Bob Wilkin of the Grace Evangelical Society answers the question of "How Can Someone with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) Be Sure of His or Her Eternal Destiny?" For free articles, blogs, and audio, go to: www.faithalone.org
I used to struggle with severe OCD - repetitive thoughts that I hadn’t believed the gospel and I was going to hell. It got to the point that I could barely eat and walked around slumped over due to the constant churning in my stomach. I wish I had been able to watch this channel during that time.
I can relate, Jenna. I have had the exact same things in my life also. It is tough but gladly God is greater than our minds, brains and nervous system.
Excellent point about "believe," rather than "trust." The clear demarcation you made caused me to realize that those two terms are quite different. As a pastor, I needed this wake up call to help me to avoid any (and all) confusion when I 'm speaking, teaching and/or preaching. I did not expect such a remarkable moment of clarity to have occurred during this good lesson. I suppose I had to hear it in a manner that made it "click" for me. Thanks for never "assuming" that your audience shares the same clarity in communication as you: Your deliberate labor to so effectively communicate is definitely a labor of love for God, and for others. Prayers for you and all at GES, as you all press on for the sake of the Gospel and those to whom you are faithfully proclaiming it.
Excellent topic Bob! I struggle with a bit of OCD but not so bad that I’m not sure of my eternal security. I think about these things often.🙏✨✝️✨❤️ God bless!
I'm not diagnosed with OCD but I'm nearly positive I have had it most of my life and it is really annoying. Instead my issue is that I overthink things a lot and this causes me to question whether I am allowed to do certain things as a christian. The main thing that I have been struggling with is video games, I believe they are fine to play as something fun and enjoyable to do to the glory of God, but I get these silly random thoughts every now and then like "what if playing games is a sin?". I know they can lead to sin if I idolise them so I do need to be careful but I don't believe that just playing them is sinful, yet the thought still comes about and quite often too.
I'm gonna be honest Bob, I struggle with OCD and yet I believe that salvation is by grace alone through faith alone, and that once someone is saved they will always be saved...but I don't know if I will ever have assurance, and that's just my life unfortunately. I will always try to believe, but I'm probably never gonna have assurance. I don't doubt God's existence, I don't doubt that Christ is God, and I don't doubt that His shed blood is sufficient to atone for the penalty of my sins. But I probably will always analyze my belief, and never know if my belief is genuine or just me pretending that I believe, it's just the nature of OCD unfortunately. I'd like to ask for prayers though, that maybe one day I can have faith like you and others in the free grace movement.
@phill6277 I've had OCD all my life since childhood. No psychiatric meds or therapy has helped, whether Christian or secular. Many Christians suffer from religious OCD and it is the following passages that need to be understood in the right context and exegeted correctly, otherwise these passages will wreak havoc in the minds of those suffering from OCD eroding away their assurance of salvation. We must all remember that the below following passages have been hijacked, taken out of context, used in isolation, and eisegeted by all false doctrines within mainstream Christianity, especially Calvinism and Arminianism. The 2 most common phrases that are anxiety and fear producing that are used based on the Calvinist and Arminian perversion of these passages are the phrases that go "you were never saved to begin with" or "you will lose your salvation and go to hell." Matthew 12:31-32 Mark 3:29-30 Luke 12:10 Luke 12:42-46 Luke 8:6-7/Luke 8:13-14 Hebrews 6:4-8 Hebrews 10:26-27 Hebrews 10:38-39 1 Corinthians 9:27 2 Corinthians 13:5 Philippians 2:12 Revelation 3:5 Revelation 3:15-16 Therefore, in order to avoid fear, anxiety, confusion, and erosion of assurance of salvation, one must interpret and exegete these passages from the Free Grace position. All others are false. I have discovered that Christians who have OCD are easy prey for Calvinists and Arminians who are known to capitalize on the above mentioned passages. I was once a victim decades ago. Hope this helps, God bless!
@@wtom04 Oh yeah I'm certainly someone who holds to a free grace theology, and I don't hold to Arminian or Calvinist teachings in regards to salvation. My thing is I will just probably never know if my belief is proper/authentic or not I guess you could say. Thanks for the comment though, it is appreciated.
@@dustytrout5 Don't listen to the lies of Calvinist/Lordship Salvation heretics who say that "true saving faith" or "authentic saving faith" will result in "good works", "changes of lifestyle", "changes in behavior", "repenting of sins", etc, etc. Heretics like John MacArthur, John Piper and Paul Washer are notorious for this. These lies are easily refuted with the Biblical examples of Samson who was a true man of God and also a fornicator - Judges 16:1 who led Israel for 20 years - Judges 16:31, and the examples of the Corinthian Church Christians who were living deplorably in sin, but the apostle Paul affirmed that they are saved by the way he addressed them in 1 Corinthians 3:1.
Please Lord help this brother with His blessed assurance so He can rest peacefully in the security You have given Him. Please Lord, lay Your hand upon His head and heal Him, send Your holy angels to guard Him from devils and help Him to learn how to confidently and boldly know and proclaim the Word of God using his full armour of God - when the devils come a knockin’ let the truth stand firm. Please strengthen Him Lord, and heal Him of this thorn in His flesh. Let him understand and rest in the fact that You have said Your grace is sufficient (2 Cor 12:9) and You are able to make ALL grace abound towards him (2 Cor 9:8). You have said that because he has believed on You, he has eternal life (1 John 5:13). You have also given given all who have believed on You the earnest of the Holy Spirit (Eph 1:13-14, 2 Cor 1:22) Who is the guarantee of our inheritance, Who will give life to our mortal bodies at the rapture resurrection (Rom 8:11) and change them to incorruptible and eternal (1 Cor 15:50-57, Phil 3:21), because You have promised to raise up all who believe on You (John 6:39-49, 58). Please help Him to let the truth of Your Word prevail against all demonic attacks and thorns in the flesh, which I also struggle with - You Lord have given me the earnest of the Spirit, according to Your Word, and because of this, You have lovingly told me to be confident that if I die I WILL go to heaven (2 Cor 5:5-8). Thank you Lord for Your unspeakable gift of eternal life, I thank You for being faithful even when we are not. Lord, dear and doubt are awful and crippling - please heal us Lord and fill us with peace. You are our Shepherd and we will not lack anything we need. Please Good Shepherd, shepherd us, that we can get through these trials and be stronger and better able to help others. Use this as a testimony of Your faithfulness that we can share - Your faithfulness in Your promise is under attack and persecution these days quite terribly. Let us rest peacefully in Your hands knowing that You’ll get us through all storms, and will carry us even when we cannot walk or even stand. Thank You Lord, in Jesus’ name amen 🙏🏼
I have had OCD all my life since childhood. Therapy and meds did not help. People with OCD may have many moments of doubt about their assurance of salvation. However, Christ keeps them eternally secure in spite of their many bouts with doubt because Christ is an unfailing Savior - John 10:28-29, Romans 8:38-39, Ephesians 1:13, 2 Corinthians 1:22. NEVER trust the false teachings of Calvinism and Arminianism whose teachings will no doubt produce nothing but fear, anxiety, confusion, and no assurance of salvation. People with religious OCD are very easy prey for Calvinists and Arminians, so please be careful and alert.
As an OCD sufferer, I have obsessed over other denominations in the church that do not believe in eternal security and I just can’t figure out why they cannot seem to take the Bible at face value. (It seems to be rooted in fear. ) I went through a period where I felt like because God cannot interact with us physically, that he’s kind of just giving us the Bible and leaving us there to figure it out and maybe we’ll get it right and maybe we won’t. He’s a God of “gotcha’s!” Matthew seven sounds like a potential gotcha moment. among a few other so it took me a while to really try to understand the nature of God and as an OCD suffer, sometimes I still have that nagging “yeah but what if” syndrome. As I have desired to research and get to know God more, it seems to be counterproductive because now I’m just running into more and more teaching that contradicts and people have a serious hard time and are even insulted with the concept of once saved always saved/eternal security. and honestly it’s their teaching that’s really has caused me to look closer at the Bible and out. On the surface level it seems quite simple. I just don’t understand why people who know the Bible well just don’t draw the same conclusion. Lord have mercy on us fallible human beings! 😢 The biggest thing that makes me afraid as I don’t know where God draws the line. I don’t know if he’s looking up above and he’s going to separate the sheep from the goats and what that process is going to look like. What exactly do you have to believe in order to be considered a believer? are all of us going to be dancing in heaven one day or are some of us going to be guilty of teaching the “damnable heresies” mentioned in first Peter?… That’s basically what I’m wondering at this point…
@@hpinc101 People who supposedly know the Bible well in reality do not and it is because they have been brainwashed and indoctrinated by the philosophical presuppositions of men who have utterly imposed them into the Bible. This has been going on for centuries and centuries since the beginning of time starting in the Garden of Eden when Satan instilled DOUBT and LIES into the mind of Eve by asking "Did God really say?" Every theological system, be it Roman Catholicism, Calvinism, Arminianism, Mormonism, Jehovah's Witness doctrine, etc has elevated the false teachings of men who take Scriptural passages OUT OF CONTEXT and in ISOLATION and then impose their man made and demonic teachings above the plain truth of the Bible. Satan and his cohorts have gone any which way possible to pervert the Bible with many corrupt translations of the Bible to using Greek and Hebrew to further push their false teachings more intelligently. Too many church goers are just too LAZY to study the Bible on their own, but just rely upon some "Pastor"/"preacher" who spoon feeds them poisonous false doctrine from the pulpit every Sunday. The vast majority of so called Bible colleges, seminaries, Bible commentaries, theology textbooks, journals, etc, are just saturated with all kinds of false teachings which do nothing but create unending confusion, fear, anxiety, and no assurance of salvation. This has been going on for centuries. It's no different from Darwin's theory of evolution that has been forcefully and adamantly imposed into all the public schools, colleges, universities, science textbooks, journals, dictionaries, encyclopedias, etc for centuries. Systematic brainwash and indoctrination with LIES, and then more lies, where in time these lies are ingrained in people's minds as "truth." One has to dig through tons of trash before one can find the truth.
@@hpinc101I have OCD and ADHD so I understand what your saying. We have to take Jesus at his word. If he says if we believe in him and what he done for us we are saved. Calvinism was very destructive throughout my walk with the Lord. Praise God for Bob Wilkin and other great Bible teachers who teach the truth.
Are Those Who Believe in the Cross and in the Resurrection Saved Forever? - Bob Wilkin & Philippe Sterling ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-ZP99CGblPKE.html Bob Wilkin and Philippe Sterling are answering a question about what makes a person saved forever. What needs to be believed in order to receive the gift of Eternal salvation? What is the heart of the matter here? Bob and Philippe have some answers and an interesting discussion for you concerning this subject. What is the Difference in the Saving Message Before and After the Cross? - Bob Wilkin & David Renfro ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-ouBHYVXhEMg.html Is the saving message any different pre-cross and post-cross?
The emotional side of this issue is usually ignored. I was brought with abuse and abandonment from very troubled family. Cognitively it’s not a problem- I believe. Emotionally when triggered I can panic. I have found work on the child part of my psyche(the emotional abuse) helps me a lot. Many Christians never understand that. Running down the street with my sister in stark terror as an uncle and father fist fought in the living room. Many times.,dad and mom threatening divorce and leaving my sister and I to fend for ourselves. Gambling losing homes and cars. Sexual abuse. You get enough of that it’s soul murder. As much as I know I am saved I also know my emotions were severely damaged. Giving myself the love I needed from a parent AND coming to Jesus alleviates much of that. I have prayed for healing from that but it seems he has given me tools to nurture myself and then I see him much different. Living like that for 25 years chronically did a lot of damage.
From someone who has experienced this chronically. 1st off get a sound understanding of salvation and the doctrine of eternal security and faith alone, 2nd every time that these thoughts pop up “oh did I even believe to begin with” “do I even believe” “what if I don’t know if I believe” all these dumb intrusive thoughts just ignore them, the more you give them energy the more strong they get, let go of the fear of not answering them completely, you know what you believe. Just ignore the thoughts and set aside the fear of not answering them or not thinking on it And if worse comes to worse ask yourself opposite questions to know your assurance in what you believe and who you trust in like these “do you believe Jesus did rise from the dead and he’s in his grace still or somewhere rotting away as a skeleton” no? Congrats you believe Jesus is alive. There’s no special feeling you get at the moment of belief and belief/ trust in Christ isn’t any special different type of belief/trust. You trust/believe in Christ like you trust/believe that thhe sky is actually blue
I am OCD and I am OBSESSED with the FACT that I was saved on Jan 26, 1952 and can never LOOSE MY EVERLASTING LIFE…. One OCD PERSON has no assurance AND people with OCD like me are OBSESSED with feeling SECURE??
A simple illustration of what it means to believe in Jesus Christ. It is said that the emperor Bonaparte one day visiting his soldiers while he was on horseback, suddenly his horse began to run amok and was in danger of falling, suddenly one of his soldiers took the horse by the bridle emperor and managed to calm the horse by stroking the horse's mane, immediately the emperor Bonaparte said to the soldier: "well done captain", the soldier, although not a captain, understood that he had been promoted to the rank of captain, went to the officers' mess , but someone refused to recognize him as a captain... the soldier replied describing in detail when it had happened and said: the emperor told me: "well done captain..." believing means taking at his word what Christ says in our favor and act accordingly.
Understood. I got caught up into some bad teaching as well, with some Pentecostal teachings. Thank you LordJesus for showing me truth. First step for me is understanding my identity in Christ Jesus, that vine and branch relationship. He will never leave you nor forsake you. What an amazing promise! I stand on that my brother and God bless you
@@DV77737 Amen, glad ur free of it. Saved people who believed in everlasting life, can easily lead down the wrong paths by false teachers as they pursue the lord.
Trusting in Jesus is works that leads to doubt. It's by Believing in Jesus and to be persuaded in that promise alone. John 3:16 never says to trust in Jesus, its very clear by believing only and nothing else. Faith alone.
If you're concerned about the free gift of salvation that Christ offers when you put your faith in his atoning blood, remind yourself that Jesus repeatedly said we must become like little children- a 5 yr old believes. That's it. No discussion about it- how could someone 5 yrs old be saved? How could a child born without legs be saved? How could a Down's Syndrome child accept Christ? By BELIEVING. Not works, lest any man should boast. How do you serve God if you can't ever leave your bedridden state? See why the works part is tragically deleterious?? How can that person "prove" they're saved? Like anyone else who is truly saved- the Word of their testimony! Ask someone who Jesus is, and you'll know immediately whether they're saved. Thank you for this teaching- i grew up having OCD for Christ, but the church destroyed it into fear to purchase my salvation. I know Jesus did what I could not do- live a perfectly sinless life to be presentable to God, as that is all He recognizes. When we trust in Jesus, we then are made perfect in our Savior and righteous in God's eyes. "Depart from me, I never knew you," will be every human who thought s/he had to do good works to earn or keep his/her salvation. Christ is everything.
If we are truly born again we must live in obedience. Our performance after repentance will determine where we spend eternity. Hebrews 12:14 Make every effort to live in peace with everyone AND TO BE HOLY, WITHOUT HOLINESS NO ONE WILL SEE THE LORD. 2 Thessalonians 1:8-9 IN FLAMING FIRE TAKING VENGEANCE ON them that know not God, 👉AND THAT OBEY NOT👈 the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ 9WHO SHALL BE PUNISHED WITH EVERLASTING DESTRUCTION from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power. 1 Corinthians 10:21 You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons too you cannot have a part in both the Lord’s table and the table of demons. 2 Timothy 2:19 Nevertheless, God’s solid foundation stands firm, sealed with this inscription “The Lord knows those who are his, and, “EVERYONE WHO CONFESSED THE NAME OF THE LORD MUST TURN AWAY FROM WICKEDNESS.” Titus 1:16 They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him being abominable and disobedient, and unto every good work. 1 John 2:4 He that saith I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. The blood of Jesus cleanses us from all unrighteousness, but it won't cleanse in darkness. 1 John 1:6-9 IF we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: 7But IF we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. 8 IF we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 IF we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
@Alvin Fen Nowhere in scripture does it say Jesus's love is unconditional. A preacher back in the 1980's started saying that and it caught on. It sounds good but Jesus nor the disciples preached that God loves you. There is far more about wrath and judgment than God's love in the Bible.
@Alvin Fen Here's a question I have never heard asked or answered. Some claim that we don't have to repent of sin and use John's gospel as proof since repentance isn't mentioned. Why then at the day of pentecost in Acts 2 which says the other Apostles were there with Peter [Acts2:37] why didn't he rebuke or correct Peter when he said in verse 38? Peter replied and said unto them Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ FOR THE FORGIVENESS OF SINS and you WILL RECEIVE THE GIFT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. Why didn't John say all we have to do to be saved is claim to believe?
@Alvin Fen Saved from what you ask? 2 Thessalonians 1:8-9 IN FLAMING FIRE TAKING VENGEANCE ON them that know not God, AND THAT👉 OBEY NOT 👈the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ 9WHO SHALL BE PUNISHED WITH EVERLASTING DESTRUCTION from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power. Who did Jesus say would start the church Peter or John? Answer: Matthew 16:18 And I say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church; and the gates of Hades (death) will not overpower it [by preventing the resurrection of the Christ]. When did Peter start the church? After the resurrection in Acts 2 known as the day of pentecost. Acts 2:37 Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart [with remorse and anxiety], and they said to Peter and the rest of the apostles,( Ask a child over the age of 5 or 6 what this means.👉“Brothers, what are we to do?”👈 If is first time in church where the question was asked What do we do to be saved? No they would not have gone to heaven if they died before they did what Peter says all Jews and Gentiles must do to have sins forgiven and to be born again. Acts 2:38-41 And Peter said to them, “Repent [change your old way of thinking, turn from your sinful ways, accept and follow Jesus as the Messiah] and be baptized, each of you, in the name of Jesus Christ because of the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39For the promise [of the Holy Spirit] is for you and your children and 👉for all who are far away [including the Gentiles],👈 as many as the Lord our God calls to Himself.” 40And Peter solemnly testified and continued to admonish and urge them with many more words, saying, “Be saved from this crooked and unjust generation!” Read this verse carefully, 41So then, those who accepted his message were baptized; and on that day about 3,000 souls were added [to the body of believers]. They weren't considered believers until they came to repentance in verse 38. This is only way for God's plan of salvation. John's gospel tells us much about Jesus's love and miricles but it is not a plan for salvation. Hosea 4:6 My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children. A true repentant believer must continue to confess and ask for forgiveness of sins to Jesus. As our sanctification grows we should be sinning less and less. To have sins forgiven they must be confessed. 1 John 1:6-10 IF we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: 7But IF we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. 8 IF we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 IF we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10 IF we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us. In my 50 years since coming to Christ through repentance by faith in spite of listening to true to the word of God preachers have ever heard what you believe. Has it never occurred to you that you were taught wrong? I've used scriptures to show the way you believe is wrong and will not lead you to eternity in Heaven. I'll leave you with these scriptures. 2 Peter 3:9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. Perish means to be cast into the lake of fire not any other man- made twisting of it. Proverbs 29:1 He, that being often reproved hardeneth his neck, shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy. I pray that you're heart is not too hardened, like Esau who even when he tried could not come to repentance.
Sounds like CD may be doubting his salvation and not understanding verse 26 and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?” An explanation of abiding in Christ is found in John 15:1-8 I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. 2Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit. 3Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you. 4Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. 5I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. 6If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned. 7If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you. 8Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples. The branches who “abide” in Him are the truly saved-they have a real and vital connection to the Savior. The withered branches who do not “abide” in Him are the unsaved pretenders who feigned an attachment to the Vine but drew no life from Him. In the end, the pretenders will be seen for what they were: hangers-on who had no authentic attachment to Jesus. For a while, both Peter and Judas seemed identical in their walk with Christ. But Peter was attached to the Vine; Judas was not. John restates the withered-branch principle this way: “They [people now opposed to Christ] went out from us, but they did not really belong to us. For if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us; but their going showed that none of them belonged to us” (1 John 2:19). One of the proofs of salvation is perseverance, or sustained abiding in Christ. The saved will continue in their walk with Christ (see Revelation 2:26). That is, they will “abide” or remain in Him. God will complete His work in them (Philippians 1:6), and they will bring forth much fruit to the glory of God (John 15:5). Those who fall away, turn their backs on Christ, or fail to abide simply show their lack of saving faith. Abiding is not what saves us, but it is one of the signs of salvation. Proofs of abiding in Christ (i.e., proofs that one is truly saved and not just pretending) include obedience to Christ’s commands (John 15:10; 1 John 3:24); following Jesus’ example (1 John 2:6); living free from habitual sin (1 John 3:6); and the awareness of a divine presence within one’s life (1 John 4:13).
The reason many that believe still have doubts about their salvation is because they have never come to repentance. Repentance means that you realize that you are a guilty vile sinner in the presence of God,that you deserve the wrath and punishment of God. That you are hell bound. It means that you begin to realize that this thing called sin is in you and that you long to get rid of it,and that you turn your back on it in every shape and form you renounce the world,whatever the cost,the world in its mind and outlook as well as its practices and you deny yourself and take up your cross and go after Christ. Your nearest and dearest and the whole world may call you a fool or say you have religious mania. You may have to suffer financially, but it makes no difference. That is repentance. It becomes an ongoing way of life. The repentance that starts at salvation starts a progressive lifelong process of confessing sin. 1 John 1:9 we go on confessing our sin. The active continuous attitude of repentance produces the poverty of the spirit,the mourning, the meekness that characterizes true believers in the Beatitudes of Matthew 5. Repentance produces a new way of life,not just a different opinion of Christ,a new way of life. Those who heard Jesus preach knew what He was calling for. He wasn't asking them just to change their opinion about Him. They knew what Isaiah said when Isaiah preached. This is what Isaiah 1:16 says:wash and make yourselves clean. Take your evil deeds out of my sight,stop doing wrong.17 Learn to do right; seek justice. Defend the oppressed. Take up the cause of the fatherless; plead the case of the widow.18 "Come now, let us settle the matter", says the Lord."Though your sins are like scarlet,they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson,they shall be like wool. If you wash yourselves,if you make yourselves clean the progression begins internally and then manifests itself in attitudes and actions. Isaiah 55:6-7 Seek the Lord while He may be found,call ye upon him while He is near: 7 Let the wicked forsake his way,and the unrighteous man his thought:and let him return unto the Lord,and he will have mercy on him;and to our God,for He will abundantly pardon. He'll pardon when the wicked forsake his way and the unrighteous man forsakes his thoughts and turns to the Lord. 2 Chronicles 7:14 IF my people which are called by my name shall humble themselves and pray and seek my face and TURN FROM THEIR WICKED WAYS then I will hear from heaven and FORGIVE THEIR SINS and heal their land. Repentance goes hand in hand with faith.
@Eagle775 Ephesians 2:8-10 For by grace are ye saved through [faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:] 9Not of works, lest any man should boast. Faith is a gift from God granted through repentance. You are misunderstanding Ephesians 2:9. Repentance is a command from God as well as Paul. Acts 17:30 30And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent Acts 20:21 Testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ. Repent of sin to God which will result in Faith in Jesus Acts 26:20 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 God, and do works meet for repentance. Show evidence of your repentance by your works or conduct. Romans 4:4-5, Now to the one who works, his wages are not counted as a gift but as his due. 5And to the one who does not work but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his [FAITH is counted as righteousness]. Repentance and faith are two sides of the same coin. You cannot have faith without repentance and you won't repent without faith. To say you believe without repentance is like saying you only need your right leg to walk rather than both. So in Romans 4:5 his repentance/ Faith are counted for righteousness.
Repentance is “metanoia” in the Greek. It means a change of mind. God repented multiple times in the Bible and He is without sin. One must change their mind and stop believing in what they were believing before and BELIEVE the gospel. It is abundantly clear from your post that you haven’t done that and are relying on yourself to obtain or maintain your salvation - and unfortunately that saves no one.
@Jenna Hill The opposite is true by acknowledging and repenting of sin to Jesus, I am doing what He commands in Luke 24:47 And REPENTANCE FOR THE FORGIVENESS OF SINS WILL BE PREACHED IN HIS NAME TO ALL NATIONS starting in Jerusalem. Therefore I am relying on Christ to do what He says He will do. By disobeying God and not repenting I would be totally relying on myself. We can only begin to enter into the Grace of God when we come to the end of ourselves. Repent does mean change your mind. What does God want us to change our minds about? The one thing that will keep you eternally separated from God. Sin. Change your mind about your sinfulled life ALL SINS INCLUDING UNBELIEF,false gods,witchcraft self righteousness etc. As far as God repenting in the Old Testament it means God changed His mind at times such as He did in Nineveh when they turned from ( repent in Hebrew) their evil works. So God changed His mind and did not destroy them. 1 Samuel 15:29 And also the Strength of Israel will not lie nor repent: for he is not a man, that he should repent.
@@Reclaim-the-Rainbow Good comment. I have debated this "2Chronicles714" person many times. This person is no doubt a works based Calvinist/Lordship Salvation advocate. It is people like these that we need to mark and avoid.
