The #1 heresy today... Why we don't have to "repent of sin" to be saved...

a reply to: ThyJudgeCometh


Ummm...alrighty...then...

I just loves me a theological debate...

Well...everyone of you is correct...insofar as when one changes their mind and choose to go a different route...then the original route followed...ended..ceased...stopped...

Your all arguing...choice...an aspect of free will...

It's only semantics being argued here...not context per se...a simple misunderstanding trying to be a schism...




YouSir

a reply to: YouSir

The only time it was about semantics is when deathslayer said repent means to STOP... The rest of the conversation was weather repenting from sin is necessary for salvation....

originally posted by: YouSir
a reply to: ThyJudgeCometh

I just loves me a theological debate...

Well...everyone of you is correct...insofar as when one changes their mind and choose to go a different route...then the original route followed...ended..ceased...stopped...

YouSir

When you said the original route followed... Ended....ceased....stopped

Some may not have any outward change as we still have the old man with us, and that is in the flesh...

originally posted by: ThyJudgeCometh

originally posted by: YouSir
a reply to: ThyJudgeCometh

I just loves me a theological debate...

Well...everyone of you is correct...insofar as when one changes their mind and choose to go a different route...then the original route followed...ended..ceased...stopped...

YouSir

When you said the original route followed... Ended....ceased....stopped

Some may not have any outward change as we still have the old man with us, and that is in the flesh...

Ummm...that's where the forgetting part comes into play when we..."forgive and forget"...

That's so you aren't tempted to dredge it up and self or non-self flagellate...

Perhaps too many vie for outward appearances...when that interpersonal relationship and the experience of being full of the Spirit...causes those around you to seek close proximity...Still...such experience is a personal relationship between the Spirit and the one from which the fruits of the Spirit are exhibited...

It's quite unnerving...and sad...when...rather than seek such themselves...others merely wish to drink from the overflowing wonders of the filled...to touch and be in the close presence of...and elevate them when instead they need elevate themselves through honest faith and deep spiritual prayer...

We're always going to carry our selves around with us...
Balance comes when you realize that all the possible you's vying for face time do have their place within the framework of what it means to be human...

Circumstance actually dictates if a given response to stimuli is without moral underpinning...in most instances...

"To everything a season"...

Every day one long strand of repentances...


I've enjoyed your perspective throughout this conversation...whether I agree or disagree is actually moot...it's good just to explore another viewpoint...






YouSir

The expressed will of the father is that we believe in the one he sent, the Lord Jesus Christ.

Anything that distracts or adds to this is a cursed thing.

The publican was the best example. The Pharisee prayed 'like some here' saying "thank God I am not like the thieves and the murderers l" the publican couldn't even lift his eyes and just beat his chest saying "Lord have mercy on me, a sinner". He was justified.

Also, salvation is by faith, not of works lest ANY man should boast.

Those who have no works 'like the theif on the cross' their faith is accounted to them for works....

These are not hard things to understand and it's mostly a misunderstanding of salvation and sanctification.

a reply to: YouSir

Hmmmmm, I appreciate your perspective but that isn't what I was talking about... My point was that we are only born of the spirit, and while yes we are a new creature, we still have the old man which is of the flesh that dwells no good thing...

a reply to: Joneselius

Amen!!!

originally posted by: ThyJudgeCometh
a reply to: Raggedyman

The fruit of the spirit is most people's answer, but even Satan would appear as an angel of light... It's actually other people, think about it Jesus said he would make you a fisher of men...

Proverbs 11:30
30 The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life; and he that winneth souls is wise.

“That winneth souls is wise” is wise, not saved or showing fruit
So we will have to disagree

The fruit of the Spirit is “the fruit” of the Christian walk, in my opinion

a reply to: Raggedyman


Every thing brings forth after its kind, this has been known since Genesis... So we see it says go forth be fruitful and multiply, that is talking about having children obviously... Did you ever wonder why Paul calls people he won to Christ sons and daughters of the faith??? It's because they are spiritual children, or his fruit "a tree of life"....

Now all over the NT it talks of sowing seed, we spread seed when we have children, and I'm sure you've heard of this idea when sharing Christ with others that you are planting a seed correct???

So again everything brings forth after its kind right, well the fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering ECT, because that is the attributes of the Holy Spirit... When we walk in accordance with the Spirit and take up our cross daily we won't fulfill the lusts of the flesh, and we will expirence the fruit of the spirit, but that isn't the fruit we produce..

Look at this verse...

Matthew 13:8
8 But other fell into good ground, and brought forth fruit, some an hundredfold, some sixtyfold, some thirtyfold.

This is talking about bring forth fruit as a reward in heaven...

Love, joy, peace, long-suffering doesn't hold a numeric value, because it isn't talking about fruit of the spirit but other people...

Now in Matthew 7 you will know false prophets by their fruits... If it was talking about fruit of the spirit, you are basically saying we can tell a false prophet by how they act... The problem with that is they are a wolf in sheep's clothing, even Satan can appear as an angel of light..

So if you keep in mind that the fruit is other people how can we spot a false prophet???

Let's say you had to move and find another church, how can you tell if the pastor is a false prophet???

Examine his fruit, the people in the pews... If 9 out of 10 times you are getting wrong answers to questions, the guy behind the pulpit is a false prophet....

Also if everything brings forth after its kind, no Judas wasn't getting people saved, he was a false prophet and the Apostles never suspected it was him... But false prophets still bear fruit it's just of corruptible seed or bad fruit, you see a bad tree cannot produce good fruit...

1 Peter 1:23
23 Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.

I have studied out ALL the uses and the context and I can safely say that an heresy differs from a false teaching in one way. It has a false PRACTICE associated with it.

JESUS CHRIST IS THE ONLY ONE WHO SAVES. THAT BY GOD'S GRACE THROUGH FAITH ALONE ON CHRIST FINISHED WORK OF THE CROSS.

originally posted by: ChesterJohn
I have studied out ALL the uses and the context and I can safely say that an heresy differs from a false teaching in one way. It has a false PRACTICE associated with it.

So do you agree that this idea of obeying the law(repenting of sin) for salvation is heresy or is it a false teaching???

Personally I view it as damnable heresy...

originally posted by: DeathSlayer
You don't speak truth but twist the truth. Basically you tell sinners it is ok to sin and this is wrong.

Repent means STOP.

Change ...Stop.

Turn away......Stop.

Stop what you do and think ........when turning away from sin.

So STOP sin is the objective for those with unrepentant sins. They will not be with God upon death of the human body.

Jesus did NOT die for those who are unrepentant sinners.

We all are sinners through inherited sin, and those that repent and ask God for forgiveness in Jesus name, their sins are forgiven.... meaning they have stopped sining.

Example....stealing.... it someone repents in Jesus name, asking for forgiveness and stops stealing....this sin is forgiven. However if that person continues to steal time and time again showing a pattern, Christ's sees this....showing an unrepentant heart and this sin will NOT be forgiven until the thief stops stealing...showing repentance.

Those who continue to sin with a unrepentant heart, their sins will NOT be forgiven.

Die with sin and you will be separated from God.


a reply to: ThyJudgeCometh

So uh
Tell me how the thief on the cross works please?

It is a gift, all it requires is you accept it.

a reply to: ThyJudgeCometh

of course and OBEYING is a practice. so it is a false teaching and a false practice or a heresy.

originally posted by: ThyJudgeCometh
...
The transliteration of the Greek word repent is "metanoia". Which translates to english Meaning "to change your mind".

Let's break the word down so we know it means change of mind.

First "meta" means "change" which is it's english counterpart. Think of a caterpillar turning into a butterfly goes through a process of METAmorphosis.

Not quite...

Repentance (Insight on the Scriptures, Volume 2)

The verb “repent” means “change one’s mind with regard to past (or intended) action, or conduct, on account of regret or dissatisfaction,” or “feel regret, contrition, or compunction, for what one has done or omitted to do.” In many texts this is the thought of the Hebrew na·chamʹ. Na·chamʹ can mean “feel regret, keep a period of mourning, repent” (Ex 13:17; Ge 38:12; Job 42:6), as well as “comfort oneself” (2Sa 13:39; Eze 5:13), “relieve oneself (as of one’s enemies).” (Isa 1:24) Whether regret or comfort, it can be seen that a change of mind or feeling is involved.

In Greek, two verbs are used in connection with repentance: me·ta·no·eʹo and me·ta·meʹlo·mai. The first is composed of me·taʹ, meaning “after,” and no·eʹo (related to nous, the mind, disposition, or moral consciousness), meaning “perceive, discern, mentally grasp, or be aware.” Hence, me·ta·no·eʹo literally means afterknowing (in contrast to foreknowing) and signifies a change in one’s mind, attitude, or purpose. Me·ta·meʹlo·mai, on the other hand, comes from meʹlo, meaning “care for or have interest in.” The prefix me·taʹ (after) gives the verb the sense of ‘regretting’ (Mt 21:29; 2Co 7:8), or ‘repenting.’

Thus, me·ta·no·eʹo stresses the changed viewpoint or disposition, a rejecting of the past or intended course or action as undesirable (Re 2:5; 3:3), while me·ta·meʹlo·mai lays emphasis on the feeling of regret experienced by the person. (Mt 21:29) As the Theological Dictionary of the New Testament (edited by G. Kittel, Vol. IV, p. 629) comments: “When, therefore, the N[ew] T[estament] separates the meanings of [these terms], it displays a clear awareness of the unchangeable substance of both concepts. In contrast, Hellenistic usage often effaced the boundary between the two words.”​—Translated by G. Bromiley, 1969.

“Hellenistic” means “Greek” basically, in “hellenistic” culture (still prevalent when the Roman Empire took over), Pagan Greek philosophy was very popular.

Of course, a changed viewpoint often brings with it a changed feeling, or the feeling of regret may precede and lead to a definite change in viewpoint or will. (1Sa 24:5-7) So the two terms, though having distinct meanings, are closely related.

originally posted by: ThyJudgeCometh

So some things to consider, obviously via context in some passages we can see we need to repent of sin, but to repent of sin is an actual "turning".

Human Repentance for Sins. The cause making repentance necessary is sin, failure to meet God’s righteous requirements. (1Jo 5:17) Since all mankind was sold into sin by Adam, all of his descendants have had need of repentance. (Ps 51:5; Ro 3:23; 5:12) As shown in the article RECONCILIATION, repentance (followed by conversion) is a prerequisite for man’s being reconciled to God.

Repentance may be with regard to one’s whole life course, a course that has been contrary to God’s purpose and will and, instead, has been in harmony with the world under the control of God’s Adversary. (1Pe 4:3; 1Jo 2:15-17; 5:19) Or it may be with regard to a particular aspect of one’s life, a wrong practice marring and staining an otherwise acceptable course; it may be for just a single act of wrongdoing or even a wrong tendency, inclination, or attitude. (Ps 141:3, 4; Pr 6:16-19; Jas 2:9; 4:13-17; 1Jo 2:1) The range of faults may therefore be very broad or quite specific.

Similarly, the extent to which the person deviates from righteousness may be major or minor, and logically the degree of regret ought to be commensurate with the degree of deviation. The Israelites went “deep in their revolt” against Jehovah and were “rotting away” in their transgressions. (Isa 31:6; 64:5, 6; Eze 33:10) On the other hand, the apostle Paul speaks of the “man [who] takes some false step before he is aware of it,” and counsels that those with spiritual qualifications “try to readjust such a man in a spirit of mildness.” (Ga 6:1) Since Jehovah mercifully considers the fleshly weakness of his servants, they need not be in a constant state of remorse due to their errors resulting from inherent imperfection. (Ps 103:8-14; 130:3) If they are conscientiously walking in God’s ways, they may be joyful.​—Php 4:4-6; 1Jo 3:19-22.

Repentance may be on the part of those who already have enjoyed a favorable relationship with God but who have strayed away and suffered the loss of God’s favor and blessing. (1Pe 2:25) Israel was in a covenant with God​—they were “a holy people” chosen from among all the nations (De 7:6; Ex 19:5, 6); Christians also came into a righteous standing before God through the new covenant mediated by Christ. (1Co 11:25; 1Pe 2:9, 10) In the case of such ones who strayed, repentance led to the restoration of their right relationship with God and the consequent benefits and blessings of that relationship. (Jer 15:19-21; Jas 4:8-10) For those who have not previously enjoyed such a relationship with God, such as the pagan peoples of the non-Israelite nations during the time God’s covenant was in force with Israel (Eph 2:11, 12) and also those persons of whatever race or nationality who are outside the Christian congregation, repentance is a primary and essential step toward being brought into a right standing before God, with life everlasting in view.​—Ac 11:18; 17:30; 20:21.

Acts 11:18; 17:30; 20:21:

18 When they heard these things, they stopped objecting,* [Lit., “they became silent.”] and they glorified God, saying: “So, then, God has also granted to people of the nations repentance leading to life.”

30 True, God has overlooked the times of such ignorance; but now he is declaring to all people everywhere that they should repent.

21 But I thoroughly bore witness both to Jews and to Greeks about repentance toward God and faith in our Lord Jesus.

Repentance may be on a collective basis as well as an individual basis. Thus, Jonah’s preaching caused the entire city of Nineveh, from the king down to “the least one of them,” to repent, for in God’s eyes they were all sharers in the wrong. (Jon 3:5-9; compare Jer 18:7, 8.) The entire congregation of returned Israelites, under Ezra’s prompting, acknowledged community guilt before God, expressing repentance through their princely representatives. (Ezr 10:7-14; compare 2Ch 29:1, 10; 30:1-15; 31:1, 2.) The congregation at Corinth expressed repentance over having tolerated in their midst a practicer of gross wrongdoing. (Compare 2Co 7:8-11; 1Co 5:1-5.) Even the prophets Jeremiah and Daniel did not completely exempt themselves of guilt when confessing the wrongdoing of Judah that led to her overthrow.​—La 3:40-42; Da 9:4, 5.

What true repentance requires. Repentance involves both mind and heart. The wrongness of the course or act must be recognized, and this requires an acknowledgment that God’s standards and will are righteous. Ignorance or forgetfulness of his will and standards is a barrier to repentance. (2Ki 22:10, 11, 18, 19; Jon 1:1, 2; 4:11; Ro 10:2, 3) For this reason Jehovah mercifully has sent prophets and preachers to call persons to repentance. (Jer 7:13; 25:4-6; Mr 1:14, 15; 6:12; Lu 24:27) By means of the publishing of the good news through the Christian congregation, and particularly from the time of the conversion of Cornelius forward, God has been “telling mankind that they should all everywhere repent.” (Ac 17:22, 23, 29-31; 13:38, 39) God’s Word​—whether written or spoken—​is the means for ‘persuading’ them, convincing them of the rightness of God’s way and the wrongness of their own ways. (Compare Lu 16:30, 31; 1Co 14:24, 25; Heb 4:12, 13.) God’s law is “perfect, bringing back the soul.”​—Ps 19:7.

King David speaks of ‘teaching transgressors God’s ways so that they may turn back to him’ (Ps 51:13), these sinners doubtless being fellow Israelites. Timothy was instructed not to fight when dealing with Christians in the congregations he served, but to ‘instruct with mildness those not favorably disposed’ as God might give them “repentance leading to an accurate knowledge of truth, and they may come back to their proper senses out from the snare of the Devil.” (2Ti 2:23-26) Hence, the call to repentance may be given inside the congregation of God’s people, as well as outside of it.

The person must see that he has sinned against God. (Ps 51:3, 4; Jer 3:25) This may be quite evident where open or direct blasphemy, vocal misuse of God’s name, or worship of other gods, as by use of idol images, is involved. (Ex 20:2-7) But even in what one might consider a “private matter” or something between himself and another human, wrongs committed must be recognized as sins against God, a treating of Jehovah with disrespect. (Compare 2Sa 12:7-14; Ps 51:4; Lu 15:21.) Even wrongs committed in ignorance or by mistake are to be recognized as making one guilty before the Sovereign Ruler, Jehovah God.​—Compare Le 5:17-19; Ps 51:5, 6; 119:67; 1Ti 1:13-16.

The work of the prophets was largely one of convincing Israel of its sin (Isa 58:1, 2; Mic 3:8-11), whether this was idolatry (Eze 14:6), injustice, oppression of one’s fellowman (Jer 34:14-16; Isa 1:16, 17), immorality (Jer 5:7-9), or failing to trust in Jehovah God, and, instead, trusting in men and the military might of nations (1Sa 12:19-21; Jer 2:35-37; Ho 12:6; 14:1-3). The message of John the Baptizer and that of Jesus Christ were calls to repentance on the part of the Jews. (Mt 3:1, 2, 7, 8; 4:17) John and Jesus stripped away from the people and their religious leaders the cloak of self-righteousness and of observance of man-made traditions and hypocrisy, exposing the sinful state of the nation.​—Lu 3:7, 8; Mt 15:1-9; 23:1-39; Joh 8:31-47; 9:40, 41.

Getting the sense with the heart. For repentance, then, there must initially be a hearing and seeing with understanding, due to a receptive heart. (Compare Isa 6:9, 10; Mt 13:13-15; Ac 28:26, 27.) Not only does the mind perceive and grasp what the ear hears and the eye sees, but more important, those repenting “get the sense of it [“the thought,” Joh 12:40] with their hearts.” (Mt 13:15; Ac 28:27) There is, therefore, not merely an intellectual recognition of the wrongness of their ways but a heart appreciation of this fact. With those already having knowledge of God, it may be a case of their ‘calling back to their heart’ such knowledge of him and his commandments (De 4:39; compare Pr 24:32; Isa 44:18-20) so that they can “come to their senses.” (1Ki 8:47) With the right heart motivation they can ‘make their mind over, proving to themselves the good, acceptable, and perfect will of God.’​—Ro 12:2.

If there is faith and love for God in the person’s heart, there will be sincere regret, sadness over the wrong course. Appreciation for God’s goodness and greatness will make transgressors feel keen remorse at having brought reproach on his name. (Compare Job 42:1-6.) Love for neighbor will also make them rue the harm they have done to others, the bad example set, perhaps the way in which they have sullied the reputation of God’s people among outsiders. They seek forgiveness because they desire to honor God’s name and to work for the good of their neighbor. (1Ki 8:33, 34; Ps 25:7-11; 51:11-15; Da 9:18, 19) Repentantly they feel “broken at heart,” “crushed and lowly in spirit” (Ps 34:18; 51:17; Isa 57:15), they are “contrite in spirit and trembling at [God’s] word,” which calls for repentance (Isa 66:2), and in effect, they “come quivering to Jehovah and to his goodness.” (Ho 3:5) When David acted foolishly in the matter of a census, his “heart began to beat him.”​—2Sa 24:10.

There must therefore be a definite rejection of the bad course, a heartfelt hating of it, repugnance for it (Ps 97:10; 101:3; 119:104; Ro 12:9; compare Heb 1:9; Jude 23), for “the fear of Jehovah means the hating of bad,” including self-exaltation, pride, the bad way, and the perverse mouth. (Pr 8:13; 4:24) Along with this, there must be a loving of righteousness and the firm determination to adhere to a righteous course from then on. Without both this hatred of bad and love of righteousness, there will be no genuine force to the repentance, no following through with true conversion. Thus, King Rehoboam humbled himself under the expression of Jehovah’s anger, but afterward Rehoboam “did what was bad, for he had not firmly established his heart to search for Jehovah.”​—2Ch 12:12-14; compare Ho 6:4-6.

Sadness in a godly way, not that of the world. ...

Confession of wrongdoing. ...

Confessing sins to one another. ...

Conversion​—A Turning Back. Repentance marks a halt in the person’s wrong course, the rejection of that wrong way, and the determination to take a right course. If genuine, it will therefore be followed by “conversion.” (Ac 15:3) Both in Hebrew and in Greek the verbs relating to conversion (Heb., shuv; Gr., streʹpho; e·pi·streʹpho) mean simply “turn back, turn around, or return.” (Ge 18:10; Pr 15:1; Jer 18:4; Joh 12:40; 21:20; Ac 15:36) Used in a spiritual sense, this can refer to either a turning away from God (hence turning back to a sinful course [Nu 14:43; De 30:17]) or a turning to God from a wrong way.​—1Ki 8:33.

Conversion implies more than a mere attitude or verbal expression; it involves the “works that befit repentance.” (Ac 26:20; Mt 3:8) It is an active ‘seeking,’ ‘searching,’ ‘inquiring’ for Jehovah with all one’s heart and soul. (De 4:29; 1Ki 8:48; Jer 29:12-14) This, of necessity, means seeking God’s favor by ‘listening to his voice’ as expressed in his Word (De 4:30; 30:2, 8), ‘showing insight into his trueness’ through better understanding and appreciation of his ways and will (Da 9:13), observing and ‘doing’ his commandments (Ne 1:9; De 30:10; 2Ki 23:24, 25), “keeping loving-kindness and justice” and ‘hoping in God constantly’ (Ho 12:6), abandoning the use of religious images or the idolizing of creatures so as to “direct [one’s] heart unswervingly to Jehovah and serve him alone” (1Sa 7:3; Ac 14:11-15; 1Th 1:9, 10), and walking in his ways and not in the way of the nations (Le 20:23) or in one’s own way (Isa 55:6-8). Prayers, sacrifices, fastings, and observance of sacred festivals are meaningless and are of no value with God unless they are accompanied by good works, justice, the elimination of oppression and violence, the exercise of mercy.​—Isa 1:10-19; 58:3-7; Jer 18:11.
...
What are the “dead works” from which Christians must repent?

That last question I will continue with in my next comment as it relates to something you said.

originally posted by: ThyJudgeCometh

For example I have to repent of dead works. Because we are saved by faith not of works lest any man should boast. ...

What are the “dead works” from which Christians must repent?

Hebrews 6:1, 2 shows that “primary doctrine” includes “repentance from dead works, and faith toward God,” followed by the teaching on baptisms, the laying on of hands, the resurrection, and everlasting judgment. The “dead works” (an expression appearing elsewhere only at Heb 9:14) evidently mean not merely sinful works of wrongdoing, works of the fallen flesh that lead one to death (Ro 8:6; Ga 6:8), but all works that in themselves are spiritually dead, vain, fruitless.

This would include works of self-justification, efforts by men to establish their own righteousness apart from Christ Jesus and his ransom sacrifice. Thus, the formal observance of the Law by the Jewish religious leaders and others constituted “dead works” because it lacked the vital ingredient of faith. (Ro 9:30-33; 10:2-4) This caused them to stumble at Christ Jesus, God’s “Chief Agent . . . to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins,” instead of repenting. (Ac 5:31-33; 10:43; 20:21) So, too, would the observance of the Law, as though it were still in force, become “dead works” after Christ Jesus had fulfilled it. (Ga 2:16) Similarly, all works done that might otherwise be of value become “dead works” if the motivation is not that of love, love of God and love of neighbor. (1Co 13:1-3) Love, in turn, must be “in deed and truth,” harmonizing with God’s will and ways communicated to us through his Word. (1Jo 3:18; 5:2, 3; Mt 7:21-23; 15:6-9; Heb 4:12) The one turning in faith to God through Christ Jesus repents from all works rightly classed as “dead works,” and thereafter avoids them, his conscience thereby becoming cleansed.​—Heb 9:14.

Baptism (immersion in water), except in the case of Jesus, was a divinely provided symbol associated with repentance, both on the part of those among the Jewish nation (which had failed to keep God’s covenant while it was in force) and on the part of people of the nations who ‘turned around’ to render sacred service to God.​—Mt 3:11; Ac 2:38; 10:45-48; 13:23, 24; 19:4; see BAPTISM.

Unrepentant. ...

Beyond repentance. ...

Resurrection Affords Opportunity. ...

Evildoer on the stake. ...

originally posted by: ThyJudgeCometh

Notice in Jonah 3:10 God repented, so in order to know we have to repent of sin or not we need to look at the context of each individual passage to know if we are Repenting of sin, because obviously God doesn't have sin to turn from. Also interesting to note God repents more than anyone in scripture...

How can God, who is perfect, “feel regret”?

In the majority of cases where the Hebrew na·chamʹ is used in the sense of “feeling regret,” the reference is to Jehovah God. Genesis 6:6, 7 states that “Jehovah felt regrets that he had made men in the earth, and he felt hurt at his heart,” their wickedness being so great that God determined he would wipe them off the surface of the ground by means of the global Flood. This cannot mean that God felt regret in the sense of having made a mistake in his work of creation, for “perfect is his activity.” (De 32:4, 5) Regret is the opposite of pleasurable satisfaction and rejoicing. Hence, it must be that God regretted that after he had created mankind, their conduct became so evil that he now found himself obliged (and justly so) to destroy all mankind with the exception of Noah and his family. For God ‘takes no delight in the death of the wicked.’​—Eze 33:11.

M’Clintock and Strong’s Cyclopædia comments: “God himself is said to repent [na·chamʹ, feel regret]; but this can only be understood of his altering his conduct towards his creatures, either in the bestowing of good or infliction of evil​—which change in the divine conduct is founded on a change in his creatures; and thus, speaking after the manner of men, God is said to repent.” (1894, Vol. VIII, p. 1042) God’s righteous standards remain constant, stable, unchanging, free from fluctuation. (Mal 3:6; Jas 1:17) No circumstance can cause him to change his mind about these, to turn from them, or to abandon them. However, the attitude and reactions of his intelligent creatures toward those perfect standards and toward God’s application of them can be good or bad. If good, this is pleasing to God; if bad, it causes regret. Moreover, the creature’s attitude can change from good to bad or bad to good, and since God does not change his standards to accommodate them, his pleasure (and accompanying blessings) can accordingly change to regret (and accompanying discipline or punishment) or vice versa. His judgments and decisions, then, are totally free from caprice, fickleness, unreliability, or error; hence he is free from all erratic or eccentric conduct.​—Eze 18:21-30; 33:7-20.

A potter may begin to make one type of vessel and then change to another style if the vessel is “spoiled by the potter’s hand.” (Jer 18:3, 4) By this example Jehovah illustrates, not that he is like a human potter in ‘spoiling by his hand,’ but rather, that he has divine authority over mankind, authority to adjust his dealings with them according to the way they respond or fail to respond to his righteousness and mercy. (Compare Isa 45:9; Ro 9:19-21.) He can thus “feel regret over the calamity that [he] had thought to execute” upon a nation, or “feel regret over the good that [he] said to [himself] to do for its good,” all depending upon the reaction of the nation to his prior dealings with it. (Jer 18:5-10) Thus, it is not that the Great Potter, Jehovah, errs, but rather, that the human “clay” undergoes a “metamorphosis” (change of form or composition) as to its heart condition, producing regret, or a change of feeling, on Jehovah’s part.

This is true of individuals as well as of nations, and the very fact that Jehovah God speaks of his ‘feeling regret’ over certain of his servants, such as King Saul, who turned away from righteousness, shows that God does not predestinate the future of such individuals. (See FOREKNOWLEDGE, FOREORDINATION.) God’s regret over Saul’s deviation does not mean that God’s choice of him as king had been erroneous and was to be regretted on that ground. God must rather have felt regret because Saul, as a free moral agent, had not made good use of the splendid privilege and opportunity God had afforded him, and because Saul’s change called for a change in God’s dealings with him.​—1Sa 15:10, 11, 26.

The prophet Samuel, in declaring God’s adverse decision regarding Saul, stated that “the Excellency of Israel will not prove false, and He will not feel regrets, for He is not an earthling man so as to feel regrets.” (1Sa 15:28, 29) Earthling men frequently prove untrue to their word, fail to make good their promises, or do not live up to the terms of their agreements; being imperfect, they commit errors in judgment, causing them regret. This is never the case with God.​—Ps 132:11; Isa 45:23, 24; 55:10, 11.

God’s covenant made between God and “all flesh” after the Flood, for example, unconditionally guaranteed that God would never again bring a flood of waters over all the earth. (Ge 9:8-17) There is, then, no possibility of God’s changing with regard to that covenant or ‘regretting it.’ Similarly, in his covenant with Abraham, God “stepped in with an oath” as “a legal guarantee” so as to “demonstrate more abundantly to the heirs of the promise the unchangeableness of his counsel,” his promise and his oath being “two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie.” (Heb 6:13-18) God’s sworn covenant with his Son for a priesthood like that of Melchizedek was likewise something over which God would “feel no regret.”​—Heb 7:20, 21; Ps 110:4; compare Ro 11:29.

However, in stating a promise or making a covenant, God may set out requirements, conditions to be met by those with whom the promise or covenant is made. He promised Israel that they would become his “special property” and “a kingdom of priests and a holy nation,” if they would strictly obey his voice and keep his covenant. (Ex 19:5, 6) God held true to his side of the covenant, but Israel failed; they violated that covenant time and again. (Mal 3:6, 7; compare Ne 9:16-19, 26-31.) So, when God finally annulled that covenant he did so with complete justice, the responsibility for the nonfulfillment of his promise resting entirely with the offending Israelites.​—Mt 21:43; Heb 8:7-9.

In the same way God can “feel regret” and ‘turn back’ from carrying out some punishment when his warning of such action produces a change in attitude and conduct on the part of the offenders. (De 13:17; Ps 90:13) They have returned to him and he ‘returns’ to them. (Zec 8:3; Mal 3:7) Instead of being ‘pained,’ he now rejoices, for he finds no delight in bringing death to sinners. (Lu 15:10; Eze 18:32) While never shifting away from his righteous standards, God extends help so that persons can return to him; they are encouraged to do so. He kindly invites them to return, ‘spreading out his hands’ and saying by means of his representatives, “Turn back, please, . . . that I may not cause calamity to you,” “Do not do, please, this detestable sort of thing that I have hated.” (Isa 65:1, 2; Jer 25:5, 6; 44:4, 5) He gives ample time for change (Ne 9:30; compare Re 2:20-23) and shows great patience and forbearance, since “he does not desire any to be destroyed but desires all to attain to repentance.” (2Pe 3:8, 9; Ro 2:4, 5) On occasion he kindly saw to it that his message was accompanied by powerful works, or miracles, that established the divine commission of his messengers and helped strengthen faith in those hearing. (Ac 9:32-35) When his message receives no response, he employs discipline; he withdraws his favor and protection, thereby allowing the unrepentant ones to undergo privations, famine, suffering of oppression from their enemies. This may bring them to their senses, may restore their proper fear of God, or may cause them to realize that their course was stupid and that their set of values was wrong.​—2Ch 33:10-13; Ne 9:28, 29; Am 4:6-11.

However, his patience has its limits, and when these are reached he gets “tired of feeling regret”; then his decision to render punishment is unchangeable. (Jer 15:6, 7; 23:19, 20; Le 26:14-33) He is no longer merely “thinking” or “forming” against such ones a calamity (Jer 18:11; 26:3-6) but has reached an irreversible decision.​—2Ki 23:24-27; Isa 43:13; Jer 4:28; Zep 3:8; Re 11:17, 18.

God’s willingness to forgive repentant ones, as well as his mercifully opening the way to such forgiveness even in the face of repeated offenses, sets the example for all of his servants.​—Mt 18:21, 22; Mr 3:28; Lu 17:3, 4; 1Jo 1:9; see FORGIVENESS.

Same source as before. And to continue with that last subject, as it relates to the exercise of mercy mentioned at the end of my previous comment:Context (playlist).

a reply to: whereislogic

HERESY! HERESY! HERESY!

a reply to: whereislogic

A little long winded, but there are many things I would like to go over that you posted...

First, repent means to change your mind, it's even in what you posted, so let's not go too far down this path of semantics...