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From: jnelson@trwrba.UUCP (John T. Nelson)
Newsgroups: net.religion
Subject: Re: A question for Paul and others
Message-ID: <1116@trwrba.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 16-Nov-84 20:21:36 EST
Article-I.D.: trwrba.1116
Posted: Fri Nov 16 20:21:36 1984
Date-Received: Sun, 18-Nov-84 05:21:30 EST
References: <241@ccice6.UUCP>, <976@umcp-cs.UUCP>
Organization: TRW EDS, Redondo Beach, CA
Lines: 63

> > Doesn't this imply that a Christian never really needs to do
> > anything good and is free to be as evil as he feels, as long
> > as he repents before dying?
> 
> Good question.  My personal feeling is that such a plan of repentance
> is such a bald-faced attempt to avoid one's obligations that it's hard
> to see how it could ever be legitimate.
> 
> Charley Wingate

I absolutely agree... IF repentence is treated as a PLAN to attain
salvation.  When treated as such such, repentence becomes a mechanical
thing and denies both the meaning of repentence and the purpose of life
on earth.  Repentence is the act of turning away from those things that
you know are wrong.

Interestingly enough it is the dedicated sinner who will more than
likely benifit from last-minute repentence since, upon seeing God, he
will throw away all of those long-cherished, yet false, attitudes and
beliefs (much like the lame man throwing away his crutches) and accept
God totally.  Why shouldn't he?  He has so little to loose and so much
to gain.... if he is receptive to the idea.  And he will probably be
able to identify his sins if they are blatent enough.

Ahhh!  But what of the self-righteous man who "knows" in his
heart that he is good and will be saved?  Or what of the man who
gives lip-service to repentence yet still clings to notions that
are not true?

This scenario was made excruciatingly obvious when Christ pointed out
the differences between how the pillars of the community prayed, and how
the tax collectors prayed.  Both were obedient to the letter of the
law, but only one will be saved....  the one that cherished honesty
foremost.

This brings up the purpose of repentence here and now (as opposed to
the last-minute act).  Repentence and introspection help you deny
all of those false gods and beliefs.  It is not so much a magical
and ritual act that cleanses you.... the realization of your sin is the
cleansing.  By the way, the word "sin" has become greatly abused in our
culture so you should read "deviating from what is right" here.

The dedicated sinner who has left behind him a wake of transgretions
thus takes up a position higher than that of even the most obedient and
observant believer... but only if he can tear himself away from
his past.  In some ways this means admiting that you are no better than
shit and placing yourself entirely and wholesale in the hands of Christ.

But repentence without realization of one's true nature is lip-service
all the same so don't be fooled into thinking that you can learn such
concepts without direct experience and therefore claim to believe
them...  Belief requires experience and not the parroting of some
litany.

Now, what of the more subtle sins?  Must we REALLY have knowledge of
our sins to repent from them?  What of those who really DO NOT have the
capacity to extracate themselves from the grips of falsehood and sin
even though they may believe what they do to be good?  Well that's
where our efforts end and the grace of God begins.



					- John