying the dead works of the law.
The whole purpose of the law was to show by experience in each person's life that they were in fact sinners, hopeless, and in need of a savior:
Romans 3:
19 Now we know that whatever things the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.
20 Therefore by the deeds of the law, there shall no flesh be justified in his sight:
for by the law [is] the knowledge of sin.
Clearly this states the purpose and the goal of the law. It is to simply prove to the unbeliever by experience that they are lost and need a savior. So in context, if a person could repent before belief it would say we do not actually need salvation. We can do it ourselves.
So I question the many preachers and teachers who teach contrary to this. They tell people they have to repent
before they believe.... which clearly the scriptures say they cannot. And my wonder is this: How many lost souls hear their preaching and when they fail at repenting from sin before believing, forsake the gospel altogether thinking they are beyond hope and rejected by God... when what they should do is what Paul says believe.
Once born again, they then have the tools and the ability to repent from sin. Prior to that they are evil trees that cannot put forth good fruit.
Baptism is the outward expression of the inward belief and transformation. The baptism into Christ which is carried out by God in the life of each believer when they are saved.