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Relating to the instruction "Repent and be baptised" what scripture or reference tells us that Jesus Christ went through the process of repentance? I know that He was baptised by John the Baptist

Also What scripture or reference indicates that He avowed Himself to be the "sent Son of God".

I am thinking about this in the context of ALL mankind having to "Repent and be baptised" and acknowledging "Jesus as Lord" or "Confessing Jesus as Lord"

There is another meaning of repentance in the Hebrew. It is ancient and uncommon. It means to rest. It encompasses the meaning of turning and goining in another direction. But, instead of calling for action it is a call for cessation from the act. There remains a rest for God's people. On the seventh day God rested from his labor. On that day God set aside, he calls his people to cease from labor or doing evil. Another way to say it is to cease from self-seeking.

The NT definition in the Greek falls way short of this idea, but the words of Scripture are not just defined by the technical definition of language. Jesus calls his followers to cease their pursuit of self. The Greek holds the seed truth of the meaning of repentance, though, since it calls for a change of mind. In the new birth, which is a work of God not dependent upon the actions of man, we are given the mind of Christ. Repentance is a action of faith just as believing in Christ is. And faith is the gift of God, the indwelling of the person of Christ by the Spirit. His seed, that is the vital principle of the life of God gives us the ability to repent. That means that if the life of Christ has come to live in a person he has ceased from his own labor.

Renpentance has varied application in Scripture, just as the meaning of faith does. Toward God it means that we do nothing, resting instead in his finished work in Christ for us. It therefore has another meaning, trust. Toward man it means ceasing from our self interest and esteeming others better than ourselves. It therefore forgives wrong done because it has received freely from God the gift of repentance, we repent of our unforgiveness toward those who have wronged us. We repent then of our actions that would harm our neighbor. This however is not something that man can do without the life of Christ in him producing love for his neighbor.

Then repentance does not require that another forgive us, nor doe it require that we cease the action. For if we were still in the act of harming our neighbor for what completed action would the be a need for forgiveness? Instead, we promise that we will not do in the future what we have done in the past. Any Christian knows Christ's word on event future. They are not in our power. However, Christ places love not in a future realm, but in the now, saying that the day has enough evil of its own. Act now, in other words to love your neighbor. Repentance is a gift in all its work, whether towards God, or to neighbor, unless God grants it it will not be. For us then, we through ourselves down as dead men calling upon the mercy of God as the man in the temple who was a tax collector and sinner. Who he was was not going to change, but neither was God. It was the priest who was not justified because he believed himself able to keep the law of love. Those of us who know the love of God know that in and of ourselves it is impossible. God being gracious to whom he pleases grants repentance as he wills. By faith we may not see the thing that is hidden in our neighbor. So when he repents and asks forgiveness, we accept it by faith knowing that may just be coming from him and not from the Sprirt of God in him. We grant forgiveness to him, that is we grant repentance, because we know in and of ourselves we are capable either, and God has granted us repentance to eternal life on the basis of God's sacrifice in Christ, not the sacrifice which is of works from the spirit of man.

The spirit of man is incapable, being thoroughly evil, to do what is acceptable by God, and unless God puts it to death by his Spirit and causes the life of God to dwell in man, nothing that man can do is acceptable. Everything that is not done in faith is sin and without faith, the free gift of God, it is impossible to please God. The law commands us to forgive. It commands us not to do harm to our neighbor but to love him as our self. It commands us also to love God. By the works of the law though, which teaches us when we break it that we cannot keep it, no man shall be justified. It is by faith then, the work of God that man is saved, and by that same faith worked in man by the Holy Spirit all other graces which are in Christ Jesus flow as living water. So, if the water does not flow then neither does forgiveness, nor repentance. God accomplishes his work of repentance by crushing the pride of man. By grinding him into dust, humbling him, he can again reform man in God's image.

The law is not revoked and requires that a man reconcile with his neighbor for any wrong he has committed. It is not always possible to repay the debt incurred and that teaches us that forgiveness is not based in the nature or actions of the penitant, but is based in the heart of the offended one.

The mystery of this revelation of sin, calling for repentance, is made only possible by the precondition that forgiveness if free. How many time do we forgive. We forgive before the transgression occurs. Just as Christ is the lamb of God slain from before the foundation of the earth. Before any action of sin had occured in Adam, God had granted forgiveness on the basis of his free grace of which he grants to whom ever He choose. He has not granted us that right of discrimination, as it is written, "Vengence is mine, says the Lord I will repay." Therefore, since we cannot judge the hearts of men, and we have been forgiven all, even the death of Christ. We are told, if you do not forgive neither will you Father in heaven forgive. By this we know we are the children of God by that forgiveness that has been given to us which we can freely foregive others. We too know the love of God in that our sins find us out and drives us to his throne and to our neighbor to ask for the forgiveness we trust is in their heart. With boldness we can enter the throne room of grace where Christ sits. With our neighbor we approach with trepidation, still we do so in faith, know that it is to God's grace that we are submitting ourselves, in faith that God will deal with us by his mercy through the hands of our neighbor.

What repentance and forgiveness is to a Christian, is not comprehensible to those who are foreign to the life of God. The call for repentance goes thoughout the world. Only by those to whom God has granted repentance, in Jesus Christ, is that call heard. So today if you hear his voice, turn, place you trust in him and you will know the faith that he gave you before you knew to turn. You will know that he forgave you before you asked. As it is written, "Return to me, for I have redeemed you." And, "In those days I will take from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh....and cause you to walk in my statutes."

FMartin

What Mr. Borg said is indisputable. Hence, no comment of disagreements.

Too bad you did not share with us your thoughts on whether you agree or otherwise with what Mr. Borg has written.

Have faith in the posters. Even Jacob Jozevz has something to say.

It seems that serious people don't read or comment here. Too bad. Perhaps there is good in giving others a way to act out, but I doubt it. I think the Post should call it quits and publish an article pointing out the lack of interest or competence amont its readers. That is substantive. This nonsense is not worth the trouble.

...and Jacob Jozevz, I am a sister, but not of the nun or the soul sister type - the Muslimah kind:)

Peace be with you brother.

Good G-d Jacob Jozevz my friend!

Double or multiple thanks of gratitude is in order for anyone who writes sanely in these insane times and threads.

You telling me how to speak and write about G-d now? We all have our ways to thank G-d and fellow men, effusively or otherwise.

Now, forgive and forget and move on Jacob. But I am not repentent for saying "Amin and alhumdullillah.":)

Amin, Amen, Amon, kam sia, arigito, merci, gracias, terima kasih, alhumdullillah and thank G-d.

Best regards

"So apology and repentance, forgiveness and repentance, are quite different. Apology and forgiveness do not in themselves imply change. Repentance does."

Amin and alhumdullillah to that Mr. Borg. So very easy, too easy for us to forget the obvious.

Peace be with you.

Well Hello and Thank you For reading my message.

Repentence can only mean Repentence.
Stop right now and take some time with your most inner thoughts and repent. Make your own words and be yourself for once.
Ken Tabar

Thank you Mr. Borg for a concise definition of repentance. You use this word in relationship to God vs. to some person we have wronged. To repent and return to God would, using your definition, be to go beyond the mind you have or as Jesus said to be born again.

Less valid if victim doesn't forgive? It doesn't matter in respect of the value of repentance, since the repenter cannot control the victim's reaction. That it might be less effective is not relevant to the matter of repentance. One necessary characteristic of God is that we are answerable to God absolutely.

And is repentance less valid if the victim declines to forgive?