Repentance
From Theopedia
Repentance, also called penitence, the attitude of having sorrow for sin and the turning away from it towards a new life.
"Evangelical repentance consists of (1) a true sense of one's own guilt and sinfulness; (2) an apprehension of God's mercy in Christ; (3) an actual hatred of sin (Psalms 119:128; Job 42:5,6; 2co 7:10) and turning from it to God; and (4) a persistent endeavour after a holy life in a walking with God in the way of his commandments.
"The true penitent is conscious of guilt (Psalms 51:4,9), of pollution (51:5,7,10), and of helplessness (51:11; 109:21,22). Thus he apprehends himself to be just what God has always seen him to be and declares him to be. But repentance comprehends not only such a sense of sin, but also an apprehension of mercy, without which there can be no true repentance (Psalms 51:1; 130:4)."[1]
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This article is a stub. Please edit it to add information.Biblical words for repentance
Hebrew
shûb [Strong's ]
This term is found over 1,000 times in the Old Testament, and in the vast majority of its uses refers to a literal change of direction. However, in more than 200 occurrences it refers to Israel or God turning toward or away from one another. The modern idea of repentance is found in turning away from idolatry (cf. Deut 4:30; 1 Sam 7:3; 1 Kgs 13:33; 2 Kgs 5:13; 23:25; 2 Chr 7:14, 19; 15:4; 30:6, 9; 36:13; Isa 31:6; Jer 3:1,7,10,12,14,19,22; 4:1; 8:4,5; 18:8,11; 25:5; 26:3; 35:15; 36:3, 7; 44:5; Ezek 14:6; and Hos 3:5; 5:4; 6:1; 11:5; 14:1,2,4) and from cold-hearted disobedience (cf. Deut 30:2,10; 1 Kgs 8:33,35,47,48; 2 Chr 6:24,26,37,38; Neh 1:9; 9:26,29,35; Job 22:23; 36:10; Ps 7:12; 51:13; Jer 5:3; 15:7; 23:14; 34:16; Dan 9:13; Amos 4:6,8,-11; Jonah 3:8, 10)
nâcham [Strong's ]
This term is found over 100 times in the Old Testament and means to be sorry, or to pity or console oneself. In three of those occurences it is referring to repentance. (cf. Job 42:6; Jer 8:6; 31:19)
Greek
metanoeō [Strong's ]
This term is the one most commonly translated in the New Testament as "repentance" and literally means "to change one’s mind or purpose, to repent." From this same root comes the noun metanoia: "after-thought, repentance" (Liddell, 503). This is a reversal of thinking. You see yourself differently: as fallen and corrupt. (cf. Mat 3:2; 4:17; 11:20,21; 12:41; Mar 1:15; 6:12; 10:13; 11:32; 13:3,:5; 15:7,10; 16:30; 17:3,4; Act 2:38; 3:19; 8:22; 17:30; 26:20; 2Co 12:21; Rev 2:5,16,21,22; 3:3,19; 9:20,21; 16:9,11)
metamelomī [Strong's ]
This term carries a more emotional implication and literally means "to feel repentance, to rue, regret." In four of the five New Testament occurrences, the ESV translates it as "change(d) his/their mind(s)". From this same root comes the noun metamelos: "repentance, regret" (Liddell, 503). (cf. Mat 21:29,32; 27:3; 2 Cor 7:8; Heb 7:21)
epistrephō [Strong's ]
Although never translated as "repentance", this word furthers the understanding of God's clear command for a change of mind, a heartfelt sorrow for sin, and a turning from sin. It means "to turn about, turn round; to return; to run towards; to correct, make to repent; to turn oneself round, turn about; constantly turning" (Liddell, 302). This is a change of the will. This is decidedly turning from sin and the ways of sin to follow the ways of Christ. (cf. Mat 13:15; Mar 4:12; Luk 1:16,17; 17:4; 22:32; Joh 12:40; Act 3:19; 9:35; 11:21; 14:15; 15:19; 26:18; 26:20; 28:27; 2Co 3:16; Gal 4:9; 1Th 1:9; Jam 5:19,20; 1Pe 2:25; 2Pe 2:21)
Quotes
"Repentance is more than a change of mind or feeling sorry for one's sins. It is a radical and deliberate turning or returning to God that results in moral and ethical change and action” (Kenneth Barker, ed. Zondervan NASB Study Bible, Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1999. p. 1372).
"Repentance involves deliberate turning from sin to righteousness" (Barker, 1419).
"Repentance is a heartfelt sorrow for sin, a renouncing of it, and a sincere commitment to forsake it and walk in obedience to Christ" (Wayne Grudem, Systematic Theology, p. 713).
Repentance unto life is a saving grace, whereby a sinner, out of a true sense of his sin, and apprehension of the mercy of God in Christ, doth, with grief and hatred of his sin, turn from it unto God, with full purpose of, and endeavor after, new obedience. - Westminster Shorter Catechism, Q.87
Notes
External links
- What is repentance and how does it relate to salvation?, by John F. MacArthur Jr.
- Repentance, James Petigru Boyce
- True and False Repentance, by John Calvin
- Sermon #14: "The Repentance of Believers" by John Wesley
- All of Life is Repentance (PDF), by Tim Keller
- Thoughts on Jesus' Demand to Repent, by John Piper
