7 Things You Should Know About Repentance - Dan Stegeman (The Gospel Coalition)
The Heart Of True Repentance - Matt Erbaugh (Desiring God)
I'll help analyse the key words for "repent" in both Hebrew and Greek:
נָחַם (nacham) - primarily means "to be sorry, console oneself, regret, be moved to pity, have compassion"
Often used of God "repenting/relenting" (Ex. 32:14, Jer. 18:8)
Carries emotional weight of grief over something
שׁוּב (shuv) - literally "to turn, return"
Most common Hebrew word for repentance
Physical picture of turning around/returning to a path
Used extensively in prophetic calls to return to God
μετανοέω (metanoeo) - verb form
μετάνοια (metanoia) - noun form
Compound word: meta (change) + nous (mind)
Literally means "to change one's mind/purpose"
Primary NT word for repentance
Used 34 times as verb, 24 times as noun
Intellectual: A change of mind/understanding about sin and God (μετανοέω)
Emotional: Genuine sorrow and grief over sin (נָחַם)
Volitional: A deliberate turning from sin to God (שׁוּב)
True biblical repentance is not:
Merely feeling sorry
Simply saying "sorry"
Temporary reformation
Rather, it is:
Recognition of sin as offensive to God
Genuine remorse over that sin
A decisive turning away from sin
A deliberate turning toward God
Results in changed behaviour
This is seen in passages like:
2 Cor 7:9-11 (godly sorrow leads to repentance)
Acts 26:20 (repent, turn to God, do works fitting repentance)
Joel 2:12-13 ("return to me with all your heart")
The combination of these words shows repentance as a complete reorientation of the person - mind, emotions, and will - away from sin and toward God. It's not just regret or reformation, but a total transformation of direction.
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There are those who argue that repentance is something we do and our salvation is not dependent on our works. We are saved purely by faith in Jesus. It is enough to believe that Jesus is the Son of God who died taking our sins on Himself and rose again defeating death and giving eternal life.
That view seems to miss the whole point! Jesus called people to follow Him. We cannot follow Jesus without changing the direction of our lives. When we have been living in one way, going in ne direction, motivated by selfish desires, the decision to follow Jesus means changing our mind and changing the direction of our lives, that is, repenting.
Consider the alternative. Is it possible for someone to follow Jesus without changing direction? That would suggest their lifestyle was Christ-like before their conversion, no change was necessary, and we know that is not true.
Those who hold this view will say that we are saved by faith and God will give the gift of repentance subsequently, that is, repentance is not necessary for salvation. It follows salvation.
But what if it doesn't? What if someone truly believes in Jesus but there is no change of lifestyle?
It might be argued that that is impossible; true faith will lead to repentance. Faith and repentance are inextricably linked. You cannot truly have faith in Jesus and not want to live as He lived and taught.
But it would seem that we are now splitting hairs. Both views would say that repentance is necessary for salvation. The differences would simply be:
At what point is a person saved - at the point of initial belief or at the point when belief leads to repentance? If belief inevitably leads to repentance, is it the combination that is important, not just one half? If it is both, then repentance is required for salvation.
Do we have any part to play? Is repentance something God does for us or do we have to make decisions. Repentance is a gift from God but do we have to receive that gift and use it? Is there a discipline associated with repentance or does it just happen independently of any action, or response, from us?
Where the Bible uses the word "repent" in the imperative form( that is, as a command) then it is obviously something that people are to do. And the Bible does that multiple times.
Most notably, both John the Baptist's and Jesus' preaching is summed up as "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near." (Matt 3:2; 4:17; Mark 1:15)
On the Day of Pentecost, Peter answered the crowd asking "Brothers, what shall we do?" by saying, "Repent and be baptised, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. (Acts 2:38)
Not only is it a command. It comes in the context of conviction of sin. The question implies "What shall we do to be saved?". Peter's answer makes it a requirement for the forgiveness of sins.
After the healing of the lame man in the Temple, Peter said to the gathered crowd, "Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord, 20 and that he may send the Messiah, who has been appointed for you—even Jesus." (Acts 3:19-20).
Again, it is an imperative. Again it is a requirement for the forgiveness of sins. It comes in the context of Peter having accused them of having rejected God's Messiah. Having sinned so grievously, Peter urges them to repent. This is a question of salvation.
Peter urged Simon the Sorcerer, "22 Repent of this wickedness and pray to the Lord in the hope that he may forgive you for having such a thought in your heart. 23 For I see that you are full of bitterness and captive to sin." (Acts 8:22-23)
We have already been told that Simon had believed and was baptised (v.13) yet his heart was not right before God (v.21) and he feared God's judgement (v.24). Repentance was required.
In the letters to the churches in Revelation 2-3, Jesus tells four of those churches to repent (Rev 2:5, 16; 3:3, 19). It is something they must do and lack of repentance is linked to judgement.
Luke 13:3-5 reads, "Jesus answered, “Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans because they suffered this way? 3 I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish. 4 Or those eighteen who died when the tower in Siloam fell on them—do you think they were more guilty than all the others living in Jerusalem? 5 I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish.” The two instances of repent are not in the imperative; they are subjunctives but have imperatival force. Jesus is still saying, 'you must repent".
Repentance without using that word
Furthermore, there are instances of repentance being spoken of in other terms. For example, in Acts 14, Paul says, "We are bringing you good news, telling you to turn from these worthless things to the living God, who made the heavens and the earth and the sea and everything in them."
Repentance in non-imperatival forms.
Luke 17:3-4 “If your brother or sister sins against you, rebuke them; and if they repent, forgive them. 4 Even if they sin against you seven times in a day and seven times come back to you saying ‘I repent,’ you must forgive them.”
On the assumption that our attitude is to be the same as God's, forgiveness follows repentance.
Acts 20:21 I have declared to both Jews and Greeks that they must turn to God in repentance and have faith in our Lord Jesus.
Faith and repentance are linked, and both "must" be done.
It is beyond dispute that the New testament words for repent require a response from the individual and that salvation depends on that response.
See more on the biblical words used.