[–] 16983540? 0 points 1 point 1 point (+1|-0) ago
As others have correctly noted, repentance is a change of mind, a turning. But also remember it is not perfection, sinlessness, like some once for all victory over sin and temptation. Sinfulness remains as long as the body of flesh remains in its unglorified state, in an unglorified creation.
But repentance and faith does mean that God - as he has revealed himself in his justice and his mercy in the person, death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus for us - is our ultimate allegiance over and against anything in this world. Yes the struggle with sin is real and will continue, but it is promised "He who began a good work in you will see it through to completion on the day of Jesus Christ." because God grants new life in his Spirit bearing the fruits of love and charity; the one who is given new life will begin to express that life just as surely as a newborn baby breathes, cries, squirms, feeds, etc.
I thoroughly appreciate the way the Heidelberg Catechism ( text states it in a Q&A format for new believers in the gospel in the 16th century:
Q. What is your only comfort in life and in death?
A. That I am not my own, but belong— body and soul, in life and in death— to my faithful Savior, Jesus Christ.
He has fully paid for all my sins with his precious blood, and has set me free from the tyranny of the devil. He also watches over me in such a way6 that not a hair can fall from my head without the will of my Father in heaven; in fact, all things must work together for my salvation.
Because I belong to him, Christ, by his Holy Spirit, assures me of eternal life and makes me wholeheartedly willing and ready from now on to live for him
and then skipping ahead to Q&A 88-90:
Q. What is involved in genuine repentance or conversion?
A. Two things: the dying-away of the old self, and the rising-to-life of the new.
Q. What is the dying-away of the old self?
A. To be genuinely sorry for sin and more and more to hate and run away from it.
Q. What is the rising-to-life of the new self?
A. Wholehearted joy in God through Christ and a love and delight to live according to the will of God by doing every kind of good work.
Man's doctrine.
What does the Word say?
"For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin."
"For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I."
"If then I do that which I would not, I consent unto the law that it is good."
"Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me."
"For I know that in me ( that is, in my flesh) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but HOW to perform that which is good I find not."
"For the good that I would, I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do."
"Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me."
"I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me."
"For I delight in the law of God after the inward man."
"But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members."
"O wretched man that I am!!!! who shall deliver me from this body of death?"
"I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord."
"So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God, but with the flesh the law of sin."
"There is, therefore, NOW, no condemnation to them which ARE IN Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the spirit."
"For the law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death."
"For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh."
"That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the spirit."
"This I say then, WALK IN THE SPIRIT....."
[–] 16982383? 0 points 4 points 4 points (+4|-0) ago
Re-pent. To think again. It's in the word. "They pointed instead at the root of the meaning of the word repentance: meta=after; noeo=to think. Put the two together and the effect of meta was "after the fact" or "afterwards." In essence it meant to think about something later on and have a reversal of opinion about it."
[–] 16982331? [S] 0 points 5 points 5 points (+5|-0) ago
Amen..as the author stated Repenting means experiencing a change of mind that now sees God as true and beautiful and worthy of all our praise and all our obedience. It's something that even those in the presence of Jesus had to be reminded of. Repentance is a lifelong thing when we live in a world consumed by sin.
[–] 16982634? 0 points 5 points 5 points (+5|-0) ago
I think in the end sin is participating in darkness wether knowingly or not. It is giving darkness more power . They feed on it , on distruction and pain . So what ever causes those things is sin . Sin is distruction. Repentance is a change of understanding , a knowledge and a change of heart that changes your chorse, and perspective.
[–] 16982356? 0 points 9 points 9 points (+9|-0) ago
Before you can define repentance, you must define sin. Many believe it is the transgression of the law., Which is true. There is another level under this. Deep down It is the rebellion from God the Father. God wants to be loved and worshipped and held above all things by us, his Creation. He does not want his Creation to follow lists of things to do and other things not to do. He wants me and you entirely to himself. God is love. His character is love. His entire plan for man is based on His never ending love for you and I. He literally gave His only Son's life for us so we can be reconciled to Him. If we only understood the level and depth of His love for us we would better understand what He wants from us. Yes, he has law. It is part of His character. We break his law constantly because we are a broken people. The question becomes, what is in your heart? Is it (You ) or is it (God)?
So, Repentance - what does it mean? To go back to keeping the lists of what to do and what not to do in order to make God love us more? No! There is nothing we can do to make the Father love us more. Remember, he sent his Son to die for us while we where still his enemy. To repent means to turn away from our selfish rebellion from God and face Him, on our knees through the saving Blood of His Son Jesus and ask for His forgiveness which he hands out gladly and freely to those who love Him more than they love themselves. To these he imparts Righteousness.
[–] 16983536? 0 points 1 point 1 point (+1|-0) ago
"This I say then, walk in the spirit and ye shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusts against the spirit, and the spirit against the flesh, and these are contrary, the one to the other, so that ye cannot do what ye would."
Well stated post. God gives spirit to those who believe. It is the power of God in the believer. The assurance of being a son of God, and as such, the assurance of eternal life. The walk in the spirit is the all truth Christ spoke of. Learn of this.
[–] 16983181? 0 points 4 points 4 points (+4|-0) ago
I'm glad it helps. Remember, Satan was not only successful in destroying man through his deepstate tactics, he was extremely successful at deceiving us through Biblical teaching. The real Truth is all still in the Word. Our churches just don't understand it enough to teach it. They were all deceived through the seminaries. Satan has been very busy teaching us all that Good is a tyrant and his demands are unfair - just as he did to Eve in the beginning.
[–] 16983521? ago
Thank you