*LESSON TWO: (FIRST PRINCIPLES OF THE DOCTRINE OF CHRIST)*
*PROGRAM 2. REPENTANCE FROM DEAD WORKS*
?? Hebrews 6:1 KJV Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of *REPENTANCE FROM DEAD WORKS,* and of faith toward God,
?? Paul the apostle says repentance from dead works, not repentance from sins. Those are two different things so because Paul spoke of repentance from dead works then our focus will be completely on that.
Repentance is from the Greek word metanoia meaning a change of the mind. And dead works means anything done in human effort to please God.
?? So when he says repentance from dead works, he means to say in simple terms, change your ways and stick to God’s ways of doing things.
For example in the days of John the Baptist, many Pharisees and scribes thought Moses was the only prophet and way to God. So when John the Baptist was preaching, he always told them to repent and look to him who was to come. He told them to change the way they approached God.
?? John 1:25-27 KJV 25 And they asked him, and said unto him, Why baptizest thou then, if thou be not that Christ, nor Elias, neither that prophet? 26 John answered them, saying, I baptize with water: *but there standeth one among you, whom ye know not;* 27 *He it is, who coming after me is preferred before me,* whose shoe’s latchet I am not worthy to unloose.
?? The message of John concerning repentance was for the people to believe on him who was to come who is Jesus Christ. He was simply telling them to change the way they approach God. They had to do so through Jesus Christ and not through Moses or any other funny thing they called God.
?? *So John’s main message was not repentance from sins as some people suggest.* He preached repentance from dead works because he would say that men should believe Jesus for remission of sins.
Remission of sin was possible only when men look to Jesus, not what they did. That’s the mystery that made John the Baptist the greatest prophet born among women. His message and where it was pointing to.
Acts 19:4 KJV Then said Paul, John verily baptized with the baptism of repentance, *saying unto the people, that they should believe on him which should come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus.*
Religion has taught men to approach God through sacrifices etc however when God comes he says that is not the way you approach me, the only way you do so is through Jesus Christ my son. If you come another way then you cannot be accepted.
?? John 14:6 KJV Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: *no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.*
?? Many people in this world want to approach God in their own ways and in their own understandings. However God says lean not on your ways and understandings. Trust entirely in God’s understanding.
?? Proverbs 3:5 KJV Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; *and lean not unto thine own understanding.*
Dead works is anything that a person applies by his own mind in order to please or approach God.
An example of dead works are the sacrifices that the Israelites offered daily in the old testament. God calls them dead works because many applied human effort to do them, they didn’t operate by revelation.
?? The moment you apply any human effort to do something and please God then you are functioning by dead works.
?? Hebrews 9:14 KJV How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, *purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?*
?? Paul says you can’t serve God if your conscience has not been purged from dead works. Many seek to serve God but they are more occupied with what they do their way to please him yet God is more into what he does in us to accomplish his will.
So we have to learn how to detach ourselves from anything that is of human effort to please God. Many start ministries by human effort, others start ministry by their own view of things, many marry by human effort, chose careers by human effort etc. Those are all dead works in manifestation.
When praying you have to pray God’s way, fast God’s way, love God’s way, approach God in his way, teach God’s way. The more you incline to your ways then you have inclined to dead works.
Righteousness by work of the law is also a dead work.
Try examining yourself and see the things you have applied human effort then change, repent from then. That’s what we call repentance from dead works.
?? Repentance from dead works is possible when God’s way has been revealed. Hallelujah
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