No repentance for God is by our own will power alone

[brightfame52]

I had an exchange on Twitter with an atheist who said at one point he expects God to save him with a Damascus road type of experience.

It would be interesting to hear your responses to this oft come across scenario.

I have no comment, God does save sinners in a Sovereign manner.

 

[Dave_Regenerated]

I have no comment, God does save sinners in a Sovereign manner.

Does God save someone that resists Him, has no interest in Him, goes out of their way to destroy the faith of other people, has zero interest in Him or intention of wanting to know Him?

Obviously not.

 

[brightfame52]

Does God save someone that resists Him, has no interest in Him, goes out of their way to destroy the faith of other people, has zero interest in Him or intention of wanting to know Him?

Obviously not.

God saves sinners doesnt He ? He saved Saul and changed him to Paul

 

[brightfame52]

Gospel repentance is joined with Faith in Jesus Christ Acts 20:21

21 Testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.

So the repentance commanded in Acts 17:30 has a view to Faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ which can only apply unto them Christ died for and is their Savior, His Righteousness imputed to them. This cannot apply to the non elect.

 

[brightfame52]

The repentance commanded isn't for all without exception as its mistakenly taught, for not all are spiritually equipped to repent at Gods command. The command here in Acts 17:30

30 And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent:

Is not for the unregenerate natural man ! The natural unregenerate man is still legally married to the Law of God, and doesnt have the legal right to be married to another Rom 7:1-4

Know ye not, brethren, (for I speak to them that know the law,) how that the law hath dominion over a man as long as he liveth?

2 For the woman which hath an husband is bound by the law to her husband so long as he liveth; but if the husband be dead, she is loosed from the law of her husband.

3 So then if, while her husband liveth, she be married to another man, she shall be called an adulteress: but if her husband be dead, she is free from that law; so that she is no adulteress, though she be married to another man.

4 Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ; that ye should be married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God.

Those sinners Christ didn't die for are consequently not dead to the law by His Body, and are bound to it as long as they live. So repentance and faith in Christ isn't their right, but they owe perfect obedience to Gods law which they cant fulfill.

 

[Ghada]

When it comes to mans religion, salvation is contingent not solely on God and what has been accomplished by the person and work of Jesus Christ for His People,

No one is saved by Jesus being killed by sinners on a cross. Rather all men still sinning against Him, are still condemned as His continued killers.

If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.
Only them that repent of their sinning for Jesus' sake, are not condemned for His death at the hands of sinners.

The only thing accomplished by Jesus' death on the cross for workers of iniquity, is to expose all sinners as being guilty before God and the shed blood of His dear Son.

The unrepented that believe they are better than others in their sinning, are delusionally proud in their own respect of themselves.

There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.
So it is with all unrepented sinners. Especially them that think in their hearts, that they are less guilty of the Son' blood, that others doing the same sin and trespassing as them.

The mockery of the OT sacrifices was by Jews thinking they are not guilty, while doing the same sinning as the sinful Gentiles.

The mockery of the NT sacrifice of the Lamb, is by Christians thinking they are not guilty, while doing the same sinning as the sinful unbelievers.

And thinkest thou this, O man, that judgest them which do such things, and doest the same, that thou shalt escape the judgment of God?

 

[Ghada]

I had an exchange on Twitter with an atheist who said at one point he expects God to save him with a Damascus road type of experience.

It would be interesting to hear your responses to this oft come across scenario.

I know that Damascus road type experience personally, including from Beirut.

I pray for safety, especially now with the threat of highway robbers.

You're talking about a boastful fool in their own god, not an atheist.

 

[Dave_Regenerated]

I know that Damascus road type experience personally, including from Beirut.

I pray for safety, especially now with the threat of highway robbers.

You're talking about a boastful fool in their own god, not an atheist.

You sound like you are on drugs. I cannot make head or tails out of your comments.

Please only respond to me if you can speak proper English.

 

[brightfame52]

@Ghada

When it comes to mans religion, salvation is contingent not solely on God and what has been accomplished by the person and work of Jesus Christ for His People,

No one is saved by Jesus being killed by sinners on a cross.

Thats Blasphemy and a Denial of the Saving Efficacy of Christ Blood/Death

 

[Dave_Regenerated]

@Ghada


Thats Blasphemy and a Denial of the Saving Efficacy of Christ Blood/Death

I don't believe "Ghada's" native language is English, so it might be difficult to elicit a decent response from her.

 

[brightfame52]

Why does it read therefore " but now commandeth all men every where to repent"

Because Gospel repentance was not only being given by Christ to men and women in the state of israel, but it was being granted amongst the gentile nations to the gentiles Acts 11:18

18 When they heard these things, they held their peace, and glorified God, saying, Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life.

These Gentiles are everywhere amongst all nations Lk 24:47

47 And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations[everywhere], beginning at Jerusalem.

 

[Ghada]

@Ghada


Thats Blasphemy and a Denial of the Saving Efficacy of Christ Blood/Death

I don't mind blaspheming your saving 'efficacy'. I don't even like the pretentiousness of such 'theologic' speak.

Believing you have obtained salvation by personally crucifying the Son of God on a cross, is the malicious hope of the Jews, that delivered Him to Pilate.

And worse yet after His resurrection, is the malice of beleiving you are justified in crucifying Him afresh, by your hardened heart and unrepented sinning against Him.

Seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.

But after thy hardness and unrepentant heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God;

And thinkest thou this, O man, that judgest them which do such things, and doest the same, that thou shalt escape the judgment of God?

If you continue in your stiffnecked sins and trespasses unto death, then you will die in your sins unto condemnation and shame, just like any other stiffnecked sinner and trespasser unto death.

And none of your saving 'efficacy' will deliver you from being judged by your works, and not by your great doctrinal mouth.

And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies;

 

[brightfame52]

I don't mind blaspheming your saving 'efficacy'. I don't even like the pretentiousness of such 'theologic' speak.

Believing you have obtained salvation by personally crucifying the Son of God on a cross, is the malicious hope of the Jews, that delivered Him to Pilate.

And worse yet after His resurrection, is the malice of beleiving you are justified in crucifying Him afresh, by your hardened heart and unrepented sinning against Him.

Seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.

But after thy hardness and unrepentant heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God;

And thinkest thou this, O man, that judgest them which do such things, and doest the same, that thou shalt escape the judgment of God?

If you continue in your stiffnecked sins and trespasses unto death, then you will die in your sins unto condemnation and shame, just like any other stiffnecked sinner and trespasser unto death.

And none of your saving 'efficacy' will deliver you from being judged by your works, and not by your great doctrinal mouth.

And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies;

May God be pleased to be Merciful to you friend

 

[brightfame52]

Why does it read therefore "but now commandeth all men every where to repent" ?

Because Gospel preaching and repentance is under the auspices of the Abrahamic Covenant, regarding Gods Promise to Abraham Gen 12:3

3 And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.

Gal 3:8

8 And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed.

Giving the Gentiles Faith and Repentance is the fulfillment of Gods promise

 

[brightfame52]

Gods commandment to men to repent is efficacious and not in vain. The ones its intended for to come to repentance will repent/obey because its to them a causative command.

Ezk 36:26-27

26 A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.

27 And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them.

And so the Spirit in them causes and energizes them to do His Commandment, hence it is written Ps 147:15-18
15 He sendeth forth his commandment upon earth: his word runneth very swiftly.

16 He giveth snow like wool: he scattereth the hoarfrost like ashes.

17 He casteth forth his ice like morsels: who can stand before his cold?

18 He sendeth out his word, and melteth them: he causeth his wind to blow, and the waters flow.

God through His Gospel preachers or their word will cause men every where to obey Gospel repentance.

 

[Ghada]

30 And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent:

This is not a general command to everyone in the world without exception because that wouldnt be evagelical repentance in line wth Jesus charge here Lk 24:44-47

This is not a belief in Bible command as written, but is in line with a personal ideology without Jesus' commandment.

Some do away with common grammar and a child's intelligence

There are people saying they believe the Bible, but do not believe all the words of the Bible. Just as there are people who say Lord, Lord, but do not obey all the Lord's commandments.

Pre

 

[brightfame52]

Gospel repentance is a grace , produced by the regenerating power of Christ through the Holy Spirit. Its the repentance Christ as Saviour gives unto His spiritual seed Israel Acts 5:31

31 Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins.

Its the repentance He calls His lost sheep unto Matt 9:13

13 ]But go ye and learn what that meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.

So its a repentance God gives, through Christ unto life Acts 11:18

18 When they heard these things, they held their peace, and glorified God, saying, Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life.

This repentance results in spiritual life, or its a product of being given spiritual life, or repentance is an evidence of spiritual life

Thats why repentance along with remission of sins should be declared in Christ's name, for they both proceed from Him Lk 24:47

47 And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.

 

[Dave_Regenerated]

Some people believe that they chose God because they prayed to God one day and God responded, or they felt as though when God was drawing them to Him they were utilising their free will to believe or have faith in God. This is just the very first baby Christian position. When a person that has been born again who doesn't know much of the Bible starts to study it, they will discover that God loved and chose them first, not second depending upon their response because that is what the Bible teaches. It is only unfamiliarity with what the Bible actually states and says about salvation in many different ways and words describing the same thing that can induce people to adopt the contrary idea that it was their own power that saved them and not God and His power. After all, if the Bible says God chose an elect before the universe was created, how can that be denied? It can't, except in pride and hubris.

 

[brightfame52]

I'm going to share a few scriptures on repentance. Acts 5:31

31 Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins.

Acts 11:18

18 When they heard these things, they held their peace, and glorified God, saying, Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life.

Acts 20:21

21 Testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.

The greek word for repentance in these verses is metanoia and means:

change of mind, repentance

Usage: repentance, a change of mind, change in the inner man.

Notice also in Acts 5 and Acts 11 the God is said to give or grant this repentance. This repentance towards God is something man doesn't have naturally, it must be furnished by God. Its Gods Gift to His Chosen People.

 

[Ghada]

Gospel repentance is a grace , produced by the regenerating power of Christ through the Holy Spirit. Its the repentance Christ as Saviour gives unto His spiritual seed Israel Acts 5:31

Gods' repentance is given by His longsuffering grace, when any man anywhere obeys His command to repent of all our dead works for Jesus' sake.

God's repentance is not man's half-hearted repentance by his own will and convenience. Nor is such religion of man by God's grace.