Terry Campie’s would like to offer another way to look at repentance.
Terry Campie asks, What is repentance? We Christians often refer to repentance as “making a 180” in our way of thinking, i.e., turning from our sin. Or for the Pharisees of Jesus’s time, a turning from the old covenant to the new covenant that He brought.
Terry M. Campie suggests a different way of looking at it for both today’s Jew and all others. Campie says, his premise is as either a Jew or gentile we desire to avoid the Hell God describes in the Bible…the Lake of fire, gnashing of teeth, unquenchable thirst, void of love (God is love), etc.In general, the Jew looks to his faith in the old covenant, obeying the law, and hope for the coming messiah. For the gentile (i.e., any non-Christian including nonbelievers, Buddhists, Muslims, etc.), Terry Campie says they rely on their particular religion or their “god” or if having neither, their “goodness“ or good works outweighing their bad deeds to avoid Hell and by default go to heaven.
Terry M. Campie says as Christians we know the only way, the One Way, to avoid Hell and gain heaven is through belief in Jesus and all His work. Terry M. Campie believes however in the Christian community we commonly look at repentance as a separate act from when weaccept Christ. But Campie suggests when the Jew, orgentile, acceptsJesus and of course receives the Holy Spirit and then byGod’s definition is Christian;then he has repented! He has told God, I am no longer relying on my religion or myself to avoid Hell. And in God’s amazing plan, that’s enough.
Campie says this happens even if the new Christian has no idea that is exactly what has happened. In other words Campie says, once they are Christian relying on Jesus and occupied by the Holy Spirit that is the ONLY place they can go – Heaven! Because that is the place Our precious Lord has “built” for His sons and daughters. Further, Campie says, although they may be in their flesh still relying on good works or religion for Hell-avoidance, they are but “filthy rags” to God. In time Campie says, the Holy Spirit will teach and reveal to them the truth of where their salvation comes –Jesus!!
For the Christian, Terry Campie submits, at belief in Jesus the first, the critical, the miraculous repentance has already taken place – it’s not separate action, it’s simultaneous. Or as Campie says, a Christian cannot rely on both Jesus AND his/her religion or his/her good deeds – they are mutually exclusive. So, in belief as Christians we exclusively rely on Jesus ONLY…to avoid Hell.
Terry Campie then asks, where does this repentance come from? The Lord tells us this it is a good thing.And we know ALL good things come from God! So, Campie says, even the gift of repentance is from God. He did it all!
Father, Campie prays, I pray this understanding is from You Lord. And that all who hear and do not know Jesus, believe. Amen.
For more Christian topics, see Campie.com and Terry M. Campie’s blog.