Biblical Repentance by Donald Hunt

Bible TeachingOn

RepentanceDonald Hunt

Bible Teaching On Repentance

“Repentance” has too long been a Biblical term concealed from the understanding of the

common mind. From the basic meaning of the word and from the way it is applied in the

Scriptures, it is not difficult to determine its exact meaning.

WHAT DOES REPENTANCEMEAN AND INVOLVE?

The English word “repentance” is translated from the Greek word “metanoeo,” which

means “a change of the mind, attitude, purpose, and determination” which naturally leads to a change in one’s life and conduct.


Let us notice how this fits in with what Jesus said. He said that the Ninevites

repented when Jonah preached to them.


Matthew 12:41 NET The people of Nineveh will stand up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, because they repented when

Jonah preached to them — and now, something greater than Jonah is here!


Now, if we can learn what they did when Jonah preached, we can be certain that we know

what repentance is. From a reading of Jonah

3:10 it can be seen that they TURNED FROM THEIR WICKED WAY. This, Jesus said,

was an example of repentance.


Jonah 3:10 NET When God saw their actions — they turned from their evil way of living! —

God relented concerning the judgment he had threatened them with and he did not destroy

them.


Of course, the change of mind that leads to a change of life is not Biblical repentance unless the change of mind is that which

God ordains.


The change that is necessary to Biblical and acceptable repentance is seen in the heart

that sincerely bows and says, “Lord, not MY will, but THINE be done.”


Thus, Saul of Tarsus exemplified the true spirit when he said,

'What should I do, Lord? Acts 22:10 NET So I asked, 'What should I do, Lord?' The Lord said to me, 'Get up and go to

Damascus; there you will be told about everything that you have been designated to

do.'


Such a change in mind and determination naturally leads the one repenting to a particular manner of life – to certain definite changes.

Biblical repentance causes one to turn FROM sin and to turn TO God and righteousness.


This two-fold turning is seen in:Isaiah 55:7 NET The wicked need to abandon

their lifestyle and sinful people their plans. They should return to the LORD, and he will show mercy to them, and to their God, for he

will freely forgive them.


Therefore, one who repents experiences the change that causes him to forsake sin and

to seek God and do righteousness.


We conclude, therefore, that one who does not forsake sin has not Scripturally repented; and

one who does not turn to God with all his heart, doing everything in the name of Christ and to the glory of God has not Scripturally

repented.

REPENTANCEIS A UNIVERSAL COMMANDMENT

OF GODDEMANDED OF EVERY PERSON

REPENTANCE DEMANDED OF EVERY PERSON

All men everywhere are commanded to repent. Acts 17:30 NET Therefore, although God has overlooked such times of ignorance, he now commands all people everywhere to repent,


Repentance was one of the things Jesus commanded to be preached to all nations

beginning in Jerusalem.


Luke 24:47 NET and repentance for the forgiveness of sins would be proclaimed

in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem.


When Peter preached first in Jerusalem, the first thing he told the inquiring Jews to do

was repent.


Acts 2:37 NET Now when they heard this, they were acutely distressed and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, "What should

we do, brothers?"


38 Peter said to them, "Repent, and each one of you be baptized in the name of

Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the

Holy Spirit.


Observe that he commanded EVERYONE OF THEM to repent – no exceptions. Jesus

warned that all who would not repent must perish.

Luke 13:3 NET No, I tell you! But unless you repent, you will all perish as well!


God does not want any to perish, but He does want all to come to repentance.

2 Peter 3:9 NET The Lord is not slow concerning his promise, as some regard slowness, but is

being patient toward you, because he does not wish for any to perish but for all to come to

repentance.


There is an initial repentance – a renunciation of sin for the things of

Christ. This is the big over-all change of attitude. This takes place at conversion.


But, repentance is also a thing to be done by Christians when ever they fall before the

power of some sin. To Simon of Samaria who had sinned, Peter commanded repentance to

evade condemnation.


Acts 8:22 NET Therefore repent of this wickedness of yours, and pray to the Lord that he may perhaps forgive you for the

intent of your heart.


Then, sometimes it becomes necessary for entire congregations to repent. To several of the

congregations among the seven churches of Asia, Jesus sent a message of repentance.


Revelation 2:5 NET Therefore, remember from what high state you have fallen and repent! Do the deeds you did at the first; if not, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place

— that is, if you do not repent.


Revelation 3:19 NET All those I love, I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest and repent!

The first epistle to the Corinthians was written to bring that congregation to repentance.

GOD SETS BEFORE US TWO ALTERNATIVE CHOICES:

EITHER WE REPENT OR WE PERISH

REPENT OR WE PERISH

Throughout both the Old and New Testaments, God sent His messengers to people when they

were guilty of sin. The first thing that said messengers did was to point out the particular

sin or sins.

REPENT OR WE PERISH

The next thing was to make known God’s demand of repentance. The final thing was to make wonderful promises conditioned upon

repentance and to declare God’s woe upon the soul that wouldn’t repent.

REPENT OR WE PERISH

Let us observe that the blessings of forgiveness and salvation are promised to those who do repent and overcome sin.

Consult the following Scriptural incidents:

REPENT OR WE PERISH

2 Chronicles 7:14 NET if my people, who belong to me, humble themselves, pray, seek to please

me, and repudiate their sinful practices, then I will respond from heaven, forgive their sin,

and heal their land.

REPENT OR WE PERISH

Isaiah 55:7 NET The wicked need to abandon their lifestyle and sinful people their plans. They should return to the LORD, and he will show mercy to them, and to their God, for he will

freely forgive them.

REPENT OR WE PERISH

Luke 24:47 NET and repentance for the forgiveness of sins would be proclaimed

in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem.

REPENT OR WE PERISH

Acts 2:38 NET Peter said to them, "Repent, and each one of you be baptized in the name of

Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

REPENT OR WE PERISH

Acts 3:19 NET Therefore repent and turn back so that your sins may be wiped out,

Acts 8:22 NET Therefore repent of this wickedness of yours, and pray to the Lord that he may perhaps forgive you for the intent of your

heart.

REPENT OR WE PERISH

Revelation 3:19 NET All those I love, I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest and repent! 20 Listen!

I am standing at the door and knocking! If anyone hears my voice and opens the door I

will come into his home and share a meal with him, and he with me.

REPENT OR WE PERISH

21 I will grant the one who conquers permission to sit with me on my throne,

just as I too conquered and sat down with my Father on his throne.

REPENT OR WE PERISH

On the other hand, let us observe that if men did not repent God pronounced

certain doom and destruction upon them. Consult the following passages:

REPENT OR WE PERISH

Luke 12:3 NET So then whatever you have said in the dark will be heard in the light, and what you have whispered in private

rooms will be proclaimed from the housetops.

REPENT OR WE PERISH

Revelation 2:5 NET Therefore, remember from what high state you have fallen and repent! Do the deeds you did at the first; if not, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place

— that is, if you do not repent.

REPENT OR WE PERISH

Revelation 2:16 NET Therefore, repent! If not, I will come against you quickly and make war against those people with the sword

of my mouth.

REPENT OR WE PERISH

Revelation 3:3 NET Therefore, remember what you received and heard, and obey it, and repent. If

you do not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will never know at what hour I will

come against you.

REPENT OR WE PERISH

Therefore, we see that God promises great thing to the penitent and terrible things to

the impenitent. It is either “repent or perish” with no other alternative.

WHAT CAUSESMEN TO REPENT?

God who demands that meneverywhere repent is a God whodesires that men repent instead of

perish.

WHAT CAUSES REPENTANCE?

So wrote Peter:2 Peter 3:9 NET The Lord is not slow concerning

his promise, as some regard slowness, but is being patient toward you, because he does not

wish for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.


God does all within His power without destroying man’s own will and choice to

bring him to repentance.


He has revealed in His Word for our information some of those things that He has designed to lead men to repentance.

Here they are:


The goodness of Godleads men to repentance.

Romans 2:4 NET Or do you have contempt for the wealth of his kindness, forbearance, and patience, and yet do not know that God's

kindness leads you to repentance?


The goodness of God upon a sinner has broken many a sinner’s heart and caused

him to cry out for mercy for his sins.


Many a man has taken sides with God against his own sins because the love of

God demonstrated upon Calvary compelled him to do so.


Godly sorrow(sorrow and grief over sin)leads men to repentance.

2 Corinthians 7:10 NET For sadness as intended by God produces a repentance that leads to salvation, leaving no regret, but worldly

sadness brings about death.


When men get convicted of their sins, they either mourn and weep over them to the point of turning away from them, or they do their utmost to drown that conviction that they

might continue in them unmolested.


It was godly sorrow that caused Peter to repent when he had denied Christ.

Matthew 26:74 NET At that he began to curse, and he swore with an oath, "I do not know the man!" At that moment a rooster crowed.


75 Then Peter remembered what Jesus had said: "Before the rooster crows, you will

deny me three times." And he went outside and wept bitterly.


It was godly sorrow that caused David to repent of his terrible sin.

2 Samuel 12:13 NET Then David exclaimed to Nathan, "I have sinned against the LORD!"

Nathan replied to David, "Yes, and the LORD has forgiven your sin. You are not going to

die.


14 Nonetheless, because you have treated the LORD with such contempt in this matter, the son who has been born to you will certainly

die." 15 Then Nathan went to his home.


The LORD struck the child that Uriah's wife had borne to David, and the child became very ill. 16 Then David prayed to God for the child and fasted. He would even go and spend the night

lying on the ground.


It was godly sorrow over their crucifying Christ that caused the Jews on the day of

Pentecost to ask what they must do.


Acts 2:37 NET Now when they heard this, they were acutely distressed and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, "What should

we do, brothers?"


The fear of judgment causes men to repent. God’s universal commandment of

repentance is in view of the judgment day in which He will judge the world.


Acts 17:30 NET Therefore, although God has overlooked such times of ignorance, he

now commands all people everywhere to repent,


31 because he has set a day on which he is going to judge the world in righteousness, by a man whom he designated, having provided proof to

everyone by raising him from the dead."


It is the fear of judgment that causes many sinners to repent. It was the fear of

destruction that moved Ninevah to repent.


Jonah 3:4 NET When Jonah began to enter the city one day's walk, he announced, "At the

end of forty days, Nineveh will be overthrown!"


5 The people of Nineveh believed in God, and they declared a fast and put on

sackcloth, from the greatest to the least of them.


It was the fear of judgment that caused Simon of Samaria to ask Peter’s prayers.

Acts 8:24 NET But Simon replied, "You pray to the Lord for me so that nothing of what you have

said may happen to me."


Therefore, in order to bring sinners to repentance, we need preachers who will preach that sinners might know the love

and goodness of God,


that they may be made sorrowful because of their sins, that the fear of judgment will

so grip their souls that they cannot do otherwise.

Biblical Repentance by Donald Hunt

Spiritual

Transcript of Biblical Repentance by Donald Hunt