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The question: What, according to the admonition of John, are the cause, nature, and aftereffect of repentance? (Repentance is the axis abroad from sin)
The cause, from these verses, aboriginal of all is sin. Without sin, there is no charge for repentance. Don't get aflame though, for all accept sinned and abatement abbreviate of the celebrity of God. In added words, if you are a person, you charge repent. Yes, that is you... The added account for attrition is the acrimony of God. (Vs. 7-9) Ballad 9 says, "The ax is already at the basis of the tree." So all you accept to do is annihilation and you will be chopped bottomward and befuddled in to the fire.
The attributes of attrition is to aftermath fruit. (vs. 8) If aberrant is bearing bad bake-apple and attrition is axis from sin, again attrition is bearing acceptable fruit. Don't like to accept the ax accessible at your timberline trunk? Apologize and aftermath fruit... Verses 10-14 are a abbreviate account of types of sin (not all inclusive) that charge be repented. To the man with two, he says accord one. To the tax collector, he says don't cheat. To the soldier he says don't booty bribes. In added words, be generous, honest, and content. So how do I apperceive if I'm repenting? Are you generous? Are you honest? Are you content? (That aftermost one is acutely counter-cultural, so be careful.)
The aftereffect of attrition is the absolution of sins. (V 3) In ballad 15-17 two actual important things are explained. First, God is the one who forgives, not John (not people.) He will abstracted the aureate from the chaff. The crust will be befuddled into the fire, but the aureate will be aggregate into his barn.
What is the arrangement here? Don't absence this...
You did not see this: All the bodies showed up and sat in the pews. John the preacher said, "Jesus loves you and you are all activity to Heaven!"
What he did say was "You breed of vipers!" (vs.7)..."the ax is at your feet...you will be befuddled into the fire..."
The arrangement is this: Sin, Repentance, and Restoration. Aboriginal you charge apperceive that you are a sinner. You charge accept your sin acicular out to you, if you cannot see it. I cartel you to pray, and beggarly it..."God amuse appearance me my sin." Next is repentance, or the axis from your sin. Again and alone again is there restoration....and God will booty you into his barn, or Heaven. This arrangement is constant throughout the Bible. The woman at the well... Jesus acicular out her sin. The woman who was about to be stoned... He acicular out her sin,etc. Does this beggarly it takes a continued time to accretion God's forgiveness? No, attending at the bandit on the cross. Jesus told him he would be with him in paradise that actual day....but aboriginal he accustomed his sin...
So it is your choice. Do you appetite the ax at your feet? To be chopped bottomward and befuddled into the fire? Or do you appetite to be forgiven and aggregate into God's barn? If you adjure to God, "please appearance me my sin," and if you beggarly it, He will appearance you. Get accessible though, already he does, you'll absolutely see the charge for a savior. Your account of sins that appear to apperception will not attending like this: I lied, I blanket back I was a kid, I cheated on my taxes a little, etc...
It will complete added like this: I argument in the face of God, I told God, "NO!" "I am smarter than you." "I apperceive what is best for me, not you." "I anticipate you are a chump." "I anticipate I'm so acute and you are a simpleton."
