Template:Repentance

Repent!!! and Seek!!!

Repent!

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?

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 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 which was a common theme of the first testament.

Jesus Christ also presses the issue of a fundamental need for repentance over and over again in His teachings warning us that without a changing of the mind we will perish. 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.

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. 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 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, the way of force. They established different types of systems or their welfare in order to provide for the people of their organized society which was also organized in another way.

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. The 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 again entangle them again in the yoke of bondage, curse children with trillions of dollars in debt and will cause the people to eventually perish in spirit and in the flesh unless the 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?

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 and cunningly devised new unrighteous ways using the ancient names so that the people might believe a lie.

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 and forbidden by Christ.

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.

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.

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, 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.

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"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.

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Hue and cry | Go and cry | Cry out | Employ | Land | Mind |
Corban | Christian conflict | Nicolaitan | Religion | Pure Religion |
Welfare types | Daily ministration | Self-Sacrifice‎ | Repent |
Weightier matters | Altars | Sophistry | Friend | Stones |
Forgiveness | Forgive | Forgive them | In need of forgiveness |
Wantonness‎ | Covet | Negotiating Health Care Costs |‏‎

Appearances of Repent

• Matthew 3:2 And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.
• Matthew 3:8 Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance:
• Matthew 3:11 I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire:
• Matthew 4:17 From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.
• Matthew 9:13 But go ye and learn what that meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.
• Matthew 11:20 Then began he to upbraid the cities wherein most of his mighty works were done, because they repented not:
• Matthew 11:21 Woe unto thee, Chorazin! woe unto thee, Bethsaida! for if the mighty works, which were done in you, had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes.
• Matthew 12:41 The men of Nineveh shall rise in judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: because they repented at the preaching of Jonas; and, behold, a greater than Jonas is here.
• Matthew 21:29 He answered and said, I will not: but afterward he repented, and went.
• Matthew 21:29 He answered and said, I will not: but afterward he repented, and went.
• Matthew 21:32 For John came unto you in the way of righteousness, and ye believed him not: but the publicans and the harlots believed him: and ye, when ye had seen it, repented not afterward, that ye might believe him.
• Matthew 27:3 Then Judas, which had betrayed him, when he saw that he was condemned, repented himself, and brought again the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders,
• Mark 1:4 John did baptize in the wilderness, and preach the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins.
• Mark 1:15 And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.
• Mark 2:17 When Jesus heard it, he saith unto them, They that are whole have no need of the physician, but they that are sick: I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.
• Mark 6:12 And they went out, and preached that men should repent.
• Luke 3:3 And he came into all the country about Jordan, preaching the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins;
• 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.
• Luke 5:32 I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.
• Luke 10:13 Woe unto thee, Chorazin! woe unto thee, Bethsaida! for if the mighty works had been done in Tyre and Sidon, which have been done in you, they had a great while ago repented, sitting in sackcloth and ashes.
• Luke 11:32 The men of Nineve shall rise up in the judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: for they repented at the preaching of Jonas; and, behold, a greater than Jonas is here.
• Luke 13:3 I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.
• Luke 13:5 I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.

• Luke 15:7 I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance.
• Luke 15:10 Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth.
• Luke 16:30 And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent.
• Luke 17:3 Take heed to yourselves: If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him; and if he repent, forgive him.
• Luke 17:4 And if he trespass against thee seven times in a day, and seven times in a day turn again to thee, saying, I repent; thou shalt forgive him.
• Luke 24:47 And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.
• Acts 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.
• Acts 3:19 Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord;
• Acts 5:31 Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins.
• Acts 8:22 Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee.
• Acts 11:18 When they heard these things, they held their peace, and glorified God, saying, Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life.
• Acts 13:24 When John had first preached before his coming the baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel.
• Acts 17:30 And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent:
• Acts 19:4 Then said Paul, John verily baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people, that they should believe on him which should come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus.

• Acts 20:21 Testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.
• Acts 26:20 But shewed first unto them of Damascus, and at Jerusalem, and throughout all the coasts of Judaea, and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, and do works meet for repentance.
• Romans 2:4 Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?
• Romans 11:29 For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance.
• 2 Corinthians 7:8 For though I made you sorry with a letter, I do not repent, though I did repent: for I perceive that the same epistle hath made you sorry, though it were but for a season.
• 2 Corinthians 7:9 Now I rejoice, not that ye were made sorry, but that ye sorrowed to repentance: for ye were made sorry after a godly manner, that ye might receive damage by us in nothing.
• 2 Corinthians 7:10 For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death.
• 2 Corinthians 12:21 And lest, when I come again, my God will humble me among you, and that I shall bewail many which have sinned already, and have not repented of the uncleanness and fornication and lasciviousness which they have committed.
• 2 Timothy 2:25 In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth;
• Hebrews 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,
• Hebrews 6:6 If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.
• Hebrews 7:21 (For those priests were made without an oath; but this with an oath by him that said unto him, The Lord sware and will not repent, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec:)
• Hebrews 12:17 For ye know how that afterward, when he would have inherited the blessing, he was rejected: for he found no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears.
• 2 Peter 3:9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
• Revelation 2:5 Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.
• Revelation 2:16 Repent; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth.
• Revelation 2:21 And I gave her space to repent of her fornication; and she repented not.
• Revelation 2:22 Behold, I will cast her into a bed, and them that commit adultery with her into great tribulation, except they repent of their deeds.
• Revelation 3:3 Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee.
• Revelation 3:19 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.
• Revelation 9:20 And the rest of the men which were not killed by these plagues yet repented not of the works of their hands, that they should not worship devils, and idols of gold, and silver, and brass, and stone, and of wood: which neither can see, nor hear, nor walk:
• Revelation 9:21 Neither repented they of their murders, nor of their sorceries, nor of their fornication, nor of their thefts.
• Revelation 16:9 And men were scorched with great heat, and blasphemed the name of God, which hath power over these plagues: and they repented not to give him glory.
• Revelation 16:11 And blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores, and repented not of their deeds.