Unforgiven after Repenting?

[CatholicDanM]

The Church and Bible both say repentance is a gift from God, and that God always forgives a repentance sinner. This is a great comfort to us Christians, but it seems to be contradicted by some Bible verses.

For instance, the Bible says Judas “repented” after seeing Jesus suffer, yet it is implied Judas is in Hell. Esau, in Hebrews 11, cried and repented losing his inheritance, yet to no avail. Simon Magus in Acts was told that if he repented, God might “perhaps” forgive him, indicating there is no certainty.

Can someone please explain why the people above weren’t forgiven even though the repented?

 

[Tantum_ergo]

Sure. Judas “repented” selling Christ to the Pharisees. . .but did he tell Jesus he was sorry? NO. Instead, he went and hanged himself. Basically what Judas seems to have done was commit the mortal sin of blasphemy against the Spirit–he seems to have thought his sin so great that God could not forgive it, thus he killed himself.

Esau likewise was sorry, but Esau had free will. He made a conscious decision—he was not tricked into selling his birthright, he was just hungry–and he had to suffer the consequences.

I think you might be confusing repentence with remorse (that’s why I put the word in quotes when speaking of Judas).

Repentence is not just “being sorry”, it is active and involves more a sense of how sin hurts GOD.

Remorse is more “being sorry for YOURSELF”. You don’t feel bad so much because you hurt God, but because you look like a bad person or feel uncomfortable with YOURSELF. It is a self-pity party, and very passive, wallowing around in guilt feelings, and despair.

As for Simon, the “perhaps” is more because Simon not only has to repent, but he has to keep ON being good. IOW, the Bible is condemning the idea of OSAS, IMO.

 

[francisca]

CatholicDanM:

The Church and Bible both say repentance is a gift from God, and that God always forgives a repentance sinner. This is a great comfort to us Christians, but it seems to be contradicted by some Bible verses.

For instance, the Bible says Judas “repented” after seeing Jesus suffer, yet it is implied Judas is in Hell. Esau, in Hebrews 11, cried and repented losing his inheritance, yet to no avail. Simon Magus in Acts was told that if he repented, God might “perhaps” forgive him, indicating there is no certainty.

Can someone please explain why the people above weren’t forgiven even though the repented?

Repent is our choice, and repent means to turn to God. He who search our heart decides the time of grace for us. This grace speaks this way “Believe in God’s promise that you will own the land and SURELY you will own it”. The land is heaven for us. The land has been given to us by “God’s oaths” and “God’s covenants” in the blood of Jesus.

Thus anyone who has come to believe this, will SURELY find “the time of grace” then saved. Otherwise, well, he may need more time before he decided that he cannot be saved by his own strength.

In Judas case, he has never believed this. Despite his remorse, he tried to “pay by his own account” his sin against Jesus. Anyone who believes in his own strength is cursed by his own choice. But those who believe in the CERTAINTY of God’s promise has found his salvation even as he is still struggling with his behavior. This salvation from God is the one to make him stop sinning later on.

The time of grace is when God decides that this is the time for Him to be gracious to us. This is time that we can believe in Him again.

God bless you.

 

[Marquette]

Repentance means turning around and going the other way. You are a drunk? Stop drinking. You are fornicating? Stop fornicating. Whatever it is, you must stop doing it and live for Jesus.

 

[thistle]

francisca:

Repent is our choice, and repent means to turn to God. He who search our heart decides the time of grace for us. This grace speaks this way “Believe in God’s promise that you will own the land and SURELY you will own it”. The land is heaven for us. The land has been given to us by “God’s oaths” and “God’s covenants” in the blood of Jesus.

Thus anyone who has come to believe this, will SURELY find “the time of grace” then saved. Otherwise, well, he may need more time before he decided that he cannot be saved by his own strength.

In Judas case, he has never believed this. Despite his remorse, he tried to “pay by his own account” his sin against Jesus. Anyone who believes in his own strength is cursed by his own choice. But those who believe in the CERTAINTY of God’s promise has found his salvation even as he is still struggling with his behavior. This salvation from God is the one to make him stop sinning later on.

The time of grace is when God decides that this is the time for Him to be gracious to us. This is time that we can believe in Him again.

God bless you.

If a mortal sin has been committed repentence and forgiveness only comes through confessing to a priest in the Sacrament of Reconciliation.