Template:Repentance: Difference between revisions
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But what did it mean to repent? | But what did it mean to repent? | ||
The [[Christ]], [[John the Baptist]], | The [[Christ]], [[John the Baptist]], the [[Apostles]], and all the [[prophets]] told us what to repent. | ||
It appears the [[Modern Christian]], like the [[Pharisees]] before them, are not really willing to see that they are in need of [[Repentance]]. | It appears the [[Modern Christian]], like the [[Pharisees]] before them, are not really willing to see that they are in need of [[Repentance]]. | ||
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Most of the [[Modern Church]]es do not seem to have a clue about real repentance nor [[The Way]] of [[Christ]] and the [[Early Church]]. | Most of the [[Modern Church]]es do not seem to have a clue about real repentance nor [[The Way]] of [[Christ]] and the [[Early Church]]. | ||
Since they are often promoting [[covetous practices|practices]] which [[Corban|makes the word of God to none effect]] and are engaged in [[workers of iniquity|works of iniquity]] and fail to | Since they are often promoting [[covetous practices|practices]] which [[Corban|makes the word of God to none effect]] and are engaged in [[workers of iniquity|works of iniquity]] and fail to encourage the practice of [[Pure Religion]], most [[pastors]], preachers, and [[priests]] are also in need of repentance but remain under a [[Strong delusion|stronger delusion]]. | ||
There are a number of words translated "[[repent]]" in the Bible, but in the New Testament it is derived consistently from the Greek word ''metanoeo''<Ref>{{3340}}</Ref> which means "to think a different way" or "to change one's mind". | There are a number of words translated "[[repent]]" in the Bible, but in the New Testament it is derived consistently from the Greek word ''metanoeo''<Ref>{{3340}}</Ref> which means "to think a different way" or "to change one's mind". | ||
To change your mind or your thinking will cause you to change what you do and often the way you do it. While being sorry may lead to [[Repentance]], to repent does not mean to be sorry. You can certainly be sorry without repenting. | To change your mind or your thinking will cause you to change what you do and often the way you do it. While being sorry may lead to [[Repentance]], to repent does not mean to be sorry. You can certainly be sorry without repenting. | ||
We were also told to [[Repent]] by [[John the Baptist]] and to make straight [[the way]] of the Lord<Ref>[[Matthew 3]]:3 For this is he that was spoken of by the prophet Esaias, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. | We were also told to [[Repent|repent]] by [[John the Baptist]] and to make straight [[the way]] of the Lord<Ref>[[Matthew 3]]:3 For this is he that was spoken of by the prophet Esaias, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. | ||
: Mark 1:3 The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. | : Mark 1:3 The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. | ||
: [[Luke 3]]:4 As it is written in the book of the words of Esaias the prophet, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. | : [[Luke 3]]:4 As it is written in the book of the words of Esaias the prophet, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. | ||
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</Ref> But what would that look like and how would that set you free? | </Ref> But what would that look like and how would that set you free? | ||
Moses set a whole nation free and Jesus set his followers free indeed. The Way he taught prepared the people for the decline and fall of the Roman | Moses set a whole nation free, and Jesus set his followers free indeed. The Way he taught prepared the people for the decline and fall of the Roman Empire. Could it do the same today? | ||
== We the people were warned == | == We the people were warned == |
Revision as of 06:44, 4 August 2023
Repent!
All the problems of the world begin with the way we think.
To repent is simply to change the way we think.
That is not so easy to do if we are not willing to admit the way we have been thinking may be wrong.
If there was a shortlist of things to do in the Doctrines of Jesus to repent would be at the top.
But what did it mean to repent?
The Christ, John the Baptist, the Apostles, and all the prophets told us what to repent.
It appears the Modern Christian, like the Pharisees before them, are not really willing to see that they are in need of Repentance.
Most of the Modern Churches do not seem to have a clue about real repentance nor The Way of Christ and the Early Church.
Since they are often promoting practices which makes the word of God to none effect and are engaged in works of iniquity and fail to encourage the practice of Pure Religion, most pastors, preachers, and priests are also in need of repentance but remain under a stronger delusion.
There are a number of words translated "repent" in the Bible, but in the New Testament it is derived consistently from the Greek word metanoeo[1] which means "to think a different way" or "to change one's mind". To change your mind or your thinking will cause you to change what you do and often the way you do it. While being sorry may lead to Repentance, to repent does not mean to be sorry. You can certainly be sorry without repenting.
We were also told to repent by John the Baptist and to make straight the way of the Lord[2] which was a common theme of the first testament.[3] But what would that look like and how would that set you free?
Moses set a whole nation free, and Jesus set his followers free indeed. The Way he taught prepared the people for the decline and fall of the Roman Empire. Could it do the same today?
We the people were warned
- Proverbs 1 warns us not to consent with those who want to make gain by having one purse.
- Proverbs 23 warns us to not eat the dainties of rulers who exercise authority or sit at their table of unrighteous mammon.
- Samuel told Saul his kingdom would fall because he foolishly forced the contributions of the people.
- David warns us in Psalms 69 that their table will become a snare what should have been for their welfare will likely become a trap.
- Paul repeats the same warning in Romans 11:9 that those tables of rulers are a snare. They are a snare because they are based on covetousness and not upon love and charity.
- Peter warned that those covetous practices would make you merchandise and curse children.
- John the Baptist told you to do it by charity which was the straight way and not by force, Jesus, Paul, Peter, and all the prophets left us warnings about covetous practices that makes us merchandise and curse children.
- Even secular historians like Polybius and Plutarch and so many others have warned us about benefits offered rulers.
- Galatians 5:15 warned us not to bite one another less we be devoured.
- Jesus forbid us to be like the governments of the gentiles who called themselves benefactors but provided their benefits by exercising authority.
All these warnings and prohibitions oppose not only socialism but any form of government welfare by forced contributions.
Jesus Christ also presses the issue of a fundamental need for repentance over and over again in His teachings[4] warning us that without a changing of the mind we will perish.[5] Not only were we told to repent but we were also to seek the Kingdom of Godand the righteousness of God. The straight way is the righteous way that God has sent His prophets to teach us from the beginning.
The way of socialism is not the way of Jesus. In fact Jesus even opposed all forms of welfare provided through forced offerings by way of taxation.
Thinking differently
The Kingdom of God operated in a different way than the kingdoms of the world. Israel was to operate as that righteous government of God sustained by freewill offerings given in charity to public titular servants who did not exercise authority one over the other but served a network of free assemblies bound, not by contracts, covenants and constitutions, but by a system of love for neighbor as much as you love yourselves.[6] This is why there were commandments not to kill, steal or even covet anything that is your neighbors. But Israel and many of the Jewish sects had perverted and abandoned the way of the Lord taught by Moses and were making the word of God to none effect causing the nation to bear no fruit. Because of their sinful and covetous practices Jesus as the Christ was going to take[7] the Kingdom of God from them and appoint it to another group, His "little flock".
The people of the world established by Rome had provided for the needy of society by Freewill offerings for centuries. Both Judea and Rome had done this through the religious institutions which they established. These institutions were originally dependent upon charity alone through the Freewill offerings or gifts of the people, for the people and by the people. These institutions were religious because Religion was how you performed your duty to God and your fellowman.
Over time, those systems changed, evolved or devolved, and they began to operate in a different way, according to the way of force. They established different types of of social welfare systems in order to provide for the people of their organized society which was also organized in another way.
The way of bondage
Through a variety of Social compacts men were granted an authority to exercise authority one over the other, make laws and force the contribution of the people. In theory those men were the Benefactors of society who controlled these institutions of social welfare through which they gained more and more power over society and the persons who were the members of those societies. According to Polybius the people developed an "appetite for benefits and the habit of receiving them by way of a rule of force". This new way of thinking justified covetous approach to a form of civil welfare until the people "accustomed to feed(ing) at the expense of others and to depend for their livelihood on the property of others... institute the rule of violence..." Both Rome and Judea created similar systems of welfare which depended upon "a rule of force and violence" which not only altered the minds of the people but became a snare and a trap.
They built stone temples funded by tribute and taxation of their neighbors, and this altered the way the people sacrificed for their neighbor. They no longer lived by faith, hope, and charity but by force, fear, and covetousness. These covetous practices degenerate the people, make them merchandise as they are entangled again in the yoke of bondage, curse children with trillions of dollars in debt; and will cause the people to eventually perish[5] in spirit and in the flesh unless they repent and think a different way.
The way of life
How did so many of the Jews and the people of the world end up needing to repent or perish?[5]
This all came about at the time of Rome and Herod because men with all deceivableness of unrighteousness many unmoored the meanings of the ancient text from their metaphor and allegories because they received not the love of the truth[8] and cunningly devised new unrighteous ways using the ancient names so that the people might believe a lie.[9]
They called their new system by the ancient name Corban, but this new deal was making the word of God to none effect. The systems they created required rulers who Exercised Authority one over the other to force the offerings from the people, which was called foolish by Samuel[10] and forbidden by Christ.[11]
- Christ said it was not to be that way.
- Told us to live by love and charity.
- To not covet our neighbor's things.
- We were told not to make agreements and covenants with unbelievers.
- That means if we repent, we will stop coveting and start practicing Pure Religion.
Jesus spoke to the Pharisees in Luke 3:8 "Bring forth therefore fruits worthy of repentance, and begin not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, That God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham."
We can ask the same things of the Modern Christians are you Bringing forth therefore fruits worthy of repentance, and saying within yourselves, We have Christ and God our father while we covet our neighbor's sweat and toil through the fathers of the earth who offer us the wages of unrighteousness.[12]
The distinguishing characteristic of early Christian was their "union and discipline". They not only refused to receive the benefits offered by the Roman welfare system of qorban, with its compelled contribution and registered membership, but they actually provided a welfare system for all Christians throughout the Empire of Rome and beyond, through a network of assemblies who were bound by faith, hope and charity, by way of the perfect law of liberty. The people who wrote the Book of One Hundreds did not do that. Nor did they organize their churches like Christ commanded His Church to organize.
Turning around
Unless people who claim to be Christians strive to have a daily ministration that reaches beyond their local group, then they really are not educating their neighbor nor their children in The Way of Christ's kingdom of God, and they should not be identified as Christians. Unless people are gathering together to serve and sacrifice as Christ did, then they are not coming in His Name and they are not manifesting the fruits worthy of repentance.
Until we do what Christ said -- which includes creating a Daily ministration through a Network of Charity and Hope -- our Faith is dead and we have not really repented. A hundred years ago, the Church was the social welfare of the people. Today the government of the State is providing a form of benefit, not based on charity, but dependent upon Benefactors who exercise authority one over the other. These are the Fathers of the earth who identify the people as their children of the State. The people are again entangled in the Elements of the World. The modern Church has abandoned that directive of Christ. The communion of the people is not the flesh and blood of Christ freely given, but they bite one another and they are devoured in the process. They grow fat and lazy on the free Bread and circuses of their new Father.
- "Look out kid, it's something you did
- God knows when, but you're doing it again" Bob Dylan
In Judea and in the World the people had shifted in their thinking, from systems of Corban or welfare which operated by free will offerings of the people, to ones that operated by forced offerings compelled and imposed on the people by men who called themselves Benefactors but who exercised authority.
John the Baptist, Jesus Christ, the apostles and the Church said it was not to be that way, just as Abraham who would not take a thread by the power of force[13], and Moses who also set up living Altars to receive freewill offerings, and all the prophets who said, throughout the Old Testament, not to covet they neighbor's goods.
We were to live by faith, hope and charity and the Perfect law of liberty.
Jesus came to change our mind and our hearts so that we might be saved. If we repent of the ways of Nimrod and the Fathers of the earth who offer benefits at the expense of our neighbor, then we will need to gather together in true faith, bound by the hope and love of Christ. If we do not repent, though we say we believe in Jesus, we are false and our fruits will not be liberty but bondage.
It is time we really repent and begin attending to the Weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith which include caring for the needs of our neighbors and the widows and orphans of our society through Pure Religion in matters of health, education, and welfare. We are NOT to provide for the needy of society through the Covetous Practices and the men who call themselves benefactors but who exercise authority one over the other like the socialists do.
The Way of Christ was like neither the way of the world of Rome nor the governments of the gentiles who depend on those fathers of the earth through force, fear and fealty who deliver the people back in bondage again like they were in Egypt. Christ's ministers and true Christians do not depend upon systems of social welfare that force the contributions of the people like the corban of the Pharisees which made the word of God to none effect. Many people have been deceived to go the way of Balaam and the Nicolaitan and out of The Way of Christ and have become workers of iniquity.
The Christian conflict with Rome in the first century Church appointed by Christ was because they would not apply to the fathers of the earth for their free bread but instead relied upon a voluntary network providing a daily ministration to the needy of society through Faith, Hope, and Charity by way of freewill offerings of the people, for the people, and by the people through the perfect law of liberty in Free Assemblies according to the ancient pattern of Tuns or Tens as He commanded.
The modern Christians are in need of repentance.
"Follow me!" —Jesus the Christ.
- One of the most important things to do is to become involved in a network of Charitable Practices. Everyone should want to join a Living Network of Love and Charity.
- If you think you have a calling to be a Minister of God or you might want to dedicate your life to Christ as an Ordained Minister of His Holy Church, contact us to start the process of discipleship and become the benefactors who exercise only love, NOT authority.[14]
- ↑ 3340 ~μετανοέω~ metanoeo from 3326 and 3539; v AV-repent 34; 34
- 1) to change one’s mind, i.e. to repent
- 2) to change one’s mind for better, heartily to amend with abhorrence of one’s past sins
- ↑ Matthew 3:3 For this is he that was spoken of by the prophet Esaias, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.
- Mark 1:3 The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.
- Luke 3:4 As it is written in the book of the words of Esaias the prophet, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.
- John 1:23 He said, I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make straight the way of the Lord, as said the prophet Esaias.
- ↑ Psalms 5:8 Lead me, O LORD, in thy righteousness because of mine enemies; make thy way straight before my face.
- Isaiah 40:3 The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the LORD, make straight in the desert a highway for our God.
- Isaiah 42:16 And I will bring the blind by a way that they knew not; I will lead them in paths that they have not known: I will make darkness light before them, and crooked things straight. These things will I do unto them, and not forsake them.
- Jeremiah 31:9 They shall come with weeping, and with supplications will I lead them: I will cause them to walk by the rivers of waters in a straight way, wherein they shall not stumble: for I am a father to Israel, and Ephraim is my firstborn.
- ↑ Matthew 4:17 From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.
- Mark 1:15 And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.
- Mark 6:12 And they went out, and preached that men should repent.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Luke 13:3 I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.... 5 I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.
- 2 Thessalonians 2:10 And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.
- ↑ Leviticus 19:18 Thou shalt not avenge, nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people, but thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself: I am the LORD.
- ↑ Matthew 21:43 Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof.
- ↑ 2 Thessalonians 2:10 And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.
- ↑ 2 Thessalonians 2:11 And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:
- ↑ 1 Samuel 13:13 And Samuel said to Saul, Thou hast done foolishly: thou hast not kept the commandment of the LORD thy God, which he commanded thee: for now would the LORD have established thy kingdom upon Israel for ever.
- ↑ Matthew 20:25 But Jesus called them unto him, and said, Ye know that the princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them, and they that are great exercise authority upon them.
- Mark 10:42 But Jesus called them to him, and saith unto them, Ye know that they which are accounted to rule over the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and their great ones exercise authority upon them.
- Luke 22:25 And he said unto them, The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and they that exercise authority upon them are called benefactors.
- ↑ Luke 16:9 And I say unto you, Make to yourselves friends of the mammon of unrighteousness; that, when ye fail, they may receive you into everlasting habitations.
- Romans 6:13 Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God. 14 For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace. 15 What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid. 16 Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?
- 2 Thessalonians 2:10 And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.
- 2 Peter 2:13 And shall receive the reward of unrighteousness, as they that count it pleasure to riot in the day time. Spots they are and blemishes, sporting themselves with their own deceivings while they feast with you;
- 2 Peter 2:15 Which have forsaken the right way, and are gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Bosor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness;
- ↑ Genesis 14:23 That I will not [take] from a thread even to a shoelatchet, and that I will not take any thing that [is] thine, lest thou shouldest say, I have made Abram rich:
- ↑ Matthew 20:25-26 But Jesus called them unto him, and said, Ye know that the princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them, and they that are great exercise authority upon them. But it shall not be so among you: but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister;
Mark 10:42-43 But Jesus called them to him, and saith unto them, Ye know that they which are accounted to rule over the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and their great ones exercise authority upon them. But so shall it not be among you: but whosoever will be great among you, shall be your minister:
Luke 22:25-26 And he said unto them, The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and they that exercise authority upon them are called benefactors. But ye shall not be so: but he that is greatest among you, let him be as the younger; and he that is chief, as he that doth serve.