This is a follow-up to the thread, "The historical false teaching about the sins of a believer"
I find it interesting that the NT focuses much more on warning believers about the eternal
consequences of sinning … than it does about the eternal consequences of not repenting!
To repent means to be truly sorry for having committed sins
… and to be really serious about not doing them in the future!
It all starts here: “John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea, and saying,
‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand! … Therefore bear fruits worthy of repentance,
… every tree which does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire (see John 15).
... He (Jesus) will thoroughly clean out His threshing floor, and gather His wheat into the barn;
but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.” (Matthew 3:1-12)
Jesus warned: “… unless you repent you will all likewise perish.” (Luke 13:3 and 13:5)
“For I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.” (Matthew 9:13)
“Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” (Matthew 4:17)
People will have to repent to get into the kingdom of God/heaven and heaven(*).
But, this is NOT a one-time repentance! … What’s the point of repenting once,
and then going back to commit more sins? … That is totally ridiculous!
Paul was always warning believers in the churches that …
Habitual unrepentant sinners could not inherit/enter the kingdom of God …
1 Corinthians 6:9-10, Galatians 5:19-21, Ephesians 5:3-6, Colossians 3:5-6, Revelation 21:7-8.
And he kept warning believers what they already knew: sin results in eternal death!
Warnings to believers in the churches: Repentance is necessary for salvation!
"The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness,
but is longsuffering toward US, not willing that any (of US) should perish
but that all (of US) should come to repentance.” (2 Peter 3:9)
Is that little word “us” a misprint? … Is Peter really writing to believers?
Yes, he is … believers need to be confessing/repenting of their sins.
“For even if I made you sorry with my letter, I do not regret it; though I did regret it.
For I perceive that the same epistle made you sorry, though only for a while.
… not that you were made sorry, but that your sorrow led to repentance.
For you were made sorry in a godly manner, that you might suffer loss from us in nothing.
For godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, not to be regretted;
but the sorrow of the world produces death.” (2 Corinthians 7:8-10)
“For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted the heavenly gift,
and have become partakers of the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the good word of God and
the powers of the age to come, if they fall away, to renew them again to repentance,
since they crucify again for themselves the Son of God, and put Him to an open shame.
For the earth which drinks in the rain that often comes upon it, and bears herbs useful for
those by whom it is cultivated, receives blessing from God; but if it bears thorns and briers,
it is rejected and near to being cursed, whose end is to be burned. (Hebrews 6:4-8)
“Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord:
looking carefully lest anyone fall short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing
up cause trouble, and by this many become defiled; lest there be any fornicator or profane
person like Esau, who for one morsel of food sold his birthright. For you know that afterward,
when he wanted to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no place for repentance,
though he sought it diligently with tears.” (Hebrews 12:14-17)
“I know your works, that you have a name that you are alive, but you are dead.
Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die,
for I have not found your works perfect before God. Remember therefore how
you have received and heard; hold fast and repent. Therefore if you will not watch,
I will come upon you as a thief, and you will not know what hour I will come upon you.
You have a few names even in Sardis who have not defiled their garments;
and they shall walk with Me in white, for they are worthy.” (Revelation 3:1-4)
There were some worthy ones who had perfect works, and who didn’t sin (defile their garments).
“So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will vomit you out
of My mouth … do you not know that you are (spiritually) wretched, miserable,
poor, blind, and naked ... As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten.
Therefore be zealous and repent.” (Revelation 3:16-19)
The solution for believers …
“If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness (sins), we lie and do
not practice the truth. But IF we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship
with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.
If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
IF we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us
from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar,
and His word is not in us. My little children, these things I write to you, so that
you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father,
Jesus Christ the righteous.” (1 John 1:6--2:1)
(*) “many will … sit down with Abraham-Isaac-Jacob in the kingdom of heaven.” (Matt 8:11)
Both wheat and tares are in the kingdom of God, but only the wheat gets to go to heaven.
