Quote:
Originally Posted by agoodlife2live
So, repentance (e.g. change of mind), followed by the right actions, to "go and sin no more", is enough. No real need for an altar, no need for the grace of God, no need for mercy. But now I can just simply sin until I feel really guilty, then I simply stop sinning, and live as if I never sinned at all. To me this sounds like “self-justification” - Considering that “justification” of sins through the blood means, 'God sees that person clean, just as if they never sinned'.
My question remains, “where is the blood applied in this scenario”? When did God recognize that person as being reconciled to Himself again? Is there no need to seek out forgiveness for sin committed against a Holy God, simply because through the power of the mind you stopped doing whatever it was that you felt guilty of doing (repented)?
|
The blood is applied in sincere repentance. The sinner recognizes himself as a sinner, desperately needing the mercy of God, and cries out to God in repentance. The blood of the Lord Jesus cleanses him from the sins he has committed, and then the Comforter, or the Holy Ghost is given to help live a life overcoming, and changing from previous sinful ways.
You made a comment "through the power of the mind", which seems as if you are saying the repentant sinner is left to try to quit sinning through the power of his mind, which is not the case at all! What should happen is that the sinner recognizes his desperate need of the Lord, repents, and the spirit of the Lord changes him from the old fleshly sinful man into a new creature that now has the spirit of Christ to help him overcome sin and the lusts of the flesh!
Quote:
Originally Posted by agoodlife2live
I guess that I cannot reconcile to my mind, how one can repent, yet not seek the forgiveness and reconciliation to God, at an altar (where ever that maybe). I have always thought the tears I cried on the altar were not so much as “feeling” bad for sinning as much as my plea to God of my need and desire for His Spirit to renew right thinking and right actions in my life through the leading of the Holy Ghost. Did not David in Psalms 51 set a beautiful example of a souls appeal to God for forgiveness? I have always felt that Psalm would have been written after David felt conviction and then he displayed a mind change, by first and foremost seeking forgiveness.
In short I always thought:
Repentance (change of mind) + seeking Forgiveness = Reconciliation to God & a renewing of the Holy Ghost, which empowers one to "go and sin no more"
While the new presentation of repentance is:
Almost the same, except it eliminates the need for God to forgive the sinner. Saying Repentance (change of mind) + Right actions = forgiveness and reconciliation |
I hope you are not directing this to me, as if I am saying that repentance does not involve the forgiveness and mercy of God involved in the act of repentance! Not at all! Were it not for the mercy of God, and the blood of Jesus, what good would repentance do?
No... it is the very spirit of Jesus that comes into a heart is what empowers one to overcome, and then one begins on the journey to perfection through sanctification.
Threaded Mode
