Not born again

[Marthina]

Good day to All

English is my second language so please bear with me.
I landed on this website via a discerning website here in SouthAfrica Exposing False Teachers and preachers.  Someone there shared a link to one of Christopher

[Jeanne]

Hi Marthina,

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[Marthina]

sorry about that   I switched to laptop now   I have no idea if this is posted correctly.  Will need some help with this forum

Good day to All

English is my second language so please bear with me.
I landed on this website via a discerning website here in SouthAfrica Exposing False Teachers and preachers.  Someone there shared a link to one of Christopher's YouTube videos.

I was born and raised in SouthAfrica.   Married in 2004 and we have 4 children.   We are farming with sheep and ostrich chicks in a semi arid area called TheKaroo.

I was raised in a Reformed Dutch Church with all the traditions, symbols, church buildings and doctrines you can expect from a denomination , as I have now learned, that was founded by freemasons since early 1900's    We baptize babies and calling unto the parents and church community to raise these children as God fearing believers and preaching the gospel message.  We tithe, do communion quarterly, and some big yearly thanksgiving tithings as well.   

I never rebelled against God.  Very conservative in my ways, but knowing my sinful thoughts (sinful nature) , I felt I was false.   As a teenager right through my college years  I always knew that this is the Truth.  But I had ALOT of questions.  It started with the evolution education I had that really rocked my understanding of what the Bible teaches.  It was defnitely the first reason I did not read and study my Bible regularly.   We had access to the internet in 2010 and I landed on a website creation.com that refuted all the evolution fallacies.     Then between 2005-2009 we could watch all the Oprah show reruns which shaped my believe in that we are all on a different journey but will have the same end and that we are all good people... blah blah blah   I soaked it up... unfortunately

In 2011 I started homeschooling and we used a christian American curricullum called ACE.   That is were I really started to learn about Biblical teachings.  This was a great blessing to us and still is....

But I am still lost and deeply indoctrinated by our prideful Afrikaner culture that has really got a stronghold on us.

My husband and I started Christopher's repentance teaching now and I have realized  that the word "repent" does not have the same biblical meaning in our Afrikaans Bible translation as it  is described in the teachings.   So I know now that even though our church preach "the turning" away from sin I do not see much of the deep sorrow for our sinful lives.

I have never joined a forum and I generally do not do social media.   But I hope to get to know true born-again believers that can guide me and teach me.

[Jeanne]

Welcome to the forum, Marthina! All of us here would be more than happy to discuss any questions you have and to help you understand the teachings. We are all learning as well, even Chris, as none of us knows it all. Anyone who is truly seeking the truth will find it with the help of the Holy Spirit.

Anyone who teaches that 'repent' means to turn away from sin or to turn to God is preaching a works based doctrine, which is a contradiction of the Scripture that teaches us we are saved by grace. This means that repentance (defined as grief and godly sorrow of wrongdoing) is, itself, a gift of the Holy Spirit.

I look forward to talking with you more, as well, and getting to know you!

Jeanne

P.S. With all the weird stuff going on politically in America right now, it's possible that at least portions of the Internet might be going down in the next few days or weeks, so please be patient if you find yourself unable to access the website or the forum in the future. I have every confidence that if this does happen, it will only be temporary.

[Marthina]

Thank you Jeanne

Just to let you know that I am still going through the repentance teachings and God is definitely opening my eyes to all the deception and pride that was my fruits.     I suspect He is leading me to quit my church.  I need to be stripped from the traditions and prideful arrogance.

[creationliberty]

Is this the first time you have heard the doctrine of "repentance and remissions of sin" that Jesus taught?

And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day: And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.
-Luke 24:46-47

[Marthina]

Hi Christopher.  Thank you for asking.
There were some sermons preaching on repentance and in my mind I thought I knew what that meant.   Ofcource the preacher, preaching from a pulpit up 'there",  it felt far away from me and it felt near as well ... but not quite there.
   The heavy traditions, respecting persons, the doctrine going over me some Sunday's blocked my growth in Biblical teachings.  But this is no excuse    I had access to The Bible all my life but I gave in to the sin and wordly idols in my life.  I chose to keep drinking 'milk' from false doctrine, attending church, keeping busy with church things, thinking this is it....

I can not explain it right now but these last 2 weeks something 'shifted' in me   My understanding have deapend and I can not get enough from reading my Bible.   All the familiar passages is making so much sense now.   
God is slowly but surely showing my deep dark sinful heart and the 'weight' of it is feeling heavier and heavier by the day.    I have this deep longing to have a relationship with Jesus.  To walk in full trust and faith in Him, the Truth and Only Way.

Thank you for these teachings Christopher.   I hope to get to know more of the members here on the platform. 

[Ellie]

Hi Marthina,

I am glad that you found the CLE teachings. I don't think I ever heard the truth of repentance taught anywhere else and it was a relief to finally understand such an important doctrine because you cannot have true faith without repentance. Does anything in particular stand out to you in the repentance teaching?

Do you have any questions that one of us might be able to answer?

[Marthina]

Hallo EMS

The Biblical understanding of repentance  is definitely not mainstream in church buildings.  And even when it is being preached there is to much leaven to go through before you can get the final Truth.   Like I said this should not be my excuse and it makes me deeply sad that I chose all the worldly ways of idolatry, traditions, respecting persons and I accepted the way I grew up as noble and worthy....   

My husband and I are still busy with the Repentance teaching, doing it every morning, "line by line"   We do this slowly because we feel this is the foundation and we read it in our Afrikaans translation as well as getting the proper Afrikaans definitions via a dictionary.   

Something I realize of late is that I am becoming more and more aware of sinful things I did in my past.  Things I have not thought about in years.  They would suddenly pop up in my mind or something around me will trigger it.  I would then 'pause' reflect and repent it. 

I have now listened to many hours of audio from the teachings as I go about my daily life.  I have also printed the teaching on Pride for our next Bible study topic.

For now I have made a conscious effort to not waste my time on ANY other "christian" youtubers, blogs, websites, etc.   I now find my Bible fascinating!

Allow me to thank you all who participate on this platform.  I can sense your genuine love in Christ for believers.