Must Repent
Yeshua speaks of the hedge in the New Testament, Luke 13:1.
1 There were present at that season some that told him of the Galilaeans, whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices.
These people are speaking to Yeshua about a local situation. In many ways, this is not much different than the disasters of today, Luke 13:2.
2And Yeshua answering said unto them, Suppose ye that these Galilaeans were sinners above all the Galilaeans, because they suffered such things?
Often today, people have this idea that bad things happen to non-believers and good things happen to believers. Yet Yeshua disputes that in Matthew 5:45.
45That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.
Good things happen to both the evil and the good. Many of these things are established from the beginning of time. As such, they are random. They are not based on the individual. However, ultimately Yeshua will conclude that life does not have to be random. He will teach how to get beyond the random occurrences of everyday life. This is what the Hedge does for the person who knows how to apply its principles to their life, Luke 13:2.
2And Yeshua answering said unto them, Suppose ye that these Galilaeans were sinners above all the Galilaeans, because they suffered such things?
Yeshua is asking those present if the ones killed were necessarily the greatest sinners, Luke 13:3.
3I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.
Yeshua declares that they were not necessarily the worst sinners. However, He tells them that if one does not repent, they too could likewise perish. It seems that these perished in an obscure or random event. Yeshua provides another example in Luke 13:4.
4Or those eighteen, upon whom the tower in Siloam fell, and slew them, think ye that they were sinners above all men that dwelt in Jerusalem?
This is meant to be a rhetorical question as Luke 13:2 was. These were not the worst sinners, Luke 13:5.
5I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.
Again, these were not the worst of sinners. This is the second time that Yeshua tells those present and that includes those reading, if one does not repent, they too could likewise perish. The question that is not answered by Yeshua is, what did He mean by repent? This is key to understanding the Hedge.
Because if one is a born-again believer, many would state that they have repented. Yet, I know plenty of believers that have bad things happen to them. Or, am I to think that they are not born again believers and that is why bad things happen to them. Another possibility is that there is a depth to repentance beyond simple salvation. Because salvation in itself may not be sufficient repentance. In fact, salvation, in itself, has little to do with repentance, 2 Thessalonians 2:13.
13 But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth:
Salvation is sanctification of the spirit and belief of the truth. Repentance is not a part of salvation. The repentance Yeshua is referring to is distinct from salvation.
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