RBDERRICK
Supporter
The commandment of God's repentance is no mystery:
Ezek
{18:30} Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, every one according to his ways, saith the Lord GOD. Repent, and turn [yourselves] from all your transgressions; so iniquity shall not be your ruin.
{18:31} Cast away from you all your transgressions, whereby ye have transgressed; and make you a new heart and a new spirit: for why will ye die, O house of Israel? {18:32} For I have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth, saith the Lord GOD: wherefore turn [yourselves,] and live ye.
Godly repentance is wholehearted from all our sins and trespasses, not just the ones we choose, while keeping hold on the others.
{3:9} And it came to pass through the lightness of her whoredom, that she defiled the land, and committed adultery with stones and with stocks. {3:10} And yet for all this her treacherous sister Judah hath not turned unto me with her whole heart, but feignedly, saith the LORD.
Godly repentance is, of course, of our ways and not just our thoughts:
Job
{21:27} Behold, I know your thoughts, and the devices [which] ye wrongfully imagine against me.
Isaiah
{55:7} Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.
God's commanded repentance is no mystery to believers in His own words. The mystery, like faith and works, is when God grants repentance unto His faith and salvation.
Matthew
{14:36} And besought him that they might only touch the hem of his garment: and as many as touched were made perfectly whole.
James
{2:20} But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead? {2:21} Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar? {2:22} Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect?
When we believe God's word and promise, then it is counted to us for His righteousness. In like manner, when we repent in thoughts against disobeying Him, it is counted as repentance unto salvation.
However, like touching the hem of His garment, our faith and repentance is not made perfectly whole, without doing the good work of God, and changing the ways against God.
With God's mercy, we are counted with faith and repentance immdiately with a new heart and life by the Spirit; however, without doing the work and changing the way, then our faith is become dead, and our repentance become unrepentance.
2 Corinthians
{7:10} For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death.
No person is counted as repenting for Jesus' sake, nor having faith toward God, when still doing the same old sin and way of trespass.
Hebrews {5:13} For every one that useth milk [is] unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe. {5:14} But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, [even] those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.
{6:1} Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God,
Yes, by the Spirit we are newborn babes in Christ Jesus through repenting and believing Him; however, if the babe does not grow to eschew evil and do the good, then we bastardize our own repentance and faith, and become stillborn once again with wrath of the children of disobedience.
Hebrews
{6:7} For the earth which drinketh in the rain that cometh oft upon it, and bringeth forth herbs meet for them by whom it is dressed, receiveth blessing from God: {6:8} But that which beareth thorns and briers [is] rejected, and [is] nigh unto cursing; whose end [is] to be burned.
God's repentance is of all our sins and trespasses, and from our thoughts and ways against Him.
Isaiah
{55:8} For my thoughts [are] not your thoughts, neither [are] your ways my ways, saith the LORD.
The Lord's thoughts and ways are higher than double hearted people, because His thoughts and ways are always the same together. Just is His faith and works are never separated from one another, and especially not contrary to one another.
So long as our ways are not God's ways, then our thoughts are not His thoughts, but only vain imagination.
No man is saved by his own faith alone, and no man repents by his own thoughts alone. Mind repentance alone, is only a mind game played with ourselves and God, which God knows is foolishness that ends in the grave.
In the end, we will all be judged by our works, not by our thoughts and intents that don't do the will of God.
Ezek
{18:30} Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, every one according to his ways, saith the Lord GOD. Repent, and turn [yourselves] from all your transgressions; so iniquity shall not be your ruin.
{18:31} Cast away from you all your transgressions, whereby ye have transgressed; and make you a new heart and a new spirit: for why will ye die, O house of Israel? {18:32} For I have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth, saith the Lord GOD: wherefore turn [yourselves,] and live ye.
Godly repentance is wholehearted from all our sins and trespasses, not just the ones we choose, while keeping hold on the others.
{3:9} And it came to pass through the lightness of her whoredom, that she defiled the land, and committed adultery with stones and with stocks. {3:10} And yet for all this her treacherous sister Judah hath not turned unto me with her whole heart, but feignedly, saith the LORD.
Godly repentance is, of course, of our ways and not just our thoughts:
Job
{21:27} Behold, I know your thoughts, and the devices [which] ye wrongfully imagine against me.
Isaiah
{55:7} Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.
God's commanded repentance is no mystery to believers in His own words. The mystery, like faith and works, is when God grants repentance unto His faith and salvation.
Matthew
{14:36} And besought him that they might only touch the hem of his garment: and as many as touched were made perfectly whole.
James
{2:20} But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead? {2:21} Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar? {2:22} Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect?
When we believe God's word and promise, then it is counted to us for His righteousness. In like manner, when we repent in thoughts against disobeying Him, it is counted as repentance unto salvation.
However, like touching the hem of His garment, our faith and repentance is not made perfectly whole, without doing the good work of God, and changing the ways against God.
With God's mercy, we are counted with faith and repentance immdiately with a new heart and life by the Spirit; however, without doing the work and changing the way, then our faith is become dead, and our repentance become unrepentance.
2 Corinthians
{7:10} For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death.
No person is counted as repenting for Jesus' sake, nor having faith toward God, when still doing the same old sin and way of trespass.
Hebrews {5:13} For every one that useth milk [is] unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe. {5:14} But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, [even] those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.
{6:1} Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God,
Yes, by the Spirit we are newborn babes in Christ Jesus through repenting and believing Him; however, if the babe does not grow to eschew evil and do the good, then we bastardize our own repentance and faith, and become stillborn once again with wrath of the children of disobedience.
Hebrews
{6:7} For the earth which drinketh in the rain that cometh oft upon it, and bringeth forth herbs meet for them by whom it is dressed, receiveth blessing from God: {6:8} But that which beareth thorns and briers [is] rejected, and [is] nigh unto cursing; whose end [is] to be burned.
God's repentance is of all our sins and trespasses, and from our thoughts and ways against Him.
Isaiah
{55:8} For my thoughts [are] not your thoughts, neither [are] your ways my ways, saith the LORD.
The Lord's thoughts and ways are higher than double hearted people, because His thoughts and ways are always the same together. Just is His faith and works are never separated from one another, and especially not contrary to one another.
So long as our ways are not God's ways, then our thoughts are not His thoughts, but only vain imagination.
No man is saved by his own faith alone, and no man repents by his own thoughts alone. Mind repentance alone, is only a mind game played with ourselves and God, which God knows is foolishness that ends in the grave.
In the end, we will all be judged by our works, not by our thoughts and intents that don't do the will of God.