This episode rehashes all the influences of the Holy Spirit indicative of the circumcision of Christ. Unregenerate man is dominated by the flesh and incapable of distinguishing flesh from spirit. This state changes when he is born again and circumcised by Christ, making the believer better at distinguishing flesh from spirit. But this ability is compounded exponentially when the Word of God is consumed by the Christian. With respect to repentance from dead works, the Word of God exposes us to ourselves so that we can discern what is fleshly and respond in repentance.
God’s gifts in Conversion that Lead to Repentance
The circumcision of Christ initiated at conversion makes possible repentance from dead works and the repentance from the old self. This episode highlights the various Scriptural signs that indicate the circumcision of Christ, and these henceforth enable the believer to repent in the ongoing process of sanctification. The believer is first born again by the Word of God (1 Pet 1:23), made a partaker of the divine nature (2 Pet 1:4), and given a new principle from which he "rejoices with the law of God in the inner man" (Rom 7:22). I provide my testimony as a convert coming out of Catholicism where the above 3 signs were evident, even though I hadn't little exposure to Scripture. My conversion led to a hyper-sensitive conscience, which was the Spirit's foundation in me that assisted in repentance.