11-21-2007, 03:51 PM
Good day all ... :hibye:
The scripture for today is from Acts 2:38 ...
Repent, and let each one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for forgiveness of your sins.
Watchtower comments ...
''After Pentecost 33 C.E., every individual, Jew or Gentile, had to make a personal dedication to God and be baptized ''in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the holy spirit.'' (Matt. 28:19) Jews and proselytes had to signify by their baptism not only that they had dedicated their lives to Jehovah but also that they had accepted Jesus as the means whereby Jehovah would forgive their sins. They had to acknowledge him as Jehovah's High Priest and as their leader, the Head of the Christian congregation. (Col. 1:13, 14, 18) Years later, the apostle Paul stated:''Both to those in Damascus first and to those in Jerusalem, and over all the country of Judea, and to the nations I went bringing the message that they should repent and turn to God by doing works that befit repentance.'' (Acts 26:20) By turning to God, such new disciples became members of spiritual Israel.'' w7/1/06 15,16
My thoughts ...
Repentance ...
When we look at the Greek word used for 'repent' it would seem that it involves at least three things IMHO ... :giverose:
metanoeo
to think differently or afterwards, i.e. reconsider (morally feel compunction):- repent
Yes, the ones Peter was speaking with did not view Christ as the Son of God, their Savior, for they had gone along with the denying of him and eventually the killing of him ... :crybaby:
Peter was asking them then to 'think differently' or 'change their minds' in how they viewed Christ ... to reconsider their viewpoint and/or beliefs ...
To me this seems to be a crucial aspect of 'repenting' for if we don't think we have done anything wrong, or a having a viewpoint that needs changing ... then how could we feel bad or remorseful about it ...? :dontknow:
One we recognize that we have have done something wrong then our heart as well as our mind comes into play does it not ... we begin to feel 'compunction' for our conduct ...
The definition of compunction is
An uneasiness of mind arising from wrongdoing; a sense of guilt or remorse.
Interestingly as part of the meaning of this word it says ...
L com- greatly + pungere to prick, sting
If we were to 'prick' or 'sting' ourselves on something it would hurt wouldn't it ... and doesn't our 'whole' body seem to react ...? So then this is how we should feel if we have done something wrong ... it should HURT us shouldn't it ...
Why ...?
Well, if one pricks their finger on a needle for example and it bleeds what is the first thing we generally do ... do we not immediately stick it in our mouth to help ease the pain ...?
Yes, we REACT to the PAIN ...
So, too if we sin ... we should REACT as well shouldn't we ...? And how is the way we can 'ease' this kind of 'pain' ...? By speaking to our Father, for asking forgiveness, to seek to stop doing whatever it is we are doing ... or 'changing' our course of life or conduct ...
Peter it seems wanted the people to 'repent' ... and to show that they had indeed 'changed their way of thinking' ... that they were 'feeling remorse' for what they had done ... they had to baptized ... they had to 'take a side' ... that of proving that they were now ACCEPTING :clap: Christ Jesus instead of 'rejecting' him ... :(
Yes, their 'remorseful and repentant hearts' MOTIVATED them to change did it not! And because of that, as when he walked the earth, our Lord lovingly and willingly accepted them into his arms!
May we too continue to have a repentant heart :heartbeat: ... letting it warn or prick us when we do something wrong, :shocked::( so that we can change ...:thumbsup: or when someone comes along to show us that perhaps something we are doing is hurtful to us or that is out of harmony with Godly principles may it prick us as well ...
Yes, Jesus wants us to repent ... for repentance is a big part of our being acceptable to him and his Father! :friends:
Hopefully this came out alright ... :giverose:
Love as always ... BR :sheepy: :bouncyhearts:
The scripture for today is from Acts 2:38 ...
Repent, and let each one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for forgiveness of your sins.
Watchtower comments ...
''After Pentecost 33 C.E., every individual, Jew or Gentile, had to make a personal dedication to God and be baptized ''in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the holy spirit.'' (Matt. 28:19) Jews and proselytes had to signify by their baptism not only that they had dedicated their lives to Jehovah but also that they had accepted Jesus as the means whereby Jehovah would forgive their sins. They had to acknowledge him as Jehovah's High Priest and as their leader, the Head of the Christian congregation. (Col. 1:13, 14, 18) Years later, the apostle Paul stated:''Both to those in Damascus first and to those in Jerusalem, and over all the country of Judea, and to the nations I went bringing the message that they should repent and turn to God by doing works that befit repentance.'' (Acts 26:20) By turning to God, such new disciples became members of spiritual Israel.'' w7/1/06 15,16
My thoughts ...
Repentance ...
When we look at the Greek word used for 'repent' it would seem that it involves at least three things IMHO ... :giverose:
metanoeo
to think differently or afterwards, i.e. reconsider (morally feel compunction):- repent
Yes, the ones Peter was speaking with did not view Christ as the Son of God, their Savior, for they had gone along with the denying of him and eventually the killing of him ... :crybaby:
Peter was asking them then to 'think differently' or 'change their minds' in how they viewed Christ ... to reconsider their viewpoint and/or beliefs ...
To me this seems to be a crucial aspect of 'repenting' for if we don't think we have done anything wrong, or a having a viewpoint that needs changing ... then how could we feel bad or remorseful about it ...? :dontknow:
One we recognize that we have have done something wrong then our heart as well as our mind comes into play does it not ... we begin to feel 'compunction' for our conduct ...
The definition of compunction is
An uneasiness of mind arising from wrongdoing; a sense of guilt or remorse.
Interestingly as part of the meaning of this word it says ...
L com- greatly + pungere to prick, sting
If we were to 'prick' or 'sting' ourselves on something it would hurt wouldn't it ... and doesn't our 'whole' body seem to react ...? So then this is how we should feel if we have done something wrong ... it should HURT us shouldn't it ...
Why ...?
Well, if one pricks their finger on a needle for example and it bleeds what is the first thing we generally do ... do we not immediately stick it in our mouth to help ease the pain ...?
Yes, we REACT to the PAIN ...
So, too if we sin ... we should REACT as well shouldn't we ...? And how is the way we can 'ease' this kind of 'pain' ...? By speaking to our Father, for asking forgiveness, to seek to stop doing whatever it is we are doing ... or 'changing' our course of life or conduct ...
Peter it seems wanted the people to 'repent' ... and to show that they had indeed 'changed their way of thinking' ... that they were 'feeling remorse' for what they had done ... they had to baptized ... they had to 'take a side' ... that of proving that they were now ACCEPTING :clap: Christ Jesus instead of 'rejecting' him ... :(
Yes, their 'remorseful and repentant hearts' MOTIVATED them to change did it not! And because of that, as when he walked the earth, our Lord lovingly and willingly accepted them into his arms!
May we too continue to have a repentant heart :heartbeat: ... letting it warn or prick us when we do something wrong, :shocked::( so that we can change ...:thumbsup: or when someone comes along to show us that perhaps something we are doing is hurtful to us or that is out of harmony with Godly principles may it prick us as well ...
Yes, Jesus wants us to repent ... for repentance is a big part of our being acceptable to him and his Father! :friends:
Hopefully this came out alright ... :giverose:
Love as always ... BR :sheepy: :bouncyhearts: