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Post by bebo_kirkwood on Apr 15, 2006 9:04:27 GMT -5
What do you say to someone who says "I have repented" but you know they really haven't and are just trying to get you stumped on words to say?
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Post by rsmportland on Apr 15, 2006 9:55:09 GMT -5
I would ask them what they think repent means. Some people think it means saying sorry, and not a change of mind. Or tell them about the time you repented, and give them a feel for the true meaning of the word.
Just my $.02...
-R
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Post by bebo_kirkwood on Apr 15, 2006 10:05:29 GMT -5
I did ask them that and they did say that it is to feel sorry then I gave them the true definition and they said "Ya ya I have done that!" I think this person was just trying to irritate me...
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Post by ejuliot on Apr 15, 2006 11:20:06 GMT -5
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."
A guy once told me he was saved and had repented even though he had a necklace with a half naked girl on it around his neck. I told him the above verse and said let's see what your fruits are... I then read him this and asked him on each one if he was bearing that fruit or lust. In the end he was bearing every one of the lusts of the flesh. He still claimed to be saved so I told him to test to see if he was in the faith.
Gal 5:16 This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. Gal 5:17 For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would. Gal 5:18 But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law. Gal 5:19 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Gal 5:20 Idolatry, witchcraft (or rebellion 1Sa 15:23), hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, Gal 5:21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. Gal 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Gal 5:23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. Gal 5:24 And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. Gal 5:25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Gal 5:26 Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another.
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Post by bebo_kirkwood on Apr 15, 2006 11:44:55 GMT -5
Thanks that helps a ton!
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Post by victorialewis on Apr 15, 2006 15:09:06 GMT -5
Thanks, ejuliet, I was wondering about this very same thing after doing some outreach last week.
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Post by Jules on Apr 16, 2006 19:11:32 GMT -5
I did a one on one with a drunk Catholic a couple weeks back and he was telling me how he would confess and repent and God would forgive him. When I asked him what repent meant, he said to ask for forgiveness and confess to God. I said, No, that isn't what it meant. I said it meant "Admit it, and Quit it."
I asked him if he thought getting drunk was a sin. He asked a couple of questions about the "definition" of drunk, I told him about "do not get drunk with wine" and verses about drunkards not inheriting the kingdom of God, and he finally agreed it was a sin. Then I said, have you ever been guilty of this? He said "@#&$ yeah, man!" So I asked him if he had confessed it, he said yes, and I said, did you repent? He said yes. I looked him straight in the face and said "You're a liar. You are drunk right now and that proves you didn't repent. You didn't stop your behavior."
He got a bit defensive of course, but I think he got my point. Nobody knows what the word means anymore. Discernment of spirits (spirit of idolatry, blasphemy, drunkeness, rebellion, etc) is helpful with these people. You call out their sin and get right to the heart of the problem. They can't hide, and are forced to see it as God sees it.
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Post by Jules on Apr 16, 2006 19:14:11 GMT -5
by the way, in this case it was obvious what this man's sin was, but sometimes a sin will come to mind that I would have not other way of knowing apart from the Spirit. I do some probing until they admit this sin, then focus on it. I don't know if that is typical or not, but seems to work with me. People deflect and try to hide the areas they are most guilty in, if you listen carefully and discern you can see what they are trying to hide. I've seen Jesse do this while preaching, he calls the sin for what it is "Sir, you are a ____." etc. and goes from there. Call it what it is.
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Post by Josh Parsley on Apr 17, 2006 8:12:18 GMT -5
Pro 28:13 He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh [them] shall have mercy.
I quote that verse pretty often.
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Post by lizlovesjesus on Apr 19, 2006 15:38:22 GMT -5
I use that same scripture in proverbs too when witnessing.People have to forsake the sin completely for it to become true repentance.
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