They are out there. You see them now and then if you are watching. I’m referring to people
carrying signs about repentance. Is that what God wants us to do....
carry a sign?
I rarely use the word repent because traditionally it has come to mean to “turn from sin.”
Repentance is absolutely necessary for salvation . Luke 24:47 says, “repentance for
forgivness of sins should be proclaimed in His name to all nations.” (NASB) But does it mean
“turn from sin?” If it does, then how many sins would one have to turn from to be saved?
Some? Most? All? Maybe only the sins you know about? How do you turn from something
that is inside of you? That is where sins dwells (Romans 7:20).
If you say that the word repent always means to turn from sin, then you will have a problem
in the Old Testament because you will find that God often repents. (Genesis 6:6 KJV) Does
that mean he turns from sin? No. God is not a sinner.
In the New Testament there are 3 Greek words that are translated repent or repentance,
metanoeo, metanoia, and metamelomai. The basic meaning of all three words is to “change
your mind,” to think differently. You must look closely at how the word is used in its context
to determine the precise meaning of each use.
To be saved, a person must change their mind about what they were trusting in previously
and trust only in Jesus Christ to save them. To believe in Christ means to realize that Jesus
paid for all your sins on the cross and rose again. Believing always involves a change of
mind, that is why it is not necessary to actually say the word “repent” when you tell someone
the gospel. It is included in believing. The stated purpose of the Gospel of John is to produce
faith in those that read it. (John 20:31) Yet, the Gospel of John does not contain the word
“repent”, not even once. That makes perfect sense if the word repent means to “change
your mind.”
If you are honest, you will admit that you have not really turned from ALL your sin. If turning
from it were a requirement for salvation, all would surely be lost. Sin, to one degree or
another, will be right there inside of you until the day you die. (Romans 7:24) Part of our
daily warfare as a Christian is to resist it, turn from it, flee from it, overcome it, and not yield
to it. It is a battle.
When God “commands all people everywhere to repent” (Acts 17:30), He is not telling them
to turn from sin, He is telling them to change their mind and trust in Christ to receive eternal
life.
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