Great Doctrines of the Bible
Lesson 12
Repentance
It’s Meaning, Essentiality, Universality, and Application

Introduction
Strong messages on the need and meaning of repentance are rarely heard from our pulpits today. It is almost a forgotten word. If repentance is an absolute requirement for all men everywhere, then certainly we should know its meaning and proper application. In this lesson we intend to clarify and define it, show its absolute necessity for salvation, and how it is clearly taught in the scriptures and applied to both the saved and the unsaved.

Importance of this Lesson

• Many today deny the necessity of repentance claiming that it is not applicable in this day of grace. Some claim that all anyone must do in this age is to believe. Still others who may not deny the essentiality of repentance are ignoring or bypassing it.
• Millions of unsaved, unrepentant people are uniting with churches. As a result, many are Christian in name only.
• It is of the utmost importance that the truth concerning repentance be explained, taught, and proclaimed throughout the world.

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The Lesson

I. WHAT IS THE MEANING OF REPENTANCE?

1. Negatively:
   1. IT IS NOT MERE REGRET. Criminals often regret their deeds when the fear of punishment is faced. But this does not imply a hatred for sin or a turning to God. Judas repented of his treachery (Matthew 27:3) when he saw that Christ was condemned. He deeply regretted his act, but this repentance was not a sorrow for sin or a turning from sin. He simply regretted what he had done and wished he had not done it.
   2. IT IS NOT MERE REFORMATION. Many turn over a new leaf who know nothing of a new life in Christ. Reformation is simply a self-made or man-made change like altering one’s lifestyle, giving up a habit, joining a church, etc.
   3. IT IS NOT SIMPLY SORROW. While sorrow for sin is a normal aspect of a salvation experience, it is not repentance itself. In 2 Corinthians 7:10, the Apostle Paul said, Godly sorrow works repentance to salvation.
   4. IT IS NOT DOING PENANCE. Doing penance is an effort on the part of a guilty sinner to pay for his sins. Christ has FULLY PAID THE RANSOM (Mark 10:45) for all of our sins (1 Peter 2:24). The Bible does not say, God commandeth all men to do penance, but to repent (Acts 17:30). If salvation results from doing penance, forgiveness can be purchased!
2. Positively:
   1. The word for the verb repent is metanoe’o which means literally “to change one’s mind and purpose.” In the New Testament it is always a change for the better and always refers to a turning from sin.
   2. The word for the noun repent is metanoi’a which means simply “a change of mind.” It is used for repentance from sin or evil.
   3. In verses like 2 Corinthians 7:8 and Matthew 21:29, the word used is metamelomai which signifies “regret or sorrow of heart.”
   4. Genuine repentance, then, involves the mind, the emotions, and the will.
      Just when does genuine repentance occur?
      1. When a person with his mind says, “I am a guilty sinner. I have sinned against God and deserve His wrath” (Psalm 32:5; 51:3-4; Luke 13:2-5).
      2. When in his heart there is genuine sorrow for that sin (2 Corinthians 7:10-11; Acts 3:19; Luke 10:13).
      3. When with his will he turns from his sin, forsakes his idols, places his full trust in the Gospel of Christ and determines to serve the Lord (Mark 1:15; Ezekiel 14:6; 18:30; 1 Thessalonians 1:9; Acts 26:20).
   5. Illustration: Perhaps the best illustration of repentance is found in the story of the prodigal son (Luke 15:11-24).
      1. “He came to himself” (verse 17). Here is the intellect. He awoke to the fact and admitted to himself that he was wrong.
      2. “I perish with hunger” and “am no more worthy to be called thy son”(verse 19). Here, we have the emotions. He was sorry he had been so foolish.
      3. “I will arise and go to my father.” Here is the will (verse 18).
         • An intellectual admission and a sorrowful heart were not enough. He still had to come home!!
   6. Genuine repentance is always associated with FAITH (Mark 1:15; Acts 20:21). When the Thessalonians turned from their idols, Paul called it a work of faith (1 Thessalonians 1:3,9).
   7. There are numerous verses which relate to salvation that do not mention repentance, but it is always implied.

II. IS THE DOCTRINE OF REPENTANCE FOUND IN BOTH THE OLD AND NEW TESTAMENTS?

1. The Old Testament:
   1. The men of Nineveh repented at the preaching of Jonah (Matthew 12:41).
   2. Job repented in dust and ashes (Job 42:6).
   3. Ezekiel called upon Israel to repent (Ezekiel 14:6; 18:30).
   4. Deuteronomy 30:2; 1 Kings 8:33; 2 Chronicles 7:14; Nehemiah 1:9; Proverbs 28:13; Isaiah 55:6-7; Hosea 10:12-14, all amply illustrate and exemplify repentance.
2. The New Testament:
   1. John the Baptist preached repentance before Pentecost (Matthew 3:2, 7- 8).
   2. Jesus preached repentance before Pentecost (Matthew 4:17; Mark 1:15; 2:17; Luke 5:32; 13:3-5).
   3. Peter preached repentance during and after Pentecost ( Acts 2:38; 3:19; 2 Peter 3:9).
   4. Paul preached repentance after Pentecost ( Acts 17:30; 20:21; 26:20; Romans 2:4; 2 Timothy 2:25).

III. IS REPENTANCE FOR THE JEWS ONLY, OR IS IT FOR ALL MEN, EVERYWHERE IN THIS DAY OF GRACE?
• Strangely, there are those who teach that in this age of grace, repentance is not a part of the gospel message.

1. It is true that on the Day of Pentecost, Peter’s call to repent was addressed entirely to Jews (Acts 2:38). The Gentiles had not yet received the Gospel. The Church at this time was made up of believing Jews.
2. However, in the giving of the great commission (Luke 24:47), the Lord Jesus commanded that “repentance and remission of sins should be preached among all nations beginning at Jerusalem.”
3. Then in Acts 17:30, Paul was preaching to Gentiles in Greece when he said, “…but now (God) commandeth all men everywhere to repent.” Also in Acts 26:20, Paul “Showed first…of Damascus, and at Jerusalem, and throughout all the coasts of Judea, and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, and do works meet for repentance.”
4. And again in Romans 2:4, Paul preached to the Gentiles, “Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance…not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?”
   • Repentance then is for all of us – Jew and Gentile, for all men, everywhere, today.

IV. IS REPENTANCE ABSOLUTELY ESSENTIAL TO PERSONAL SALVATION?

1. In Acts 17:30-31, the Apostle Paul wrote, “…but now (God) commandeth all men everywhere to repent because he hath appointed a day in which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained”. GOD COMMANDS IT!
   • The message is clear. Repent or face inevitable judgment.
2. Luke 13:3,5 – Here Christ said, “except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.” This passage clearly teaches that no one should think of himself as above the need to repent. Some felt that they were better than the suffering Galileans. Christ corrects them sharply.
   • Jesus said, “repent ye, and believe the gospel” (Mark 1:15). Paul preached, “repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ” (Acts 20:21).
   ¨• Faith without repentance is mere professionalism. Repentance without faith is empty emotionalism. BOTH are essential to genuine conversion.

V. WHAT PRODUCES GENUINE REPENTANCE?

1. The Goodness of God (Romans 2:4) – “ Or despisest thou the riches of his…forbearance…not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?”
   1. Luke 16:25 teaches that the rich man in hell had had his day, his opportunity of grace, when he “receivest thy good thing.” But he despised them and forgot God.
   2. 2 Peter 3:9 says, “The Lord is…longsuffering toward us not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.”
      • God’s constant goodness, love, forbearance, and longsuffering should result in our repentance and salvation. But, grace despised is grace forfeited!!!
2. Godly Sorrow (2 Corinthians 7:10). Paul rejoiced that these Corinthians sorrowed to repentance stating that “godly sorrow worketh (produces) repentance.”
   • Sorrow alone is NOT repentance, but it produces that essential change of MIND and ATTITUDE toward self, sin and God!
3. Gospel Preaching
   1. Matthew 12:41 “…they repented at the preaching of Jonas….” Acts 2:37, when Peter preached, “…they were pricked in their hearts, and said,… ‘Men and brethren, what shall we do?’”
   2. When Peter preached, the Jews were “cut to the heart” ( Acts 5:30-33).
   3. When Paul preached, Felix “trembled” (Acts 24:25).
      • Great preaching produces conviction and repentance. Oh, for more men who are willing and able to preach with such convicting power.

VI. HOW DOES THE DOCTRINE OF REPENTANCE APPLY TO BELIEVERS AS WELL AS UNBELIEVERS?

1. Christians are called upon to repent of their backsliding, failures, and/or some sin committed.
   1. For example, the Corinthians were Christians, but they had failed to act against sin in the church. Paul rebuked them and later rejoiced that they had “sorrowed to repentance” (cf. 1 Corinthians 5:1-7 with 2 Corinthians 7:7-10).
   2. David was a godly man who had shamefully sinned (2 Samuel 11:1-21). Psalm 51 records his genuine repentance.
   3. Four of the seven churches of Asia Minor in Revelation 2 and 3 are called upon to repent:
      1. Ephesus – because it had left its first love.
      2. Pergamos – because it held to the doctrine of Balaam and the doctrine of the Nicolaitans. They ate things offered to idols, advocated intermarriage with unbelievers, and committed fornication.
      3. Thyatira – because it allowed “Jezebel” to teach and seduce God’s servants to commit fornication.
      4. Laodicea – because it was lukewarm and satisfied with its riches.
2. Unbelievers are called upon to repent of their sins (Acts 2:38; 3:19; 8:22), turn to God (Acts 20:21; 26:20; 1 Thessalonians 1:10) and place their faith in the Gospel and in the Lord Jesus Christ
   (Mark 1:15; Acts 20:21).

VII. DOES GOD EVER REPENT?

1. Numerous verses in the Old Testament seem to state that God repents. For example:
   1. Genesis 6:6 says “And it repented the Lord that he had made man on the earth….”
   2. Exodus 32:14, “And the Lord repented of the evil which He thought to do unto his people.”
   3. 1 Samuel 15:11, “It repenteth me that I have set up Saul to be king….”
2. The Bible, however, teaches clearly that God does not and cannot repent.
   1. Hebrews 7:21, “…The Lord sware and will not repent….”
   2. Numbers 23:19, “God is not a man that he should lie; neither the son of man, the he should repent….”
   3. Malachi 3:6, “For I am the Lord, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed.”
      • If it could be shown that God repents in the sense that he has erred, or sinned, or had made a mistake, then God would cease to be God.
3. So, how is this explained?
   God is infinitely holy and incapable of doing wrong. When men or nations change or fail in their attitude toward God, then God must change in His conduct toward them. After offering mercy, He corrects them with severity, thus seeming to repent. Similarly, when men repent and turn to God, it is said that God repents of the evil He was about to inflict. God remains true to every attribute of His Being.

Conclusion:
Repentance begins with conviction for sin. This grace is wrought in the heart by the Holy Spirit, (John 16:8).

1. The sinner is made to see that his sins are corrupting his life and are offensive to God.
2. The overwhelming grief produced by this conviction causes the sinner to flee from the wrath to come and turn to God for forgiveness, while placing his trust fully in the substitutionary and vicarious death and resurrection of Christ for his salvation.
3. Repentance, then, involves the MIND saying, “I am guilty;” the HEART saying, “I am sorry for my sin;” and the WILL crying, “Lord, I believe.”
   • Let us join the prophets, John the Baptist, Jesus, and the Apostles in vigorously and compassionately proclaiming this truth to all.
   • Make certain that you can recall a time when you repented toward God and placed your faith in Christ, and when you “turned from your idols to serve the Living and True God” (Ezekiel 14:6).

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