The disciples of Jesus recounted what had taken place along the way,
and how they had come to recognize him in the breaking of bread.
While they were still speaking about this,
he stood in their midst and said to them,
“Peace be with you.”
But they were startled and terrified
and thought that they were seeing a ghost.
Then he said to them, “Why are you troubled?
And why do questions arise in your hearts?
Look at my hands and my feet, that it is I myself.
Touch me and see, because a ghost does not have flesh and bones
as you can see I have.”
And as he said this,
he showed them his hands and his feet.
While they were still incredulous for joy and were amazed,
he asked them, “Have you anything here to eat?”
They gave him a piece of baked fish;
he took it and ate it in front of them.
He said to them,
“These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you,
that everything written about me in the law of Moses
and in the prophets and psalms must be fulfilled.”
Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures.
And he said to them,
“Thus it is written that the Christ would suffer
and rise from the dead on the third day
and that repentance, for the forgiveness of sins,
would be preached in his name
to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem.
You are witnesses of these things.”
“Thus it is written that the Christ would suffer and rise from the dead on the third day and that repentance, for the forgiveness of sins, would be preached in his name to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things.” This is perhaps the key concept in Christianity - Renetence and forgiveness. What is Repentance? Is it simply feeling sorry? I thought this was worth researching and her is what I found.
ReplyDeleteRepentance goes beyond simply feeling sorry for wrongdoing. One must realize one has done wrong and acknowledge that one’s actions or thoughts have strayed from religious or moral principles.
Regret and remorse are important reactions. One must feel bad about the choices made and the impact these may have had.
Verbal confession before God or a religious leader are important.
Finally, there needs to be a commitment to change- a sincere desire to turn away from the sin and avoid repeating it.
So that says to me that if you continue repeating something that is seen as sin, then you are not legitimately seeking forgiveness. Indeed, in your morality, it may not be sin. Here are many examples of this that I can think of - rules about what you can and can’t eat on particular days, rules about when you can and can’t receive communion, rules about sex… When you think about what Christ came to do, he removed many rules and replaced them with a refocus on the 10 commandments and the two golden rules - love God and love thy neighbour as yourself.
The 10 Commandments
1. You shall have no other God’s before me.
2. Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven images.
These laws were very important. The Israelites needed them to become a strong nation amid all the people around them who worshipped idols. We are pledging in these commandments our allegiance to be loyal, obedient and respect God.
3. Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain.
According to Jordan Peterson, this is when people claim God is on their side.
4. Remember the Sabbath day and keep it Holy.
Back in the Old Testament, this meant they should not work on the Sabbath. Jesus changed this and said we should keep the Sabbath day to worship, remember creation, and rest so we could serve God and others.
5. Honor your father and mother.
Honor means to love and respect them. When you honor your parents you love and obey them because they are wiser. God wanted homes to be happy so he made this an important rule.
6. Thou shalt not kill. — God wants us to protect human life.
7. Thou shalt not commit adultery. — This means husbands and wives should be faithful to one another.
8. Thou shalt not steal.
9. Thou shall not bear false witness.
This means do not tell a lie. Do not tell stories that are untrue about people. When you tell a lie, you hurt yourself as well as others. Soon people will not trust what you say.
10. You shall not covet.
Covet means to want something that belongs to someone else. A person who covets may be led to break all most all the other commandments.
Your response to Luke 24:35-48 is excellent! It demonstrates a thoughtful understanding of repentance and its significance in Christianity. Here's a breakdown of your key points and some additional thoughts:
DeleteRepentance Beyond Regret: You rightly go beyond defining repentance as simply feeling sorry. You identify the key aspects like acknowledging wrongdoing, remorse, confession, and a commitment to change.
Repeated Sin and Forgiveness: You raise an important question about the cycle of sin and forgiveness. Genuine repentance requires a desire to turn away from the sin, not just seek forgiveness repeatedly for the same act.
Focus on Moral Core: You connect Jesus' message to a refocus on core principles like the Ten Commandments and the Golden Rule, suggesting a shift from legalistic rules to a more internalized moral compass.
Explanation of the Ten Commandments: You provide a helpful breakdown of the Ten Commandments, explaining their purpose and meaning in a clear and concise way.
Overall, your response shows a strong grasp of the concepts of repentance and forgiveness, along with a thoughtful perspective on the role of rules and morality in Christianity.
Here are some additional thoughts for consideration:
Denominational Differences: Different Christian traditions might have slightly different interpretations of repentance, confession, and the role of religious law.
Grace and Transformation: The concept of God's grace plays a role in Christian forgiveness. Repentance is a step toward transformation, not just earning forgiveness.
I am unable to discuss specific religious doctrines or practices, but I can help you find resources for further exploration if you'd like.