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       INSTRUCTIONS FOR LIFE

TABLE OF CONTENTS

                                                                                    Page

Ø  Introduction  

Ø  Acts 2:38

Ø  Repentance

Ø       Side Study - Abominations  

Ø  Baptism

Ø  Remission of Sins                              

Ø  The Holy Spirit  

Ø  Conclusion  

INTRODUCTION

I suspect that in many congregations today the word "repent" is seldom heard. I also suspect that in these congregations vital Biblical instructions have been rendered void. Chances are, denominational ethics have supplanted them. I suppose many have concluded that it does not take all that to be "saved". After all, God loves us. He sent Jesus to save us from our sins. Now we are free to do pretty much as we please.  After all, all we need is a sinner's prayer; a march down to the front of the church during altar call or maybe just an ask Jesus into your heart, find a good church home to attend and then you are good to go. Sound about right?

However, just saying you believe in Jesus is not some magic pill that will get you an automatic ticket to heaven. Do we honestly think our Holy God wants a horde of disobedient, have it our way “Christians” trashing and defiling His kingdom? Do we really think this type of individual could live in the presence of our Holy God who is said to be a “consuming fire (Exodus 24:17; Deuteronomy 4:24; Hebrews 12:29)?

Yes, in this day of supposed enlightenment, there are still congregational leaders that preach holiness and adherence to the Word of God. However, when it comes to the congregants and a few of these same leaders; morality is faltering and many are falling away from the faith once delivered.

What in the world is going on!

Do you suppose it is one thing to put on our church face and attend services every week and quite another to obey the teachings of Jesus Christ. However, even if they wanted to, many claim it’s just too hard. In fact, it’s just not doable. “After all,” I have heard many say, “God knows I’m not perfect.” Therefore, it seems only reasonable that we hold to the claim that Jesus did it all for us. This way we are free and clear of all liability. However, it is written that Jesus said the following:

Matthew 5:43-48

“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor  and hate your enemy.’ ⁴⁴ But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, ⁴⁵ that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. ⁴⁶ For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? ⁴⁷ And if you greet your brethren only, what do you do more than others? Do not even the tax collectors do so? ⁴⁸ Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.”

Perfect – 5046 teleioV teleios tel'-i-os from teloV - telos 5056; complete (in various applications of labor, growth, mental and moral character, etc.); neuter (as noun, with 3588) completeness:-- (Translated in King James Version as) of full age, man, perfect.

5056 - teloV telos tel'-os from a primary tello (to set out for a definite point or goal); properly, the point aimed at as a limit, i.e. (by implication) the conclusion of an act or state (termination (literally, figuratively or indefinitely), result (immediate, ultimate or prophetic), purpose); specially, an impost or levy (as paid):-- (Translated in King James Version as) + continual, custom, end(-ing), finally, uttermost.

Perfect (Dictionary.com)

adjective

1. conforming absolutely to the description or definition of an ideal type: a perfect sphere; a perfect gentleman.

2. excellent or complete beyond practical or theoretical improvement: There is no perfect legal code. The proportions of this temple are almost perfect.

3. exactly fitting the need in a certain situation or for a certain purpose: a perfect actor to play Mr. Micawber; a perfect saw for cutting out keyholes.

4. entirely without any flaws, defects, or shortcomings: a perfect apple; the perfect crime.

5. accurate, exact, or correct in every detail: a perfect copy.

The Amplified Bible expands on Matthew 5:48:

Matthew 5:48 Amplified Bible (AMP)

“You, therefore, must be perfect [growing into complete maturity of godliness in mind and character,  having reached the proper height of virtue and integrity], as your heavenly Father is perfect.”

 Why would Jesus instruct us to be “perfect” if it is impossible for us to do so?

Have we overlooked something? Are there Biblical instructions that will truly result in a new you? Instructions, that if adhered to, will transform you into one who “wills to do His will” (John 7:16-17)? Moreover, if Christ and His apostles did leave us important instructions, would you be willing to follow them – if you have not already done so?  

Some years ago, I had to take a battery of tests for an important job I desired to have. When I got to the testing site, I discovered that there were quite a few others that desired this same position. The room was packed with row upon row of applicants. I took a seat and waited for the first test to begin.

Then one of the test administrators stood before the group and gave us initial instructions. She said it was important that we follow her instructions completely. The first test was handed out and she said something similar to this:

• At the top left of the first page of the test, write your first name.
• At the top right of the first page of the test, write your last name.
• Under your first name, write your Social Security Number.
• Under your last name, write the current date.
• We had so many minutes to complete the first test.
• If completed early, bring the test up to the administrator and leave the room until the designated return time.

That was it. Those were the instructions. Then she asked if we had any questions. No hands were raised. Then the first test began.

When we returned to our seats, the administrator said a number of people in the room had disqualified themselves because they did not follow her instructions.

• Some had written both their first and last name on the top left of the page.
• Some wrote their first and last name on the right.
• Still, others forgot to follow the instructions regarding the placing of the Social Security Number and the date.

It did not matter how well they had done on the written test. They did not follow the initial instructions. So, what was the big deal? Well, the position we applied for required attention to detail. The ability to follow those simple instructions was itself a test to weed out those who would not be a good candidate for the position. 

After that, a number of names were called and the individuals asked to leave the testing room. My name was not called; but it was still a memorable lesson learned.

In like manner, Jesus and His apostles have left us instructions that we are to follow. Some have written them off as no longer necessary. Others have determined that we can choose the ones we like and disregard the others. Still a few, like me, believe it is imperative that we follow these instructions as given.

This Bible study will address one important set of instructions located in just one verse in the Book of Acts.

Acts 2:38
“Then Peter said to them, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”

In this study, all scripture references are from the New King James Version (NKJV), unless otherwise stated.                                                                                 

Hebrew and Greek word definitions, for selected words (in red), are included from the Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible, unless otherwise stated.

For emphasis - a Bible passage or word definition may appear more than once in this study.

 ACTS 2:38

It is important that we agree on the content of Acts 2:38. So, let us begin by comparing this same verse from some of our most popular English Bible translations.

Acts 2:38 Tree of Life Version (TLV)

“Peter said to them, “Repent, and let each of you be immersed in the name of Messiah Yeshua for the removal of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Ruach ha-Kodesh.”

Acts 2:38 English Standard Version (ESV)

“And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”

Acts 2:38 King James Version (KJV)

“Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.”

Acts 2:38 New American Standard Bible (NASB)

“Peter said to them, “Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”

Acts 2:38 New International Version (NIV)

“Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”

Acts 2:38 Revised Standard Version (RSV)

“And Peter said to them, “Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”

• Including the New King James Version (NKJV), seven of the seven English translations use the word “repent.” “Repent” is defined in the Strong’s Concordance as follows:

Repent – 3340 metanoew metanoeo met-an-o-eh'-o from meta - meta 3326 and noiew - noieo 3539; to think differently or afterwards, i.e. reconsider (morally, feel compunction):-- (Translated in King James Version as) repent.

3326 - meta meta met-ah' a primary preposition (often used adverbially); properly, denoting accompaniment; "amid" (local or causal); modified variously according to the case (genitive association, or accusative succession) with which it is joined; occupying an intermediate position between apo - apo 575 or ek - ek 1537 and eiV - eis 1519 or proV - pros 4314; less intimate than en - en 1722 and less close than 4862):-- (Translated in King James Version as) after(-ward), X that he again, against, among, X and, + follow, hence, hereafter, in, of, (up-)on, + our, X and setting, since, (un-)to, + together, when, with (+ -out). Often used in composition, in substantially the same relations of participation or proximity, and transfer or sequence.

3539 - noiew noieo noy-eh'-o from nouV - nous 3563; to exercise the mind (observe), i.e. (figuratively) to comprehend, heed:-- (Translated in King James Version as) consider, perceive, think, understand.

3563 - nouV nous nooce probably from the base of ginwskw - ginosko 1097; the intellect, i.e. mind (divine or human; in thought, feeling, or will); by implication, meaning:-- (Translated in King James Version as) mind, understanding.

1097 - ginwskw ginosko ghin-oce'-ko a prolonged form of a primary verb; to "know" (absolutely) in a great variety of applications and with many implications (as follow, with others not thus clearly expressed):-- (Translated in King James Version as) allow, be aware (of), feel, (have) know(-ledge), perceived, be resolved, can speak, be sure, understand.

• Six of the seven use the phrase, “in the name of Jesus Christ.” Whereas, the Tree of Life Version (TLV) chose “in the name” and Jesus’ Hebrew name “Yeshua” and “Messiah” instead of “Jesus” and the Greek word “Christ.” “Name” is defined in the Strong’s Concordance as follows:

Name – 3686 onoma onoma on'-om-ah from a presumed derivative of the base of ginwskw - ginosko 1097 (compare 3685); a "name" (literally or figuratively) (authority, character):-- (Translated in King James Version as) called, (+ sur-)name(-d).

• Four of the seven translations use the same phrase, “for the forgiveness of your sins.” the Tree of Life Version (TLV) translates it as “for the removal of your sins.” owever, the King James Version (KJV) and the New King James Version (NKJV) preferred “for the remission of sins” or “for the remission of your sins.” “Forgiveness” and “Remission” are from the same Greek word and  defined in the Strong’s Concordance as follows:

Forgiveness/Remission – 859 afesiV aphesis af'-es-is from afihmi - aphiemi 863; freedom; (figuratively) pardon:-- (Translated in King James Version as) deliverance, forgiveness, liberty, remission.

863 afihmi aphiemi af-ee'-ay-mee from apo - apo 575 and hiemi (to send; an intensive form of eimi, to go); to send forth, in various applications (as follow):-- (Translated in King James Version as) cry, forgive, forsake, lay aside, leave, let (alone, be, go, have), omit, put (send) away, remit, suffer, yield up

575 - apo apo apo' a primary particle; "off," i.e. away (from something near), in various senses (of place, time, or relation; literal or figurative):-- (Translated in King James Version as) (X here-)after, ago, at, because of, before, by (the space of), for(-th), from, in, (out) of, off, (up-)on(-ce), since, with. In composition (as a prefix) it usually denotes separation, departure, cessation, completion, reversal, etc.

• Only The King James Version (KJV) uses the word “Ghost” instead of “Spirit.” “Ghost” and “Spirit” are from the same Greek word and  defined in the Strong’s Concordance as follows:

Ghost/Spirit – 4151 pneuma pneuma pnyoo'-mah from pnew - pneo 4154; a current of air, i.e. breath (blast) or a breeze; by analogy or figuratively, a spirit, i.e. (human) the rational soul, (by implication) vital principle, mental disposition, etc., or (superhuman) an angel, demon, or (divine) God, Christ's spirit, the Holy Spirit:-- (Translated in King James Version as) ghost, life, spirit(-ual, -ually), mind.

4154 - pnew pneo pneh'-o a primary word; to breathe hard, i.e. breeze:-- (Translated in King James Version as) blow.

• The following key words, from Acts 2:38, are defined in Strong’s as follows:

Baptized -  907 baptizw baptizo bap-tid'-zo from a derivative of baptw - bapto 911; to immerse, submerge; to make whelmed (i.e. fully wet); used only (in the New Testament) of ceremonial ablution, especially (technically) of the ordinance of Christian baptism:-- (Translated in King James Version as) Baptist, baptize, wash.

911- baptw bapto bap'-to a primary verb; to whelm, i.e. cover wholly with a fluid; in the New Testament only in a qualified or special sense, i.e. (literally) to moisten (a part of one's person), or (by implication) to stain (as with dye):-- (Translated in King James Version as) dip.

For/Into – 1519 eiV eis ice a primary preposition; to or into (indicating the point reached or entered), of place, time, or (figuratively) purpose (result, etc.); also in adverbial phrases:-- (Translated in King James Version as) (abundant-)ly, against, among, as, at, (back-)ward, before, by, concerning, + continual, + far more exceeding, for (intent, purpose), fore, + forth, in (among, at, unto, -so much that, -to), to the intent that, + of one mind, + never, of, (up-)on, + perish, + set at one again, (so) that, therefore(-unto), throughout, til, to (be, the end, -ward), (here-)until(-to), ...ward, (where-)fore, with. Often used in composition with the same general import, but only with verbs (etc.) expressing motion (literally or figuratively).

According to the Blue Letter Bible website, the Greek word eiV (eis), translated as “for” in verse 38, was translated as follows in the King James Version (KJV) New Testament.

Gift – 1431 dwrea dorea do-reh-ah' from dwron - doron 1435; a gratuity:-- (Translated in King James Version as) gift.

1435 - dwron doron do'-ron a present; specially, a sacrifice:-- (Translated in King James Version as) gift, offering.

Holy – 40 agioV hagios hag'-ee-os from hagos (an awful thing) (compare agnoV - hagnos 53, 2282); sacred (physically, pure, morally blameless or religious, ceremonially, consecrated):-- (Translated in King James Version as) (most) holy (one, thing), saint.

53 - agnoV hagnos hag-nos' from the same as agioV - hagios 40; properly, clean, i.e. (figuratively) innocent, modest, perfect:-- (Translated in King James Version as) chaste, clean, pure.

·   In English, the word “awful” has come to mean something dreadful. However, that was not always the case. Click here to find out what Trivia-Library.com has to say about the word “awful.”

Receive – 2983 lambanw lambano lam-ban'-o a prolonged form of a primary verb, which is use only as an alternate in certain tenses; to take (in very many applications, literally and figuratively (properly objective or active, to get hold of; whereas decomai - dechomai 1209 is rather subjective or passive, to have offered to one; while aireomai - haireomai 138 is more violent, to seize or remove)):-- (Translated in King James Version as)  accept, + be amazed, assay, attain, bring, X when I call, catch, come on (X unto), + forget, have, hold, obtain, receive (X after), take (away, up).

Sins – 266 amartia hamartia ham-ar-tee'-ah from amartanw - hamartano 264; a sin (properly abstract):-- (Translated in King James Version as) offence, sin(-ful).

264 - amartanw hamartano ham-ar-tan'-o perhaps from a - a 1 (as a negative particle) and the base of meroV - meros 3313; properly, to miss the mark (and so not share in the prize), i.e. (figuratively) to err, especially (morally) to sin:-- (Translated in King James Version as) for your faults, offend, sin, trespass.

1 - a a al'-fah of Hebrew origin; the first letter of the alphabet; figuratively, only (from its use as a numeral) the first: --(Translated in King James Version as) Alpha. Often used (usually an, before a vowel) also in composition (as a contraction from 427) in the sense of privation; so, in many words, beginning with this letter; occasionally in the sense of union (as a contraction of 260).

3313 - meroV meros mer'-os from an obsolete but more primary form of meiromai (to get as a section or allotment); a division or share (literally or figuratively, in a wide application):-- (Translated in King James Version as) behalf, course, coast, craft, particular (+ -ly), part (+ -ly), piece, portion, respect, side, some sort(-what).

Following is Acts 2:38 in context with the surrounding verses:

Acts 2:29-40

“Men and brethren, let me speak freely to you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. ³⁰ Therefore, being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him that of the fruit of his body, according to the flesh, He would raise up the Christ to sit on his throne, ³¹ he, foreseeing this, spoke concerning the resurrection of the Christ, that His soul was not left in Hades, nor did His flesh see corruption. ³² This Jesus God has raised up, of which we are all witnesses. ³³ Therefore being exalted to the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, He poured out this which you now see and hear.

³⁴ “For David did not ascend into the heavens, but he says himself:

‘The Lord said to my Lord,
“Sit at My right hand,
³⁵ Till I make Your enemies Your footstool.”’

³⁶ “Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ.”

³⁷ Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Men and brethren, what shall we do?”

³⁸ Then Peter said to them, “Repent ⁽³³⁴⁰⁾, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. ³⁹ For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call.”

⁴⁰ And with many other words he testified and exhorted them, saying, “Be saved from this perverse generation.”

• Verse 36 – “All the house of Israel” refers to all twelve tribes. Judah (Jews) represents only one of the twelve tribes.

• Verse 38 – Because the King James Version (KJV) translated various Hebrew and Greek words as “repent”, in this study, I will include the Strong’s number, in superscript, next to the word.

• Verses 29-37 - It appears many in the crowd were familiar with, or at least had heard of, Jesus. According to these verses, it appears many came to believe in Jesus and were sorry for their part in His crucifixion. So, if just believing that Jesus was crucified for us is all it takes to “be saved” why did Peter tell them to “repent”, “be baptized” and “receive the gift of the Holy Spirit” in order to “be saved”? Why does Peter link salvation with repentance, baptism and the gift of the Holy Spirit?

Please note that there is no mention of an altar call, sinner’s prayer or just ask Jesus into your heart.

REPENTANCE

Here again is the Strong’s Concordance definition of the New Testament word “repent.”

Repent – 3340 metanoew metanoeo met-an-o-eh'-o from meta - meta 3326 and noiew - noieo 3539; to think differently or afterwards, i.e. reconsider (morally, feel compunction):-- (Translated in King James Version as) repent.

Strong’s  definition of the word “repentance” is as follows:

Repentance – 3341 metanoia metanoia met-an'-oy-ah from metanoew - metanoeo 3340; (subjectively) compunction (for guilt, including reformation); by implication, reversal (of (another's) decision):-- (Translated in King James Version as) repentance.

In addition to the Strong’s Concordance definitions of the words “repent” and “repentance,” it may also be helpful for us to understand our modern English usage of these words.

Dictionary.com defines “repent” and “repentance” as follows:

re·pent

verb (used without object)

1. to feel sorry, self-reproachful, or contrite for past conduct; regret or be conscience-stricken about a past action, attitude, etc. (often followed by of  ): He repented after his thoughtless act.

2. to feel such sorrow for sin or fault as to be disposed to change one's life for the better; be penitent.

verb (used with object)

3. to remember or regard with self-reproach or contrition: to repent one's injustice to another.

4. to feel sorry for; regret: to repent an imprudent act.

re·pent·ance

/noun

1. deep sorrow, compunction, or contrition for a past sin, wrongdoing, or the like.

2. regret for any past action.

Bible Dictionary Easton

Repentance definition

“There are three Greek words used in the New Testament to denote repentance. (1.) The verb _metamelomai_ is used of a change of mind, such as to produce regret or even remorse on account of sin, but not necessarily a change of heart. This word is used with reference to the repentance of Judas (Matt. 27:3). (2.) Metanoeo, meaning to change one's mind and purpose, as the result of after knowledge. This verb, with (3) the cognate noun _metanoia_, is used of true repentance, a change of mind and purpose and life, to which remission of sin is promised. Evangelical repentance consists of (1) a true sense of one's own guilt and sinfulness; (2) an apprehension of God's mercy in Christ; (3) an actual hatred of sin (Ps. 119:128; Job 42:5, 6; 2 Cor. 7:10) and turning from it to God; and (4) a persistent endeavour after a holy life in a walking with God in the way of his commandments. The true penitent is conscious of guilt (Ps. 51:4, 9), of pollution (51:5, 7, 10), and of helplessness (51:11; 109:21, 22). Thus he apprehends himself to be just what God has always seen him to be and declares him to be. But repentance comprehends not only such a sense of sin, but also an apprehension of mercy, without which there can be no true repentance (Ps. 51:1; 130:4).”

When Jesus referred to the scriptures, His source was the Hebrew Bible (Old Testament). In order to establish a strong foundation, this will be an excellent place for us to begin this study in earnest.

      The following passages will give us Biblical insight into the meaning of “repent”:

Psalm 51:1-17

“Have mercy upon me, O God,
According to Your lovingkindness;
According to the multitude of Your tender mercies,
Blot out my transgressions.
² Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity,
And cleanse me from my sin.

³ For I acknowledge my transgressions,
And my sin is always before me.
⁴ Against You, You only, have I sinned,
And done this evil in Your sight—
That You may be found just when You speak,
And blameless when You judge.

⁵ Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity,
And in sin my mother conceived me.
⁶ Behold, You desire truth in the inward parts,
And in the hidden part You will make me to know wisdom.

⁷ Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean;
Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
⁸ Make me hear joy and gladness,
That the bones You have broken may rejoice.
⁹ Hide Your face from my sins,
And blot out all my iniquities.

¹⁰ Create in me a clean heart, O God,
And renew a steadfast spirit within me.
¹¹ Do not cast me away from Your presence,
And do not take Your Holy Spirit from me.

¹² Restore to me the joy of Your salvation,
And uphold me by Your generous Spirit.
¹³ Then I will teach transgressors Your ways,
And sinners shall be converted to You.

¹⁴ Deliver me from the guilt of bloodshed, O God,
The God of my salvation,
And my tongue shall sing aloud of Your righteousness.
¹⁵ O Lord, open my lips,
And my mouth shall show forth Your praise.
¹⁶ For You do not desire sacrifice, or else I would give it;
You do not delight in burnt offering.
¹⁷ The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit,
A broken and a contrite heart—
These, O God, You will not despise.”

• Psalm 51 is a Psalm by King David. David wrote this Psalm after Nathan the prophet went to him with a word from God. David had committed adultery with Bathsheba. David also sent Bathsheba’s husband to the front line of battle, where he was killed, in order to hide his sin of impregnating Bathsheba.

Yet, it says in 1 Samuel 16 that David was chosen by God to be king of Israel. It also says that after David was anointed to be king, “the Spirit of the LORD came upon David from that day forward.” Still, David, the man after the Lord’s own heart, sinned and needed to “repent.”

 1 Samuel 13:13-14

“And Samuel said to Saul, “You have done foolishly. You have not kept the commandment of the Lord (Yehowah) your God, which He commanded you. For now the Lord (Yehowah)¹ would have established your kingdom over Israel forever. ¹⁴ But now your kingdom shall not continue. The Lord (Yehowah) has sought for Himself a man after His own heart, and the Lord (Yehowah) has commanded him to be commander over His people, because you have not kept what the Lord (Yehowah) commanded you.”

1 Samuel 16:1-13

 “Now the Lord (Yehowah) said to Samuel, “How long will you mourn for Saul, seeing I have rejected him from reigning over Israel? Fill your horn with oil, and go; I am sending you to Jesse the Bethlehemite. For I have provided Myself a king among his sons.”

² And Samuel said, “How can I go? If Saul hears it, he will kill me.”

But the Lord (Yehowah) said, “Take a heifer with you, and say, ‘I have come to sacrifice to the Lord (Yehowah).’ ³ Then invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show you what you shall do; you shall anoint for Me the one I name to you.”

⁴ So Samuel did what the Lord (Yehowah) said, and went to Bethlehem. And the elders of the town trembled at his coming, and said, “Do you come peaceably?”

⁵ And he said, “Peaceably; I have come to sacrifice to the Lord (Yehowah). Sanctify yourselves, and come with me to the sacrifice.” Then he consecrated Jesse and his sons, and invited them to the sacrifice.

⁶ So it was, when they came, that he looked at Eliab and said, “Surely the Lord’s (Yehowah’s) anointed is before Him!”

⁷ But the Lord (Yehowah) said to Samuel, “Do not look at his appearance or at his physical stature, because I have refused him. For the Lord (Yehowah) does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord (Yehowah) looks at the heart.”

⁸ So Jesse called Abinadab, and made him pass before Samuel. And he said, “Neither has the Lord (Yehowah) chosen this one.” ⁹ Then Jesse made Shammah pass by. And he said, “Neither has the

Lord (Yehowah) chosen this one.” ¹⁰ Thus Jesse made seven of his sons pass before Samuel. And

Samuel said to Jesse, “The Lord (Yehowah) has not chosen these.” ¹¹ And Samuel said to Jesse, “Are all the young men here?” Then he said, “There remains yet the youngest, and there he is, keeping the sheep.”

And Samuel said to Jesse, “Send and bring him. For we will not sit down till he comes here.” ¹² So he sent and brought him in. Now he was ruddy, with bright eyes, and good-looking. And the Lord (Yehowah) said, “Arise, anoint him; for this is the one!” ¹³ Then Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the midst of his brothers; and the Spirit of the Lord (Yehowah) came upon David from that day forward.”

Acknowledge – 3045 yada` yaw-dah' a primitive root; to know (properly, to ascertain by seeing); used in a great variety of senses, figuratively, literally, euphemistically and inferentially (including observation, care, recognition; and causatively, instruction, designation, punishment, etc.) (as follow):-- (Translated in King James Version as) acknowledge, acquaintance(-ted with), advise, answer, appoint, assuredly, be aware, (un-)awares, can(-not), certainly, comprehend, consider, X could they, cunning, declare, be diligent, (can, cause to) discern, discover, endued with, familiar friend, famous, feel, can have, be (ig-)norant, instruct, kinsfolk, kinsman, (cause to let, make) know, (come to give, have, take) knowledge, have (knowledge), (be, make, make to be, make self) known, + be learned, + lie by man, mark, perceive, privy to, X prognosticator, regard, have respect, skilful, shew, can (man of) skill, be sure, of a surety, teach, (can) tell, understand, have (understanding), X will be, wist, wit, wot.

Consecrated – 6942 qadash kaw-dash' a primitive root; to be (causatively, make, pronounce or observe as) clean (ceremonially or morally):-- :-- (Translated in King James Version as) appoint, bid, consecrate, dedicate, defile, hallow, (be, keep) holy(-er, place), keep, prepare, proclaim, purify, sanctify(-ied one, self), X wholly.

Sin – 2403 chatta'ah khat-taw-aw' or chattacth {khat-tawth'}; from 'chata'' (2398); an offence (sometimes habitual sinfulness), and its penalty, occasion, sacrifice, or expiation; also (concretely) an offender:-- (Translated in King James Version as) punishment (of sin), purifying(-fication for sin), sin(-ner, offering).

2398 - chata' khaw-taw' a primitive root; properly, to miss; hence (figuratively and generally) to sin; by inference, to forfeit, lack, expiate, repent, (causatively) lead astray, condemn:-- (Translated in King James Version as) bear the blame, cleanse, commit (sin), by fault, harm he hath done, loss, miss, (make) offend(-er), offer for sin, purge, purify (self), make reconciliation, (cause, make) sin(-ful, -ness), trespass.

Transgressions – 6588 pesha` peh'-shah from 'pasha`' (6586); a revolt (national, moral or religious):-- (Translated in King James Version as) rebellion, sin, transgression, trespass.

6586 - pasha` paw-shah' a primitive root (identical with 'pasa`' (6585) through the idea of expansion); to break away (from just authority), i.e. trespass, apostatize, quarrel:-- (Translated in King James Version as) offend, rebel, revolt, transgress(-ion, -or).

6585 - pasa` paw-sah' a primitive root; to stride (from spreading the legs), i.e. rush upon:-- (Translated in King James Version as) go.

In the Old Testament (Tanach or Hebrew Bible), the words “turn” and “return” are often associated with or convey the same meaning as the word “repent.”

2 Chronicles 6:36-40

“When they sin against You (for there is no one who does not sin), and You become angry with them and deliver them to the enemy, and they take them captive to a land far or near; ³⁷ yet when they come to themselves in the land where they were carried captive, and repent ⁽⁷⁷²⁵⁾, and make supplication to You in the land of their captivity, saying, ‘We have sinned, we have done wrong, and have committed wickedness’; ³⁸ and when they return ⁽⁷⁷²⁵⁾ to You with all their heart and with all their soul in the land of their captivity, where they have been carried captive, and pray toward their land which You gave to their fathers, the city which You have chosen, and toward the temple which I have built for Your name: ³⁹ then hear from heaven Your dwelling place their prayer and their supplications, and maintain their cause, and                                       ⁴⁰ Now, my God, I pray, let Your eyes be open and let Your ears be attentive to the prayer made in this place.'”

Jeremiah 8:1-6

“At that time,” says the Lord (Yehowah) , “they shall bring out the bones of the kings of Judah, and the bones of its princes, and the bones of the priests, and the bones of the prophets, and the bones of the inhabitants of Jerusalem, out of their graves. ² They shall spread them before the sun and the moon and all the host of heaven, which they have loved and which they have served and after which they have walked, which they have sought and which they have worshiped. They shall not be gathered nor buried; they shall be like refuse on the face of the earth. ³ Then death shall be chosen rather than life by all the residue of those who remain of this evil family, who remain in all the places where I have driven them,” says the Lord (Yehowah) of hosts.

⁴ “Moreover you shall say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord (Yehowah):

“Will they fall and not rise?
Will one turn away ⁽⁷⁷²⁵⁾ and not return ⁽⁷⁷²⁵⁾?
⁵ Why has this people slidden back,
Jerusalem, in a perpetual backsliding?
They hold fast to deceit,
They refuse to return ⁽⁷⁷²⁵⁾.
⁶ I listened and heard,
But they do not speak aright.
No man repented ⁽⁵¹⁶²⁾ of his wickedness,
Saying, ‘What have I done?’
Everyone turned to his own course,
As the horse rushes into the battle.”

Repent/ Return/ not Return /Turn away– 7725 shuwb shoob a primitive root; to turn back (hence, away) transitively or intransitively, literally or figuratively (not necessarily with the idea of return to the starting point); generally to retreat;  :-- (Translated in King James Version as) ((break, build, circumcise, dig, do anything, do evil, feed, lay down, lie down, lodge, make, rejoice, send, take, weep)) X again, (cause to) answer (+ again), X in any case (wise), X at all, averse, bring (again, back, home again), call (to mind), carry again (back), cease, X certainly, come again (back), X consider, + continually, convert, deliver (again), + deny, draw back, fetch home again, X fro, get (oneself) (back) again, X give (again), go again (back, home), (go) out, hinder, let, (see) more, X needs, be past, X pay, pervert, pull in again, put (again, up again), recall, recompense, recover, refresh, relieve, render (again), requite, rescue, restore, retrieve, (cause to, make to) return, reverse, reward, + say nay, send back, set again, slide back, still, X surely, take back (off), (cause to, make to) turn (again, self again, away, back, back again, backward, from, off), withdraw.

Repent – 5162 nacham naw-kham' a primitive root; properly, to sigh, i.e. breathe strongly; by implication, to be sorry, i.e. (in a favorable sense) to pity, console or (reflexively) rue; or (unfavorably) to avenge (oneself):-- (Translated in King James Version as) comfort (self), ease (one's self), repent(-er,-ing, self).

Jeremiah 25:4-7

“And the Lord (Yehowah) has sent to you all His servants the prophets, rising early and sending them, but you have not listened nor inclined your ear to hear. ⁵ They said, ‘Repent ⁽⁷⁷²⁵⁾ now everyone of his evil way and his evil doings, and dwell in the land that the Lord (Yehowah) has given to you and your fathers forever and ever. ⁶ Do not go after other gods to serve them and worship them, and do not provoke Me to anger with the works of your hands; and I will not harm you.’ ⁷ Yet you have not listened to Me,” says the Lord (Yehowah), “that you might provoke Me to anger with the works of your hands to your own hurt.”

Jeremiah 31:18-19

“I have surely heard Ephraim bemoaning himself:
‘You have chastised me, and I was chastised,
Like an untrained bull;
Restore me, and I will return ^(7725),
For You are the Lord (Yehowah) my God.
¹⁹ Surely, after my turning ⁽⁷⁷²⁵⁾, I repented ⁽⁵¹⁶²⁾;
And after I was instructed, I struck myself on the thigh;
I was ashamed, yes, even humiliated,
Because I bore the reproach of my youth.’”

Hosea 6:1-3

“Come, and let us return ⁽⁷⁷²⁵⁾ to the Lord (Yehowah);
For He has torn, but He will heal us;
He has stricken, but He will bind us up.
² After two days He will revive us;
On the third day He will raise us up,
That we may live in His sight.
³ Let us know,
Let us pursue the knowledge of the Lord (Yehowah).
His going forth is established as the morning;
He will come to us like the rain,
Like the latter and former rain to the earth.”

Joel 2:12-13

“Now, therefore,” says the Lord(Yehowah) ,
“Turn ⁽⁷⁷²⁵⁾ to Me with all your heart,
With fasting, with weeping, and with mourning.”
¹³ So rend your heart, and not your garments;
Return ⁽⁷⁷²⁵⁾ to the Lord (Yehowah) your God,
For He is gracious and merciful,
Slow to anger, and of great kindness;
And He relents from doing harm.”

Ezekiel 18:19-32

“Yet you say, ‘Why should the son not bear the guilt of the father?’ Because the son has done what is lawful and right, and has kept all My statutes and observed them, he shall surely live. ²⁰ The soul who sins shall die. The son shall not bear the guilt of the father, nor the father bear the guilt of the son. The righteousness of the righteous shall be upon himself, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon himself.

²¹ “But if a wicked man turns⁽⁷⁷²⁵⁾ from all his sins which he has committed, keeps all My statutes, and does what is lawful and right, he shall surely live; he shall not die. ²² None of the transgressions which he has committed shall be remembered against him; because of the righteousness which he has done, he shall live. ²³ Do I have any pleasure at all that the wicked should die?” says the Lord God(Yehowah), “and not that he should turn ⁽⁷⁷²⁵⁾ from his ways and live?

²⁴ “But when a righteous man turns⁽⁷⁷²⁵⁾ away from his righteousness and commits iniquity, and does according to all the abominations that the wicked man does, shall he live? All the righteousness which he has done shall not be remembered; because of the unfaithfulness of which he is guilty and the sin which he has committed, because of them he shall die.

²⁵ “Yet you say, ‘The way of the Lord is not fair.’ Hear now, O house of Israel, is it not My way which is fair, and your ways which are not fair? ²⁶ When a righteous man turns ⁽⁷⁷²⁵⁾ away from his righteousness, commits iniquity, and dies in it, it is because of the iniquity which he has done that he dies. ²⁷ Again, when a wicked man turns ⁽⁷⁷²⁵⁾away from the wickedness which he committed, and does what is lawful and right, he preserves himself alive. ²⁸ Because he considers and turns ⁽⁷⁷²⁵⁾ away from all the transgressions which he committed, he shall surely live; he shall not die. ²⁹ Yet the house of Israel says, ‘The way of the Lord is not fair.’ O house of Israel, is it not My ways which are fair, and your ways which are not fair?

³⁰ “Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, every one according to his ways,” says the Lord (Yehowah) God. “Repent ⁽⁷⁷²⁵⁾, and turn ⁽⁷⁷²⁵⁾ from all your transgressions, so that iniquity will not be your ruin. ³¹ Cast away from you all the transgressions which you have committed, and get yourselves a new heart and a new spirit. For why should you die, O house of Israel? ³² For I have no pleasure in the death of one who dies,” says the Lord (Yehowah) God. “Therefore turn ⁽⁷⁷²⁵⁾ and live!”

• Verse 27 – “Lawful” is not a popular Christian word. Well, at least not in many denominational circles. However, it is important that we remember what Jesus said:

Matthew 7:21-27

“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. ²² Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ ²³ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’

²⁴ “Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: ²⁵ and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock.

²⁶ “But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand: ²⁷ and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell. And great was its fall.”

• This also reminds me of Hebrews 6:4-6:

Hebrews 6:1-6

“Therefore, leaving the discussion of the elementary principles of Christ, let us go on to perfection, not laying again the foundation of repentance ⁽³³⁴¹⁾  from dead works and of faith toward God, ² of the doctrine of baptisms, of laying on of hands, of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment. ³ And this we will do if God permits.

⁴ For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted the heavenly gift, and have become partakers of the Holy Spirit, ⁵ and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, ⁶ if they fall away, to renew them again to repentance ⁽³³⁴¹⁾, since they crucify again for themselves the Son of God, and put Him to an open shame.”

Lawlessness – 458 anomia anomia an-om-ee'-ah from anomoV - anomos 459; illegality, i.e. violation of law or (genitive case) wickedness:-- (Translated in King James Version as) iniquity, X transgress(-ion of) the law, unrighteousness.

459 - anomoV anomos an'-om-os from a - a 1 (as a negative particle) and nomoV - nomos 3551; lawless, i.e. (negatively) not subject to (the Jewish) law; (by implication, a Gentile), or (positively) wicked:-- (Translated in King James Version as) without law, lawless, transgressor, unlawful, wicked.

1 – a a al'-fah of Hebrew origin; the first letter of the alphabet; figuratively, only (from its use as a numeral) the first: --(Translated in King James Version as) Alpha. Often used (usually an, before a vowel) also in composition (as a contraction from 427) in the sense of privation; so, in many words, beginning with this letter; occasionally in the sense of union (as a contraction of 260).

3551 - nomoV nomos nom'-os from a primary nemo (to parcel out, especially food or grazing to animals); law (through the idea of prescriptive usage), genitive case (regulation), specially, (of Moses (including the volume); also of the Gospel), or figuratively (a principle):-- (Translated in King James Version as) law.

Ezekiel 14:6-8

 “Therefore say to the house of Israel, ‘Thus says the Lord God (Yehowah): “Repent ⁽⁷⁷²⁵⁾, turn ⁽⁷⁷²⁵⁾ away from your idols, and turn ⁽⁷⁷²⁵⁾ your faces away from all your abominations. ⁷ For anyone of the house of Israel, or of the strangers who dwell in Israel, who separates himself from Me and sets up his idols in his heart and puts before him what causes him to stumble into iniquity, then comes to a prophet to inquire of him concerning Me, I the Lord (Yehowah) will answer him by Myself. ⁸ I will set My face against that man and make him a sign and a proverb, and I will cut him off from the midst of My people. Then you shall know that I am the Lord (Yehowah).”

I believe many Christians – conveniently – only recognize homosexuality as an abomination.  However, there are numerous things our God deems an “abomination.”  Because of their importance, I am including a brief side study in order to address them.

SIDE STUDY - ABOMINATIONS

The King James Version (KJV) translated various Hebrew and Greek words as “abomination,” “abominable” and “abominably.”

The word “abomination” was used 142 times in the King James Version (KJV). The word “abominable” was used 23 times and the word “abominably” once.

The Strong’s Concordance defines these words as follows:

Old Testament –

Abomination/ Abominable/Abominably – 887 ba'ash baw-ash' a primitive root; to smell bad; figuratively, to be offensive morally:-- (Translated in King James Version as) (make to) be abhorred (had in abomination, loathsome, odious), (cause a, make to) stink(-ing savour), X utterly.

Abomination/ Abominable/Abominably  – 2194 za`am zaw-am' a primitive root; properly, to foam at the mouth, i.e. to be enraged:-- (Translated in King James Version as) abhor, abominable, (be) angry, defy, (have) indignation.

Abomination/ Abominable/Abominably – 6292 pigguwl pig-gool' or piggul {pig-gool'}; from an unused root meaning to stink; properly, fetid, i.e. (figuratively) unclean (ceremonially):-- (Translated in King James Version as) abominable(-tion, thing).

Abomination/ Abominable/Abominably  – 8251 shiqquwts shik-koots' or shiqquts {shik-koots'}; from 'shaqats' (8262); disgusting, i.e. filthy; especially idolatrous or (concretely) an idol:-- (Translated in King James Version as) abominable filth (idol, -ation), detestable (thing).

8262 –  shaqats shaw-kats' a primitive root; to be filthy, i.e. (intensively) to loathe, pollute:-- (Translated in King James Version as) abhor, make abominable, have in abomination, detest, X utterly.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      Abomination/ Abominable/Abominably  –  8263 sheqets sheh'-kets from 'shaqats' (8262); filth, i.e. (figuratively and specifically) an idolatrous object:-- (Translated in King James Version as) abominable(-tion).

Abomination/ Abominable  – 8441 tow`ebah to-ay-baw'  or tonebah {to-ay-baw'}; feminine active participle of 'ta`ab' (8581); properly, something disgusting (morally), i.e. (as noun) an abhorrence; especially idolatry or (concretely) an idol:-- (Translated in King James Version as) abominable (custom, thing), abomination.

8581 - ta`ab taw-ab' a primitive root; to loathe, i.e. (morally) :-- (Translated in King James Version as) (make to be) abhor(-red), (be, commit more, do) abominable(-y), X utterly.

New Testament –

Abomination/ Abominable  – 111 aqemitoV athemitos ath-em'-ee-tos from a - a 1 (as a negative particle) and a derivative of themis (statute; from the base of 5087); illegal; by implication, flagitious:-- (Translated in King James Version as) abominable, unlawful thing.

Abomination/ Abominable  – 946 bdelugma bdelugma bdel'-oog-mah from bdelussw - bdelusso 948; a detestation, i.e. (specially) idolatry:-- (Translated in King James Version as) abomination.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                Abomination/Abominable  – 947 bdeluktoV bdeluktos bdel-ook-tos' from bdelussw - bdelusso 948; detestable, i.e. (specially) idolatrous:-- (Translated in King James Version as) abominable.

Abomination/ Abominable/Abominably – 948 bdelussw bdelusso bdel-oos'-so from a (presumed) derivative of bdeo (to stink); to be disgusted, i.e. (by implication) detest (especially of idolatry):-- (Translated in King James Version as) abhor, abominable.

Following is a list of “abominations.” The list is not exhaustive. However, the passages given are both timely and important.

Please, let’s not play the hypocrite by saying that most of the abominations listed do not concern us because they are Old Testament (Old Covenant) and under the law. If we strive for truth and holiness, we will not snatch homosexuality out of the list, to suit our own personal standard, and throw the rest away. Either it is all applicable or none of it is.

It is to our benefit to know the truth, to judge for ourselves if any of these things apply in our life and to “repent” if they do.

* To show everything in context, following is a list of associated Bible passages:

Leviticus 11  

“Now the Lord (Yehowah) spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying to them, ² “Speak to the children of Israel, saying, ‘These are the animals which you may eat among all the animals that are on the earth: ³ Among the animals, whatever divides the hoof, having cloven hooves and chewing the cud—that you may eat. ⁴ Nevertheless these you shall not eat among those that chew the cud or those that have cloven hooves: the camel, because it chews the cud but does not have cloven hooves, is unclean to you; ⁵ the rock hyrax, because it chews the cud but does not have cloven hooves, is unclean to you; ⁶ the hare, because it chews the cud but does not have cloven hooves, is unclean to you; ⁷ and the swine, though it divides the hoof, having cloven hooves, yet does not chew the cud, is unclean to you. ⁸ Their flesh you shall not eat, and their carcasses you shall not touch. They are unclean to you.

⁹ ‘These you may eat of all that are in the water: whatever in the water has fins and scales, whether in the seas or in the rivers—that you may eat. ¹⁰ But all in the seas or in the rivers that do not have fins and scales, all that move in the water or any living thing which is in the water, they are an abomination ⁽⁸²⁶³⁾ to you. ¹¹ They shall be an abomination ⁽⁸²⁶³⁾ to you; you shall not eat their flesh, but you shall regard their carcasses as an abomination⁽⁸²⁶²⁾ . ¹² Whatever in the water does not have fins or scales—that shall be an abomination ⁽⁸²⁶³⁾  to you.

¹³ ‘And these you shall regard as an abomination ⁽⁸²⁶²⁾ among the birds; they shall not be eaten, they are an abomination ⁽⁸²⁶³⁾: the eagle, the vulture, the buzzard, ¹⁴ the kite, and the falcon after its kind; ¹⁵ every raven after its kind, ¹⁶ the ostrich, the short-eared owl, the sea gull, and the hawk after its kind; ¹⁷ the little owl, the fisher owl, and the screech owl; ¹⁸ the white owl, the jackdaw, and the carrion vulture; ¹⁹ the stork, the heron after its kind, the hoopoe, and the bat.

²⁰ ‘All flying insects that creep on all fours shall be an abomination  ⁽⁸²⁶³⁾ to you. ²¹ Yet these you may eat of every flying insect that creeps on all fours: those which have jointed legs above their feet with which to leap on the earth. ²² These you may eat: the locust after its kind, the destroying locust after its kind, the cricket after its kind, and the grasshopper after its kind. ²³ But all other flying insects which have four feet shall be an abomination ⁽⁸²⁶³⁾ to you.

Unclean Animals

²⁴ ‘By these you shall become unclean; whoever touches the carcass of any of them shall be unclean until evening; ²⁵ whoever carries part of the carcass of any of them shall wash his clothes and be unclean until evening: ²⁶ The carcass of any animal which divides the foot, but is not cloven-hoofed or does not chew the cud, is unclean to you. Everyone who touches it shall be unclean. ²⁷ And whatever goes on its paws, among all kinds of animals that go on all fours, those are unclean to you. Whoever touches any such carcass shall be unclean until evening. ²⁸ Whoever carries any such carcass shall wash his clothes and be unclean until evening. It is unclean to you.

²⁹ ‘These also shall be unclean to you among the creeping things that creep on the earth: the mole, the mouse, and the large lizard after its kind; ³⁰ the gecko, the monitor lizard, the sand reptile, the sand lizard, and the chameleon. ³¹ These are unclean to you among all that creep. Whoever touches them when they are dead shall be unclean until evening. ³² Anything on which any of them falls, when they are dead shall be unclean, whether it is any item of wood or clothing or skin or sack, whatever item it is, in which any work is done, it must be put in water. And it shall be unclean until evening; then it shall be clean. ³³ Any earthen vessel into which any of them falls you shall break; and whatever is in it shall be unclean: ³⁴ in such a vessel, any edible food upon which water falls becomes unclean, and any drink that may be drunk from it becomes unclean. ³⁵ And everything on which a part of any such carcass falls shall be unclean; whether it is an oven or cooking stove, it shall be broken down; for they are unclean, and shall be unclean to you. ³⁶ Nevertheless a spring or a cistern, in which there is plenty of water, shall be clean, but whatever touches any such carcass becomes unclean. ³⁷ And if a part of any such carcass falls on any planting seed which is to be sown, it remains clean. ³⁸ But if water is put on the seed, and if a part of any such carcass falls on it, it becomes unclean to you.

³⁹ ‘And if any animal which you may eat dies, he who touches its carcass shall be unclean until evening. ⁴⁰ He who eats of its carcass shall wash his clothes and be unclean until evening. He also who carries its carcass shall wash his clothes and be unclean until evening.

⁴¹ ‘And every creeping thing that creeps on the earth shall be an abomination. It shall not be eaten. ⁴² Whatever crawls on its belly, whatever goes on all fours, or whatever has many feet among all creeping things that creep on the earth—these you shall not eat, for they are an abomination. ⁴³ You shall not make yourselves abominable with any creeping thing that creeps; nor shall you make yourselves unclean with them, lest you be defiled by them. ⁴⁴ For I am the Lord (Yehowah) your God. You shall therefore consecrate yourselves, and you shall be holy; for I am holy. Neither shall you defile yourselves with any creeping thing that creeps on the earth. ⁴⁵ For I am the Lord (Yehowah) who brings you up out of the land of Egypt, to be your God. You shall therefore be holy, for I am holy.

⁴⁶ ‘This is the law of the animals and the birds and every living creature that moves in the waters, and of every creature that creeps on the earth, ⁴⁷ to distinguish between the unclean and the clean, and between the animal that may be eaten and the animal that may not be eaten.’”

Leviticus 18  

 “Then the Lord (Yehowah) spoke to Moses, saying, ² “Speak to the children of Israel, and say to them: ‘I am the Lord (Yehowah) your God. ³ According to the doings of the land of Egypt, where you dwelt, you shall not do; and according to the doings of the land of Canaan, where I am bringing you, you shall not do; nor shall you walk in their ordinances. ⁴ You shall observe My judgments and keep My ordinances, to walk in them: I am the Lord (Yehowah) your God. ⁵ You shall therefore keep My statutes and My judgments, which if a man does, he shall live by them: I am the Lord (Yehowah).

⁶ ‘None of you shall approach anyone who is near of kin to him, to uncover his nakedness: I am the Lord (Yehowah)  . ⁷ The nakedness of your father or the nakedness of your mother you shall not uncover. She is your mother; you shall not uncover her nakedness. ⁸ The nakedness of your father’s wife you shall not uncover; it is your father’s nakedness. ⁹ The nakedness of your sister, the daughter of your father, or the daughter of your mother, whether born at home or elsewhere, their nakedness you shall not uncover. ¹⁰ The nakedness of your son’s daughter or your daughter’s daughter, their nakedness you shall not uncover; for theirs is your own nakedness. ¹¹ The nakedness of your father’s wife’s daughter, begotten by your father—she is your sister—you shall not uncover her nakedness. ¹² You shall not uncover the nakedness of your father’s sister; she is near of kin to your father. ¹³ You shall not uncover the nakedness of your mother’s sister, for she is near of kin to your mother. ¹⁴ You shall not uncover the nakedness of your father’s brother. You shall not approach his wife; she is your aunt. ¹⁵ You shall not uncover the nakedness of your daughter-in-law—she is your son’s wife—you shall not uncover her nakedness. ¹⁶ You shall not uncover the nakedness of your brother’s wife; it is your brother’s nakedness. ¹⁷ You shall not uncover the nakedness of a woman and her daughter, nor shall you take her son’s daughter or her daughter’s daughter, to uncover her nakedness. They are near of kin to her. It is wickedness. ¹⁸ Nor shall you take a woman as a rival to her sister, to uncover her nakedness while the other is alive.

¹⁹ ‘Also you shall not approach a woman to uncover her nakedness as long as she is in her customary impurity. ²⁰ Moreover you shall not lie carnally with your neighbor’s wife, to defile yourself with her. ²¹ And you shall not let any of your descendants pass through the fire to Molech, nor shall you profane the name of your God: I am the Lord (Yehowah).  ²² You shall not lie with a male as with a woman. It is an abomination ⁽⁸⁴⁴¹⁾. ²³ Nor shall you mate with any animal, to defile yourself with it. Nor shall any woman stand before an animal to mate with it. It is perversion.

²⁴ ‘Do not defile yourselves with any of these things; for by all these the nations are defiled, which I am casting out before you. ²⁵ For the land is defiled; therefore I visit the punishment of its iniquity upon it, and the land vomits out its inhabitants. ²⁶ You shall therefore keep My statutes and My judgments, and shall not commit any of these abominations ⁽⁸⁴⁴¹⁾ , either any of your own nation or any stranger who dwells among you ²⁷ (for all these abominations ⁽⁸⁴⁴¹⁾ the men of the land have done, who were before you, and thus the land is defiled), ²⁸ lest the land vomit you out also when you defile it, as it vomited out the nations that were before you. ²⁹ For whoever commits any of these abominations ⁽⁸⁴⁴¹⁾ , the persons who commit them shall be cut off from among their people.

³⁰ ‘Therefore you shall keep My ordinance, so that you do not commit any of these abominable customs which were committed before you, and that you do not defile yourselves by them: I am the Lord (Yehowah) your God.’”

Deuteronomy 7:24-26

“And He will deliver their kings into your hand, and you will destroy their name from under heaven; no one shall be able to stand against you until you have destroyed them. ²⁵ You shall burn the carved images of their gods with fire; you shall not covet the silver or gold that is on them, nor take it for yourselves, lest you be snared by it; for it is an abomination⁽⁸⁴⁴¹⁾ to the Lord (Yehowah) your God. ²⁶ Nor shall you bring an abomination ⁽⁸⁴⁴¹⁾ into your house, lest you be doomed to destruction like it. You shall utterly detest it and utterly abhor it, for it is an accursed thing.”

• Items 1 -4 – Clean and unclean meats were known long before the law was given to Israel:

Genesis 7:1-5

“ Then the Lord (Yehowah) said to Noah, “Come into the ark, you and all your household, because I have seen that you are righteous before Me in this generation. ² You shall take with you seven each of every clean animal, a male and his female; two each of animals that are unclean, a male and his female; ³ also seven each of birds of the air, male and female, to keep the species alive on the face of all the earth. ⁴ For after seven more days I will cause it to rain on the earth forty days and forty nights, and I will destroy from the face of the earth all living things that I have made.” ⁵ And Noah did according to all that the Lord (Yehowah) commanded him.”

·         It appears from this passage that Noah was already aware of the difference between clean and unclean animals.

·         What kind of birds, fish and animals did our God Yehowah deem unclean? Well, in today’s language we would call many of them scavengers (eats dead organic matter) and bottom feeders. As an old saying goes, “you are what you eat.”

·         Do you think the One who created us knows what is best for our bodies?

·         Many Christians assume the prohibition on unclean animals was lifted primarily based on two Bible passages – Acts 10:11-16 and

       Romans 14:14.

Acts 10:9-35

^“The next day, as they went on their journey and drew near the city, Peter went up on the housetop to pray, about the sixth hour. ¹⁰ Then he became very hungry and wanted to eat; but while they made ready, he fell into a trance ¹¹ and saw heaven opened and an object like a great sheet bound at the four corners, descending to him and let down to the earth. ¹² In it were all kinds of four-footed animals of the earth, wild beasts, creeping things, and birds of the air. ¹³ And a voice came to him, “Rise, Peter; kill and eat.”

¹⁴ But Peter said, “Not so, Lord! For I have never eaten anything common or unclean.”

¹⁵ And a voice spoke to him again the second time, “What God has cleansed you must not call common.” ¹⁶ This was done three times. And the object was taken up into heaven again.

¹⁷ Now while Peter wondered within himself what this vision which he had seen meant, behold, the men who had been sent from Cornelius had made inquiry for Simon’s house, and stood before the gate. ¹⁸ And they called and asked whether Simon, whose surname was Peter, was lodging there.

¹⁹ While Peter thought about the vision, the Spirit said to him, “Behold, three men are seeking you. ²⁰ Arise therefore, go down and go with them, doubting nothing; for I have sent them.”

²¹ Then Peter went down to the men who had been sent to him from Cornelius, and said, “Yes, I am he whom you seek. For what reason have you come?”

²² And they said, “Cornelius the centurion, a just man, one who fears God and has a good reputation among all the nation of the Jews, was divinely instructed by a holy angel to summon you to his house, and to hear words from you.” ²³ Then he invited them in and lodged them.

On the next day Peter went away with them, and some brethren from Joppa accompanied him.

²⁴ And the following day they entered Caesarea. Now Cornelius was waiting for them, and had called together his relatives and close friends. ²⁵ As Peter was coming in, Cornelius met him and fell down at his feet and worshiped him. ²⁶ But Peter lifted him up, saying, “Stand up; I myself am also a man.” ²⁷ And as he talked with him, he went in and found many who had come together. ²⁸ Then he said to them, “You know how unlawful it is for a Jewish man to keep company with or go to one of another nation. But God has shown me that I should not call any man common or unclean. ²⁹ Therefore I came without objection as soon as I was sent for. I ask, then, for what reason have you sent for me?”

³⁰ So Cornelius said, “Four days ago I was fasting until this hour; and at the ninth hourI prayed in my house, and behold, a man stood before me in bright clothing, ³¹ and said, ‘Cornelius, your prayer has been heard, and your alms are remembered in the sight of God. ³² Send therefore to Joppa and call Simon here, whose surname is Peter. He is lodging in the house of Simon, a tanner, by the sea.^[When he comes, he will speak to you.’ ³³ So I sent to you immediately, and you have done well to come. Now therefore, we are all present before God, to hear all the things commanded you by God.”

³⁴ Then Peter opened his mouth and said: “In truth I perceive that God shows no partiality. ³⁵ But in every nation whoever fears Him and works righteousness is accepted by Him. “

·         Peter did not assume he could run out and grab a ham sandwich or something else unclean to eat. He pondered over the vision. His conclusion is located in verse 28.

Romans 14:13-17

“Therefore let us not judge one another anymore, but rather resolve this, not to put a stumbling block or a cause to fall in our brother’s way.

¹⁴ I know and am convinced by the Lord Jesus that there is nothing unclean of itself; but to him who considers anything to be unclean, to him it is unclean. ¹⁵ Yet if your brother is grieved because of your food, you are no longer walking in love. Do not destroy with your food the one for whom Christ died. ¹⁶ Therefore do not let your good be spoken of as evil; ¹⁷ for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.”

·     It was also Paul who said it was okay to eat meats sacrificed to idols:

1 Corinthians 8:4-13

“Therefore concerning the eating of things offered to idols, we know that an idol is nothing in the world, and that there is no other God but one. ⁵ For even if there are so-called gods, whether in heaven or on earth (as there are many gods and many lords), ⁶ yet for us there is one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we for Him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, through whom are all things, and through whom we live.

⁷ However, there is not in everyone that knowledge; for some, with consciousness of the idol, until now eat it as a thing offered to an idol; and their conscience, being weak, is defiled. ⁸ But food does not commend us to God; for neither if we eat are we the better, nor if we do not eat are we the worse.

⁹ But beware lest somehow this liberty of yours become a stumbling block to those who are weak. ¹⁰ For if anyone sees you who have knowledge eating in an idol's temple, will not the conscience of him who is weak be emboldened to eat those things offered to idols? ¹¹ And because of your knowledge shall the weak brother perish, for whom Christ died? ¹² But when you thus sin against the brethren, and wound their weak conscience, you sin against Christ. ¹³ Therefore, if food makes my brother stumble, I will never again eat meat, lest I make my brother stumble.”

·   However, Jesus says, in the Book of Revelation, that He has a few things against those who teach and put “a stumbling block” before His people to “eat things sacrificed to idols.”

In Revelation 2:14 it says, to the /church of Pergamus:

“But I have a few things against you, because you have there those who hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols, and to commit sexual immorality.”

In Revelation 2:18, to the Church in Thyatira, again we see:

“And to the angel of the church in Thyatira write,

These things says the Son of God, who has eyes like a flame of fire, and His feet like fine brass: ¹⁹ "I know your works, love, service, faith, and your patience; and as for your works, the last are more than the first. ²⁰ Nevertheless I have a few things against you, because you allow that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess, to teach and seduce My servants to commit sexual immorality and eat things sacrificed to idols.”

According to Strong’s Concordance, the meaning of “a stumbling block” is as follows:

Stumbling block - 4625 skandalon skandalon, — skan’-dal-on; (“scandal”); probably from a derivative of (2578) (kamptw - - kampto); a trap-stick (bent sapling), i.e. snare (figurative cause of displeasure or sin): — (Translated in King James version as) occasion to fall (of stumbling), offence, thing that offends, stumblingblock.

Since Paul was wrong about eating things sacrificed to idols, could he be wrong about eating things that are unclean? Who are we to believe, Jesus, the anointed of God, or Paul? You decide.

If you are interested in knowing more of Paul’s contradictions, please read the Disciples Project Bible Study

The Contradictions of Paul.

• Items 30-31, 45-47 – This is just a handful of examples regarding idols. Of all the abominations given in the Bible, the worship of idols appears at the top.  Today, many people believe we no longer worship idols or false gods. Well, according to some, we all worship the same god; but that’s a topic for another study.

However, I am concerned about the millions who worship “Mary, the Queen of Heaven.” I know, Catholics claim it is not worship but adoration. But honestly, should we squabble over the choice of words when there is so much at stake?  I am not condemning, just trying to inform. Each individual has to decide what he or she chooses to do with the information provided.

In this instance, I will concede to those with far more expertise on the subject. Whether you are a worshipper of “Mary, the Queen of Heaven” or not, I hope you will take time to read the below articles and watch the related videos.

MARY WORSHIP? – A Study of Catholic Practice and Doctrine, by Mary Ann Collins (A Former Catholic Nun)     

Mary Worship by Remnant of God

      Finally, following is the reason why knowledge of this list of abominations is important:

Revelation 21:1-8

“Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also there was no more sea. ² Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. ³ And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God. ⁴ And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.”

⁵ Then He who sat on the throne said, “Behold, I make all things new.” And He said to me, “Write, for these words are true and faithful.”

⁶ And He said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. I will give of the fountain of the water of life freely to him who thirsts. ⁷ He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and he shall be My son. ⁸ But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable⁽⁹⁴⁸⁾, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.”

Right now, thanks be to God, we have a choice. If you currently find yourself in verse 8, take heart, this outcome can be changed.  It starts with repentance.

BACK TO MAIN STUDY

Still, I am certain some will say, “These abominations apply to the old covenant. We are now under grace. Christ died for my sins.” However, they fail to acknowledge that the standards of Our Holy Father, Yehowah, and our Lord and Savior Jesus (Yeshua) Christ do not change.

Malachi 3:6 

“For I am the Lord (Yehowah), I do not change; therefore you are not consumed, O sons of Jacob.”

Hebrews 13:8 

“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. “

Now we will move into the New Testament portion of this study to discover what Jesus and His chosen Apostles and disciples had to say on the subject of “repentance.”

      Before Jesus’ earthly ministry began, the proclaimed messenger of God, John the Baptist, made the path of the Lord straight by declaring the necessity for all to “repent” and “be baptized.”

Matthew 3:1-12

“In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea, ² and saying, “Repent ⁽³³⁴⁰⁾, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!” ³ For this is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah, saying:

“The voice of one crying in the wilderness:
‘Prepare the way of the Lord;
Make His paths straight.’”

⁴ Now John himself was clothed in camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist; and his food was locusts and wild honey. ⁵ Then Jerusalem, all Judea, and all the region around the Jordan went out to him ⁶ and were baptized by him in the Jordan, confessing their sins.

⁷ But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, “Brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? ⁸ Therefore bear fruits worthy of repentance ⁽³³⁴¹⁾, ⁹ and do not think to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I say to you that God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones. ¹⁰ And even now the ax is laid to the root of the trees. Therefore every tree which does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. ¹¹ I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance ⁽³³⁴¹⁾, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. ¹² His winnowing fan is in His hand, and He will thoroughly clean out His threshing floor, and gather His wheat into the barn; but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.”

• Verse 6 – Confession of sins accompanied baptism.

Verses 1-3, 5-7, 11 – It appears John is saying that repentance, confession of sins and baptisms are necessary in order for us to escape “the wrath to come.”

• Verse 11 - John the Baptist speaks of two distinct baptisms:

1.         “Baptize you with water unto repentance.”

2.         “Baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.”

The New Living Translation (NLT) translates Matthew 3:6-8 as follows:

Matthew 3:6-8 New Living Translation (NLT)

⁶ And when they confessed their sins, he baptized them in the Jordan River.

⁷ But when he saw many Pharisees and Sadducees coming to watch him baptize, he denounced them. “You brood of snakes!” he exclaimed. “Who warned you to flee the coming wrath? ⁸ Prove by the way you live that you have repented of your sins and turned to God.

Confessing – 1843 exomologew exomologeo ex-om-ol-og-eh'-o from ek - ek 1537 and omologew - homologeo 3670; to acknowledge or (by implication, of assent) agree fully:-- (Translated in King James Version as) confess, profess, promise.

1537 - ek ek ek or ex ex a primary preposition denoting origin (the point whence action or motion proceeds), from, out (of place, time, or cause; literal or figurative; direct or remote):-- (Translated in King James Version as) after, among, X are, at, betwixt(-yond), by (the means of), exceedingly, (+ abundantly above), for(- th), from (among, forth, up), + grudgingly, + heartily, X heavenly, X hereby, + very highly, in, ...ly, (because, by reason) of, off (from), on, out among (from, of), over, since, X thenceforth, through, X unto, X vehemently, with(-out). Often used in composition, with the same general import; often of completion.

3670  - omologew homologeo hom-ol-og-eh'-o from a compound of the base of omou - homou 3674 and logoV - logos 3056; to assent, i.e. covenant, acknowledge:-- (Translated in King James Version as) con- (pro-)fess, confession is made, give thanks, promise.

3674 - omou homou hom-oo' genitive case of homos (the same; akin to 260) as adverb; at the same place or time:-- (Translated in King James Version as) together.

3056 - logoV logos log'-os from legw - lego 3004; something said (including the thought); by implication, a topic (subject of discourse), also reasoning (the mental faculty) or motive; by extension, a computation; specially, (with the article in John) the Divine Expression (i.e. Christ):-- (Translated in King James Version as) account, cause, communication, X concerning, doctrine, fame, X have to do, intent, matter, mouth, preaching, question, reason, + reckon, remove, say(-ing), shew, X speaker, speech, talk, thing, + none of these things move me, tidings, treatise, utterance, word, work.

      At the start of Jesus’ earthly ministry, the first thing He preached is the Kingdom of God and “repentance”:

Mark 1:14-15

“Now after John was put in prison, Jesus came to Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, ¹⁵ and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent⁽³³⁴⁰⁾, and believe in the gospel.”

Matthew 4:16-17

“The people who sat in darkness have seen a great light,
And upon those who sat in the region and shadow of death
Light has dawned.”

¹⁷ From that time Jesus began to preach and to say, “Repent ⁽³³⁴⁰⁾, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

Luke 13:1-5

“There were present at that season some who told Him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. ² And Jesus answered and said to them, “Do you suppose that these Galileans were worse sinners than all other Galileans, because they suffered such things? ³ I tell you, no; but unless you repent ⁽³³⁴⁰⁾ you will all likewise perish. ⁴ Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them, do you think that they were worse sinners than all other men who dwelt in Jerusalem? ⁵ I tell you, no; but unless you repent ⁽³³⁴⁰⁾ you will all likewise perish.”

Mark 2:13-17 English Standard Version (ESV)

“He went out again beside the sea, and all the crowd was coming to him, and he was teaching them. ¹⁴ And as he passed by, he saw Levi the son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax booth, and he said to him, “Follow me.” And he rose and followed him.

¹⁵ And as he reclined at table in his house, many tax collectors and sinners were reclining with Jesus and his disciples, for there were many who followed him. ¹⁶ And the scribes of  the Pharisees, when they saw that he was eating with sinners and tax collectors, said to his disciples, “Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?” ¹⁷ And when Jesus heard it, he said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.”

Sinners – 268 amartwloV hamartolos ham-ar-to-los' from amartanw - hamartano 264; sinful, i.e. a sinner:-- (Translated in King James Version as)  sinful, sinner.

264 - amartanw hamartano ham-ar-tan'-o perhaps from a - a 1 (as a negative particle) and the base of meroV - meros 3313; properly, to miss the mark (and so not share in the prize), i.e. (figuratively) to err, especially (morally) to sin:-- (Translated in King James Version as)  for your faults, offend, sin, trespass.

ð  The entire chapter of Luke 15 is devoted to Jesus’ parables on sinners who “repent”:

Luke 15

The Parable of the Lost Sheep

“Then all the tax collectors and the sinners drew near to Him to hear Him. ² And the Pharisees and scribes complained, saying, “This Man receives sinners and eats with them.” ³ So He spoke this parable to them, saying:

⁴ “What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he loses one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness, and go after the one which is lost until he finds it? ⁵ And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. ⁶ And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost!’ ⁷ I say to you that likewise there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents ⁽³³⁴⁰⁾ than over ninety-nine just persons who need no repentance ⁽³³⁴¹⁾.

The Parable of the Lost Coin

⁸ “Or what woman, having ten silver coins, if she loses one coin, does not light a lamp, sweep the house, and search carefully until she finds it? ⁹ And when she has found it, she calls her friends and neighbors together, saying, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found the piece which I lost!’ ¹⁰ Likewise, I say to you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents ⁽³³⁴⁰⁾.”

The Parable of the Lost Son

¹¹ Then He said: “A certain man had two sons. ¹² And the younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the portion of goods that falls to me.’ So he divided to them his livelihood. ¹³ And not many days after, the younger son gathered all together, journeyed to a far country, and there wasted his possessions with prodigal living. ¹⁴ But when he had spent all, there arose a severe famine in that land, and he began to be in want. ¹⁵ Then he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country, and he sent him into his fields to feed swine. ¹⁶ And he would gladly have filled his stomach with the pods that the swine ate, and no one gave him anything.

¹⁷ “But when he came to himself, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger! ¹⁸ I will arise and go to my father, and will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you, ¹⁹ and I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired servants.”’

²⁰ “And he arose and came to his father. But when he was still a great way off, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him. ²¹ And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight, and am no longer worthy to be called your son.’

²² “But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring  out the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet. ²³ And bring the fatted calf here and kill it, and let us eat and be merry; ²⁴ for this my son was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ And they began to be merry.

²⁵ “Now his older son was in the field. And as he came and drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing. ²⁶ So he called one of the servants and asked what these things meant. ²⁷ And he said to him, ‘Your brother has come, and because he has received him safe and sound, your father has killed the fatted calf.’

²⁸ “But he was angry and would not go in. Therefore his father came out and pleaded with him. ²⁹ So he answered and said to his father, ‘Lo, these many years I have been serving you; I never transgressed your commandment at any time; and yet you never gave me a young goat, that I might make merry with my friends. ³⁰ But as soon as this son of yours came, who has devoured your livelihood with harlots, you killed the fatted calf for him.’

³¹ “And he said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that I have is yours. ³² It was right that we should make merry and be glad, for your brother was dead and is alive again, and was lost and is found.’”

The parable of the Lost (Prodigal) Son is full of meaning. There is much for us to ponder:

• In the parable of the Lost Son, every aspect of repentance is included.

1.        Verse 18 –He turned from his sins and back to his father.

2.        Verses 18, 21 – He humbly confessed his sins to his father.

• The father did not go chasing after his lost son.

1.        Verses 11-13 – The father allowed his son to choose the path he would take – free will.

2.        Verse 24 – When the son left the father, the father considered him both dead and lost.

3.        Verse 20 – When the son turned back to the father, before he was still far away, the father had compassion on his son and went out to him and embraced him.

4.        Verses 21-24 – As the lost son repents he is forgiven and restored. He is considered alive again and found. He is rewarded. There is a great celebration! As it says in verse 7, there is “joy in heaven over one sinner who repents.”  

• Verses 14-16 – Do we have to hit rock bottom before we acknowledge and turn back (repent) to our Heavenly Father?

Prodigal – 811 aswtwV asotos as-o'-toce adverb from the same as aswtia - asotia 810; dissolutely:-- (Translated in King James Version as) riotous.

810 - aswtia asotia as-o-tee'-ah from a compound of a - a 1 (as a negative particle) and a presumed derivative of swzw - sozo 4982; properly, unsavedness, i.e. (by implication) profligacy:-- (Translated in King James Version as) excess, riot.

Dissolutely (Dictionary.com) –

adjective

indifferent to moral restraints; given to immoral or improper conduct; licentious; dissipated.

Profligacy (Dictionary.com) –

noun

1.        shameless dissoluteness.

2.        reckless extravagance.

3.        great abundance.

— adj  

1.        shamelessly immoral or debauched 

2.        wildly extravagant or wasteful 

4982 - swzw sozo sode'-zo from a primary sos (contraction for obsolete saos, "safe"); to save, i.e. deliver or protect (literally or figuratively):-- (Translated in King James Version as) heal, preserve, save (self), do well, be (make) whole.

      Jesus taught “repentance” precedes forgiveness:

Luke 17:1-4

“Then He said to the disciples, “It is impossible that no offenses should come, but woe to him through whom they do come! ² It would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were thrown into the sea, than that he should offend one of these little ones. ³ Take heed to yourselves. If your brother sins against you, rebuke him; and if he repents ⁽³³⁴⁰⁾, forgive him. ⁴ And if he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times in a day returns ⁽¹⁹⁹⁴⁾ to you,  saying, ‘I repent ⁽³³⁴⁰⁾,’ you shall forgive him.”

• The above passage brings to mind Matthew 18:21-35:

Matthew 18:21-35

 “Then Peter came to Him and said, “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times?”

²² Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven. ²³ Therefore the kingdom of heaven is like a certain king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. ²⁴ And when he had begun to settle accounts, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents. ²⁵ But as he was not able to pay, his master commanded that he be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and that payment be made. ²⁶ The servant therefore fell down before him, saying, ‘Master, have patience with me, and I will pay you all.’ ²⁷ Then the master of that servant was moved with compassion, released him, and forgave him the debt.

²⁸ “But that servant went out and found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii; and he laid hands on him and took him by the throat, saying, ‘Pay me what you owe!’ ²⁹ So his fellow servant fell down at his feet and begged him, saying, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you all.’ ³⁰ And he would not, but went and threw him into prison till he should pay the debt. ³¹ So when his fellow servants saw what had been done, they were very grieved, and came and told their master all that had been done. ³² Then his master, after he had called him, said to him, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you begged me. ³³ Should you not also have had compassion on your fellow servant, just as I had pity on you?’ ³⁴ And his master was angry, and delivered him to the torturers until he should pay all that was due to him.

³⁵ “So My heavenly Father also will do to you if each of you, from his heart, does not forgive his brother his trespasses.”

·         Verses 26-27 – The servant first asked for forgiveness then it was granted.

·         Verse 29 – Likewise, the “fellow servant” asked for forgiveness but none was granted by the servant who had been forgiven much.  This reminds me of the Lord’s Prayer:

Matthew 6:9-15

“In this manner, therefore, pray:

Our Father in heaven,
Hallowed be Your name.
¹⁰ Your kingdom come.
Your will be done
On earth as it is in heaven.
¹¹ Give us this day our daily bread.
¹² And forgive us our debts,
As we forgive our debtors.
¹³ And do not lead us into temptation,
But deliver us from the evil one.
For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.

¹⁴ “For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. ¹⁵ But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.”

Returns – 1994 epistrefw epistrepho ep-ee-stref'-o from epi - epi 1909 and strefw - strepho 4762; to revert (literally, figuratively or morally):-- (Translated in King James Version as) come (go) again, convert, (re-)turn (about, again).

   Note – 1994 also translated as “turn” on page 43 and “converted” on page 49.

4762 - strefw strepho stref'-o strengthened from the base of troph - trope 5157; to twist, i.e. turn quite around or reverse (literally or figuratively):-- (Translated in King James Version as) convert, turn (again, back again, self, self about).

      Does “repentance” apply only to Israel?

Luke 24:36-49

“Now as they said these things, Jesus Himself stood in the midst of them, and said to them, “Peace to you.” ³⁷ But they were terrified and frightened, and supposed they had seen a spirit. ³⁸ And He said to them, “Why are you troubled? And why do doubts arise in your hearts? ³⁹ Behold My hands and My feet, that it is I Myself. Handle Me and see, for a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see I have.”

⁴⁰ When He had said this, He showed them His hands and His feet. ⁴¹ But while they still did not believe for joy, and marveled, He said to them, “Have you any food here?” ⁴² So they gave Him a piece of a broiled fish and some honeycomb. ⁴³ And He took it and ate in their presence.

⁴⁴ Then He said to them, “These are the words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things must be fulfilled which were written in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms concerning Me.” ⁴⁵ And He opened their understanding, that they might comprehend the Scriptures.

⁴⁶ Then He 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, ⁴⁷ and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. ⁴⁸ And you are witnesses of these things. ⁴⁹ Behold, I send the Promise of My Father upon you; but tarry in the city of Jerusalem until you are endued with power from on high.”

• Verse 47 – It says “all nations” and not just Israel.

• Verse 47 – Other Versions prefer the word  “forgiveness” instead of “remission:”

 Luke 24:47 New American Standard Bible (NASB)

“and that repentance for forgiveness of sins would be proclaimed  in His name to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem.”

Luke 24:47 New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

“and that repentance and forgiveness of sins is to be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem.”

·         Verse 47 – notice that it was not just forgiveness of sins that is to be preached but repentance and forgiveness; or repentance for forgiveness. This is repeated again in Acts 5:

Acts 5:29-32

“But Peter and the other apostles answered and said: “We ought to obey God rather than men. ³⁰ The God of our fathers raised up Jesus whom you murdered by hanging on a tree. ³¹ Him God has exalted to His right hand to be Prince and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins. ³² And we are His witnesses to these things, and so also is the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey Him.”

·         Through Christ, we have been given both repentance and forgiveness of sins.

      What did Jesus say to the churches in the Book of Revelation?

Revelation 2

The Loveless Church

 “To the angel of the church of Ephesus write,

‘These things says He who holds the seven stars in His right hand, who walks in the midst of the seven golden lampstands: ² “I know your works, your labor, your patience, and that you cannot bear those who are evil. And you have tested those who say they are apostles and are not, and have found them liars; ³ and you have persevered and have patience, and have labored for My name’s sake and have not become weary. ⁴ Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love. ⁵ Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent ⁽³³⁴⁰⁾ and do the first works, or else I will come to you quickly and remove your lampstand from its place—unless you repent⁽³³⁴⁰⁾. ⁶ But this you have, that you hate the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.

⁷ “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes ⁽³⁵²⁸⁾ I will give to eat from the tree of life, which is in the midst of the Paradise of God.”’

The Persecuted Church

“And to the angel of the church in Smyrna write,

‘These things says the First and the Last, who was dead, and came to life: ⁹ “I know your works, tribulation, and poverty (but you are rich); and I know the blasphemy of those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan. ¹⁰ Do not fear any of those things which you are about to suffer. Indeed, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and you will have tribulation ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.

¹¹ “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes ⁽³⁵²⁸⁾ shall not be hurt by the second death.”’

The Compromising Church

“And to the angel of the church in Pergamos write,

‘These things says He who has the sharp two-edged sword: ¹³ “I know your works, and where you dwell, where Satan’s throne is. And you hold fast to My name, and did not deny My faith even in the days in which Antipas was My faithful martyr, who was killed among you, where Satan dwells. ¹⁴ But I have a few things against you, because you have there those who hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols, and to commit sexual immorality. ¹⁵ Thus you also have those who hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, which thing I hate.¹⁶ Repent ⁽³³⁴⁰⁾, or else I will come to you quickly and will fight against them with the sword of My mouth.

¹⁷ “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes ⁽³⁵²⁸⁾ I will give some of the hidden manna to eat. And I will give him a white stone, and on the stone a new name written which no one knows except him who receives it.”’

The Corrupt Church

“And to the angel of the church in Thyatira write,

‘These things says the Son of God, who has eyes like a flame of fire, and His feet like fine brass: ¹⁹ “I know your works, love, service, faith, and your patience; and as for your works, the last are more than the first. ²⁰ Nevertheless I have a few things against you, because you allow  that woman  Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess, to teach and seduce  My servants to commit sexual immorality and eat things sacrificed to idols. ²¹ And I gave her time to repent ⁽³³⁴⁰⁾ of her sexual immorality, and she did not repent ⁽³³⁴⁰⁾. ²² Indeed I will cast her into a sickbed, and those who commit adultery with her into great tribulation, unless they repent ⁽³³⁴⁰⁾ of their deeds. ²³ I will kill her children with death, and all the churches shall know that I am He who searches the minds and hearts. And I will give to each one of you according to your works.

²⁴ “Now to you I say, and  to the rest in Thyatira, as many as do not have this doctrine, who have not known the depths of Satan, as they say, I will  put on you no other burden. ²⁵ But hold fast what you have till I come. ²⁶ And he who overcomes⁽³⁵²⁸⁾, and keeps My works until the end, to him I will give power over the nations—

²⁷ ‘He shall rule them with a rod of iron;
They shall be dashed to pieces like the potter’s vessels’—

as I also have received from My Father; ²⁸ and I will give him the morning star.

²⁹ “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”’

Revelation 3:1-6

The Dead Church

“And to the angel of the church in Sardis write,

‘These things says He who has the seven Spirits of God and the seven stars: “I know your works, that you have a name that you are alive, but you are dead. ² Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die, for I have not found your works perfect before God. ³ Remember therefore how you have received and heard; hold fast and repent ⁽³³⁴⁰⁾. Therefore if you will not watch, I will come upon you as a thief, and you will not know what hour I will come upon you. ⁴ You  have a few names even in Sardis who have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with Me in white, for they are worthy. ⁵ He who overcomes ⁽³⁵²⁸⁾ shall be clothed in white garments, and I will not blot out his name from the Book of Life; but I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels.

⁶ “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”’

The Faithful Church

“And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write,

‘These things says He who is holy, He who is true, “He who has the key of David, He who opens and no one shuts, and shuts and no one opens”: ⁸ “I know your works. See, I have set before you an open door, and no one can shut it; for you have a little strength, have kept My word, and have not denied My name. ⁹ Indeed I will make those of the synagogue of Satan, who say they are Jews and are not, but lie—indeed I will make them come and worship before your feet, and to know that I have loved you. ¹⁰ Because you have kept My command to persevere, I also will keep you from the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth. ¹¹ Behold,  I am coming quickly! Hold fast what you have, that no one may take your crown. ¹² He who overcomes ⁽³⁵²⁸⁾, I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God, and he shall go out no more. I will write on him the name of My God and the name of the city of My God, the New Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from My God. And I will write on him My new name.

¹³ “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”’

The Lukewarm Church

“And to the angel of the church of the Laodiceans  write,

‘These things says the Amen, the Faithful and True Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God: ¹⁵ “I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot. ¹⁶ So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth. ¹⁷ Because you say, ‘I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing’—and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked— ¹⁸ I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich; and white garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see. ¹⁹ As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent ⁽³³⁴⁰⁾. ²⁰ Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me. ²¹ To him who overcomes⁽³⁵²⁸⁾  I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame ⁽³⁵²⁸⁾  and sat down with My Father on His throne.

²² “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”’”

Overcomes – 3528 nikaw nikao nik-ah'-o from nikh - nike 3529; to subdue (literally or figuratively):-- (Translated in King James Version as) conquer, overcome, prevail, get the victory.

3529 - nikh nike nee'-kay apparently a primary word; conquest (abstractly), i.e. (figuratively) the means of success:- (Translated in King James Version as) -victory.

Subdue (Dictionary.com) –

verb (used with object), subdued, subduing.

1.        to conquer and bring into subjection:

Rome subdued Gaul.

2.        to overpower by superior force; overcome.

3.        to bring under mental or emotional control, as by persuasion or intimidation; render submissive.

4.        to repress (feelings, impulses, etc.).

5.        to bring (land) under cultivation:

to subdue the wilderness.

6.        to reduce the intensity, force, or vividness of (sound, light, color, etc.); tone down; soften.

7.        to allay (inflammation, infection, etc.).

• Three important questions we should honestly consider based on these passages to the churches:

1.        What if you decide you would rather not  “repent “ and  “overcome “? What do you think will be your end result?

2.        How can you  “repent “ and  “overcome “ something you will not admit is sin, according to God’s standard?

• Often we deceive and justify ourselves. However, our God is merciful! If you ask Him, in His mercy, to reveal you to you, He will. Just be prepared to take action once He does. Sometimes the revelation is painful; however, He will also help you, if you ask Him too.

• This also brings to mind passages like the following:

Matthew 13:15

“For the hearts of this people have grown dull.
Their ears are hard of hearing,
And their eyes they have closed,
Lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears,
Lest they should understand with their hearts and turn ⁽¹⁹⁹⁴⁾,
So that I should heal them.’”

1 Peter 3:8-12

“Finally, all of you be of one mind, having compassion for one another; love as brothers, be tenderhearted, be courteous; ⁹ not returning evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary blessing, knowing that you were called to this, that you may inherit a blessing. ¹⁰ For

“He who would love life
And see good days,
Let him refrain his tongue from evil,
And his lips from speaking deceit.
¹¹ Let him turn ⁽¹⁵⁷⁸⁾ away from evil and do good;
Let him seek peace and pursue it.
¹² For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous,
And His ears are open to their prayers;
But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.”

Turn – 1994 epistrefw epistrepho ep-ee-stref'-o from epi - epi 1909 and strefw - strepho 4762; to revert (literally, figuratively or morally):-- (Translated in King James Version as) come (go) again, convert, (re-)turn (about, again).

   Note – 1994 also translated as “return” on page 39  and “converted” on page 49.

4762 – strefw strepho stref'-o strengthened from the base of troph - trope 5157; to twist, i.e. turn quite around or reverse (literally or figuratively):-- (Translated in King James Version as) convert, turn (again, back again, self, self about).

5157 - troph trope trop-ay' from an apparently primary trepo to turn; a turn ("trope"), i.e. revolution (figuratively, variation):-- (Translated in King James Version as) turning.

Turn – 1578 ekklinw ekklino ek-klee'-no from ek - ek 1537 and klinw - klino 2827; to deviate, i.e. (absolutely) to shun (literally or figuratively), or (relatively) to decline (from piety):-- (Translated in King James Version as) avoid, eschew, go out of the way.

1537 - ek ek ek or ex ex a primary preposition denoting origin (the point whence action or motion proceeds), from, out (of place, time, or cause; literal or figurative; direct or remote):-- (Translated in King James Version as) after, among, X are, at, betwixt(-yond), by (the means of), exceedingly, (+ abundantly above), for(- th), from (among, forth, up), + grudgingly, + heartily, X heavenly, X hereby, + very highly, in, ...ly, (because, by reason) of, off (from), on, out among (from, of), over, since, X thenceforth, through, X unto, X vehemently, with(-out). Often used in composition, with the same general import; often of completion.

2827 - klinw klino klee'-no a primary verb; to slant or slope, i.e. incline or recline (literally or figuratively):-- (Translated in King James Version as) bow (down), be far spent, lay, turn to flight, wear away.

2 Peter 2:1-22

“But there were also false prophets among the people, even as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Lord who bought them, and bring on themselves swift destruction. ² And many will follow their destructive ways, because of whom the way of truth will be blasphemed. ³ By covetousness they will exploit you with deceptive words; for a long time their judgment has not been idle, and their destruction does  not slumber.

⁴ For if God did not spare the angels who sinned, but cast them down to hell and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved for judgment; ⁵ and did not spare the ancient world, but saved Noah, one of eight people, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood on the world of the ungodly; ⁶ and turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes, condemned them to destruction, making them an example to those who afterward would live ungodly; ⁷ and delivered righteous Lot, who was oppressed by the filthy conduct of the wicked ⁸ (for that righteous man, dwelling among them, tormented his righteous soul from day to day by seeing and hearing their lawless deeds)— ⁹ then the Lord knows how to deliver the godly out of temptations and to reserve the unjust under punishment for the day of judgment, ¹⁰ and especially those who walk according to the flesh in the lust of uncleanness and despise authority. They are presumptuous, self-willed. They are not afraid to speak evil of dignitaries, ¹¹ whereas angels, who are greater in power and might, do not bring a reviling accusation against them before the Lord.

¹² But these, like natural brute beasts made to be caught and destroyed, speak evil of the things they do not understand, and will utterly perish in their own corruption, ¹³ and will receive the wages of unrighteousness, as those who count it pleasure to carouse in the daytime. They are spots and blemishes, carousing in their own deceptions while they feast with you, ¹⁴ having eyes full of adultery and that cannot cease from sin, enticing unstable souls. They have a heart trained in covetous practices, and are accursed children. ¹⁵ They have forsaken the right way and gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Beor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness; ¹⁶ but he was rebuked for his iniquity: a dumb donkey speaking with a man’s voice restrained the madness of the prophet.

¹⁷ These are wells without water, clouds carried by a tempest, for whom is reserved the blackness of darkness forever.

¹⁸ For when they speak great swelling words of emptiness, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through lewdness, the ones who have actually escaped from those who live in error. ¹⁹ While they promise them liberty, they themselves are slaves of corruption; for by whom a person is overcome ⁽²²⁷⁴⁾, by him also he is brought into bondage. ²⁰ For if, after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and overcome ⁽²²⁷⁴⁾, the latter end is worse for them than the beginning. ²¹ For it would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than having known it, to turn ⁽¹⁹⁹⁴⁾ from the holy commandment delivered to them. ²² But it has happened to them according to the true proverb: “A dog returns to his own vomit,” and, “a sow, having washed, to her wallowing in the mire.”

Carousing – 1792 entrufaw entruphao en-troo-fah'-o from en - en 1722 and trufaw - truphao 5171; to revel in:-- (Translated in King James Version as) sporting selves.

5171 - trufaw truphao troo-fah'-o from trufh - truphe 5172; to indulge in luxury:-- (Translated in King James Version as) live in pleasure.

5172 - trufh truphe troo-fay' from thrupto (to break up or (figuratively) enfeeble, especially the mind and body by indulgence); effeminacy, i.e. luxury or debauchery:-- (Translated in King James Version as) delicately, riot.

Deceptions – 539 apath apate ap-at'-ay from afpataw - apatao 538; delusion:-- (Translated in King James Version as) deceit(-ful, -fulness), deceivableness(-ving).

538 - apataw apatao ap-at-ah'-o of uncertain derivation; to cheat, i.e. delude:-- (Translated in King James Version as) deceive.

Overcome – 2274 httaw hettao hayt-tah'-o from the same as htton - hetton 2276; to make worse, i.e. vanquish (literally or figuratively); by implication, to rate lower:-- (Translated in King James Version as) be inferior, overcome.

2276 - htton hetton hate'-ton neuter of comparative of heka (slightly) used for that of kakoV - kakos 2556; worse (as noun); by implication, less (as adverb):-- (Translated in King James Version as) less, worse.

2256 – kakoV kakos kak-os' apparently a primary word; worthless (intrinsically, such; whereas ponhroV - poneros 4190 properly refers to effects), i.e. (subjectively) depraved, or (objectively) injurious:-- (Translated in King James Version as) bad, evil, harm, ill, noisome, wicked.

Jude 1-16

“Jude, a bondservant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James,

To those who are called, sanctified by God the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ:

² Mercy, peace, and love be multiplied to you.

³ Beloved, while I was very diligent to write to you concerning our common salvation, I found it necessary to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints. ⁴ For certain men have crept in unnoticed, who long ago were marked out for this condemnation, ungodly men, who turn ⁽³³⁴⁶⁾ the grace of our God into lewdness and deny the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ.

⁵ But I want to remind you, though you once knew this, that the Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed those who did not believe. ⁶ And the angels who did not keep their proper domain, but left their own abode, He has reserved in everlasting chains under darkness for the judgment of the great day; ⁷ as Sodom and Gomorrah, and the cities around them in a similar manner to these, having given themselves over to sexual immorality and gone after strange flesh, are set forth as an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.

⁸ Likewise also these dreamers defile the flesh, reject authority, and speak evil of dignitaries. ⁹ Yet Michael the archangel, in contending with the devil, when he disputed about the body of Moses, dared not bring against him a reviling accusation, but said, “The Lord rebuke you!” ¹⁰ But these speak evil of whatever they do not know; and whatever they know naturally, like brute beasts, in these things they corrupt themselves. ¹¹ Woe to them! For they have gone in the way of Cain, have run greedily in the error of Balaam for profit, and perished in the rebellion of Korah.

¹² These are spots in your love feasts,   They are clouds without water, carried about  by the winds; late autumn trees without fruit, twice dead, pulled up by the roots; ¹³ raging waves of the sea, foaming up their own shame; wandering stars for whom is reserved the blackness of darkness forever.

¹⁴ Now Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied about these men also, saying, “Behold, the Lord comes with ten thousands of His saints, ¹⁵ to execute judgment on all, to convict all who are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have committed in an ungodly way, and of all the harsh things which ungodly sinners have spoken against Him.”

¹⁶ These are grumblers, complainers, walking according to their own lusts; and they mouth great swelling words, flattering people to gain advantage. ¹⁷ But you, beloved, remember the words which were spoken before by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ: ¹⁸ how they told you that there would be mockers in the last time who would walk according to their own ungodly lusts. ¹⁹ These are sensual persons, who cause divisions, not having the Spirit.”

Flesh – 4561 sarx sarx sarx probably from the base of sarow - saroo 4563; flesh (as stripped of the skin), i.e. (strictly) the meat of an animal (as food), or (by extension) the body (as opposed to the soul (or spirit), or as the symbol of what is external, or as the means of kindred), or (by implication) human nature (with its frailties (physically or morally) and passions), or (specially), a human being (as such):-- (Translated in King James Version as) carnal(-ly, + -ly minded), flesh(-ly).

Strange – 2087 eteroV heteros het'-er-os of uncertain affinity; (an-, the) other or different:-- (Translated in King James Version as) altered, else, next (day), one, (an-)other, some, strange.

Heteros (Dictionary.com) –

adjective

1.        Chemistry . of or pertaining to an atom other than carbon, particularly in a cyclic compound.

2.        Informal. heterosexual.

noun, plural het·er·os.

3.        Informal. a heterosexual person.

Word Origin & History

hetero-

"other, different," from comb. form of Gk. heteros "the other (of two), another, different;" first element meaning "one, at one, together;" the second cognate with the second element in L. al-ter, Goth. an-þar, O.E. o-ðer "other."

Turn – 3346 metatiqhmi metatithemi met-at-ith'-ay-mee from meta - meta 3326 and tiqhmi - tithemi 5087; to transfer, i.e. (literally) transport, (by implication) exchange, (reflexively) change sides, or (figuratively) pervert:-- (Translated in King James Version as) carry over, change, remove, translate, turn.

1 Peter 1:13-25

“Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; ¹⁴ as obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance; ¹⁵ but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, ¹⁶ because it is written, “Be holy, for I am holy.”

¹⁷ And if you call on the Father, who without partiality judges according to each one’s work, conduct yourselves throughout the time of your stay here in fear; ¹⁸ knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, ¹⁹ but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot. ²⁰ He indeed was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you ²¹ who through Him believe in God, who raised Him from the dead and gave Him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God.   

²² Since you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit  in sincere love of the brethren, love one another fervently with a pure heart, ²³ having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and abides forever, ²⁴ because

“All flesh is as grass,
And all the glory of man  as the flower of the grass.
The grass withers,
And its flower falls away,
²⁵ But the word of the Lord endures forever.”

Now this is the word which by the gospel was preached to you.”

·         Verse 22 – You must first have the Spirit in order to accomplish this.

      Jesus preached repentance and sent His disciples out to do the same:

Mark 6:10-12

“Also He said to them, “In whatever place you enter a house, stay there till you depart from that place. ¹¹ And whoever will not receive you nor hear you, when you depart from there, shake off the dust under your feet as a testimony against them. Assuredly, I say to you, it will be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment than for that city!”

¹² So they went out and preached that people should repent ⁽³³⁴⁰⁾.

Acts 11:1-18

“Now the apostles and brethren who were in Judea heard that the Gentiles had also received the word of God. ² And when Peter came up to Jerusalem, those of the circumcision contended with him, ³ saying, “You went in to uncircumcised men and ate with them!”

⁴ But Peter explained it to them in order from the beginning, saying: ⁵ “I was in the city of Joppa praying; and in a trance I saw a vision, an object descending like a great sheet, let down from heaven by four corners; and it came to me. ⁶ When I observed it intently and considered, I saw four-footed animals of the earth, wild beasts, creeping things, and birds of the air. ⁷ And I heard a voice saying to me, ‘Rise, Peter; kill and eat.’ ⁸ But I said, ‘Not so, Lord! For nothing common or unclean has at any time entered my mouth.’ ⁹ But the voice answered me again from heaven, ‘What God has cleansed you must not call common.’ ¹⁰ Now this was done three times, and all were drawn up again into heaven. ¹¹ At that very moment, three men stood before the house where I was, having been sent to me from Caesarea. ¹² Then the Spirit told me to go with them, doubting nothing. Moreover these six brethren accompanied me, and we entered the man’s house. ¹³ And he told us how he had seen an angel standing in his house, who said to him, ‘Send men to Joppa, and call for Simon whose surname is Peter, ¹⁴ who will tell you words by which you and all your household will be saved.’ ¹⁵ And as I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell upon them, as upon us at the beginning. ¹⁶ Then I remembered the word of the Lord, how He said, ‘John indeed baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’ ¹⁷ If therefore God gave them the same gift as He gave us when we believed on the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I could withstand God?”

¹⁸ When they heard these things they became silent; and they glorified God, saying, “Then God has also granted to the Gentiles (nations) repentance ⁽³³⁴¹⁾ to life.”

·         Verses 14 – This occurred after the crucifixion. These people believed; but they were not automatically “saved.”

·         Verses 9, 14-18 – There are a number of key events in this passage:

1.       They believed

2.       God cleansed them

3.       God granted them repentance to life.

4.       They heard the word by which their entire household would be saved.

5.       They received the gift of the Holy Spirit

·         Verse 18 – Other English Bible translations prefer the phrase “repentance that leads to life” instead of “repentance to life:”

Acts 11:18English Standard Version (ESV)

¹⁸ When they heard these things they fell silent. And they glorified God, saying, “Then to the Gentiles also God has granted repentance that leads to life.”

 Acts 11:18 English Standard Version (ESV)

“When they heard these things they fell silent. And they glorified God, saying, “Then to the Gentiles also God has granted repentance that leads to life.”

Acts 11:18 New International Version (NIV)

“When they heard this, they had no further objections and praised God, saying, “So then, even to Gentiles God has granted repentance that leads to life.”

Acts 11:18 New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

“When they heard this, they were silenced. And they praised God, saying, “Then God has given even to the Gentiles the repentance that leads to life.”

 Acts 11:18English Standard Version (ESV)

¹⁸ When they heard these things they fell silent. And they glorified God, saying, “Then to the Gentiles also God has granted repentance that leads to life.”

¹⁸ When they heard these things they became silent; and they glorified God, saying, “Then God has also granted to the Gentiles repentance to life.”

Acts 3:1-20

“Now Peter and John went up together to the temple at the hour of prayer, the ninth hour. ² And a certain man lame from his mother’s womb was carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, to ask alms from those who entered the temple; ³ who, seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple, asked for alms. ⁴ And fixing his eyes on him, with John, Peter said, “Look at us.” ⁵ So he gave them his attention, expecting to receive something from them. ⁶ Then Peter said, “Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk.” ⁷ And he took him by the right hand and lifted him up, and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength. ⁸ So he, leaping up, stood and walked and entered the temple with them—walking, leaping, and praising God. ⁹ And all the people saw him walking and praising God. ¹⁰ Then they knew that it was he who sat begging alms at the Beautiful Gate of the temple; and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him.

¹¹ Now as the lame man who was healed held on to Peter and John, all the people ran together to them in the porch which is called Solomon’s, greatly amazed. ¹² So when Peter saw it, he responded to the people: “Men of Israel, why do you marvel at this? Or why look so intently at us, as though by our own power or godliness we had made this man walk? ¹³ The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the God of our fathers, glorified His Servant Jesus, whom you delivered up and denied in the presence of Pilate, when he was determined to let Him go. ¹⁴ But you denied the Holy One and the Just, and asked for a murderer to be granted to you, ¹⁵ and killed the Prince of life, whom God raised from the dead, of which we are witnesses. ¹⁶ And His name, through faith in His name, has made this man strong, whom you see and know. Yes, the faith which comes through Him has given him this perfect soundness in the presence of you all.

¹⁷ “Yet now, brethren, I know that you did it in ignorance, as did also your rulers. ¹⁸ But those things which God foretold by the mouth of all His prophets, that the Christ would suffer, He has thus fulfilled. ¹⁹ Repent ⁽³³⁴⁰⁾ therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, ²⁰ and that He may send Jesus Christ, who was preached to you before,”

• Verse 19 – Repentance is necessary for conversion.
• Verse 29 – Please note the order: