Luke 16:19-31 reads,
16:19
"Now there was a certain rich man, and he was clothed in purple and fine linen, living in luxury every day. 16:20A certain beggar, named Lazarus, was laid at his gate, full of sores, 16:21and desiring to be fed with the crumbs that fell from the rich man’s table. Yes, even the dogs came and licked his sores. 16:22It happened that the beggar died, and that he was carried away by the angels to Abraham’s bosom. The rich man also died, and was buried. 16:23In Hades, he lifted up his eyes, being in torment, and saw Abraham far off, and Lazarus at his bosom. 16:24He cried and said, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue! For I am in anguish in this flame.’16:25
"But Abraham said, ‘Son, remember that you, in your lifetime, received your good things, and Lazarus, in like manner, bad things. But now here he is comforted and you are in anguish. 16:26Besides all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed, that those who want to pass from here to you are not able, and that none may cross over from there to us.’16:27
"He said, ‘I ask you therefore, father, that you would send him to my father’s house; 16:28for I have five brothers, that he may testify to them, lest they also come into this place of torment.’16:29
"But Abraham said to him, ‘They have Moses and the prophets. Let them listen to them.’16:30
"He said, ‘No, father Abraham, but if one goes to them from the dead, they will repent.’16:31
"He said to him, ‘If they don’t listen to Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded if one rises from the dead.’"The Rich Man Was Not Repentant Before He Died
16:19-21 shows that the rich man did not have a compassionate and repentant heart. For if he did, and he abided by the teaching that John taught concerning repentance, he would have shared his food and clothing with Lazarus.
Where is Abraham's bosom, the place that angels carry one when one has died? Is it a place in Abraham's household whereby he affectionately and tenderly treats those whom the angels bring there?
According to 16:23 Hades is a place of torment, a place quite distinct from Abraham's bosom. It also appears that those in Hades can see those in Abraham's bosom, even though Abraham's bosom is located far off from Hades.
16:24 shows that a flame that afflicted the tongue, even though it did not burn it up caused the torment in Hades.
One Faces Judgement After One Dies
16:24-25 suggests that once someone dies he faces the consequences of his lifestyle on earth. Such that a judgement is made based on his conduct while alive on earth.
Listen To Yahweh's Words Through His Servants
16:27-31 shows that human beings have to listen to Yahweh's word through his servants with respect to their salvation. And seeing that Yahweh's word is greater than that of a dead person, if a person does not heed Yahweh's word through his servants it is unlikely that the person will heed the word of a dead person. Also, there is one who has arisen from the dead who speaks to human beings - Yah'shuah the Christ. Nevertheless, not all humans listen to him.
It should therefore be clear that it is Yahweh's word through his servants that humans are to listen to, that they may repent of their sins.
Severally Forgive Your Repentant Brethren
Luke 17:1-4 reads,
17:1
He said to the disciples, "It is impossible that occasions of stumbling should not come, but woe to him through whom they come! 17:2It would be better for him if a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he were thrown into the sea, rather than that he should cause one of these little ones to stumble. 17:3Be careful. If your brother sins against you, rebuke him. If he repents, forgive him. 17:4If he sins against you seven times in the day, and seven times turns again, saying, ‘I repent,’ you shall forgive him."Christ's disciples are to be merciful and forgiving, always forgiving the sins against them when those sinning against them repent of their sins against them. This is especially so if the person sinning against them also belongs to Christ's household.
Preach Repentance And Remission Of Sins
Luke 24:44-49 reads,
24:44
He said to them, "This is what I told you, while I was still with you, that all things which are written in the law of Moses, the prophets, and the psalms, concerning me must be fulfilled."24:45
Then he opened their minds, that they might understand the Scriptures. 24:46He said to them, "Thus it is written, and thus it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day, 24:47and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name to all the nations, beginning at Jerusalem. 24:48You are witnesses of these things. 24:49Behold, I send forth the promise of my Father on you. But wait in the city of Jerusalem until you are clothed with power from on high."Repent And Be Baptised In The Name Of Yah'shuah The Christ
Acts 2:37-40 reads,
2:37
Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, "Brothers, what shall we do?"2:38
Peter said to them, "Repent, and be baptized, everyone of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 2:39For to you is the promise, and to your children, and to all who are far off, even as many as the Lord our God will call to himself." 2:40With many other words he testified, and exhorted them, saying, "Save yourselves from this crooked generation!"Repentance is a necessary action that must take place prior to one receiving the gift of the Holy Spirit.
It is also noted that all human beings are to repent and thereby have the opportunity of receiving the gift of the Holy Spirit - the promise to all human beings.
Repent Of All Sins, Including Unwitting Sins
Acts 3:12-26 reads,
3:12
When Peter saw it, he answered to the people, "You men of Israel, why do you marvel at this man? Why do you fasten your eyes on us, as though by our own power or godliness we had made him walk? 3:13The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the God of our fathers, has glorified his Servant Jesus, whom you delivered up, and denied before the face of Pilate, when he had determined to release him. 3:14But you denied the Holy and Righteous One, and asked for a murderer to be granted to you, 3:15and killed the Prince of life, whom God raised from the dead, whereof we are witnesses. 3:16By faith in his name has his name made this man strong, whom you see and know. Yes, the faith which is through him has given him this perfect soundness in the presence of you all.3:17
"Now, brothers, I know that you did this in ignorance, as did also your rulers. 3:18But the things which God announced by the mouth of all his prophets, that Christ should suffer, he thus fulfilled.3:19
"Repent therefore, and turn again, that your sins may be blotted out, that so there may come times of refreshing from the presence of the Lord, 3:20and that he may send Christ Jesus, who was ordained for you before, 3:21whom the heaven must receive until the times of restoration of all things, whereof God spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets that have been from ancient times. 3:22For Moses indeed said to the fathers, ‘The Lord God will raise up a prophet to you from among your brothers, like me. You shall listen to him in all things whatever he says to you. 3:23It will be, that every soul that will not listen to that prophet will be utterly destroyed from among the people.’ 3:24Yes, and all the prophets from Samuel and those who followed after, as many as have spoken, they also told of these days. 3:25You are the sons of the prophets, and of the covenant which God made with our fathers, saying to Abraham, ‘In your seed will all the families of the earth be blessed.’ 3:26God, having raised up his servant, Jesus, sent him to you first, to bless you, in turning away everyone of you from your wickedness."3:17-19 shows that we need to repent of whatever sins we commit, whether we commit them wittingly or in ignorance.
3:19-21 shows some effects of the repentance that Peter was preaching. Our sins are blotted out. After this comes times of refreshing from the presence of Yahweh and the sending of Christ Yah'shuah at the time of the restoration of all things. It therefore appears that Yahweh will not send Christ until such time as an adequate repentance and blotting out of sins has taken place.
What is the adequate repentance and blotting out of sins that must take place prior to Yahweh sending Christ at the time of restoration of all things?
Repentance Comes From Yahweh Through Yah'shuah
Acts 5:27-32 reads,
5:27
When they had brought them, they set them before the council. The high priest questioned them, 5:28saying, "Didn’t we strictly charge you not to teach in this name? Behold, you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching, and intend to bring this man’s blood on us."5:29
But Peter and the apostles answered, "We must obey God rather than men. 5:30The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom you killed, hanging him on a tree. 5:31God exalted him with his right hand to be a Prince and a Savior, to give repentance to Israel, and remission of sins. 5:32We are His witnesses of these things; and so also is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him."5:30-31 notes that repentance to Israel and remission of sins comes from Yahweh through Yah'shuah.
Acts 8:5-24 reads,
8:5
Philip went down to the city of Samaria, and proclaimed to them the Christ. 8:6The multitudes listened with one accord to the things that were spoken by Philip, when they heard and saw the signs which he did. 8:7For unclean spirits came out of many of those who had them. They came out, crying with a loud voice. Many who had been paralyzed and lame were healed. 8:8There was great joy in that city.8:9
But there was a certain man, Simon by name, who had used sorcery in the city before, and amazed the people of Samaria, making himself out to be some great one, 8:10to whom they all listened, from the least to the greatest, saying, "This man is that great power of God." 8:11They listened to him, because for a long time he had amazed them with his sorceries. 8:12But when they believed Philip preaching good news concerning the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women. 8:13Simon himself also believed. Being baptized, he continued with Philip. Seeing signs and great miracles done, he was amazed.8:14
Now when the apostles who were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them, 8:15who, when they had come down, prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Spirit; 8:16for as yet he had fallen on none of them. They had only been baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus. 8:17Then they laid their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit. 8:18Now when Simon saw that the Holy Spirit was given through the laying on of the apostles’ hands, he offered them money, 8:19saying, "Give me also this power, that whoever I lay my hands on may receive the Holy Spirit." 8:20But Peter said to him, "May your silver perish with you, because you thought you could obtain the gift of God with money! 8:21You have neither part nor lot in this matter, for your heart isn’t right before God. 8:22Repent therefore of this, your wickedness, and ask God if perhaps the thought of your heart may be forgiven you. 8:23For I see that you are in the gall of bitterness and in the bondage of iniquity."8:24
Simon answered, "Pray for me to the Lord, that none of the things which you have spoken come on me."In 8:20-23 Peter explains Simon's sin and wickedness. Simon's heart was not right before Yahweh. For he thought he could obtain Yahweh's gift with money.
It should therefore be evident that when our hearts are not right before Yahweh, such as when the thoughts of our hearts are not in harmony with Yahweh's righteous ways, we are indeed in the bondage of iniquity. We therefore need to repent of such unrighteous hearts, that Yahweh may forgive us the wickedness of our hearts. It is also imperative that we learn Yahweh's righteous ways, that our hearts may be aligned and made upright with Yahweh's righteous ways.
Yahweh Grants Repentance To All Nations
Acts 11:1-18 reads,
11:1
Now the apostles and the brothers who were in Judea heard that the Gentiles had also received the word of God. 11:2When Peter had come up to Jerusalem, those who were of the circumcision contended with him, 11:3saying, "You went in to uncircumcised men, and ate with them!"11:4
But Peter began, and explained to them in order, saying, 11:5"I was in the city of Joppa praying, and in a trance I saw a vision: a certain container descending, like it was a great sheet let down from heaven by four corners. It came as far as me, 11:6on which, when I had looked intently, I considered, and saw the four-footed animals of the earth, wild animals, creeping things, and birds of the sky. 11:7I also heard a voice saying to me, ‘Rise, Peter, kill and eat!’ 11:8But I said, ‘Not so, Lord, for nothing unholy or unclean has ever entered into my mouth.’ 11:9But a voice answered me the second time out of heaven, ‘What God has cleansed, don’t you make unholy.’ 11:10This was done three times, and all were drawn up again into heaven. 11:11Behold, immediately three men stood before the house where I was, having been sent from Caesarea to me. 11:12The Spirit told me to go with them, without discriminating. These six brothers also accompanied me, and we entered into the man’s house. 11:13He told us how he had seen the angel standing in his house, and saying to him, ‘Send to Joppa, and get Simon, whose surname is Peter, 11:14who will speak to you words whereby you will be saved, you and all your house.’ 11:15As I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell on them, even as on us at the beginning. 11:16I remembered the word of the Lord, how he said, ‘John indeed baptized with water, but you will be baptized in the Holy Spirit.’ 11:17If then God gave to them the same gift as us, when we believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I, that I could withstand God?"11:18
When they heard these things, they held their peace, and glorified God, saying, "Then God has also granted to the Gentiles repentance to life!"It should be recalled from Acts 2:38 that only those who repent receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. Seeing that non-Israelites had received the gift of the Holy Spirit it was therefore evident that they had indeed repented. And seeing that repentance is granted to one by Yahweh through Yah'shuah, it is Yahweh through Yah'shuah who granted them both repentance and the gift of the Holy Spirit.
All Men Everywhere Should Repent
Acts 17:22-31 reads,
17:22
Paul stood in the midst of the Areopagus, and said, "You men of Athens, I perceive that you are very religious in all things. 17:23For as I passed along, and observed the objects of your worship, I found also an altar with this inscription: ‘TO AN UNKNOWN GOD.’ What therefore you worship in ignorance, this I announce to you. 17:24The God who made the world and all things in it, he, being Lord of heaven and earth, dwells not in temples made with hands, 17:25neither is he served by men’s hands, as though he needed anything, seeing he himself gives to all life and breath, and all things. 17:26He made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the surface of the earth, having determined appointed seasons, and the bounds of their habitation, 17:27that they should seek the Lord, if perhaps they might reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us. 17:28‘For in him we live, and move, and have our being.’ As some of your own poets have said, ‘For we are also his offspring.’ 17:29Being then the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Divine Nature is like gold, or silver, or stone, engraved by art and device of man. 17:30The times of ignorance therefore God overlooked. But now he commands that all men everywhere should repent, 17:31because he has appointed a day in which he will judge the world in righteousness by the man whom he has ordained; whereof he has given assurance to all men, in that he has raised him from the dead."It should be noted that ALL MEN EVERYWHERE should repent, not just Israelites only.
Repentance Is Directed Towards Yahweh
Acts 20:17-21 reads,
20:17
From Miletus he sent to Ephesus, and called to himself the elders of the assembly. 20:18When they had come to him, he said to them, "You yourselves know, from the first day that I set foot in Asia, how I was with you all the time, 20:19serving the Lord with all humility, with many tears, and with trials which happened to me by the plots of the Jews; 20:20how I didn’t shrink from declaring to you anything that was profitable, teaching you publicly and from house to house, 20:21testifying both to Jews and to Greeks repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.Why Yah'shuah Made Saul His Servant
Acts 26:12-23 reads,
26:12
"Whereupon as I journeyed to Damascus with the authority and commission from the chief priests, 26:13at noon, O King, I saw on the way a light from the sky, brighter than the sun, shining around me and those who traveled with me. 26:14When we had all fallen to the earth, I heard a voice saying to me in the Hebrew language, ‘Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.’26:15
"I said, ‘Who are you, Lord?’"He said, ‘I am Jesus, whom you persecute. 26:16But arise, and stand on your feet, for to this end have I appeared to you, to appoint you a servant and a witness both of the things which you have seen, and of the things which I will reveal to you; 26:17delivering you from the people, and from the Gentiles, to whom I send you, 26:18to open their eyes, that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive remission of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’
26:19
"Therefore, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision, 26:20but declared first to them of Damascus, at Jerusalem, and throughout all the country of Judea, and also to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, doing works worthy of repentance. 26:21For this reason the Jews seized me in the temple, and tried to kill me. 26:22Having therefore obtained the help that is from God, I stand to this day testifying both to small and great, saying nothing but what the prophets and Moses did say should come, 26:23how the Christ must suffer, and how he first by the resurrection of the dead should proclaim light both to these people and to the Gentiles."Yah'shuah's Disciples Who Do Not Repent Will Lose Their Fellowship With Yah'shuah
Revelation 2:1-7 reads,
2:1
To the angel of the assembly in Ephesus write:"He who holds the seven stars in his right hand, he who walks in the midst of the seven golden lampstands says these things:
2:2
"I know your works, and your toil and perseverance, and that you can’t tolerate evil men, and have tested those who call themselves apostles, and they are not, and found them false. 2:3You have perseverance and have endured for my name’s sake, and have not grown weary. 2:4But I have this against you, that you left your first love. 2:5Remember therefore from where you have fallen, and repent and do the first works; or else I am coming to you, and will move your lampstand out of its place, unless you repent. 2:6But this you have, that you hate the works of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. 2:7He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the assemblies. To him who overcomes I will give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the Paradise of my God.Yah'shuah tells the assembly in Ephesus that if they do not repent he will remove their lampstand - their assembly - out of its place whereby he walks among them. In other words, Yah'shuah associates only with those who are repentant, and ceases to associate with those who refuse to repent.
We must therefore be continually repentant, ceasing to do unrighteous works and growing in works of righteousness.
Yah'shuah's Disciples Should Repent Of Idolatry And Sexual Immorality
Revelation 2:12-17 reads,
2:12
"To the angel of the assembly in Pergamum write:"He who has the sharp two-edged sword says these things:
2:13
"I know your works and where you dwell, where Satan’s throne is. You hold firmly to my name, and didn’t deny my faith, even in the days of Antipas my witness, my faithful one, who was killed among you, where Satan dwells. 2:14But I have a few things against you, because you have there some who hold the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to throw a stumbling block before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols, and to commit sexual immorality. 2:15So you also have some who hold to the teaching of the Nicolaitans in the same way. 2:16Repent therefore, or else I am coming to you quickly, and I will make war against them with the sword of my mouth. 2:17He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the assemblies. To him who overcomes, to him will I give of the hidden manna, and I will give him a white stone, and on the stone a new name written, which no one knows but he who receives it.Revelation 2:18-29 reads,
2:18
"To the angel of the assembly in Thyatira write:"The Son of God, who has his eyes like a flame of fire, and his feet are like burnished brass, says these things:
2:19
I know your works, your love, faith, service, patient endurance, and that your last works are more than the first. 2:20But I have this against you, that you tolerate your woman, Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess. She teaches and seduces my servants to commit sexual immorality, and to eat things sacrificed to idols. 2:21I gave her time to repent, but she refuses to repent of her sexual immorality. 2:22Behold, I will throw her into a bed, and those who commit adultery with her into great oppression, unless they repent of her works. 2:23I will kill her children with Death, and all the assemblies will know that I am he who searches the minds and hearts. I will give to each one of you according to your deeds. 2:24But to you I say, to the rest who are in Thyatira, as many as don’t have this teaching, who don’t know what some call ‘the deep things of Satan,’ to you I say, I don’t lay on you any other burden. 2:25Nevertheless that which you have, hold firmly until I come. 2:26He who overcomes, and he who keeps my works to the end, to him will I give authority over the nations. 2:27He will rule them with a rod of iron, shattering them like clay pots; as I also have received of my Father: 2:28and I will give him the morning star. 2:29He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the assemblies.2:21 shows that Yah'shuah gives us time to repent. We ought to repent in the time that he gives us to do so. If we refuse to do so, implying that repentance is in our power to accept or reject, then we face his righteous judgement on those who refuse to repent.
Revelation 3:1-6 reads,
3:1
"And to the angel of the assembly in Sardis write:He who has the seven Spirits of God, and the seven stars says these things:
"I know your works, that you have a reputation of being alive, but you are dead.
3:2Wake up, and establish the things that remain, which were ready to die, for I have found no works of yours perfected before my God. 3:3Remember therefore how you have received and heard. Keep it, and repent. If therefore you won’t watch, I will come as a thief, and you won’t know what hour I will come on you. 3:4Nevertheless you have a few names in Sardis that did not defile their garments. They will walk with me in white, for they are worthy. 3:5He who overcomes will be arrayed like this in white garments, and I will in no way blot his name out of the book of life, and I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels. 3:6He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the assemblies.Revelation 3:14-22 reads,
3:14
"To the angel of the assembly in Laodicea write:"The Amen, the Faithful and True Witness, the Head of God’s creation, says these things:
3:15"I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were cold or hot. 3:16So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will vomit you out of my mouth. 3:17Because you say, ‘I am rich, and have gotten riches, and have need of nothing;’ and don’t know that you are the wretched one, miserable, poor, blind, and naked; 3:18I counsel you to buy from me gold refined by fire, that you may become rich; and white garments, that you may clothe yourself, and that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and eye salve to anoint your eyes, that you may see. 3:19As many as I love, I reprove and chasten. Be zealous therefore, and repent. 3:20Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him, and will dine with him, and he with me. 3:21He who overcomes, I will give to him to sit down with me on my throne, as I also overcame, and sat down with my Father on his throne. 3:22He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the assemblies."Unrepentant Humans During Yahweh's Judgements On Humans
Revelation 9:18-21 reads,
9:18
By these three plagues were one third of mankind killed: by the fire, the smoke, and the sulfur, which proceeded out of their mouths. 9:19For the power of the horses is in their mouths, and in their tails. For their tails are like serpents, and have heads, and with them they harm. 9:20The rest of mankind, who were not killed with these plagues, didn’t repent of the works of their hands, that they wouldn’t worship demons, and the idols of gold, and of silver, and of brass, and of stone, and of wood; which can neither see, nor hear, nor walk. 9:21They didn’t repent of their murders, nor of their sorceries, nor of their sexual immorality, nor of their thefts.It should be remembered that sufferings, especially physical sufferings, lead human beings to repentance. It should also be remembered that Yahweh grants repentance, for it is Yahweh who has the power to change a person's heart. That these humans do not repent despite the great physical sufferings they are undergoing might suggest that Yahweh does not grant them repentance.
It should also be remembered that a person has capability to accept or reject repentance that is granted to him by Yahweh. Seeing that Yahweh desires that all humans come to repentance, and seeing that he shows no partiality, it appears that these humans who do not repent do not accept Yahweh's leading them to repentance. They therefore remain unrepentant.
Revelation 16:8-9 reads,
16:8
The fourth poured out his bowl on the sun, and it was given to him to scorch men with fire. 16:9Men were scorched with great heat, and they blasphemed the name of God who has the power over these plagues. They didn’t repent and give him glory.Revelation 16:10-11 reads,
16:10
The fifth poured out his bowl on the throne of the beast, and his kingdom was darkened. They gnawed their tongues because of the pain, 16:11and they blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores. They didn’t repent of their works.Click here to inform a friend about this article
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