On genuine repentance and the importance of a heart that exhibits a godly sorrow rather than one that merely exhibits a worldly sorrow...
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Many make a mistake about salvation; they mistake the meaning of the term, and to them salvation means being delivered from going down to the pit of hell. Now, the right meaning of salvation is purification from evil…
When a man is tied up to be flogged for a deed of brutal violence, and his back is bared for the lash, depend upon it—he repents of what he did; that is to say, he repents that he has to suffer for it, but that is all, and a sorry all too.
He has no sorrow for the agony he has inflicted on the innocent victim, no regret for maiming him for life. What is the value of such repentance?
Charles Spurgeon
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8 Comments:
You bring up an excellent point.
"There is a grief (from wounded pride) which produces resentment and anger against the one who reproves our wicked ways. There is a sorrow (intensified by Satan) which results in nothing but melancholy and despair. Sorrow in itself, is not repentance; neither is remorse, self-condemnation, nor external reformation. True, these are all the attendants and consequences; but repentance itself is a turning from sin to holiness." (http://gracegems.org/Pink2/godly_sorrow.htm)
Just like the LORD to be able to find something like that! One thing I keep hearing from some Christians is "I will keep trying to do better": isn't this wrong thinking because isn't it impossible to 'do better"? I mean I can draw closer to the LORD through HIS Word and prayer, but I see the flesh is still there and causes me to stumble again! The closer I draw to GOD the more I realize the desparate need for salvation! One of my daily prayers is "LORD please help me!" I mean it is simple, but I really mean it!
When I sin against GOD, it makes me sick and angry: how could I do that? I would never think of slapping my earthly father in his face and yet that is exactly what it seems like when I sin against the LORD. My desire is to be close to HIM. Sin will prevent that from happening, so I would say that godly sorrow leads to repentance which restores our fellowship with HIM which should be the number one desire in our hearts.
Jeff, this was extremely thought prevoking and I hope we are not done with this post. I would love to learn more...
Peace,
Dee
Dee,
For me, it all centers around the sovereignty of God.
It's a characteristic that we acknowledge intellectually, but one many of us have a tough time accepting or remembering (myself included).
Personally, I'm just now starting to REALLY study the Doctrine of Grace and to wrap my finite brain around what we're told about God and what He has done (is doing) for us.
If people doubt the sovereignty of God, or are uncomfortable with the idea that WE DON’T CHOOSE HIM, BUT HE CHOOSES US, then how do we interpret the following verses…
Ephesians 1:4 Just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world.
Romans 8:29-30 For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified.
Acts 13:48 And when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad, and glorified the word of the Lord: and as many as were ordained to eternal life believed.
John 6:65 Therefore I have said to you that no one can come to Me unless it has been granted to him by My Father.
These passages teach that God chooses -– in fact, chose us, and ordained us, to eternal life, even before He created the earth. So how is it that we say God does not choose?
In Christ,
Jeff ("JRed")
A few more thoughts...
I must admit, the point of "irresistible grace" was the point I had the most trouble with when when I first began studying the Doctrines of Grace.
And I didn’t fully understand that if God’s pull was not "irresistible", then we would rebel against it every time.
BUT, if someone has heard the saving call from God, they will indeed answer it, and be drawn to Him.
John 6:45 Therefore everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to Me.
One must be "born from above" (a literal translation of John 3:3). It is for this reason that John wrote these words...
John 1:12-13 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
Yes, a person must receive Christ, but in order to receive Him, the person must first be born from above, by the will of God.
Sorry, a little more...
Regeneration precedes faith. Regeneration is solely the work of God (Ezekiel 36:26-27), and our faith is also the gift of God.
Saving faith in Christ is the evidence of a changed heart, it is the fruit of God’s work.
Dee, you were so right here. For us to state that man must "do" something first (believe) in order to merit salvation is to force a human work into God’s work of salvation, which is un-Biblical.
Why is it un-Biblical? Because man cannot save himself. Like the Ethiopian who cannot change the color of his skin, or the leopard who cannot change his spots, dead in trespass and sin fallen man cannot change his nature; God must SOVEREIGNLY change his nature, giving him a NEW heart -- not fixing a broken one.
The pride of fallen man loathes the idea that salvation and sanctification is all of the Lord, so he tirelessly attempts to interject himself into the process.
I'm glad we're discussing this because I'm preparing a study for Kingdom Bound Radio on this topic.
In Christ,
Jeff ("JRed")
And again, "this is love, not that we loved GOD but that HE loved us and sent HIS SON as an atoining sacrifice for our sins". Since HE loved us first, we are filled with love and desire to love HIM right back. What is HIS "love language"? To do the will of the Father--whatever that is in ones life. To embrace what HE gives you (whether sorrow or joy) and allow HIM to reign through you, so that others see the light of GOD. Godly sorrow restores our relationship with HIM (that intimate relationship: there is one that sticks closer than a brother. "You are MY friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you servants, cause a servant does not know his master's business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit-fruit that will last." John 15:14-16
Many think a believer cannot literally hear the voice of the LORD. You can and you will and godly repentance will flow through you because you have an intimate relationship with GOD.
Dee
Jeff et al,
Take a listen to this podcase by the scholars at reasons.org http://www.reasons.org/resources/radio-broadcasts-and-podcasts/idkt this may give us pause regarding all the hype over planet x / niburu.
e
I heard a sermon once where the pastor described the love God has for us is like the love we have for our children. When they are first born "we love them before they first love us".They just want to be fed and changed and taken care of but we love them more than words can say when they first come out.They don't return that love right away.
When I heard that, it hit me the true meaning of that verse.God loves us even though we just want to be fed and changed and taken care of.Our love for God grows with time.
Ann
So true, so true! May we have true sorrow over our sin. Great quote.
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