2/25/77; Rev 2:5 2/19/82

DOCTRINE OF REPENTANCE

A. Definition.

1. The Greek transitive verb METANOEO means to change one’s thinking, or to change the mind.

2. The cognate noun METANOIA, Rom 2:4, means a change of mind, a conversion, a turning away. Doctrinal viewpoint changes every bit of human viewpoint you’ve learned.

3. All of us repented at the moment of salvation.

4. Repentance connotes a decision based on mentality, not emotion. It is rational.

5. The Hebrew verb NACHAM means to change the mind.

6. When witnessing, you only give information, you do not try to get the unbeliever to “repent.” That is the function of God the Holy Spirit using the Gospel information you have provided. God the Holy Spirit will encourage them to change their mind about Christ, you just get the correct information out to them.

7. Repentance is a theological concept we study to explain the mechanics which occur at salvation.

B. The Definitive use of Repentance.

1. Ex 13:17. The Jews were not mentally prepared to fight for their freedom. God knew they would change their minds, say that slavery is better, and attempt to go back to Egypt, if they saw war coming. So here repentance means to come up to a new set of facts, be influenced by these facts rationally, and then to retreat.

2. Jer 8:3-6, speaking of Judah. When you fail, you don’t quit or give up. You get up and move on. When a person doesn’t repent with regard to salvation (unbeliever), or Bible doctrine (believer), then your lifestyle is out of control due to evil in your life.

C. Salvation Repentance or Believing in Christ.

1. Salvation repentance is that change of mind which follows perception of epignosis Gospel.

2. The inhale is the principle of common grace, in which the Holy Spirit takes the message of the witness and makes it a reality in the mentality of the unbeliever.

3. The unbeliever cannot understand spiritual phenomena, 1 Cor 2:14.

4. Therefore the Holy Spirit acts as the human spirit in the epignosis perception of the Gospel, Jn 16:8-11; 2 Tim 2:25.

5. After epignosis perception, positive volition expresses itself in a change of mental attitude: faith in Christ. Faith in Christ and repentance are two sides of the same coin. A change in mental attitude about the person and work of Christ equals repentance.

6. Repentance results in the exhale of faith in Jesus Christ, salvation adjustment to the justice of God. Mt 1:14-15 teaches that first you change your mind about Christ and then you believe; Mt 12:41; Lk 13:2-3, 5, 15:7, 10; Acts 17:30, 20:21 (ascensive use of KAI means even), 26:20; Rom 2:4; Heb 12:17.

7. Emotion never saves anyone. Feeling sorry for your sins does not save you, only faith in Christ saves you. Esau built up a system of self-righteousness and emotion which he thought would save him. Since Esau would not be saved God’s way he was given no opportunity for blessing.

8. 2 Pet 3:9, God is “not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.”

D. Acceleration of spiritual momentum demands repentance toward human good, Heb 6:1.

1. Human good is dead to the plan and policy of God, Gen 2:17. Dead works are those produced in the cosmic system.

2. Human good is linked with arrogance and produces boasting, Eph 2:9; Rom 4:2.

3. Human good is never acceptable to God, Isa 64:6.

4. Human good will not save man, Eph 2:8-9.

5. Unbeliever human good will be judged, Rev 20:12-15.

6. The believer’s human good will be judged at the Judgment Seat of Christ, 1 Cor 3:11-16; Rom 5:10; 2 Cor 5:10.

7. A change of attitude about sin is taught in Rev 2:5, 16, 22.

E. A change of attitude toward doctrine is the basis of reversion recovery, Rom 2:5; Rev 3:19.

F. The Anthropopathism of Repentance.

1. An anthropopathism ascribes to God a human characteristic He does not possess, but explains divine policy in terms of human frame of reference. God never changes His mind, but is said to in such passages as Gen 6:6; Ex 32:11-14; 1 Sam 15:35; Ps 90:11-13; Jer 26:3, 13. 2. God is immutable and doesn’t change. Therefore these passages describe God’s judgment in human frame of reference.

G. METAMELOMAI Versus METANOEO.

1. METAMELOMAI should be translated regret, never repent, because it has an emotional connotation. It means to feel sorry for something you’ve done.

2. It is used for regretting a previous action, Mt 21:29.

3. It is used for the attitude of Judas Iscariot, Mt 27:3. He regretted what he had done to our Lord, but he never repented, he never believed in our Lord for salvation.

4. It is used for God having no regrets about saving people and giving spiritual gifts in the Church Age, Rom 11:29.

5. The Father has no regrets regarding the appointment of Jesus Christ as our High Priest, Heb 7:21

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