My many thanks to the above mentioned entities, I know not if this is in reprint, as my copy is from 1948. John B.
1) What universal call does God make to sinners?
Acts 17:29-30 "Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and man's device. And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent:"
NOTE(JB): As God IS our Creator, and as HE IS AND HAS sustained of our lives, He is in the position of command, don't you agree?
2) For what purpose did Jesus come among men?
Luke 5:32 "I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance."
Matthew 18:11 " For the Son of man is come to save that which was lost."
James S. Stewart, "The Strong News" p.15 "We can thank God that every twinge of conscience we feel, and every spasm of remorse that ever troubles this tragic world, is a token of life and a herald of hope."
3) What was the constant theme of His preaching?
Matthew 18:3 "And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven."
Matthew 4:17 "From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand."
Matthew 12:28 "But if I cast out devils by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God is come unto you."
Matthew 19:14 "But Jesus said, Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven."
NOTE(JB): A child like trust in Jesus, is what we need to pray for, plus to fully surrender to His will within that trust/faith! This is not possible for us to do by our selves, and why we need to surrender our will to the Holt Spirit, that we have asked to dwell in our hearts/minds!.....Jeremiah 13:23 "Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard his spots? then may ye also do good, that are accustomed to do evil.."
4) REPENTANCE, how can we define this term?
Ezekiel 18:30-32 " Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, every one according to his ways, saith the Lord GOD. Repent, and turn yourselves from all your transgressions; so iniquity shall not be your ruin. Cast away from you all your transgressions, whereby ye have transgressed; and make you a new heart and a new spirit: for why will ye die, O house of Israel? For I have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth, saith the Lord GOD: wherefore turn yourselves, and live ye."
the human race!
Samuel M. Shoemaker, "A Way of Renewal," Religion in Life. ,Vol 12, No. 4,pp. 485, 486.
"We can never remind ourselves often enough that the chief action in Conversion is God's actions upon us!.[JB only IF we are willing to accept this} When we are first converted, it is often because we4 are unhappy over the sins from which we ask to be released; and this is natural. At some time in the process of Christian Conversion-whether before it begins, or afterwords, we must come to appreciate something of the real meaning of Christian redemption. The holiness of God, our estrangement from Him through sin, the Cross as the sign of God's readiness to span the distance between Him and us--- these things may sound very old-fashioned to one who merely contemplates them; but they are the only explanation that fists the facts for one who has really discovered the 'exceeding sinfulness of sin', and has been lifted from it by the power of Christ. We come, through conversion, to a life that has been provided for us, not one which we can create for ourselves. God's part in our conversion is always the primary part....Our part in the conversion is self-surrender to God and His will. {{this is the most difficult part, plus the fact that we may have to"unlearn" ideas taught to us from childhood, to fit within God's Words of truth!] If this is not to be but a fleeting emotion, if it is to get us into the will and be a permanent possession, it must be filled with actual moral content. We must surrender, not just in general, but specifically the sins of which we are conscious at the time. The further renewal of our surrender must involve confessing and banishing the actual sins which have crept in since we made our first decision."
5) Why.... must the turning from sin to god be clear and uncompromising?
Matthew 6:24 "No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon." [ avarice, the love of wealth]
6) How wholehearted must the repentance be of the sinner?
Joel 2:12-13 "Therefore also now, saith the LORD, turn ye even to me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning: And rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the LORD your God: for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth him of the evil."
Hosea 14:1 " O Israel, return unto the LORD thy God; for thou hast fallen by thine iniquity."
7) What appropriate words does the LORD suggest the returning sinner should bring to Him?
Hosea 14:2 "Take with you words, and turn to the LORD: say unto him, Take away all iniquity, and receive us graciously: so will we render the calves of our lips.
8) In whose name may the sinners confidently present his plea?
Acts 2:38 "Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost"
9) Of what does God further assure the repentant sinners?
Isaiah 55:7-9 "Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts."
NOTE(JB): Please do not allow the enemy of all, deceive with his idea, "I am a New Testament Christian" because the Old Testament is the foundation and the frame of the "House of God" His Word!Plus Revelation, the Book of, has {"Borrowed" about 1/2 of all the words and symbols from the Old Book, thus making Revelation of and by itself not understandable!Thus one loses.>>>>
Revelation 1:3 " Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand."
10) Besides revoking the punishment, what will God bestow upon those who turn to Him?
A. A new Heart: Jeremiah 24:7 " And I will give them an heart to know me, that I am the LORD: and they shall be my people, and I will be their God: for they shall return unto me with their whole heart."
Ezekiel 36:26-27 "A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh. And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them."
B.The Holy Spirit: Acts 2:38 "Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost."
NOTE(JB) Many times the term A New" Heart", actually means a new mind, a new ans better way of thinking. The heart after all is but a muscle, magnificent yest but a muscle, without the ability to think or reason, that's the mind's job!
Acts 26:28 "Then Agrippa said unto Paul, Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian."
Note: ALMOST PERSUADED! Yet lost! I pray, dear reader, that does not fit YOU!
11) How will true repentance manifest {show] itself in one's life?
Matthew 3:8 " Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance:"
NOTE(JB) What is then also equally true?
Matthew 3:10 " And now also the ax is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire."
Note: "The Greek word for repent implies a righabout face. It looks on sin to deplore and confess, but the swings round sharply with resolute will to tread a new path, God does not will us to remember that which He is willing to forgive and forget!
\
NOTE(JB): Repentance gains forgiveness, yes! It means the relationship is restored.. However sins have consequences, that we shall not escape from, the smoker shortens his or her life spans, ditto for most of the habits that harms our health, or breaks His laws!
12) To whom did Jesus intend the Gospel of repentance to be preached after His departure?
Luke 24:47 " And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem"
13) How earnestly did Paul fulfill the gospel command?
Acts 20:21 "Testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ."
Note:: ,"Repentance looks back and forsakes, faith/trust looks forward and accepts." W.N.Clark.
14) What reward did Paul have for his labor?
2 Corinthians 7:9 "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."
15. What are God's people today, exhorted to do?
2 Timothy 2:24-26 "And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient, In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth; And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will."
NOTE(JB) Sadly , many today do not accept the fact that Satan, even exists, so why think they that there's many who worship him today? As Luciferians! Yet the preaching of sins and perishing, without preaching the Hope message, is also a sin!
NEXT: "THE BLESSINGS OF FORGIVENESS" [To be forgiven of your trespass against another, is a great relief, and lifts up our spirit.Therefore, forgiveness benefits all. As well as re-establishes our relationship with God and Christ]
Thanking Y O U for your time. Questions? Comments? John at www.servant@frontier.com
Need more? Visit your seventh-day Adventist Church any Saturday/Sabbath at 9-10AM, You just may be very glad that you did!
Other sites: AFTV.org: BLBN.org: amazinfdiscoveries.org. www.itiswritten.com
For the Rock Hound and Lapidary enthusiasts www.bazenemporium.com and or www.lapidarysuppliesonline.@warhead.com thanks. jb
.
No
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment