What is Biblical repentance?

[Dave]

What does it look like?

Does it grow, or mature?

Is it always perfect?

This is a quote from caption below a Paul Washer you tube video called "Don't Expect a Perfect Repentance"

"Many people say that things like “I cannot repent” or “I’m trying to repent” thinking that they need a fully matured, perfect repentance before they can be saved. But we are not saved because we have a perfect repentance, but because we are weak and helpless and cast ourselves upon a perfect Savior. We cannot expect to see the same depth of repentance from a babe in Christ as we would expect from a person who has walked with God for 30 years."

Thoughts?

Dave

 

[Fred]

Does it grow, or mature?

Is it always perfect?

The more one sees how holy God is the more one also sees how horrible of a sinner one is and how great the mercy of God is.

 

[Arial]

What does it look like?

Does it grow, or mature?

Is it always perfect?

This is a quote from caption below a Paul Washer you tube video called "Don't Expect a Perfect Repentance"

"Many people say that things like “I cannot repent” or “I’m trying to repent” thinking that they need a fully matured, perfect repentance before they can be saved. But we are not saved because we have a perfect repentance, but because we are weak and helpless and cast ourselves upon a perfect Savior. We cannot expect to see the same depth of repentance from a babe in Christ as we would expect from a person who has walked with God for 30 years."

Thoughts?

Dave

The first and crucial repentance, as in "Repent and you will be saved." is not about repenting of individual sins. If it were it would be works based salvation. It means turning away from one thing and towards another. The natural state of mankind is away from God. We are at enmity with him. So repent unto salvation would be a complete change of heart and mind. And we know from John 3 and John 1:12-13, and the prophecy of Jeremiah that God will remove our heart of stone and give us a heart of flesh (soft and pliable in his hands) and write his law upon our heart, that this turning is something God does.

It removes all our sins legally, as in justification by faith, but the sanctification, the gradual removal of sins as the Holy Spirit conforms us to the image of Christ, as we learn from his word and grow, is something that takes place over our lifetime. There are usually some sins the new Christian recognizes as sin at the beginning, things they have been doing that they now recognize they should not be doing as a child of God, but our sanctification goes much deeper than merely outward actions.

 

[Josheb]

What is Biblical repentance?

The act of changing one's thinking about something and then acting in a different manner, heading in a different direction.

What does it look like?

Changing one's thinking about something and then acting in a different manner, heading in a different direction. The specific changes would be dependent upon the circumstances.

Does it grow, or mature?

No, but the skill, the ability to repent may grow (increase, improve) and lead to maturity.

Is it always perfect?

Nothing of the creature is perfect on this side of the grave.

This is a quote from caption below a Paul Washer you tube video called "Don't Expect a Perfect Repentance"

"Many people say that things like “I cannot repent” or “I’m trying to repent” thinking that they need a fully matured, perfect repentance before they can be saved. But we are not saved because we have a perfect repentance, but because we are weak and helpless and cast ourselves upon a perfect Savior. We cannot expect to see the same depth of repentance from a babe in Christ as we would expect from a person who has walked with God for 30 years."

Thoughts?

Meh. I try not base my thoughts on extra-biblical sources. All such sources are measured by God's word. I find Mr. Washer's opening comment absurd on their face because people who do not believe in God or Jesus do not say, "I am trying to repent" with any integrity. Neither do people in whom the Spirit is not already at work for that specific purpose. The last line from Mr. Washer is a move of the goalposts because he starts out talking about those needing to be saved and then, within three sentences, segues into a comment about those already saved ("a babe in Christ"). In between he mentions "we." Who is the "we" to whom he is referring? If he was preaching to an audience of Christians, then that "we" is a bunch of already-saved people and the thoughts of the unsaved about getting saved are irrelevant. The comparison between the unsaved and the saved is correct, but why make such a comparison? Who expects the two (or three) groups to behave identically? Who expects the unsaved to behave identically to the saved? Who expects the "babe" in Christ to behave identically to the mature and experienced in Christ? Who expects the unsaved to behave identically as the mature in Christ?


If we were looking for an example or a precedent, is there an explicit report in the Bible of a sinfully dead and enslaved unregenerate non-believer ever salvifically repenting to God without God already at work in that Indvidual's life for that purpose?

 

[Fred]

What does it look like?

What have I done? (Jer. 8:6)

 

[ReverendRV]

What does it look like?

Does it grow, or mature?

Is it always perfect?

This is a quote from caption below a Paul Washer you tube video called "Don't Expect a Perfect Repentance"

"Many people say that things like “I cannot repent” or “I’m trying to repent” thinking that they need a fully matured, perfect repentance before they can be saved. But we are not saved because we have a perfect repentance, but because we are weak and helpless and cast ourselves upon a perfect Savior. We cannot expect to see the same depth of repentance from a babe in Christ as we would expect from a person who has walked with God for 30 years."

Thoughts?

Dave

Biblical Repentance is to turn and do a 180, going in the opposite direction you were going before. When we're Saved, there's a minimal Repentance; going from Unbelief to Belief in the Truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. This is the Repentance that we can never stray from...

Psalms 37 says, "Though a Rghteous Man may fall seven times, he still gets up; though he falls, he shall not be utterly cast down, for the Lord upholds him with his hand". This is probably at the Core of the OP's question. I think this is the answer to, "Is it always perfect?". Not according to the Bible, No. It wasn't even Perfect under the Old Covenant, which required perfection...

I obviously would agree with Washer here...

 

[ReverendRV]

Biblical Repentance is to turn and do a 180, going in the opposite direction you were going before. When we're Saved, there's a minimal Repentance; going from Unbelief to Belief in the Truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. This is the Repentance that we can never stray from...

Psalms 37 says, "Though a Rghteous Man may fall seven times, he still gets up; though he falls, he shall not be utterly cast down, for the Lord upholds him with his hand". This is probably at the Core of the OP's question. I think this is the answer to, "Is it always perfect?". Not according to the Bible, No. It wasn't even Perfect under the Old Covenant, which required perfection...

I obviously would agree with Washer here...

Repentance ~ by ReverendRV * September 3

John 6:44 KJV; "No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them, and I will raise them up at the last day.

Jesus often spoke to the people in Parables, and it could be confusing to the masses. He would describe himself as coming from Heaven, like the Manna which fed the Israelites in ancient days during their wilderness walk. Those who heard him say it about himself were confused. They asked, “Isn’t this Jesus the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How can he say, ‘I came from heaven’?” ~ They knew Jesus and his family well; but couldn’t fathom the thought he came from Heaven. He said, “Stop complaining because no one can come to him unless God his Father draws them to him.” Jesus Christ explained why; ‘those who come are taught by God and everyone one these will come’…

Being drawn to God is like the pull of a magnet. God is the GREAT magnet who draws all things to it. We’re not like lifeless iron filings who have no say so, which can only fly to the Magnet; we are magnets ourselves. We can choose to turn to God or choose to turn away from him; or so it seems. If it were the case, why does the Bible say we’re drawn like heavy water from a well? God is like a Magnet which always has its North Magnetic Pole facing us; if our southern magnetic poles were facing God, then we would fly to him faster than scrap metal and be in Heaven! ~ This never happens because of Sin. Have you Committed Adultery? No? Jesus said if you’ve lusted, you’ve Committed Adultery in your Heart. A part of us has our magnetic poles turned to oppose God’s drawing and we are repelled from God by our own forces. The reason we’re not blasted completely from God into Hell, is due to the Gracious pull of the greater Magnet; He attracts us because we we’re made in the image of God. What we need is to have our Poles turned to God…

The Bible says God will give us a New Heart, because from out of the Heart comes all kinds of Vile Sins. A New Heart is like having our magnetic poles turned, and now we are Attracted to God! We draw near to God without him having to increase his Magnetic Field in order to overpower us against our Will. When we have a change of heart, we stop resisting the Drawing and move toward God. ~ If you’re Willing to Repent, which means changing direction like inverting the position of our Magnetic Poles; then you are ready for the Gospel! Sinners are Saved by the Grace of God through Faith in Jesus Christ as our Risen Lord God; without you doing anything to earn your Forgiveness. Repent of your Sins, Confess Jesus Christ to be your Lord God; join your local Church and study the Bible. ~ There will be no more Hell since you are heading away from it! Other Sinners will seem more distant to you because of the separation which is now growing between you and them. You will be drawn to the Bible, the Church and to other Believers. Repenting will set you in a whole new direction. ~ God is personal; Jesus is attractive, the Lover of your soul. He is a friend that ‘sticks’ closer than a brother…

John 6:65 NIV; He went on to say, “This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless the Father has enabled them.”