Hobie
Senior
- Joined
- Aug 5, 2023
- Messages
- 664
- Reaction score
- 114
- Points
- 43
It seems that Christians are giving up at overcoming, they are drifting into evil addictions that destroy their connection with, and separate them from God. Rather than confess their sin they are tending to justify it in one way or another and become even more under its spell. We have this from Gods Word..
Revelation 3:19
As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.
Yet, Christians seem to be digging in deeper into sin and iniquity and entrenching themselves even further, so what is happening. Well, the problem is our sinful, or carnal, nature, the propensity to sin which we has come down from Adam. Propensity to sin is a proneness or tendency to sin which every human being possesses. It is this nature that leads us to sin against God as scripture tells us
Romans 3:23
For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;
Now many are confused as to what constitutes the first steps in the work of salvation, which is repentance. Many think that repentance is a work the sinner must do for himself in order that he may come to Christ and obtain grace. But while it is true that repentance must precede forgiveness, for it is only the broken and contrite heart that is acceptable to God, yet the sinner cannot bring himself to repentance, or prepare himself to come to Christ. The very first step to Christ is taken through the drawing of the Holy Spirit and as man responds to it, he advances toward Christ in order that he may repent. Peter clearly presented the fact that repentance is the gift of God through Christ in Acts 5:31.
Acts 5:31
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.
Repentance is no less the gift of God than are pardon and justification, and it cannot be experienced except as it is given by Christ. So how do we come to repentance, the sinner must come to Jesus, just as he is, and believe that the word of Christ is true, and, believing the promise, he must pray and ask, that he may receive the gift. When sincere desire prompts men to pray, they will not pray in vain. The Lord will fulfill His word, and will give the Holy Spirit to lead to repentance and drawn to God and in faith, and not only believe in but obey the precepts of the law.
Revelation 3:19
As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.
Yet, Christians seem to be digging in deeper into sin and iniquity and entrenching themselves even further, so what is happening. Well, the problem is our sinful, or carnal, nature, the propensity to sin which we has come down from Adam. Propensity to sin is a proneness or tendency to sin which every human being possesses. It is this nature that leads us to sin against God as scripture tells us
Romans 3:23
For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;
Now many are confused as to what constitutes the first steps in the work of salvation, which is repentance. Many think that repentance is a work the sinner must do for himself in order that he may come to Christ and obtain grace. But while it is true that repentance must precede forgiveness, for it is only the broken and contrite heart that is acceptable to God, yet the sinner cannot bring himself to repentance, or prepare himself to come to Christ. The very first step to Christ is taken through the drawing of the Holy Spirit and as man responds to it, he advances toward Christ in order that he may repent. Peter clearly presented the fact that repentance is the gift of God through Christ in Acts 5:31.
Acts 5:31
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.
Repentance is no less the gift of God than are pardon and justification, and it cannot be experienced except as it is given by Christ. So how do we come to repentance, the sinner must come to Jesus, just as he is, and believe that the word of Christ is true, and, believing the promise, he must pray and ask, that he may receive the gift. When sincere desire prompts men to pray, they will not pray in vain. The Lord will fulfill His word, and will give the Holy Spirit to lead to repentance and drawn to God and in faith, and not only believe in but obey the precepts of the law.