Repentance

Repentance:

As the serpent = (Satan) beguiled = (deceived) Eve through his subtilely = (craftiness and lies) from the simplicity that is in Christ. For if he = (false teachers) that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit = (other than the Holy Spirit), which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with him.” 2 Corinthians 11:3-4.

Those who say they are sitting in for, taking the place of, or, are the Christ, these are liars, these are anti-christs. These are counterfeits, good for nothing, useless, godless people, those who are without hope.

Jesus is talking to His disciples on the Mount of Olives.

Matthew 24:5, “Many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ = (your king, priest, and prophet); and shall deceive many.” This warning should be taken seriously, and takes on many more shapes then it did back then.

Only through Jesus Christ, His Holy Spirit, and our repentance, can we ever begin to receive the gift of salvation.

2 Timothy 4:3, “For a time will come when they = (the church) will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears.”

Sincere repentance should bring with it humility, a sense to serve and the inward desire to search for God’s Truth. Scriptural truths come from the Holy Spirit, and that truth shall set us free.

Deceivers teach another gospel! Foolish people break down the doors to hear these counterfeit teachers, acting like children, selfish, lustful, and materialistic, desiring signs, wonders, and miracles, yearning to hear words that suit their lustful appetites. This is today’s Christian, unrepentant and deceived, being separated from the love of Christ.

2 Timothy 3:13, “Evil men and seducers = (imposters, those saying they represent Christ Jesus) shall wax = (grow) worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived.”

Matthew 7:15, “Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.”

Acts 20:29, “Grievous wolves = (false teachers) enter in among you = (the church), not sparing the flock.”

What is repentance?

In the religious sense, repentance is to realize true sorrow, and to feel the pain and grief that a person experiences in consequence to the injury or inconvenience produced by the person committing the injury or hurt.

Repentance is to relinquish any practice that offends God. A sinner must at have a deep conviction of the sins and offenses that dishonor God; then shred away their basest ingratitude’s toward the Creator. Any and all offenses that are in violation of His Holy laws, must be set aside forever. This is then accompanied and followed by repentance, and an amendment of one’s life.

Saving faith, and true love are not attainable without repentance. No man can repent if it were not for the gift of free agency or will, from God. Repentance is the submission and separation from the sins in which people normally indulge, turning from them unto God, and the Gospel of Christ Jesus.

Matthew 3:8-9-11, John the Baptist said to the Pharisees and Sadducees that had come to his baptism, “O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bring forth therefore fruits = (deeds or works) meet = (worthy of) for repentance … I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but He = (Jesus) that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: He shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire:”

Mark 2:17, Jesus said, “They that are whole = (saved) have no need of the physician, but thy that are sick = (the unsaved): I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.”

Luke 24:47, Jesus said, “Repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name = (Jesus) among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.”

Acts 11:18, “God also to the Gentiles = (all people) granted repentance unto life.”

Many things need to be rebuild in a sinner, this in order to prepare him for the body of Christ. After the initial drawing out by the Father, the thing which first prepares us for repentance is our conscience, and a sorrowful heart. This is the initial first step in becoming a new person in Christ.

The author of repentance is God, and the object of repentance is Jesus Christ. In baptizing, John prepared men for the church, and at the same time preached repentance. His baptism was called the baptism of repentance. Why, because water baptism signified spiritual washing, which is a form of cleansing from sins.

Confession from the lips only, is not repentance at all, but repentance from the heart brings on God’s forgiveness, and blessings.

Mark 7:6, Jesus said, “Hath Isaiah prophesied of you hypocrites, as it is written, This people = (the Jews) honoreth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me.”

Have you taken you eyes off of the Lord? Do you honor Him in words only? Do you have a deep desire to do the works of Christ? Do your works and deeds lift Jesus up before all men.

Matthew 23:25-26, Jesus said, “Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter = (you sound good, and appear to be good) but within they are full of extortion and excess. Thou blind Pharisee, cleanse first the which is within the cup and platter = (what’s in the heart), that the outside of them may be clean also.”

Do you appear to do good, are pleasant, honorable, honest, charitable? Or are your thoughts and deeds continually on yourself? Are you materialistic, hateful, without forgiveness, deceiving, or lacking any form of love?

The Lord by the passion of the cross took away the sins of the world. We hear of the passion of the cross in the pulpits of churches, read of it in books, and even see it in movie theaters. We hear of repentance, and speak of Christian charity. But for many, their repentance is oral confession only, and their charity belongs only to the law of their church, these who ring their own bells; blow their own whistles, and write their own scripts.

For those who fit the above, the Lord spoke the following.

Matthew 7:22-23, “Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.”

The Lord knows His own, and also knows the heart of the hypocrite. Most everyone is inclined to do evil. Sin is to do evil against our neighbor, and against God. We are responsible for our own thoughts, and our deeds. The knowledge sin, and to then search out and correction these areas is the beginning of knowledge, understanding and repentance.

We are all to examine ourselves. Are you a hinderer and/or slanderer of Gods word? Are you a Blasphemer of God? Are you an adulterer, worshipping someone or something other than the true God? Do you have malice against your neighbor, or envy others? If so, repent and stop the hypocrisy.

Judas took bread from the hand of the Lord, pretending to love Him. Soon after, Satan entered into him, filling him with iniquity. This iniquity brought Judas to destruction, both to his physical body, and his eternal soul.

Are your treasures hidden away in your heart, or in your basement? Are your ways like a hard and stony path, so when God’s word falls on you, it dies? Is your life like a fruit tree that bears no fruit? Is your heart as stone? Are you like one of the five virgins who had a lamp, but no oil? If so, your like an egg that will never be hatched.

From your understanding of the word of God, do you derive many things concerning Love, charity and repentance, knowing God’s precepts in abundance, and yet do not live according to them. This is person without any spiritual Light. This type of person can be compared to cold bitter winters, a frozen landscapes, a sub zero arctic climates, and mounds of snow and broken ice.

The salvation of your soul depends upon your repenting.

Luke 3:8, “Bring forth therefore fruits worthy of repentance.”

Matthew 4:17, Jesus said, “Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

Mark 1:14-15, “After that John was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.”

Luke 13:5, Jesus said, “except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.”

Luke 24:47, Jesus said, “Repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His = (Jesus) name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.”

Mark 6:12, “And they = (the apostles) went out, and preached that men should repent.”

Acts 2:38, “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 3:19, “Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord.”

Acts 17: 30, “And the times of this ignorance = (the gospel was not know) God winked at = (God overlooked), but now commandeth all men every where to repent.”

As I said before, the author, as well as the object of true repentance is Jesus Christ. The subjects are sinners.

The time for repentance is now. The means are, Gods word, and the ministers of His word. The blessing for repentance is the pardoning of sin, peace with yourself, your neighbor, and the securing of an everlasting life with our Lord and Savior. The evidence for repentance is faith, humility, prayer, and obedience.

Submit yourself to Jesus Christ, and separate yourself from iniquity. Repentance is a command, it is a necessary fact. Repentance separates us from the world. God’s laws are as a schoolmaster, this to bring us to Christ. True repentance will do just that.

Phillip Laspino   www.seekfirstwisdom.com