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Sin and repent; sin and repent; sin and repent ...
 
 
 
Sin and repent; sin and repent; sin and repent ...
 
The first word of the gospel that Jesus and the apostles preached was "Repent.". Unfortunately, most of modern Christianity have departed from the truth of Jesus and the apostles when they say that we can sin and repent; sin and repent; sin and repent --because God will always forgive our sins; past, present and future.


Repent does not mean to simply say "I am sorry". Rather it means to cease from willful sin altogether. True repentance is to choose to cease from sin completely and forever (knowing that one cannot possibly do so apart from the Spirit of God).

"Then Peter said unto 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 Ghost." Acts 2:38

In that verse the word "repent" is from the Greek metanoeo rendered as an aorist Imperative which means: "a command for doing something in the future that is a simple action. This is contrasted with the present imperative, which involves a command for continuous or repetitive action."


Peter was saying that they should repent (once and for all) not continuously repent and sin and repent and sin and repent etc.... What he said was:

Repent and ... you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit."
First the full repentance and then the Holy Spirit.

"And we are his witnesses of these things; and so is also the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to them that obey him." Acts 5:32


Obviously it cannot also be true that God has given the Holy Spirit to those who disobey Him... (People who have spiritual gifts and disobey God do not have the indwelling Holy Spirit and are not born again.)

Many Christians have never made that full repentance because they have been told that they can never really cease from sin. Therefore, they are told, if they sin "occasionally" but do not have a "lifestyle of sin" (whatever that means?) they will still inherit eternal life. Nothing could be further from the truth!

"Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin" 1John 3:9

Now, let the scriptures correct the deception that God will always forgive our willful sins: past, present and future.

When we have faith in The Father and His Son Jesus Christ and have truly repented, our past sins are forgiven:

" Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;" Rom 3:25
 
When we are converted all past sins are forgiven. After a person is born-again, only sins of ignorance are forgiven. If a person sins with knowledge and intent after that time, they have blasphemed the Holy Spirit and there is no more sacrifice for sin. See Hebrews 6:1-8; Hebrews 10:26-31.

Jesus gave us no options; we must surrender this lifetime to Him, no matter what it may cost! The first act of our surrender is to obey God's law, just as Jesus said:

"... but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments." Matthew 19:17 KJV

Donna Kupp
 

Creation date: Mar 4, 2009 5:24am     Last modified date: Jul 18, 2017 7:57pm   Last visit date: Mar 27, 2024 3:51am
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