REPENTANCE

The New Testament concept of repentance is derived from the marriage of the Greek meta – a change of place or condition – with noeo – to exercise the mind, think, comprehend -- forming metanoeo, to repent, change the mind. We must distinguish between the classical Greek usage of metanoeo, which had no moral content, and the scriptural usage where the context is typically moral/sin. Theologically, metanoeo involves regret and/or sorrow accompanied by a true change of heart toward God. We see Jesus in Matt. 11:20-24 condemning the cities that had seen His great works and had not repented, tying repentance to “sackcloth and ashes”, remorse, and a lack of repentance to eternal judgment, the penalty for sin, etc.  In repentance there has to be a turning from and a turning to, just as when one changes their mind it has to change from something to something, or it’s not really changed but just something is added with nothing replaced. This is seen most clearly in scripture where repent is coupled with “convert”, the Greek epistrepho, which means “to turn to.”  Acts 3:19: “Repent and be converted…” Acts 26:20: “Repent, turn to God…”, where “turn to” translates epistrepho. Notice that repentance comes first in these passages: We must first change our mind about the world and our sinful nature before we can truly turn to God.

The O.T. Hebrew verb nacham is translated to repent, to comfort, and to relent, taking its meaning from the context. In a majority of the verses where nacham is translated repent, it is God who is the one who repents. So, repentance is more of a Grace thing than a Law thing. 

True repentance without tears is a rare thing, not impossible, but highly improbable. And, if I turn to God without turning from sin, I fall headlong into First John where habitual sin will choke/smother God’s word working in my life. Thankfully, repentance is a process: Many of the usages of repent are in the present imperative active, a command involving continuous action into the future, Matt. 4:17 for example, and God is very patient. But we should remember the Sower Parable, in particular the thorn bushes, where the desire for riches and the pleasures of this life “choked” (Luke’s term for drowning) the word of God. Repentance must be maintained, the turning away and turning to steadfast to overcome the temptations of the world.

I love the thought of turning toward God for this is where righteousness comes into play.  God makes us “the righteousness of God in Him” (Jesus). Isn’t that awesome! Sinless in God’s eyes, not perfect, not spiritually mature yet, still in reality filthy rags, but sinless in His eyes. This is so He can work in us, “willing and doing of His good pleasure in us”, maybe getting rid of our old nature bit by bit, so He doesn’t kill us in the process. God is good.

“REPENT THEREFORE AND BE CONVERTED,

THAT YOUR SINS MAY BE BLOTTED OUT,

SO THAT TIMES OF REFRESHING MAY COME

FROM THE PRESENCE OF THE LORD”