Melanie
Repentance is a complex concept that plays a significant role in various religions, including Christianity, Judaism, and Islam. In its simplest form, the word repent means to turn away from sin and towards God. It involves a change of heart and mind, leading to a change in actions and behaviour. This change is motivated by a sincere desire to obey God's commandments and a recognition of one's guilt and sinfulness. True repentance also entails a change in attitude, turning away from sin, and turning to God for forgiveness.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Definition | To turn around, change one's mind or heart |
| Military term | An about-face, 180-degree turn |
| Hebrew words | nacham, sub |
| Greek word | metanoia |
| Religious context | An act of confession to God or a spiritual elder |
| Confession | Admission of guilt, a promise not to repeat the offense, restitution |
| Judaism | תשובה, literally "return", pronounced tshuva or teshuva |
| Christian salvation | Believer turns away from sin |
| Reformed theological tradition | Occurs after faith |
| Roman Catholic theology | Part of the larger theological concept of penance |
| Islamic concept | Tawba |
| Mahayana Buddhism | Samantabhadra's Repentance Verse, Flower Adornment Sutra |
| Hawaiian religion | Hoʻoponopono |
What You'll Learn
Repentance is a change of heart and mind that brings us closer to God
In the Bible, the word "repent" means "to change one's mind". It is derived from the Greek word "metanoia", which means a change of mind or a new way of thinking. This change of mind is not just an intellectual exercise but a deep transformation that affects our entire being. It is prompted by godly sorrow and a recognition of our sinfulness before a holy God.
True repentance involves a change in our disposition and a new way of thinking about God, sin, holiness, and God's will. It is a 180-degree turn, like a soldier doing an about-face. It is not something we can do on our own but is a gift from God, prompted by His kindness, long-suffering, and grace.
When we repent, we turn away from our sins and turn towards God. We abhor our past misdeeds and seek to amend our behaviour. We recognise Jesus Christ as our Saviour and Lord, and our faith is shown through our actions. This is not a works-based salvation but a natural result of a changed heart and mind.
Repentance is not a one-time event but a continual process throughout the believer's life. It is an attitude that should mark the whole of our lives as we seek to follow God and His ways more closely.
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Repentance is a decisive change in direction
Repentance is a change in how one thinks, which leads to a change in how one lives. It is a change of mind that leads to a change of thinking, which leads to a change of attitude, that leads to a change of feeling, that leads to a change of values, and ultimately, a change in how one lives.
In the Bible, the word 'repent' means 'to change one's mind'. The Bible tells us that true repentance will result in a change of actions (Luke 3:8–14; Acts 3:19). Repentance involves recognising that you have thought wrongly in the past and determining to think rightly in the future. It involves a change of disposition and a new way of thinking about God, sin, holiness, and doing God's will.
Repentance is a stage in Christian salvation where the believer turns away from sin. It is a commitment to personal change and the resolve to live a more responsible and humane life. It involves sorrow over specific sins that an individual feels guilt over, and a conviction to make restitution.
In Judaism, repentance is one element of atoning for sin. It is recognised that everybody sins, but that people can minimise these occasions in the future by repenting for past transgressions. Thus, the primary purpose of repentance in Judaism is ethical self-transformation.
In Islam, Tawba is the concept of repenting to God for any sins and misdeeds. It is a direct matter between a person and God, with no intercession. Tawba involves leaving what God has prohibited and returning to what he has commanded. It is the act of being repentant for one's misdeeds, atoning for those misdeeds, and having a strong determination to forsake them.
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Repentance is a change in how we think, talk, feel and act
In the Bible, the word 'repent' means 'to change one's mind'. The Bible also tells us that true repentance will result in a change of actions. Repentance involves recognising that you have thought wrongly in the past and determining to think rightly in the future. It involves a change of disposition and a new way of thinking about God, sin, holiness, and doing God's will.
In the Greek New Testament, the word 'repent' means to turn around. It was a military term used to describe a soldier marching in one direction and then doing an about-face, a 180-degree turn. Repentance is a decisive change in direction. It is a change of mind that leads to a change of thinking, which leads to a change of attitude, that leads to a change of feeling, that leads to a change of values, that leads to a change in how one lives.
In modern times, repentance is generally seen as involving a commitment to personal change and the resolve to live a more responsible and humane life. It can involve sorrow over a specific sin or series of sins that an individual feels guilty over. It is an acknowledgement that what one has done is wrong and, because it is wrong, one should stop doing it.
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Repentance is a change of mind about sin and Jesus Christ
In the Bible, the change of mind that repentance represents is about sin and Jesus Christ. It is about no longer rejecting Christ but instead embracing Him as the Saviour, no longer toying with sin but instead forsaking it. This change of mind will result in a change of action.
Repentance is prompted by "godly sorrow" and it leads to salvation. It is not something that can be achieved by human effort but is instead a gift from God, only possible because of His grace.
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Repentance is a stage in Christian salvation
The Greek word for repentance, "metanoia", means "to have another mind", or "to change one's mind". This change of mind is not just a casual change of thinking, but a radical reorientation of one's whole life, a turning away from sin and towards a life of holiness. It is prompted by "godly sorrow" and leads to salvation.
In the Bible, repentance is often linked with faith. Repentance and faith are described as two sides of the same coin. It is impossible to place faith in Jesus Christ as a saviour without first changing one's mind about sin and about who Jesus is and what he has done.
The book of Acts in the Bible especially focuses on repentance in regard to salvation. For example, in Peter's sermon on the day of Pentecost, he calls on the people to repent and change their minds about their rejection of Christ, embracing faith in him as their Messiah and Saviour.
The position of repentance as a distinct stage in the ordo salutis is disputed, with some theological traditions arguing it occurs prior to faith, and others arguing it occurs after faith.
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Frequently asked questions
To repent means to turn away from sin and towards God. It is a change of heart and mind that brings us closer to God.
The word 'repent' comes from the Greek word 'metanoia', which means "to change the mind". In the Greek New Testament, it was a military term used to describe a soldier doing an about-face or a 180-degree turn.
Repentance is a stage in Christian salvation where the believer turns away from sin. It is a decisive change in direction, a change of mind that leads to a change of thinking, attitude, feelings, values, and actions.
In Judaism, repentance or 'teshuva' is one element of atoning for sin. The primary purpose of repentance in Judaism is ethical self-transformation. Judaism recognizes that everyone sins but believes that people can minimize these occasions in the future by repenting for past transgressions.
In Islam, the concept of repentance is called 'tawba', which is the act of leaving what God has prohibited and returning to what he has commanded. It is a direct matter between an individual and God, and there is no intercession.
