The Importance of Repentance
One of the fundamental aspects of our faith is Repentance
Repentance is a foundational doctrine of our faith as this scripture declares, however I believe it is rarely understood fully. We are told in the book of Acts to:Hebrews 6:1 - Therefore, leaving the discussion of the elementary principles of the Messiah, let us go on to perfection, not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward YAHUAH, 2 - of the doctrine of baptisms, of laying on of hands, of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment. 3 - And this we will do if YAHUAH permits.
It is the first step for an unbeliever to repent. But what is Repentance? What does it mean to repent? Let's examine the scriptures. First of all, repentance must involve humility. Here is the example of Josiah:Acts 2:38 - Then Kepha said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Yahusha the Messiah for the forgiveness of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
In the example of Nineveh who repented at the teaching of Jonah, we see that Repentance is accompanied by a commitment to change, to turn to Righteousness and to cease from unrighteousness:2Kings 22:16 - Thus saith YAHUAH, Behold, I will bring evil upon this place, and upon the inhabitants thereof, even all the words of the book which the king of Judah hath read: 17 - Because they have forsaken me, and have burned incense unto other elohim, that they might provoke me to anger with all the works of their hands; therefore my wrath shall be kindled against this place, and shall not be quenched. 18 - But to the king of Judah which sent you to inquire of YAHUAH, thus shall ye say to him, Thus saith YAHUAH Elohim of Israel, As touching the words which thou hast heard; 19 - Because thine heart was tender, and thou hast humbled thyself before YAHUAH, when thou heardest what I spake against this place, and against the inhabitants thereof, that they should become a desolation and a curse, and hast rent thy clothes, and wept before me; I also have heard thee, saith YAHUAH. 20 - Behold therefore, I will gather thee unto thy fathers, and thou shalt be gathered into thy grave in peace; and thine eyes shall not see all the evil which I will bring upon this place. And they brought the king word again.
How is it that Yahuah would repent? Please note the next verse:Jonah 3:5 - So the people of Nineveh believed Elohim, and proclaimed a fast, and put on sackcloth, from the greatest of them even to the least of them. 6 - For word came unto the king of Nineveh, and he arose from his throne, and he laid his robe from him, and covered him with sackcloth, and sat in ashes. 7 - And he caused it to be proclaimed and published through Nineveh by the decree of the king and his nobles, saying, Let neither man nor beast, herd nor flock, taste any thing: let them not feed, nor drink water: 8 - But let man and beast be covered with sackcloth, and cry mightily unto Elohim: yea, let them turn every one from his evil way, and from the violence that is in their hands. 9 - Who can tell if Elohim will turn and repent, and turn away from his fierce anger, that we perish not?
Yahuah saw their works! He saw their humility and commitment to turn away from evil. And so, repentance is actually a 'work'. But did Yahuah repent also? Consider for a moment that Yahuah has a certain standard of righteousness. When man goes 'against' that standard of righteousness it is likened unto a man walking in the face of a mighty wind. But when one repents, he changed direction and goes with the wind that was at one time against him. In the case of Nineveh, Yahuah's planned destruction changed because THEY changed, not Yahuah. Yahuah does not change, His standard of righteousness, His law endures forever. Where we stand in relation to it will determine our fate.Jonah 3:10 - And Elohim saw their works, that they turned from their evil way; and Elohim repented of the evil, that he had said that he would do unto them; and he did it not.
More examples:
In our repentance, Yahuah requires humility and true sorrow for one's sins. But let it be clear that sorrow is not repentance. Some would say they are sorry for their sins but it produces nothing. True repentance starts with sorrow and produces good works. Paul, when he wrote to the Corinthians in his first letter rejoiced to see their sorrow turn to true repentance. When he wrote them in his second letter, he noted:Luke 18:10 - Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican. 11 - The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, Elohim, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. 12 - I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess. 13 - And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, Elohim be merciful to me a sinner. 14 - I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.
There are great promises given to those who repent from sin and unrighteousness and turn to Yahuah's law for reproof and instruction in righteousness:2Corinthians 7:8 - For though I caused you sorrow by my letter, I do not regret it; though I did regret it-- for I see that that letter caused you sorrow, though only for a while-- 9 - I now rejoice, not that you were made sorrowful, but that you were made sorrowful to repentance; for you were made sorrowful according to {the will of} Elohim, in order that you might not suffer loss in anything through us. 10 - For the sorrow that is according to Elohim produces a repentance without regret, leading to salvation; but the sorrow of the world produces death. 11 - For behold what earnestness this very thing, this sorrow according to Elohim, has produced in you: what vindication of yourselves, what indignation, what fear, what longing, what zeal, what avenging of wrong! In everything you demonstrated yourselves to be innocent in the matter.
Isaiah 55:7 - Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto YAHUAH, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our Elohim, for he will abundantly pardon.
Jeremiah 3:12 - Go and proclaim these words toward the north, and say, Return, thou backsliding Israel, saith YAHUAH; and I will not cause mine anger to fall upon you: for I am merciful, saith YAHUAH, and I will not keep anger for ever. Psalms 34:18 - YAHUAH is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit. Psalms 51:17 - The sacrifices of Elohim are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O Elohim, thou wilt not despise. Isaiah 66:1 - Thus saith YAHUAH, The heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool: where is the house that ye build unto me? and where is the place of my rest? Isaiah 66:2 - For all those things hath mine hand made, and those things have been, saith YAHUAH: but to this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word.
Joel 2:13 - And rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto YAHUAH your Elohim: for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth him of the evil.Those that say that we are saved only by raw belief and not by faith accompanied by works of repentance, humility and commitment to change are making a serious mistake!! And it is false to teach that Paul never believed in a working faith:
Works 'meet' for repentance meaning 'works worthy or befitting of repentance'. While it is truth that we are saved by grace it is also truth that we are saved by grace because we have REPENTED. And we should continue to do works worthy of repentance. Now that we have established some meaning behind the word 'repent', the question should be asked "What exactly are we supposed to be repenting of?" 'Our sins' says the multitude.Acts 26:19 - Whereupon, O king Agrippa, I was not disobedient unto the heavenly vision: 20 - But shewed first unto them of Damascus, and at Jerusalem, and throughout all the coasts of Judaea, and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to YAHUAH, and do works meet for repentance.
Repentance certainly involves turning from our sins. But what is sin? What is righteousness? What do the scriptures say? The scriptures say that keeping the Torah/Instructions or as some use LAW is righteousness.Ezekiel 18:20 - The soul that sinneth, it shall die. The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son: the righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him. 21 - But if the wicked will turn from all his sins that he hath committed, and keep all my statutes, and do that which is lawful and right, he shall surely live, he shall not die.
Notice it says "All these commandments" not just a part here or there.Deuteronomy 6:25 - And it shall be our righteousness, if we observe to do all these commandments before YAHUAH our Elohim, as he hath commanded us.
His word is His law...His word is righteous!!Psalms 19:9 - The fear of YAHUAH is clean, enduring for ever: the judgments of YAHUAH are true and righteous altogether.
Psalms 119:123 - Mine eyes fail for thy salvation, and for the word of thy righteousness.
Psalms 119:172 - My tongue shall speak of thy word: for all thy commandments are righteousness.ALL His commandments...are righteousness.
Psalms 119:160 - Thy word is true from the beginning: and every one of thy righteous judgments endureth for ever.
Every one?? forever? It was true even in Yahusha's day.
The parents of John the Baptist...
Now it is certain that the scriptures teach that the opposite of righteousness is unrighteousness or sin.Luke 1:5 - There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judaea, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the course of Abia: and his wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elisabeth. 6 - And they were both righteous before YAHUAH, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of YAHUAH blameless.
Here we see that Sin and righteousness are opposites. Sin leads to death and obedience leads to righteousness. Here is another verse showing that sin is simply "unrighteousness."Romans 6:15 - What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under favor? By no means. 16 - Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?
This brings us to the question of what exactly is sin? Well, if obedience to the law is righteousness...transgression of the law is sin/unrighteousness.1John 5:17 - All unrighteousness is sin, and there is sin not leading to death.
So again, clearly transgression of the law is sin... obedience to His law is righteousness Let us look at verse 4 again:1John 3:4 - Whoever commits sin trangresses also the law, for sin is the transgression of the law. 5 - And you know that He was manifested to take away our sins, and in Him there is no sin. 6 - Whoever abides in Him does not sin. Whoever sins has neither seen Him nor known Him. 7 - Little children, let no one deceive you. He who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous. 8 - He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of YAHUAH was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil. 9 - Whoever has been born of YAHUAH does not sin, for His seed remains in him; and he cannot sin, because he has been born of YAHUAH. 10 - In this the children of YAHUAH and the children of the devil are manifest: Whoever does not practice righteousness is not of YAHUAH, nor is he who does not love his brother.
1John 5:17 - All unrighteousness is sin, and there is sin not leading to death.
According to Strong's greek lexicon, the word that is translated "transgression of the law" here means...1John 3:4 - Whoever commits sin trangresses also the law, for sin is the transgression of the law.
There is a fascinating word study that can be done when we examine all the verses that this word is translated to. So now that we know what sin is, what about all those that seem to say His law need not be kept by His people?Anomia, From 459; illegality, i.e. in violation of the law or (gen.) wickedness
Surely no, His law is what tells us what sin is!
So all the scriptures that we see that tell us to repent..to turn away from sin, to live righteously.. We should know that the very definition of living righteously is to live according to His law. But have we not failed? His law includes a provision for that also! It's called MERCY. Yahuah is righteous, therefore He has to have mercy! Being merciful is a part of being righteous.. and mercy is a part of His law!
"The weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith" Not only is mercy a part of the law, but it is one of the 'weightier matters of the law'! But did Yahusha condemn them in this verse for keeping the finer points? No, He said these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone! We also must practice mercy! But on some, (Yahuah knows them) mercy doesn't work because they don't care!Matthew 23:23 - Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.
They will CONTINUE to transgress His law, despite the mercy shown. We see many examples of this today. We hear plenty of messages from mainstream Christianity telling us about His grace and mercy... And that's great...but There are but very few messages on REPENTING and living righteously by living according to His commandments! Some even go so far to say that His law is a burden and need not even be kept! This is sooo far from the truth! It is satan's grand deception!Isaiah 26:10 - Let favour be shewed to the wicked, yet will he not learn righteousness: in the land of uprightness will he deal unjustly, and will not behold the majesty of YAHUAH.
Guess what word "iniquity" comes from in this verse? You guessed it, ANOMIA (violation/transgression of the law in 1john 3:4!)2Thessalonians 2:7 - For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way.
If they loved not the truth.. if instead they had pleasure in unrighteousness..And unrighteousness is sin and sin is transgression of the law.. then the fact remains that most people who accept the Messiah are NOT FULLY REPENTING.2Thessalonians 2:8 - And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom Yahusha shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming: 9 - Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, 10 - And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. 11 - And for this cause YAHUAH shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: 12 - That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.
Yet many say to me, oh look at all the wonderful miracles that are done! How can all these people be deceived, do not the miracles testify that they are walking in righteousness and are accepted by Yahuah? Some are... But let's remember Yahusha's words:
There is that word again..anomia. The same word used in 1john 3:4...transgression of the law! Do not be deceived by the so called miracles. On judgment day, they mean NOTHING.Matthew 7:21 - Not every one that saith unto me, Rabbi, Rabbi, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. 22 - Many will say to me in that day, Rabbi, Rabbi, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? 23 - And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
However... Let us remember that we have not been perfect. Yahusha was and is perfect, therefore since we have sinned by transgressing the law (Yes, we all have!!), it is thru Yahusha that we are made righteous!Revelations 14:12 - Here is the patience of the saints; here are those who keep the commandments of YAHUAH and the faith of Yahusha.
Isn't this awesome!?!! HalleluYah! Yahuah not only gives us righteous commandments that teach us how to love one another and to love Him but He also has given us His SON who has redeemed us, sanctified us and washed away our sins so that we are pure and blameless in His sight! Not only that, He gave us His Son to be our example of HOW to keep His commandments! What a blessing, HalleluYah!! Now we don't need to walk around in gloom for our past failures to live according to His law but now we are free...free...FREE...TO.... Transgress His law again????Romans 5:18 - Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life. 19 - For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.
That is what is taught by many and it is total falsehood :(( Is that not insulting the spirit of grace?
Let us show our thanksgiving and love for Him by truly repenting and hungering and thirsting for righteousness by Keeping His commandments as He has said! Let's bear fruits worthy of repentance. When we see something in His law that we need to be doing, we need to get on our knees and repent right then and there! David did not delay when he was shown his sin. We should not either. Yahuah has promised to lead us in that path of righteousness when we seek:Romans 6:15 - What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under favor? By no means. 16 - Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?
Let us live according to the Spirit, Yahusha's words are Spirit filled!Matthew 6:33 - But seek ye first the kingdom of YAHUAH, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. 6 - Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.
Yahusha is the word and anyone who say that ANY part of His word doesn't matter today might as well be saying that Yahusha doesn't matter. The law IS spiritual!John 6:63 - It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.
His word is Spirit, let us not fail to live according to the Spirit but let us die to the fleshRomans 7:14 - For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin.
But satan has deceived the whole world into thinking that it is only the New Testament that defines what is right and what is wrong. A major problem with that is the New Testament was never even written when Kepha/Peter, Phillip, Paul, Barnabas, John, James and all the other men of Yahuah were telling people to repent! People in those days couldn't just turn to the New Testament to understand what sin was so what did they have to look at? Paul said it well:Romans 8:5 - For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. 6 - For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. 7 - Because the carnal mind is enmity against YAHUAH: for it is not subject to the law of YAHUAH, neither indeed can be.
How abundantly clear! The only scripture they had in those days were the Law and the Prophets (and possibly the words of Yahusha)! In this passage, the Holy Scriptures carried 7 characteristics:2Timothy 3:15 - And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Yahusha ha Mashiach. 16 - All scripture is given by inspiration of YAHUAH, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: 17 - That the man of YAHUAH may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.
1. They made one wise unto salvation
2. They were given by inspiration of Yahuah
3. All scripture is profitable for doctrine
4. All scripture is profitable for reproof
5. All scripture is profitable for correction
6. All scripture is profitable for instruction in righteousness
7. Knowledge of scripture causes one to be perfected and equipped/furnished for applying good works
So again, the law and the prophets teaches us how to have works worthy of repentance. What did Yahusha say about the law and the prophets?
Therefore, let us seek diligently the commandments of Yahuah and walk according to the light He has given us. Don't let those who break even the least of the commandments and teaches men so deceive us into following their example. The Ultimate Example given for us is Yahusha, and He didn't fail to do even one jot or tittle of Yahuah's law! And when we do fail, do not forget the One who knows what we are going through!Matthew 5:17 - Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. 18 - For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. 19 - Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
Praise Yahuah! Like David, I have found this to be true of Yahuah our Yah:Hebrews 4:15 - For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin.
Truly, He has done this. For His name's sake. He doesn't want people who are seeking Him and are called by His name to be lead into unrighteousness, He loves His name. HalleluYah because I do too! We must not be afraid of those who call you a legalist and condemn you for trying to walk as Yahusha walked, if it is out of love for HIM, their condemnation is not from Yahuah. Where do we ever see Yahuah condemning someone for TRULY repenting and walking in righteousness by doing as He commanded?Psalms 23:3 - He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.
Yahusha is the example, if He kept the Sabbath and you do not, REPENT and KEEP IT.
If He kept the feast days and you do not, REPENT and KEEP THEM.
If He kept ANY of the commandments that you do not, by all means REPENT and DO THEM....surely Yahuah will be with you!
John 8:29 - And he that sent me is with me: the Father hath not left me alone; for I do always those things that please him.
May we always do those things that please Him. And may Yahuah bless you and grant you peace and truth!
Shalom!
You are the Kingdom of Yahuah!