Evidence for God from Science

Whatever happened to repentance?

In fact, Jesus in the great commission tells us to teach repentance and the forgiveness of sins (Luke 24:47). However, Repentance is very seldom even mentioned in the our churches these days. So - What happened to repentance?

Here is a note: All great revivals brought forth repentance as well as taught it. Want revival - then what is the key that will unlock it?

So why isn't repentence taught much anymore?

...I bring this up because I returned last Saturday (6/27) from a mission tour in the Apache and Navajo Nations in AZ and NM with a very good team. We went to Whiteriver, Cibecue, San Carlos, Az, then to Navajo in Ganado Arizona, and Fort Defiance (Blue Canyon), New Mexico, etc. We returned back to the San Carlos region to Bylass (about 90 miles from Phoenix) for last of the meetings.

I was one of two speakers for the team. Every meeting we experienced people weeping and crying out to the Lord in the same manner you read about in Finney or Edward's days. God really moved and I am not joking or streching this out either. For example when speaking in Fort Defiance NM (Blue Canyon) God moved powerfully. People fell onto a red dusty floor of the tent in a sovereign move of God upon their hearts. This was because repentance and the forgiveness of sins was brought forth as Jesus instructed in Luke 24. The Lord confrmed his word.

If we retruned to the Lord and taught with his conviction instead of a sales job for souls - would more come out of going to Church than sitting in the pew week after week? While in Bylass on the last night there, I was infromed that the San Carlos meeting continued after we left there (6/18) and went on for another week ending on 6/26. We left the pastors everywhere we went in charge of growing flocks to tend - pray for them.

If repentance and forgiveness of sins was taught in the modern Church in a manner people understood, in the language of the day, not of yesterday - wonder what God would do to confrim his word?

So why isn't repentence taught much anymore?
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I disagree that it isn't taught anymore. Every single time I walk into a Southern Baptist church, all I hear is "REPENT!" Every single preacher gives his sermon and then does his alter call, asking people to repent of their sins and give their lives to Christ.

Or what about all the holiness churches or any of them with a Wesleyan background? They all teach nothing but repentance as the means of salvation/sanctification. Every sermon, every Bible study, is about how you need to turn from your sins and try harder to be like Christ. All of them.

So I disagree that it isn't being taught. The problem is that it isn't being lived out. And it isn't being lived out because it is being demanded of people who are not capable of repenting. As a leopard can't change his spots, neither can a sinner turn from his sins. He must first place his faith in Christ and receive the Holy Spirit and the new man. Remember, EVERYTHING done not of faith is sin, and that includes repentance. Repentance as a work is just as much sin as anything else. Yet our preachers demand people turn from their sins so that they can be saved, so that they can be sanctified, all the while missing the basic fact that human beings are fallen creatures, incapable of doing such a thing. Repentance is nothing less than trusting Christ and Christ alone to live through you. It is something only believers are capable of doing in the fullest sense of the word.

Until preachers get their congregations saved first, they can tell them all they want to stop sinning. People can't change what they are. Only God can do that.

One of the things I noticed in your post, BW, was that poeple were willing to be open about their repentanc. But all too often there is either misplaced pride or misplaced shame (I am too ashamed to show m repentacne) or, worst of all, judgement from the congregation. We fear the judgment of others and that they will not forget and forgive.

BW- Congrats on a successful missions trip. It's always exciting to hear the testimonies of how God is moving. I think part of the problem of why some churches don't teach more on repentance is because people (the congregants-especially unsaved) don't want to hear it. It doesn't fill seats, they want sermons that tickle their ears and give them the warm fuzzies. You know as well as I do that the truth is sometimes hard to take.
Jac3510, Well said, I agree with the need to be truly saved to have true repentance and yes preachers need to get their congregations saved before they can demand them to turn from their sins. If they continue to preach on repentance all the time, how long before people begin leaving the church? I know that I wouldn't continue going to a church if all the Pastor preached on was repentance, turning from your sins, etc. I want a preacher to teach on how to live out my Christianity, how to live for God, and bring others to Christ. Yes repentance should also be taught but not all the time. I don't think any one thing should be preached all the time.

B. W. wrote:So why isn't repentence taught much anymore?
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It's a good question... I think many of us refuse to look at the evil things that we do and I don't think being a Christian somehow negates us from it. Speaking for myself, I still know that I can do great evils in the site of God. Practically hypocritical. I would concur with what others are saying here. I think that many church's do not want empty pews either...

I think many church's do not want to talk about hell, demons, fire and brimstone because they want to attract people. Not scare them away, or have them confront their sins. They have become secular... Instead I hear, well we are saved, God will forgive me.. Which maybe true, but I still feel that we are going to fall under judgment.

It's amazing how hollywood plays on this too. I often see movies where Christians are portrayed as preaching hell and damnation as a scare tactic to get more converts. Like old school religion. Hell is not a real place, that is just a myth... There is no pending doom. After all I don't want your beliefs to interfere with my beliefs. There are no sins... You have a negative view of life if you think of it that way... This belief is everywhere for that matter. No one wants to be labeled as a hell preacher, so many simply avoid discussing it.

Back to repentance... I find it very interesting that in the beginning of the Apostle Paul's ministry that he was very head strong.. Later, however, towards the end of his ministry and life, locked up in a Roman cell, he realized that nothing good was in him (in his sin life) Romans 7:18. So too should we be aware of this in our own lives.. Like Paul, the closer you get to God's light, the blacker you will probably see your own soul...

You also have a society where even evil is explained away by genes, mental problems, developmental issues, shifting the blame. Society doesn't want to hear plain and simple....it's evil. And in the secular worldview, much of the evil is the result of somehting causing of to do something, not our choosing to do evil. Some of that has permeated the Christian church.

I remember the shooter a couple years back in the Amish schoolhouse, how many commentaries of "why" did he do this, everything from bad relationshps, bad upbringing, mental problems. And it was stunning to hear the Amish/Mennonite community speak out and simply say, there's evil in the world. No excuses, no exlanantions. What he did was wrong, plain and simple.

Shoot, just look at all of the commentary about Michael Jackson. You aren't hearing people in the mainstream media or the adoring crowds simply saying: He should have grown up and acted like an adult. No, all sorts of explanations and excuses for his childish, selfish, paranoid, greedy liefstyle. He was abused, he missed a childhood...all sad, all the more reason to get the man back on the right track instead of indulging the whims and sins.

It is being taught in most of the churches I have been to; I jsut haven't seen that level of emotional response.

Getting back to repentance... I often hear that you should have a "good" if not "great" view or image of yourself. This is most what I hear in the secular world.... In Christianity this is completely different. In Christianity we are told to have an accurate image of ourselves. That we are capable of doing some good, but we are also capable of some bad too (thus repentance).. This often takes the focus off ourselves and places it on Him. I believe that this view of ourselves is very healthy to abide by when we realize that without God we are helpless...

Gman wrote:Getting back to repentance... I often hear that you should have a "good" if not "great" view or image of yourself. This is most what I hear in the secular world.... In Christianity this is completely different. In Christianity we are told to have an accurate image of ourselves. That we are capable of doing some good, but we are also capable of some bad too (thus repentance).. This often takes the focus off ourselves and places it on Him. I believe that this view of ourselves is very healthy to abide by when we realize that without God we are helpless...

I would like to hear more from Jac on repentance as he has some good insights on this I can glean from his post above...

There are some churches that do teach repentance but not many. It seems repentance is out of fashion in the modern American Church and only in a few places is it taught.

So, how would you all reading this thread define repentance?

How should it be taugh??
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B. W. wrote: There are some churches that do teach repentance but not many. It seems repentance is out of fashion in the modern American Church and only in a few places is it taught.

I wouldn't debate you here Bryan..

B. W. wrote:So, how would you all reading this thread define repentance?

How should it be taugh??

Oh my, where do I begin? I would say repentance is the single most important gift given to us by God, second only to His free grace of salvation. Without going into the traditional arguments of OSAS or authority and all that, repentance is the sole means of reconciliation (or restoration of fellowship if you wish). Everything else comes third (love, charity, good works in general).

Gman wrote:

B. W. wrote: There are some churches that do teach repentance but not many. It seems repentance is out of fashion in the modern American Church and only in a few places is it taught.

I wouldn't debate you here Bryan..

No debate

Curious as to how others define repentance and how it is being taught when and where it is!

Seems like this maybe a forgotten doctrine for many. Maybe by everyone responding we can uncover it a bit more...
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Byblos wrote:Oh my, where do I begin? I would say repentance is the single most important gift given to us by God, second only to His free grace of salvation. Without going into the traditional arguments of OSAS or authority and all that, repentance is the sole means of reconciliation (or restoration of fellowship if you wish). Everything else comes third (love, charity, good works in general).

This is one thing that Catholics excel in.. Confession. They leave the Protestants in the dust here I think..

I think how you view repentance and it's application depends upon the frame of reference. While the meaning of the word itself is self explanatory, turn away (correct my if I'm wrong, but I think the Greek means to do a 180), to whom you are using it in reference to has an impact on its application. To a non believer it is an event, the event, if you will that leads to salvation. To the believer, it is an ongoing state. As believers who are honest with ourselves, we are aware of the constant battle against sin, and as such, need to be reminded to fight the good fight. Thus a sermon now and again with regards to this type of repentance is edifying. Now I have no idea whether or not this fundamental is taught enough at North American churches in general, but my personal experience is about the same as cslewislover.

If you are speaking of the repentance referred to as an initial response to God's love, while it's good for us as christians to keep those events in the rear view mirror, I wouldn't see much benefit if it was constantly taught as a sermon or message. And whether or not you agree with that statement depends upon what your view is of the purpose of the "sunday service" or "corporate worship" or "going to church." My belief is that that particular weekly gathering is designed for the edification and equipping of the saints. In other words, we do that gathering weekly as brothers and sisters to grow in the Lord, not necessarily for the purpose of evangelism. That's not to say that evangelism is forbidden or does not happen in that situation or that you shouldn't invite non believers to church, but that is not the primary purpose of the weekly gathering. And to make every Sunday about becoming a christian does a great disservice to that congregation and stunts their spiritual growth.

Does this sound reasonable or do I need to repent?

Is repentance this narrowly defined word, or is it a broader concept that has many applications in the faith?

"Godly sorrow worketh repentence that leads to salvation." That is one form. A response of contrition that occurs before salvation.

In every case of repentence we are speaking of a response to the call of God. A forsaking of an old way to embrace a new way. Have you ever considered that when Paul was struck blind he could have saddled up blind and stubborn and returned to Jerusalem? Instead he responded to Christ, in essence repenting.

When Paul speaks of this new man he says do not BE conformed any longer to the pattern of this world, but BE transformed by the renewing of your mind. It is a state of mind. A state of response to something God has, and is already doing. Holiness is not an accomplishment of man, but a result of responding to the provision of God.