"Therefore, repent and turn from all your sins, that you may be forgiven and times of refreshing may come from the Lord." Acts 3:19
When we get saved, it's by penitent faith, or believing repentance, because they go hand in hand as the Bible says, "Therefore what God has joined together, let not man separate" in Mark 10:9. ("[Testifying] both to Jews and to Greeks of repentance toward God and of faith in our Lord Jesus Christ," says Acts 20:21). The first of the Ninety-five Theses that Martin Luther made was that our penitence is a continual thing and renewed, an ongoing resolution it's not just a one-time event. It is a mockery of repentance to confess without turning from the sin and not being sorry enough to quit. As Job said, "... I will wait till my renewal comes" (cf. Job 14:14). Indeed, even Job did find repentance: "[Therefore] I despise myself and repent in dust and ashes" (Job 42:6, ESV).
Some believers are concerned that they confess the same sins over and over (this is called the "sin which easily besets [or ensnares] you" per Heb. 12:1). "... And let no iniquity have dominion over me" (Ps. 119:133, NKJV). David says, "Keep back Your servant also from presumptuous sins; Let them not have dominion over me...." What do they want? New sins? God is able to make grace abound toward us and give us the victory over sin because we are no longer "under the law" and "sin shall have no dominion over you" per Romans 6:14.
When we become believers we do not have permission to live in the flesh or become Antinomians living as our flesh desires, but we have the power to live in the Spirit. As David says in Psalm 18:23 that he has "kept [himself] from [his] sin." We cannot achieve sinless perfection but we can overcome our easily besetting sin and not let it hinder our walk. "Who can say, 'I have made my heart clean, I am pure from my sin [sinful nature]?'"(Cf. Prov. 20:9). Note that the psalmist said in Psalm 119:96 that he had seen the "limit of all perfection."
We have to be on the alert, because "sin wants to destroy you, but don't let it [it's crouching at the door!]" (cf. Gen. 4:7). Hosea says that sin has been Israel's downfall (cf. Hos. 14:1). Repentance was demanded of the woman caught in adultery: "Go and sin no more!"[i.e., live in sin] (Cf. John 8:10ff). Salvation is more than mere forgiveness at the point of salvation--it covers all sin, past, present, and future, but is not an easy believism or cheap grace that grants forgiveness without repentance.
We must confess and admit our faults and sins to God, calling a spade a spade, naming sin as God does and calling it out, making no excuses, nor trying to justify ourselves. "No one who abides in him keeps on sinning..." (1 John 3:6, ESV). If we go on in our sin we will be disciplined or chastised of the Lord and we can be sure "our sin will find us out" per Numbers 32:23. Jeremiah writes: "Why should a living man complain, A man for the punishment of his sins?" (Lam. 3:39, NKJV).
Some believers are concerned that they confess the same sins over and over (this is called the "sin which easily besets [or ensnares] you" per Heb. 12:1). "... And let no iniquity have dominion over me" (Ps. 119:133, NKJV). David says, "Keep back Your servant also from presumptuous sins; Let them not have dominion over me...." What do they want? New sins? God is able to make grace abound toward us and give us the victory over sin because we are no longer "under the law" and "sin shall have no dominion over you" per Romans 6:14.
When we become believers we do not have permission to live in the flesh or become Antinomians living as our flesh desires, but we have the power to live in the Spirit. As David says in Psalm 18:23 that he has "kept [himself] from [his] sin." We cannot achieve sinless perfection but we can overcome our easily besetting sin and not let it hinder our walk. "Who can say, 'I have made my heart clean, I am pure from my sin [sinful nature]?'"(Cf. Prov. 20:9). Note that the psalmist said in Psalm 119:96 that he had seen the "limit of all perfection."
We have to be on the alert, because "sin wants to destroy you, but don't let it [it's crouching at the door!]" (cf. Gen. 4:7). Hosea says that sin has been Israel's downfall (cf. Hos. 14:1). Repentance was demanded of the woman caught in adultery: "Go and sin no more!"[i.e., live in sin] (Cf. John 8:10ff). Salvation is more than mere forgiveness at the point of salvation--it covers all sin, past, present, and future, but is not an easy believism or cheap grace that grants forgiveness without repentance.
We must confess and admit our faults and sins to God, calling a spade a spade, naming sin as God does and calling it out, making no excuses, nor trying to justify ourselves. "No one who abides in him keeps on sinning..." (1 John 3:6, ESV). If we go on in our sin we will be disciplined or chastised of the Lord and we can be sure "our sin will find us out" per Numbers 32:23. Jeremiah writes: "Why should a living man complain, A man for the punishment of his sins?" (Lam. 3:39, NKJV).
Remember, to feel remorse or regret is only half the formula; we must have faith and accept God's forgiveness, not living in guilt. It must be matched with faith. Peter was forgiven, Judas wasn't because Peter had penitent faith/believing repentance and Judas just felt sorry for what he'd done or had remorse but lacked faith, his missing ingredient. Soli Deo Gloria!
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