A Gospel Enigma. Why is the most vivid description of Repentance being ignored?

Question

"Sitting in Sackcloth and Ashes" (Luke 10:13) is highly descriptive of the kind of thing Jesus wanted people to do. Why is this phrase being ignored? Is it too "eastern," and therefore we cannot talk about it? Reference, Ch 8, http://gospelenigma.com

Answer 1

Probably because as you pointed out it comes from an eastern tradition of a way of showing sorrow. Here's a more up to date picture of repentence.

Ephesians 4:22 to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, 23 and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, 24 and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.

25 Therefore, having put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another. 26 Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, 27 and give no opportunity to the devil. 28 Let the thief no longer steal, but rather let him labor, doing honest work with his own hands, so that he may have something to share with anyone in need.

29 Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear. 30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 31 Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. 32 Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.

Being sorry is only the first part of repentence. God doesn't tell us to just feel sorry. He tells us to stop going the way we are going and to turn around and go His way instead.

Answer 2

It was a popular form until well into the Renaissance.

It became less popular when it was finally realized that even after the sinner had done his/her penance and been welcomed to the Table of the Lord once more, far too many of his/her neighbors stayed firmly against them, in unforgiving judgement. Even up to taking vengeance upon them through murder or economic ruination. Obviously this was wrong. Since human nature appears to be incredibly resistant to change, especially for the better, the Church decided that a less public form of penance would be less inflamatory to the negative thoughts and feelings of the population. And so the custom died. Another victim of humanity's refusal to listen to a loving Father.

Answer 3

Every revelation is given in terms of the generation of whom is given to.

Even when the words stay the same, the meaning will always apply to future generations though. The is the same as mourning today, sad, (so don't stay primitive), still, acknowledge.

Answer 4

I think that literally sitting around in sackcloth and ashes would be a travesty in this day and age, if that's what you're asking. Being sincerely repentent, to me, means confessing sin to God, and doing your humanly best not to continue in being sinful. "If we confess our sins He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."

Answer 5

Your advice and end are actually not reached from the Bible. interior the Bible, sackcloth and ashes might desire to do with *mourning* - the two a loss of existence or ones sins. There are greater effective than 40 examples interior the Bible. Genesis 37:34  And Jacob lease his clothing, and placed sackcloth upon his loins, and mourned for his son many days. Jonah 3:6  For word got here unto the king of Nineveh, and he arose from his throne, and he laid his gown from him, and lined him with sackcloth, and sat in ashes. MOURNING for a loss of existence or sins. Repentance is turning from ones sins to believe in Christ. Acts 20:21  attesting the two to the Jews, and additionally to the Greeks, repentance in direction of God, and faith in direction of our Lord Jesus Christ. The baptism of the Holy Spirit isn't the baptism of fireplace. Luke 3:sixteen  John replied, asserting unto all of them, I certainly baptize you with water; yet one mightier than I cometh, the latchet of whose shoes i'm no longer worth to unloose: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fireplace: 17  Whose fan is in his hand, and he will throughly purge his floor, and could assemble the wheat into his garner; however the CHAFF he will burn with fireplace UNQUENCHABLE. The wheat are saved human beings. The chaff are the misplaced. The baptism of fireplace is for the misplaced who bypass to HELL. The baptism of the Holy Ghost places a Christian interior the physique of Christ. a million Corinthians 12:13  For via one Spirit are all of us baptized into one physique, notwithstanding if we be Jews or Gentiles, notwithstanding if we be bond or unfastened; and function been all made to drink into one Spirit. And JESUS is the sunshine, no longer the Holy Spirit. John 8:12  Then spake Jesus returned unto them, asserting, i'm the sunshine of the international: this is not your first unusual thought.

Answer 6

I don't remember reading anything in the Gospels about people getting enemas.

Answer 7

Is this a trick question?