Thoughts about the repentance of sins

As a second proof for real and true faith we have the repentance of sins. What is true repentance?

In Wikipedia we found the following Definition about penance: "In Christianity, repentance leads on the realization of one's debt, to a righteous and new life, this includes the departure from the previous life.

The Hebrew term שוב schub, which is translated in the Septuagint metanoia, including the return to God not only in thought, but rather in the whole of existence, which the change of behaviour, especially the obedience to God, a new confidence in him includes as well, how to turn away from all evil and ungodly human passions and weaknesses. " (http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bu%C3%9Fe_%28Religion%29)

True repentance will shake a man in his innermost being. He will realize, how much he has God disappointed with his previous lifestyle. This leads to repentance for all that he has lived up to this time. Which will be connected with many tears. He is ashamed of his past deeds. Such a shattered man is suddenly kneel before God, and with tears in his eyes, the Lord enumerate all his offenses. At the end he will realize that it is absolutely necessary to obey God. The famous preacher Charles Haddon Spurgeon has supposedly reading the Bible, only kneeling in a state of repentance.

The Apostle Paul wrote about repentance in 2 Corinthians 7.10: "Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death."

A Purified in this manner, will turn away from sin. Yes he will hate sin, just as God hates sin.

But it is our Lord Jesus Christ, who made it possible for us to leave the sin, through his sacrifice on the cross. Without Jesus Christ there is no forgiveness of sins. So Paul wrote in Romans 7:14: "We know that the Thora is spiritual; but I am unspiritual, sold as a slave to sin."

Who does not accepted Jesus Christ as his Lord, who has not the Holy Spirit! But only those who have the Holy Spirit, can be transformed by whose guidance according to the commandments and laws of God. Without the Holy Spirit, everyone is caught in sin and sin leads to death.

 Read the words of the Apostle John in 1 John 1: 8-10: "If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word has no place in our lives."

The Lord will cleanse us from wrongdoing! Not only from iniquity, but also that we no longer do it. We will knowingly do not iniquity do. The Holy Spirit will show us that it is wonderful to keep the commandments, including the Sabbath, and the feasts of the Lord. He will teach us how important God these festivals are and how they are connected with Jesus Christ.

Examine yourself again and be honest to yourself; how much do you hate the sin? How obedient you are God? Can you clear conscience agree with the psalmist in Psalm 32:5: "Then I acknowledged my sin to you and did not cover up my iniquity. I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord”— and you forgave the guilt of my sin."

But remember the very wise sentence from Proverbs 28:13: "He who conceals his sins does not prosper, but whoever confesses and renounces them finds mercy."

If your repentance is genuine, you cannot go wrong, because the Holy Spirit will guide you. Since I keep myself the Sabbath, the Holy Spirit is as present as never before in my life.

Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions. Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin. For I know my transgressions, and my sin is always before me. Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that you are proved right when you speak and justified when you judge. Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me. Surely you desire truth in the inner parts; you teach me wisdom in the inmost place. Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones you have crushed rejoice. Hide your face from my sins and blot out all my iniquity. Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me. Then I will teach transgressors your ways, and sinners will turn back to you. Save me from bloodguilt, O God, the God who saves me, and my tongue will sing of your righteousness. O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth will declare your praise. You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it; you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings. Amen

(Psalm 51, 1 – 16)

Thinking about visible morality

According to some doctrines is the visible morality one of the visible signs which genuine faith neither prove nor disprove. Someone who has true faith in himself, will also have a visible morality.

But what is morality? In Wikipedia I found the following Definition: "The term morality refers to the conformity of thought and action to the moral law, that is accepted by the majority of the people of a community rules. In everyday usage, it describes the requirement that social rules, so to preserve the morals and decency. In philosophy, morality involves orientation to the rules of morality or universal values ​​of the good or righteous." (http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sittlichkeit)

For someone of Jesus Christ as his Lord recognizes, is morality a human behavior, for which the man himself decides. It is a behavior that arises from his freedom and is based on the commandments and laws of God.

An illustrative example given by Jesus Christ in Matthew 19, 16-21: Now a man came up to Jesus and asked, “Teacher, what good thing must I do to get eternal life?”  “Why do you ask me about what is good?” Jesus replied. “There is only One who is good. If you want to enter life, obey the commandments.”  “Which ones?” the man inquired. Jesus replied, “ ‘Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not give false testimony, honor your father and mother,’a and ‘love your neighbor as yourself.”  “All these I have kept,” the young man said. “What do I still lack?”  Jesus answered, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”

The accepted rules from Jesus Christ for who want to have fellowship with him, are the commandments and laws of God. Thus everyone would who believes in Jesus Christ as the Son of God and our Saviour, on their own convictions behave as well as Jesus Christ demands it in the given example. Out of conviction, because indeed his own thinking is aligned to the laws and commandments of God.

Now you check yourself and be honest with you. Do you lack of visible morality? Then you are still away from the real faith yet. In this case, you can find the true faith in the Bible and prayer with security. Assuming of course that this is your will.

Since this is by far not the only point about the nature of true, saving faith, I will publish in the coming days and weeks in my blog gradually my thoughts on all these points.

The Lord bless you and keep you. He make His face shine upon you and be gracious to you. He lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace. Shalom

O Lord, I call to you; come quickly to me. Hear my voice when I call to you.  May my prayer be set before you like incense; may the lifting up of my hands be like the evening sacrifice.  Set a guard over my mouth, O Lord; keep watch over the door of my lips.  Let not my heart be drawn to what is evil, to take part in wicked deeds with men who are evildoers; let me not eat of their delicacies.  Let a righteous mana strike me—it is a kindness; let him rebuke me—it is oil on my head. My head will not refuse it. Yet my prayer is ever against the deeds of evildoers;  their rulers will be thrown down from the cliffs, and the wicked will learn that my words were well spoken.  They will say, “As one plows and breaks up the earth, so our bones have been scattered at the mouth of the grave.b”  But my eyes are fixed on you, O Sovereign Lord; in you I take refuge—do not give me over to death. Keep me from the snares they have laid for me, from the traps set by evildoers.  Let the wicked fall into their own nets, while I pass by in safety. Amen!

(Psalm 141,1-10)