Repentance, His Drawing Us

[Gibs]

Is Repentance first or second and what is repentance?

Repentance is a true sorrow of the sins and a turning away from it with a strong resolve to reform.

First we are drawn, moved to action.

What brings us to this point? Joh 6:44 No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.

The Spirit of the Father draws us to Christ at the Throne of grace on our knees, broken and repenting and asking for forgiveness. He is True and faithful and we are forgiven.

Yes of course the repentance must be true sorrow and nothing witheld and He can see if it is or isn't.

Peter tells us,

Ac 2:38 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.

Ac 2:39 For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.

EGW's council,

"Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Men and brethren, what shall we do?” Then Peter said to them, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” Acts 2:37, 38, NKJV. {BLJ 361.1}

How shall a person be just with God? How shall the sinner be made righteous? It is only through Christ that we can be brought into harmony with God, with holiness; but how are we to come to Christ? Many are asking the same question as did the multitude on the day of Pentecost, when, convicted of sin, they cried out, “What shall we do?” The first word of Peter’s answer was “Repent” (Acts 2:37, 38). At another time, shortly after, he said, “Repent . . . , and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out” (Acts 3:19). {BLJ 361.2}

Repentance includes sorrow for sin and a turning away from it. We shall not renounce sin unless we see its sinfulness; until we turn away from it in heart there will be no real change in the life. {BLJ 361.3}

There are many who fail to understand the true nature of repentance. Multitudes sorrow that they have sinned and even make an outward reformation because they fear that their wrongdoing will bring suffering upon themselves. But this is not repentance in the Bible sense. They lament the suffering rather than the sin. Such was the grief of Esau when he saw that the birthright was lost to him forever. Balaam, terrified by the angel standing in his pathway with drawn sword, acknowledged his guilt lest he should lose his life; but there was no genuine repentance for sin, no conversion of purpose, no abhorrence of evil." {BLJ 361.4}

We should ask ourselves, have we truly repented fully all surrendered?

1Jo 4:4 ¶ Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.

[Dr. Rich]

So how come Saul/Paul didn't repent and become baptized and how come Paul didn't baptise anyone?

[Gibs]

Because there is no recorded record don't mean he didn't repent or didn't baptize anyone. Paul proved himself to be an Apostle, the record does show that.

1Jo 4:4 ¶ Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.

[ClubV12]

In Steps to Christ we see that even repentance itself is not to be an obstacle between us and God. I love that thought, it is the very epitomy of coming to Him just as we are. THIS is a message I can share with the homeless and the hopeless more concerned about their next meal or where they are going to sleep tonight than spiritual issues. Accept Him, right where you are, don't even let repentance get in the way, just have faith and move toward Him. He will meet you a long way off.

[Gibs]

Sure you have to come to believe and accept but nothing is forgiven until repentance and confession. His Spirit has been drawing on them for a long time and they need invited to His Throne of Grace where baptism and remission and peace comes.

Repentance is the way to he who comes to believe and will be led. The spirit must be broken of the man to come to Him.

1Jo 4:4 ¶ Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.

[dialoguewithus]

“Draw” is the Greek, “[h]elk u’ o”; this word appears in six verses- Jn. 6:44; 12:32; 18:10; 21:6, 11; Acts 16:19.

Repentance is a gift from God.

Acts 5:31

This Inaugurator and Saviour, God exalts to His right hand, to give repentance to Israel and the pardon of sins.

Acts 11:18

Now, on hearing these things, they are quiet, and glorify God, saying, "Consequently, to the nations also God gives repentance unto life!"

2 Timothy 2:25

with meekness training those who are antagonizing, seeing whether God may be giving them repentance to come into a realization of the truth,

[Gibs]

For sure, we see Satan and his fallen angels are not given that gift no more that they may be saved. Repentance is still available to man but the time is getting close to the close out.

1Jo 4:4 ¶ Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.