The Cross of Christ Alone Can Save

[mfblume]

Originally Posted by notofworks

Buried in the muck and mire of all the bloviating that's been going on, here is what I figured might emerge at some point.

Mike, can you expound on this some? (please, not an hour long sermon) I'd like to know the theology behind this statement, specifically, your scriptural basis.

Repentance is:

WEBSTER'S DICTIONARY:

1. To feel pain, sorrow or regret for something done or spoken; as, to repent that we have lost much time in idleness or sensual pleasure; to repent that we have injured or wounded the feelings of a friend. A person repents only of what he himself has done or said.

Greek definition:

G3340
μετανοέω
metanoeō
met-an-o-eh'-o
From G3326 and G3539; to think differently or afterwards, that is, reconsider (morally to feel compunction): - repent.

Compunction is a "pricking of the heart". It is what the people who heard Peter preach experienced when we read their hearts were pricked in Acts 2:37.

When one is pricked in their hearts over sin, they want release from it.

1 John 1:9 KJV If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Only God can pardon sin when we confess it to God. And confession of sin is caused by a heavy impression in our souls that produces a godly sorrow.

Adam Clarke explained that 1 John 1:9 as follows, and notice how he quotes 2 Cor 7:9-11, which I quote below Clarke's words:

...and a man that truly confesses his sin is one that the Spirit of God has convinced of it, and has shown him its exceeding sinfulness, and filled him with a godly sorrow for it, and given him repentance unto salvation, that needeth not to be repented of

2 Corinthians 7:9-11 KJV (9) Now I rejoice, not that ye were made sorry, but that ye sorrowed to repentance: for ye were made sorry after a godly manner, that ye might receive damage by us in nothing. (10) For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death. (11) For behold this selfsame thing, that ye sorrowed after a godly sort, what carefulness it wrought in you, yea, what clearing of yourselves, yea, what indignation, yea, what fear, yea, what vehement desire, yea, what zeal, yea, what revenge! In all things ye have approved yourselves to be clear in this matter.

Notice it is a godly sorrowing for sin. I HAD NOT DONE THAT, since I refused to accept that what I was doing was sin. I had no godly sorrow for some of the sins I was committing, but I did for other sins. So I would confess nothing for those particular sins, since I would not admit it was sin, although I knew inside it was.

To say more requires more words, so this is as brief as I can make it.