RE: [TruthTalk] Repentance and Unilateral Gospel

[Hughes Jonathan]

Hi Izzy,   As you have taken the time to create discussion on this topic you are deserving of a response.  This is the kind of thing I want to see from you.  Thank you.  I am at work right now and may get a chance in my break this afternoon to sketch out something more complete but from looking at my backlog this may be it for today :)   The Greek meaning of Repentance is to 'change one's mind' in a radical way.  This is like a 180 degree turn in the opposite direction.  It is not just mental assent.  We must keep in mind the Biblical (Hebraic) sense of the person, the body animated.  There is no split between body, mind, and spirit.  When we repent it is all of us that faces a new direction.  So this is the word that Jesus and Paul used.  You and I may now add additional things to what repentance means but the biblical term only involves the changing of one's orientation.  With this in mind, only point two of your outline is Christian repentance.  Point one is confession, and point three is a mixture of penance and restoration.  In other words one can leave 1 and 3 out and have repented in a Christian way just fine.  On top of this John's gospel never uses the greek word for 'repent'.  It does however ask us to believe, to have faith.  To say that repentance is needed for salvation one would be wrong unless one equated repentance with belief and faith.   The idea of the unilateral covenant (where God does it all and we do nothing in response) is a dangerous gospel.  You are correct.  The problem is that is never how Lance, Bill, or I have defined the unilateral covenant.  You see, you are criticizing something you have created instead of what we have attempted to state.  In actual fact we have always highlighted the need for RESPONSE to God's call on our lives.  Where we differ is that most on this forum view what we call responses as conditions.  Our portrayal of the gospel does value (and value highly) repentance, rejection of sin, and a Godly lifestyle.  However, we do these in response to God, not as a condition for God to accept us.  God dedicates Himself unilateraly to us.  We, being fallen continually break this covenant from our side of the fence.  God, who is faithful never breaks His side of the covenant.  One key difference between a covenant and a contract is whether it is broken by one or both parties.  There is no mental assent to living a daily sanctified life in our view of the gospel; our salvation is worked out day by day by indwelling God's Word.  To know God is to be changed by Him, daily.   I hope this helps clarify some things.  In our constant need to misconstrue what each other is saying we need to ensure that when we comment on other people's beliefs we comment on their actual beliefs instead of our parodies.   Jonathan Hughes    From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of ShieldsFamily Sent: Friday, November 19, 2004 10:21 AM To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: [TruthTalk] Repentance and Unilateral Gospel     BTW, I don't think we ever resolved the meaning of Repentance.  I said it is (1)admitting your sin and (2) turning from your sin to righteousness.  Sometimes it also includes (3)making restitution or apologizing for the wrong we have done.  So what do folks think of that for starters?  I think John's statement that repentance is simply changing your ideas or way of thinking is only what must be done mentally before you can do the above.  But if you leave out the above then you have NOT repented.    Secondly, I think the idea of a Unilateral gospel (where God does it all and we do nothing in response) is a dangerous gospel.  It leaves out Repentance! It absolves us, the recipients of any and all responsibility.  It requires no change, no rejection of sin, no godly lifestyle on our part.  We are free to sit on the recliner in our holey underwear and guzzle beer all day, beating the wife and screaming at the children.  But that's okay if we are just giving mental assent.    That gospel does not enter us into the Kingdom of God, which does not start in eternity, but in fact is all around us now, and which we can enter into at this present moment.  How? By embracing the true gospel. “Repent! For the kingdom of heaven is at hand!”   Izzy This e-mail and any attachments contain confidential and privileged information. If you are not the intended recipient, please notify the sender immediately by return e-mail, delete this e-mail and destroy any copies. Any dissemination or use of this information by a person other than the intended recipient is unauthorized and may be illegal. Thank you for your cooperation in connection with the above. 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