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How do you repent?

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Ervin

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Once you have decided to sin no more do you have to confess sins to people? If you have offended against the laws do you have to tell the police your offences? Once you turn away from sin and ocassionaly fail do you have to confess straight away?

Thanks
 
Once you have decided to sin no more do you have to confess sins to people? If you have offended against the laws do you have to tell the police your offences? Once you turn away from sin and ocassionaly fail do you have to confess straight away?

Thanks
I do not know how loaded you are for my answer, but I will try.

The title was "How do you repent". IMHO repentance is not the total package of a relationship with God and Man. There are at least (IMHO) three major divisions to all that happens to us:
1...Repent. John the Baptist preached about repentance. John also said folks needed the one who came after him (Jesus). Repentance starts us on the way to Jesus / God.
2...Belief in the work of Jesus saves us for eternity. Evidently Jesus also realized that another step was needed. Jesus instructed those he taught to receive the Holy Spirit.
3...Holy Spirit is the way we are empowered to present the Gospel. Without the power of Holy Spirit we really fall short of being able to follow directions.

It appears that confession of sins is: one to another and pray for one another. I once literally knew a woman that confessed her sins to a group of church leaders and her sins were told far and near. Paul confesses his sins but does not list them. Wisdom may be needed here. We do deal with making things right, but a little more study would help.

My thing in all this ,was to just have a broader comment about things. Sometimes we run everything together. Paul seemed to be aware of his mind and his body and the partial seperation of the two.

eddif
 
If you have offended against the laws do you have to tell the police your offences?

Thanks
On another religion forum (I will post a link to it if that is allowable) some were arguing repentance does not require reparations or restitution. For example, you can rob a bank, but later repent for the robbery yet still keep the money you stole and not turn it in to the police, for according to them, the bible does not command/demand reparations. Can you keep what you stole and say you have truly repented?
 
Once you have decided to sin no more do you have to confess sins to people? If you have offended against the laws do you have to tell the police your offences? Once you turn away from sin and ocassionaly fail do you have to confess straight away?

Thanks
Different sin call for different 'fixes". Some burdens we just must bare alone some we should make amends for. Often i think we should make amends because He has forgiven us. Joe lied and Sam took the wrap Joe should fix that. Nancy and Jill stole $200.00 from granny for drugs... Nancy should do her best to replace the $200.
If we tried to confess all the lies we have told we would never stop confessing so dont lie and fix the one that can be fixed.... You and your wife are happy she does not know you cheated 5 years ago you carry that burden your self....

What i am trying to say is there is not ONE fix. Talk to the Lord about it....
 
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We try not to sin, but try to be obedient to God, but in the flesh God knows we will sin for that is our nature as imperfection will only become perfection when Christ returns and we are changed from corruptible to incorruptible, 1 Corinthians 15:51-58.

We need to be quick to repent when we mess up and there are things we do that we can change and make right again and there are things that just need to stay in the past and remembered no more, like God remembers no more when we repent and He forgives us, especially if it caused no harm to another as secret things that never appear to others, but only revealed to ourself. It all depends what a person has done.
 
Once you have decided to sin no more do you have to confess sins to people? If you have offended against the laws do you have to tell the police your offences? Once you turn away from sin and ocassionaly fail do you have to confess straight away?

Thanks

Repentance and reconciliation are two different things. Repentance is between you and God, because against him and him only have you sinned. Reconciliation is independent of repentance. Matthew 5:23-24 addresses this. "So if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar and go. First, be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift."
 
Hebrews 6:4 For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Ho'ly Ghost,
5 And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come,
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.

Since there is 1.repentance, 2.accepting Jesus's work, 3.receiving the Holy Spirit; let us not think that we should be too free in thinking that we can run back to step 1 at all times. I do not totally understand all the aspects of this, but there are times that tough love may be needed to bring about restoration. It is sometimes poplular to easily use the presentation of repentance in all situations.

Jude 22,23 And some have compassion, making a difference:
23 And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh.

eddif
 
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