What Does The Word "Repent" Really Mean?

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blue_ladybug

Senior Member
Feb 21, 2014
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#1
There seems to be alot of confusion about what the word "repent" actually means. Some here say it means to "change one's mind" or "turn away from". Others say it means "to ask forgiveness" of our sins. To me personally, "repent" has always meant to ask for forgiveness from God when I sin.. What say you all? :)
 

Chris1975

Senior Member
Apr 27, 2017
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#2
It means to change ones mind (from the Strongs concordance). Forgiveness is a separate term and topic. Both are necessary.

If you love your sin, you need to repent (change your mind) towards this (you need to hate your sin, not love it). You ask forgiveness from God, in sincerity and godly sorrow, and receive this forgiveness by faith. Then pray for God's grace to empower you to live free from this sin (which was up to this point your master), by crucifying your old man (baptism into Christ's death), and you new man being raised to life in Christ Jesus. All of this is done through faith.


In a nutshell. More expounding can be done, but these are the basics.
 
Dec 9, 2011
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#3
There seems to be alot of confusion about what the word "repent" actually means. Some here say it means to "change one's mind" or "turn away from". Others say it means "to ask forgiveness" of our sins. To me personally, "repent" has always meant to ask for forgiveness from God when I sin.. What say you all? :)
No repentance means no salvation. The Greek word for "repent" is "metanoia" (noun) and "matanoeo" (verb) you see as defined in the Strongs #3340, 3341: to think differently or afterwards, reconsider. After thought, change of mind. Repentance basically means a "change of mind" and the context must determine what is involved in this change of mind. Where salvation is in view, repentance actually precedes saving faith in Christ and is not a totally separate act from faith. It is actually the same coin with two sides. Repentance is on one side, what you change your mind about and faith in Christ is on the positive side, the new direction of this change of mind. *Repentance and faith are two sides of the same experience of being brought to Christ.

In the context of Luke 13:3, Jesus challenged the people's notion that they were morally superior to those who suffered in such catastrophes. He called all to repent or perish. For some people though, prior to coming to the end result of repentance in receiving salvation (faith in Christ), they must change their minds about other specific things in order to get there. Repentance, metanoia, focuses on changing one's mind about his previous concept of God (as in Acts 17:30) and disbelief in God or false beliefs (polytheism and idolatry) about God (see 1 Thessalonians 1:9). On the other hand, this change of mind, focuses on the new direction that change about God must ultimately take, namely, trusting in Jesus Christ as the ALL-sufficient means of our salvation.

Certain people misunderstand the term "repentance" to simply mean "turning from sin" or "completely stop sinning." That is not the Biblical definition of repentance. In the Bible, the word "repent" means to "change your mind." The Bible also tells us that true repentance will result in a change of actions. Acts 26:20 declares, "I preached that they should repent and turn to God and prove their repentance by their deeds." This is the fruit of repentance (Matthew 3:8), not the essence of repentance (change of mind). Certain people confuse the "fruit of repentance" with the "essence of repentance" (and also do the same thing with faith) and end up teaching salvation by works.

I have heard certain people say, "If you want to be saved, repent of your sins, turn from your sins." If turning from your sins means to stop sinning, then people can only be saved if they stop sinning. And in that case, it is unlikely that anyone will be saved, since we don't know anyone who has ever "completely stopped sinning."
:)I copied this post above by mailmandan and pasted It here.
 

valiant

Senior Member
Mar 22, 2015
8,025
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#4
There seems to be alot of confusion about what the word "repent" actually means. Some here say it means to "change one's mind" or "turn away from". Others say it means "to ask forgiveness" of our sins. To me personally, "repent" has always meant to ask for forgiveness from God when I sin.. What say you all? :)
It largely depends on the context:)
 

CherieR

Senior Member
May 6, 2017
2,265
1,419
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#5
To me repentance means to turn away from your sins and choose to follow Jesus. Of course no one is perfect at this. There has to be at least a willingness or desire to turn from sin, and God helps with the repentance.
 

blue_ladybug

Senior Member
Feb 21, 2014
70,862
9,583
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#6
Thank you, seed time. :) So, if "repent" means to choose to turn away from sin, then why do we change our mind and sin every now and again? Like I choose not to swear, yet on 2 separate days last week, I got frustrated with something that refused to work, and I swore. :( Now did I intend on swearing while I was trying to get what I was doing put together? Of course not, but the swears popped out anyway.. So if we sin sometimes, how is that we have changed our mind about doing it, if it happens every once in awhile?

And NO, I don't make it a habit to swear. YES, I apologized to God and asked for forgiveness. :)

:)I copied this post above by mailmandan and pasted It here.
 

blue_ladybug

Senior Member
Feb 21, 2014
70,862
9,583
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#7

Can you elaborate on that a little bit more, please? :) When I repent (turn away from), I try to not do that same sin again. But then I get frustrated or mad, and sometimes, a swear just pops out of my mouth. And when I ask for forgiveness, I say "I'm sorry Lord for (fill in the blank) and ask His forgiveness.. Maybe I should be praying, "Lord please keep Your hand over my mouth". :p LOL

It largely depends on the context:)
 
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FreeNChrist

Guest
#8
A change of mind that leads to a change in action.
 

CherieR

Senior Member
May 6, 2017
2,265
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#9
It sounds like you have repented to me. The change God makes in us can be gradual. It does not happen over night. Jesus said to someone " Go and sin no more" but that doesn't mean there is no grace for her when she does sin. We are going to sin by our very nature and we are going to sin a lot. Just look at Paul in Romans 7. Read Romans 7: 7-25. Paul says " We know that the law is spirtual; but I am unspiritual, sold as a slave to sin. I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out.For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do- this I keep on doing" Romans 7:14-19. I hope this is helpful.
 
Feb 7, 2015
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#10
Thank you, seed time. :) So, if "repent" means to choose to turn away from sin, then why do we change our mind and sin every now and again? Like I choose not to swear, yet on 2 separate days last week, I got frustrated with something that refused to work, and I swore. :( Now did I intend on swearing while I was trying to get what I was doing put together? Of course not, but the swears popped out anyway.. So if we sin sometimes, how is that we have changed our mind about doing it, if it happens every once in awhile?

And NO, I don't make it a habit to swear. YES, I apologized to God and asked for forgiveness. :)

The changing your mind (repenting) means to change your mind about what will save you from Eternal death.... some kind of works? (no) or believing in Jesus? (yes).

As you said, when you inadvertently blurt out a cuss word, who in their right mind could possibly think that means you have changed your mind about being a Christian.... OR that you suddenly changed your mind that cussing all over the place is now a good thing to do?

No, the decision (repenting) to choose Jesus instead of whatever you were trusting in previously (in the Jew's case, Animal Sacrifice), never changes one bit. You are just experiencing our constant need for the continuing forgiveness of Jesus in our daily lives.
 
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Desertsrose

Senior Member
Oct 24, 2016
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#11
Repentance is a change of mind, but it’s even more than that - it’s also an inward response to the revelation of our sinful state.

When we repent we’re pleading with the Lord to forgive us for our sins and to deliver us from the burden of sin and the fear of judgment and hell. We have the same attitude that the publican did. He didn't even look up toward heaven, but instead he smote his breast and cried, "God, be merciful to me, the sinner!" (Luke 18:13).

So our attitude is humility because we’ve been convicted and we’re grieving over our sinful lifestyle. Genuine repentance involves a change of our heart and purpose for living life, so the result of repentance is a change of behavior.

Repentance involves our mind, our will and our emotions. They are all affected by something that’s going on that’s more powerful than what we even understand. God’s merciful grace is coming upon us and awakening our whole being so that we see ourselves as a sinner at the Holy Spirit’s conviction - our faith is coming alive.

The Lord is working and producing in us a repentant heart that says yes to all that is pure, holy and of God and saying no to sin, evil and all that is of Satan. We’re leaving our slavery to Satan to be set free through the power of the cross and the precious blood of our precious Savior, Jesus Christ.
 

BillG

Senior Member
Feb 15, 2017
8,877
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#12
Thank you, seed time. :) So, if "repent" means to choose to turn away from sin, then why do we change our mind and sin every now and again? Like I choose not to swear, yet on 2 separate days last week, I got frustrated with something that refused to work, and I swore. :( Now did I intend on swearing while I was trying to get what I was doing put together? Of course not, but the swears popped out anyway.. So if we sin sometimes, how is that we have changed our mind about doing it, if it happens every once in awhile?

And NO, I don't make it a habit to swear. YES, I apologized to God and asked for forgiveness. :)

I think that's the point of repent. It's a view to change ones mind to turn away from swearing. Only using swearing as this is your example.

So if you know that there is something that is offensive to God you change your mind that it is wrong with a view to change and come in line with Gods viewpoint.

Now the fact that you have swore does not mean you have not repented of it.
You want God to work in this area and the fact that you have spoken to him about it shows a repentant heart.

To me I think that when we slip up we have not become unrepentant.
Was Peter unrepentant when he denied Jesus? I don't think he was.
I may be wrong but I don't think there is a verse where Peter asked God to forgive him after he denied him.

I think Jesus knew his heart and asked him 3 times do you love me? Of course Jesus knew Peter loved him but the build up here was to restore Peter and prepare him for the plans Jesus had for him.

also to me when we get it wrong we need come before God, confess when we have got it wrong, acknowledge we have got it wrong, thank him for his forgivness and say "I need your help here, please work in me, you know I love you"
 
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FreeNChrist

Guest
#13
Repentance is a change of mind, but it’s even more than that - it’s also an inward response to the revelation of our sinful state.

When we repent we’re pleading with the Lord to forgive us for our sins and to deliver us from the burden of sin and the fear of judgment and hell. We have the same attitude that the publican did. He didn't even look up toward heaven, but instead he smote his breast and cried, "God, be merciful to me, the sinner!" (Luke 18:13).

So our attitude is humility because we’ve been convicted and we’re grieving over our sinful lifestyle. Genuine repentance involves a change of our heart and purpose for living life, so the result of repentance is a change of behavior.

Repentance involves our mind, our will and our emotions. They are all affected by something that’s going on that’s more powerful than what we even understand. God’s merciful grace is coming upon us and awakening our whole being so that we see ourselves as a sinner at the Holy Spirit’s conviction - our faith is coming alive.

The Lord is working and producing in us a repentant heart that says yes to all that is pure, holy and of God and saying no to sin, evil and all that is of Satan. We’re leaving our slavery to Satan to be set free through the power of the cross and the precious blood of our precious Savior, Jesus Christ.

Why would you plead with God for what you already have??
 
Feb 7, 2015
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#14
Bug, you said:
And NO, I don't make it a habit to swear. YES, I apologized to God and asked for forgiveness.
Does that comment mean you feel God has to forgive you again, and again, and again, each time you swear? And that if you do not make a point of asking for forgiveness, it is no longer yours?

What if you realized you just made a very stupid mistake in driving that was going to cause you to smash into a wall in 1 second... and you reacted with a swear word just an instant before you died.... Do you play the Catholic game and invoke "Exceptional Dispensation" all of a sudden (when you never believed in that before), or do you know that you are still constantly and fully forgiven, like the Bible tells you?
 

CherieR

Senior Member
May 6, 2017
2,265
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#15
I agree with Willie-T that we are to trust in the shed blood of the Lord Jesus Christ and not the good we do for salvation.
 

Desertsrose

Senior Member
Oct 24, 2016
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#16
Why would you plead with God for what you already have??
Hi FreeNChrist,

I guess because I'm talking about the repentance at the new birth. So that's my focus is the repentance when we come to know the Lord.

I haven't really studied this, so I'm just thinking out loud here as I post about our relationship with God now. I think that once we're a believer we approach God in a different way.

1 John tells us to confess our sins.

I haven't fully thought this through yet, but do we repent after we're
believers? Or do we confess our sins. Confess means to acknowledge our sin as it is and to agree with God about how He thinks of the sin. I guess when we've confessed, we have a change of heart about what we did. So maybe we do repent now too.

Before Christ we didn't know what sin was and now we're totally aware of sin. So when we confess, John says that God forgives us and cleanses us of all unrighteousness.

So does confession include repentance or because we've repented and are now the Lord's children, do we continue to repent?

Do we change our mind or do we just agree with God that our sin was utterly sinful and thank Him for His forgiveness and continue on in the new life in Christ that the repentance at the new birth wrought? I'm not sure if I'm explaining myself very well here. :)

I guess my question/comment is: Now that we're His and living a repentant lifestyle, now that we've been translated from the kingdom of darkness into the Kingdom of His dear Son, the Kingdom of light, now do we confess and ask for forgiveness and that's what's required?, or are we also repenting of sin or is the confession what we do now and that's what's required?
 

blue_ladybug

Senior Member
Feb 21, 2014
70,862
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#17
It means I say I'm sorry to God for breaking His commandment not to sin. Just because I'm saved and I know that I AM forgiven even when I do flub up, doesn't mean that I can do whatever I want and figure that since I'm forgiven, I can still do whatever and not face any repercussions. I believe that God knows my heart, and to use your example, if I were about to die in a car crash and swore, that He would know that swear word probably came more from fear, than a compulsion to sin once more before I die.. lol

Bug, you said:

Does that comment mean you feel God has to forgive you again, and again, and again, each time you swear? And that if you do not make a point of asking for forgiveness, it is no longer yours?

What if you realized you just made a very stupid mistake in driving that was going to cause you to smash into a wall in 1 second... and you reacted with a swear word just an instant before you died.... Do you play the Catholic game and invoke "Exceptional Dispensation" all of a sudden (when you never believed in that before), or do you know that you are still constantly and fully forgiven, like the Bible tells you?
 
D

Depleted

Guest
#18
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FreeNChrist

Guest
#19
Maybe this will help...

“True repentance is not being sorry for something you have done wrong. Now, if you do something wrong, you should be sorry; but that is not real repentance. Real repentance is hilariously exciting. It is facing the facts of life, recognizing how God made you, how you were intended to function, and then being restored to that relationship of mutual inter-availability that the Lord Jesus enjoyed between Himself and the Father, a mutual inter-availability in which you are prepared to let Him be God. That is true repentance."

- Major Ian Thomas
 
Feb 7, 2015
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#20
I agree with Willie-T that we are to trust in the shed blood of the Lord Jesus Christ and not the good we do for salvation.
True

And people don't seem to understand that with (and because of) that decision...... if it is sincere.... you will almost automatically find yourself at least WANTING and TRYING to do whatever it is that you understand from your studies is what would please God. Sometimes you will succeed, and sometimes you won't....... but at no time will you ignore your decision, and just deliberately do things you know would displease God.

What I think has some people thrown off is the belief that saying "I do" to Jesus, suddenly infuses you with Supernatural powers that will turn you into Star Trek's Mr. Data. Becoming a follower of Jesus means you are no more perfect than any of the disciples and Apostles that still managed to screw things up till the day they died.