Repentance: what does it really mean.!

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I looked it up on google and this is the first thing that pops up...


The repentance (metanoia) called for throughout the Bible is a summons to a personal, absolute and ultimate unconditional surrender to God as Sovereign. Though it includes sorrow and regret, it is more than that. ... In repenting, one makes a complete change of direction (180° turn) toward God.

Is it the beginning of Faith then..?
 
I looked it up on google and this is the first thing that pops up...


The repentance (metanoia) called for throughout the Bible is a summons to a personal, absolute and ultimate unconditional surrender to God as Sovereign. Though it includes sorrow and regret, it is more than that. ... In repenting, one makes a complete change of direction (180° turn) toward God.

Is it the beginning of Faith then..?

I am not sure what you are asking, however, I would say that the "Beginning" of faith rests in the beginning.

It is Genesis that reveals the single all powerful and sovereign God who simply spoke everything into existence without the cosmic battle between capricious gods and unruly matter that one finds in pagan myths such as the ancient Babylonian Talmud.

If we do not grasp the truths in Genesis we will miss all the truths from that point on.

What I am saying is that if we do not understand the essence of God in how He is projected in the beginning, we will never understand how John portrays Him in his gosel as the Word who was with God and was God. That can only come by faith.
 
I looked it up on google and this is the first thing that pops up...


The repentance (metanoia) called for throughout the Bible is a summons to a personal, absolute and ultimate unconditional surrender to God as Sovereign. Though it includes sorrow and regret, it is more than that. ... In repenting, one makes a complete change of direction (180° turn) toward God.

Is it the beginning of Faith then..?
This may not directly answer your question... but have you ever read the book, or watched the movie A Case for Christ?

There is a particular scene in the movie, while he is staring at his big board on the wall... the moment when he finally "gets it"... the full meaning of John 3:16, (and the crucifixion & resurrection). I think that once we truly realize the depth and meaning of that... the love of God... and what was done for us... it makes everything different... it changes us.

I highly recommend watching the movie. It's based on true events in the life of Lee Strobel. For more information, just google it :)
 
I am reminded of Proverbs 9:10 which marks the fear of the Lord as the beginning of wisdom.

That acknowledgement of our own natural state against the standard of God's Law can indeed result in fear. Repentance for our nature is a crucial step, after that acknowledgement, to assuage that fear. We must recognize how far we fall short and our inability to change that apart from the blood of Jesus, and work to allow the Holy Spirit to guide us away from our selfish control.
 
This may not directly answer your question... but have you ever read the book, or watched the movie A Case for Christ?

There is a particular scene in the movie, while he is staring at his big board on the wall... the moment when he finally "gets it"... the full meaning of John 3:16, (and the crucifixion & resurrection). I think that once we truly realize the depth and meaning of that... the love of God... and what was done for us... it makes everything different... it changes us.

I highly recommend watching the movie. It's based on true events in the life of Lee Strobel. For more information, just google it :)

that was a very touching film.
And very well acted.
it made me realise realise how hard it can be for atheists to understand and believe such things like God.
I came to seek, with an already believing attitude the bible to be true and God was real. From being agnostic, I only have to look around And look at how the universe is set up in sync with all of its creation.

But that movie ...it leaves me with a very real experience of knowing my faith is weaker than I thought!
I to, like lee, didn’t understand the Ressurection.
In truth I pushed it out of my mind.

I don’t even know if I’ve fully accepted Christ because I’ve seen to many images of Him as a hippie with long hair and robes!

How do I even begin to loose that Image and accept He is a Spirit now like God . And How do I know it’s Christ’s Spirit I’ve accepted? All this Trinity stuff confuses me sometimes but I do believe it.
 
I am reminded of Proverbs 9:10 which marks the fear of the Lord as the beginning of wisdom.

That acknowledgement of our own natural state against the standard of God's Law can indeed result in fear. Repentance for our nature is a crucial step, after that acknowledgement, to assuage that fear. We must recognize how far we fall short and our inability to change that apart from the blood of Jesus, and work to allow the Holy Spirit to guide us away from our selfish control.

Yes I was terrified of not pleasing him the other day a few hours after something came down from above. It was very gentle. High above my head and not where I normally think or recall things. But I couldn’t sleep or even go to bed with trembling. It wasn’t at all a terrifying moment. I was in awe. But later on that day I was scared stiff of sinning.

I’m not terrified now, it’s more of a High respect kind of thing. Like I would respect my boss who is fair, firm yet kind and forgiving if I forget something of my duties.
 
Yes I was terrified of not pleasing him the other day a few hours after something came down from above. It was very gentle. High above my head and not where I normally think or recall things. But I couldn’t sleep or even go to bed with trembling. It wasn’t at all a terrifying moment. I was in awe. But later on that day I was scared stiff of sinning.

I’m not terrified now, it’s more of a High respect kind of thing. Like I would respect my boss who is fair, firm yet kind and forgiving if I forget something of my duties.

Remember......God is all about L:OVE!

Should we be in fear of Him.......well not so much fear as Respect and love for what He has done for us in that He gave His only Son to allow us by faith to live with Him eternally.
 
The Fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom...

Thing is Jesus stands in the gap, He is God made human and if you know Jesus there is nothing to fear. Jesus knew his own Father loved him. And that is the relationship we have with God, not as a boss but a Father.

You see the Israelites way back to Abraham's time did fear God. Well most of them. They all knew Him as God but they didn't know him as their Father. Many think of Him still in that way.

Repentence then, isn't so much seeing God as sovereign...as He always is. It's seeing that God gave his only son for us as an act of love. You can believe God all you want and try to do everything to please Him and still not get that. Because God isn't pleased with how good WE are, not really. It's how much faith we have in Him, and He will do good through us.

I will give you an example. My children at school, some are well behaved, and some are terrible. Do I love only the well behaved ones. Well no. My love extends even to the terribly behaved ones. But what would please me most isn't that they follow all the rules. What pleases me is if they have faith (or trust) in me to be guide them and help them and discover the joy of reading, of which I am endeavouring to provide. You can't help anyone that doesn't want to be helped right?
 
I looked it up on google and this is the first thing that pops up...


The repentance (metanoia) called for throughout the Bible is a summons to a personal, absolute and ultimate unconditional surrender to God as Sovereign. Though it includes sorrow and regret, it is more than that. ... In repenting, one makes a complete change of direction (180° turn) toward God.

Is it the beginning of Faith then..?
I think repentance is the most important thing we can do to be right with God.
 
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