Jesus died on the cross to pay for our sins. Yes. That payment is held in reserve until and unless we repent.
But the payment is not made for us specifically for specific sins until we repent of that sin. We get no free pass. Otherwise repentence has no meaning.
But, according to the Reformed, nothing that we do has any meaning. So therefore what significance has repentence in the overall scheme of things except as a meaningless gesture.
Many of you have written on this, and so I will accept that this is your view. One of my responses was in 7,158.
That payment is held in reserve until and unless we repent. [---] But the payment is not made for us specifically for specific sins until we repent of that sin. We get no free pass. Otherwise repentance has no meaning.
Well, then the payment was not a payment in full. Rather, it was more of a deposit with the balance being due from the individual in order to secure salvation. Or, it could be characterized as a conditional payment, dependent upon specific performance. IOW, what Jesus did definitely had strings attached, it was not a free gift, as you say above. Of course we would disagree and say that Jesus did it all, and that salvation is indeed a free gift.
I have seen Apostolics say before that salvation is a free gift, but that it must be accepted. But here, in more detail, more is required than simply saying "yes". Here, specific action is required in the form of repentance. It sounds like much more of a bargain situation than a gift situation. I mean, in free will I would imagine that repentance is no snap of the fingers.
But, according to the Reformed, nothing that we do has any meaning. So therefore what significance has repentance in the overall scheme of things except as a meaningless gesture.
Meaning is in the eye of the beholder here. If true meaning comes from the glorification of man, his free will, and power, then you are right. We don't focus on that so much. :)