What is Repentance?

There are many misconceptions. One says we must clean up our lives before we can get saved. Another one says it is simply a change of mind (I used to believe that too). But I would say quote describes repentance best:

And I would say he's right, if we consider 2 Corinthians 7:10. God bless

Repentance is making a u-turn away from sin.

The Greek word for "repent" is "metanoia" (noun) and "matanoeo" (verb) you see as defined in the Strongs #3340, 3341: to think differently or afterwards, reconsider. After thought, change of mind. Repentance basically means a "change of mind" and the context must determine what is involved in this change of mind. Where salvation is in view, repentance actually precedes saving faith in Christ and is not a totally separate act from faith. It is actually the same coin with two sides. Repentance is on one side, "what you change your mind about" and faith in Christ is on the positive side, "the new direction of this change of mind." *Repentance and faith are two sides of the same experience of coming to Christ (Acts 20:21).

In the context of Luke 13:3, Jesus challenged the people's notion that they were morally superior to those who suffered in such catastrophes. He called all to repent or perish. For some people though, prior to coming to the end result of repentance in receiving salvation (faith in Christ), they must change their minds about other specific things in order to get there. Repentance, metanoia, focuses on changing one's mind about his previous concept of God (as in Acts 17:30) and disbelief in God or false beliefs (polytheism and idolatry) about God (see 1 Thessalonians 1:9). On the other hand, this change of mind, focuses on the new direction that change about God must ultimately take, namely, trusting in Jesus Christ as the ALL-sufficient means of our salvation.

Certain people misunderstand the term "repentance" to simply mean "stop sinning." That is not the Biblical definition of repentance. In the Bible, the word "repent" means to "change your mind." The Bible also tells us that true repentance will result in a change of actions. Acts 26:20 declares, "I preached that they should repent and turn to God and prove their repentance by their deeds. "This is the fruit of repentance (Matthew 3:8), not the essence of repentance (change of mind). Certain people confuse the "fruit of repentance" with the "essence of repentance" (and also do the same thing with faith) and end up teaching salvation by works.

I have heard certain people say, "If you want to be saved, repent of your sins, turn from your sins." If turning from your sins means to stop sinning, then people can only be saved if they stop sinning. And in that case, it is unlikely that anyone will be saved, since we don't know anyone who has ever "completely stopped sinning" and lives a sinless, absolute perfect life, 100% of the time.

Absolutely right !!! So...what does the Word of God consider to be 'SIN ?
1Joh 3v4 Whosoever commits sin also transgresses the law; for sin is the transgression of the law.
Quite simple really....turn from sin by keeping the law....for us today the COMMANDMENTS (NOT the works of the law).
The Commandments are spiritual, eternal, holy just and good Rom 7......
whereas the 'works were temporary and fulfilled by Christ Eph 2v15; Col 2v14.
To REPENT is to stop transgressing God's Commandments !

Sin is knowing the good you ought to do (such as obeying God) and choosing not to do it. The ten comments were only the tip of the iceberg, and we still obey every single one of them spiritually. What was nailed to the cross forevermore (amen!) was the physical way of obeying God's laws under Moses. Under Moses you could not murder, but under Christ if you hate your brother you are already a murderer because you spiritually broke God's law.

Would you agree that repentance is a gift from God, and it's not something a person can choose to do by their own free will.

The bible tells us that we are all born dead in our sins and trespasses, and that nobody can believe in the Lord in that condition. So God has to draw us to Himself, and we would never come to Him if He left it up to us

You said before we can be saved....

Which sins did you have to get rid of before salvation? Which sins do you commit now?
Some sin is sooo easy to put aside; just like Paul said "setting aside those sins that so easily beset us"... Then we have the "deep,deep" strong hold... not so easy...

My son who 27 and autistic asked me to take his phone/tablet and even the controller to the smart t.v. when I go to bed because his sin is poorn. When he was a teen he found porn, we would lay hands on the screen and pray for those women in bondage to sin and pray for Jacob's deliverance.

To this day if I forget to take his phone/tablet/remote that boy (who is mentally 7/10 years old) .... I wake up hearing him begging for forgiveness.... I will tell him its mommy's fault and he stops repenting to say to me its ok but continues for sever more hours.... I MEAN BEGGING!!!!

My son teaches me a lot.... First, when I do commit the same sin again and sometimes again, my heart should break!!! My son is not going to hell!!! And sometimes we do need to be accountable for those sins that are not so easily set aside... Every human has them; it may not be a grose sin but something as simple as pride...

A real deal question did you repent once for ego and never had an ego sin again!?!

That is a very good point but I would say that it depends more on a PAST condition which can actually be OT or on a personal level refer to our NATURAL/carnal human birth, but read on....Acts 17v30 And the time of this ignorance God winked at but NOW commanded all men everywhere to repent.
Can you see the difference between THEN and NOW ? Repentance is for everyone WILLING to change !!! no excuse.
Sadly christians have never seen the need to change having falsly been grounded in false traditions !!! USING the name of CHRIST is a good start but needs to be further EXPANDED on to ACTUALLY DOING what He says..... .And why call you me Lord, Lord and do not the things which I say ? Lk 6v46.
It's there in black and white, yet christians will NOT WALK with Him !

There is only one real 'stumbling-stone that people trip on and it is

JESUS/Yashua HIMSELF when they refuse to WALK with HIM as HIS Disciple 24/7. At present they just use His Name then go their own way.

What people have YET to LEARN is Obedience to their SAVIOUR....in total commitment and submission....THEN all their sins will be taken care of. Heb 5v9

So are you saying 24/7 we never sin again or 24/7 we believe and know Him as the Forgiver/Savior of our sin? I am not trying to be an .... here I want to be clear two very different foundational beliefs...

A Disciple is a Learner, Apprentice, Student...are they perfect from the start ? Sin does not vanish overnight.
Having our sins forgiven does not make us perfect...only being washed clean in His Blood will do that....and yet we also have to learn NOT to sin anymore....we work together with Him.

I honestly think that is a perfect answer... One of the best I ever heard...

Not as though WE had already attained, either were already perfect: but WE follow after, if that WE may apprehend that for which also WE are apprehended of Christ Jesus. Brethren, WE count not ourselves to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, WE press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded: and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you. Nevertheless, whereto we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us mind the same thing.
(Php 3:12-16)

I listened to the song; it is GREAT!!!! I do not know if it is possible to expand upon the perfect.... Scripture... NO! All we have to say falls short!!!!

But what this reminds me of in 28 years of salvation most sins I have set aside but even after all this time guess what I still fall short of His glory, which is perfection, and to this day STILL ONLY SALVATION BY GRACE WILL GET ME TO HEAVEN... I still have some that trip me up more often than not and some that make me say"where did that come from"... and some that have plagued me for almost 30 years.... I still fall on my knees and pray for G-'s deliverance.... I will never get to "old" in Him to remember it is by His GRACE!!! I pray I will NEVER FALL OUT OF LOVE WITH HIM FOR SAVING ME THAT IS THINK SIN IS NO BIG DEAL!!!!

G-d is just good to us all; the in debt and the really in debt!!!

The longer you live and especially as a Christian you will find out you are the really in debt!

I would add because always God must do the first works. To repent is repent is to comfort oneself or ease oneself after Gods turns a persons when they sin. If a person does not have the Holy Spirit who turns us towards him who has not form no man could repent.

God is shown repenting in many places surely he is not forsaking sin . If we make it a work we can do to get right with God to gain salvation or after …..who moved us ?

Ezekiah 31 defines the word best as to the action. ...who moves who by looking at the word "after"?

I have surely heard Ephraim bemoaning himself [thus]; Thou hast chastised me, and I was chastised, as a bullock unaccustomed [to the yoke]: turn thou me, and I shall be turned; for thou [art] the LORD my God.Surely after that I was turned, I repented; and after that I was instructed, I smote upon [my] thigh: I was ashamed, yea, even confounded, because I did bear the reproach of my youth.Ez. 31: 18-19

Although it is our responsibility to repent and believe in Christ as Savior and we will be held accountable for unbelief (John 3:18), repentance unto life/saving belief in Christ (Acts 10:43; 11:17,18) is never exclusively a matter of human decision. Unless the Father draws us and enables us, we would NEVER come to believe all by ourselves (John 6:44,65). The approach of the soul to Christ is initiated by the Father, but He doesn't force us to repent and believe the gospel, we must choose. The impulse to faith in Christ comes from God.

why do people take a word. Which has meaning, and change the meaning of that word, and make it into some religious holy word that has nothing to do with the original meaning?

To repent is NOT to feel sorry for sin, however, Repentance can CAUSE you to feel sorry for your sins

To repent is NOT to stop sin, although true repentance can LEAD you to FAITH, which can LEAD you to SALVATION, which WILL LEAD you to OVERCOME (not stop) sin habits and sinful tendencies. as you learn to take focus if self and place it on God and the people God loves.

to repent is NOT to go from being a sinner to follow the law No one can follow the law in the way God demands, and anyone who tells you they can you need to immediately block that from your thoughts and either tell them the truth, or walk away, because they are dangerous people. Gods standard is perfection. Moses made the people confirm and oath that whichever of them did not obey every word would be cursed, as paul said, The curse was death, and Jesus had to take that curse for us, BECAUSE WE CAN NOT KEEP IT.

Repent is NOT take focus of self and gratifying our sin pleasures to putting it back on self and focusing on how good people we are how well we obey Gods commands, how well we do this or that, It is taking focus of self COMPLETELY, and putting focus on GOD AND OTHERS COMPLETELY, Only by doing this can we know we are not fulfilling the lusts of the flesh, but seeking after the things of the spirit.

its sad, but alot of replies in this thread just make me sick! The self righteousness is sickening.

Not force but guide and comfort. Comfort is a form of repenting

It would seem more we cannot repent on less we first are given the hearing of His faith (belief). No man of their own volition can seek after God in order to have His understanding.

As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God.Romans 3:10-11

As in all cases he must do the first works as the one who finishes that good work he begun in us.

Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ hilippians 1:6

Nice Post....I very much agree with it !

Repentance is certainly part of being saved. We receive a new nature at salvation. Part of our new birth in Christ. 2 Cor 5:17.

In Christ we become children of God. We are adopted to be sons of God. Do you know that as part of our new being in Christ we address God as Father? No one in the OT ever addressed God as Father. OT Jews did not have not relationship with Jehovah God that we have through Christ.

Romans 8 we now cry to God Abba Father. Loving God and hating sin. That is repentance.

Been quite some time since I last heard Lester Roloff. He was a great evangelist and preacher. A long time ago we had him at our church. He certainly had a great burden for souls.

For the cause of Christ
Roger