Margaret2

I believe repentance is an ongoing thing. The problem stems from the idea of "known sins." At the time when a person makes a statement of faith they may resolve to turn away from certain behaviors, but as they grow in faith, the Lord reveals to them other things that seemed OK before, but hamper the working of God's will for them. If a person joins a Christian Church and yet persists in behaviors specifically prohibited by scripture, he is only joining a social club.

I think the word "son" is a metaphor, in that the word inadequately expresses the relationship, just as all language inadequately describes God. However, there are many things about the concept of Son that help us to understand God/Jesus. He is not a son in the biological sense since Jesus was not conceived in the ordinary biological sense, and since Jesus predates his incarnation. "He was in the beginning with God." But our own experience of the closeness of our children, help us to get a handle on the closeness of God the Father and God the Son.