Acceptance, change, and repentance are topics, today. Also, there is more on the sacred mechanisms for comforting believers who are in mourning. The “Yahoo! Answers” writer using ID “nick” (Level 4 with 4,489 points, a member since December 26, 2008) posted the following:
After I come to Jesus though as I am, do I still have to repent?
Or should I repent first and then come? Or can I stay as I am after I come?
THE BATTLE AXE: Our Present Comfort? (06/28/2013)—Just as believers repeatedly experience appetite such as hunger, thirst and cravings for sexual activity as human, natural and normal life process, believers will repeatedly experience feelings and thoughts about those in their lives who become deceased. Included may be family, loved ones, or even strangers identified in an evening news broadcast. The various operations of GOD to permanently suppress the power of death over human awareness center in the appearance of GOD in flesh as Jesus Christ (we say, incarnation); the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus from the dead; the ascension of Jesus into heaven; and the falling of the Holy Spirit upon prepared believers. While death continues as a feature of finite being for all who are in flesh, through Christ mankind is now released from the widespread depression, fear, ignorance, and worship of death that formerly corrupted relationship with the Creator. Such solutions for bereavement as hope, joy, law, love, promise, and sacred visions are supplied of GOD. These convey life-energy, are forward-looking, and are rooted in practical truth. They endow a mourner with an inheritance of continuing purpose and stability without the burdens of apathy, coldness, hardness of heart, indifference, morbidity, and lack of affect. See Philippians 1: 21-30, 2nd Peter 1: 2-4 and 2nd Corinthians 5: 1-21, KJV.
THE GOLDEN ARROW: Moreover thou shalt say unto them, Thus saith the LORD; Shall they fall, and not arise? shall he turn away, and not return? Why then is this people of Jerusalem slidden back by a perpetual backsliding? they hold fast deceit, they refuse to return. I hearkened and heard, but they spake not aright: no man repented him of his wickedness, saying, What have I done? every one turned to his course, as the horse rusheth into the battle. Yea, the stork in the heaven knoweth her appointed times; and the turtle and the crane and the swallow observe the time of their coming; but my people know not the judgment of the LORD. How do ye say, We are wise, and the law of the LORD is with us? Lo, certainly in vain made he it; the pen of the scribes is in vain. The wise men are ashamed, they are dismayed and taken: lo, they have rejected the word of the LORD; and what wisdom is in them? (Jeremiah 8: 4-9, King James Version)
DOUBLE DAGGER: How Do I Repent? (05/16/2013); The “Jesus Way”? (05/17/2013); Unless You Repent (03/05/2013); The Childhood of Jesus? (03/06/2013); Unexceptional Beginnings (11/22/2012); Believing Everything? (11/23/2012); Turn From Sin? (02/15/2011); About Promises (02/16/2011)
“nick”, here are some points Christian believers must be aware of that are important for avoiding spiritual confusion:
(1) For many, “come as you are” means GOD extends unqualified acceptance and approval to all (they may even say, “unconditional love”). More correctly, “come as you are” means a person’s errors, faults, limits and weaknesses that repeatedly frustrate and overwhelm family, friends and others are no obstacle to GOD. “Come as you are” does not mean “stay as you are.”
(2) Like forgiveness, repentance is not a “one-time” sacred event. As operations carried out by eternal GOD, forgiveness and repentance are conditions for being and existence, and should be continuously present before GOD through imparted spirit matter such as faith, holiness, longsuffering, love, and wrath against sin.
(3) In water (and spirit) baptism, a believer makes a public choice to internalize and submit to divine operations that will change their inner nature. (We say a believer is “born again” from divine DNA.) In addition to changes in attitude, behavior, conduct, desire, knowledge and life style GOD gradually establishes such permanent changes in the new believer as ability to discern and recognize the quality and value of spirits, correct consciousness of divine intent and eternal purpose as well as the believer’s self-awareness and authority through truth.
There is no simple explanation, or abbreviated way to clarify the many profound truths of being in a genuine relationship with GOD that goes beyond “me, myself and I” by focusing upon such high themes as judgment, prophecy, resurrection and sanctification. There is far more to be said, correctly applied, and spiritually apprehended. (For example, (4) Repentance begins as a confession of need for the permanent change that only GOD may bring about. Ones need is for more than different or new experiences that are carnal, material and social. There must be an acknowledgment of divine power and sovereignty as the source for being and growth that we call “life” along with conviction of ones own absolute personal dependence upon GOD.) Even so, I trust this fragment will be useful. Be it unto you according to your faith.
THE BLACK PHOENIX
Washington, DC
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