Is Repentance A Change Of Mind Or Turning From Sin - Or Both?

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Repentance

  • Turning From All Sin

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Total voters
    25

Budman

Senior Member
Mar 9, 2014
4,153
1,998
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#1
Seeking opinions on this:

1. Do you believe repentance is simply a change of mind that requires one to believe in Jesus only for salvation?

2. Or, do you believe repentance is one turning away from all sin?

3. Or, a combination of the two is required?
 

trofimus

Senior Member
Aug 17, 2015
10,684
794
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#2
I would say that technically, its only a change of mind.

A desire not to sin is a fruit or consequence of it.
 

Joidevivre

Senior Member
Jul 15, 2014
3,838
271
83
#3
If you truly repent and are grieved in your spirit for the sin you have done, and see the damage that sin has done, I believe you will turn from it at the same time.

As for it being necessary to gain salvation - not necessarily. Because I believed and loved Jesus first. Then His Spirit led me to repent of various things as time went on. It was sort of like layer after layer was being peeled off of me.
 
Dec 28, 2016
9,171
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#4
It's both. People try to stick to the technical definition of repentance and say "It only means a change of mind!!!" (and they get really angry about any results of that repentance that equals a turning from sin, which is the necessary beginning of the process of sanctification; Hebrews 12:14&c).

One cannot be granted repentance from God, (2 Timothy 2:24-26; Acts 11:18) have a genuine change of mind about God and their sin, yet carry on in the same fashion concerning both at the same time. That would not be repentance.

But the hermeneutic of these same is inconsistent: They'll stick to a strict definition of repentance, "It only means a change of mind!" and any elaboration of the sense of this doctrine is rejected for the strict definition only.

Yet, when speaking of being spiritually dead, nekros, they'll not stick to the strict definition of this, rejecting lost mans dead state, inability and the need to be "made alive" (Ephesians 2:1-3) and say "It only means separation from God!!!!" rejecting the strict definition which means a corpse, dead.

This shows a totally inconsistent hermeneutic while toying with God's Gospel and his word. A consistent hermeneutic is 2 Timothy 2:15 in practice. Any other method falls short of fulfilling this passage.
 

RickyZ

Senior Member
Sep 20, 2012
9,635
787
113
#5
Seeking opinions on this:

1. Do you believe repentance is simply a change of mind that requires one to believe in Jesus only for salvation?

2. Or, do you believe repentance is one turning away from all sin?

3. Or, a combination of the two is required?
Nit picking here, but would repentance be more a change of heart?

To answer the question, if one is not willing to turn away from their sin, then the change of heart/mind is of no value.
 

notuptome

Senior Member
May 17, 2013
15,050
2,538
113
#6
Repentance is a change of mind but the repentance in salvation goes farther than just a change of mind. An unsaved man is able to change his mind and stop a particular sin. The repentance in salvation is a result of the creation of the new nature in a born again man.

Faith required to be saved is produced by hearing the word of God. Hearing and seeing through the revelation of the Holy Spirit. John 16:7-11 Romans 10:17. The repentance of importance is seen in Romans 10:9-10. We must repent of our self righteousness and receive the righteousness of Christ.

We do not have this faith in ourselves but it is produced by Gods grace.

We can speculate as to why Jonah did not want to go to Nineveh. Was It because Jonah was fearful of his life? Did Jonah not want to see Nineveh repent and be saved? You can develop a number of sermons on the subject. I suspect that God needed to demonstrate to Jonah that as Gods servant God would see to his well being regardless of the circumstances into which Jonah was placed. The belly of the fish or the central square of Nineveh is all the same to God.

When the word of God goes forth it accomplished that which God has purposed. This is the word which we declare to a lost and dying world through our witness for Christ. God does the saving all we are able to do is be empty vessels fitted for His service. Isa 55:11

For the cause of Christ
Roger
 

Grandpa

Senior Member
Jun 24, 2011
11,551
3,188
113
#7
Repentance is turning away.

A lot of people think that abstaining from something is repentance.


But when you turn away from one thing you are turning towards something else. When you put one thing down you are picking up something else.

Like notuptome said we must repent of our self-righteousness and receive the righteousness of Christ. We put one thing down and pick another up. We turn away from one thing and toward another. We put down our burdens and pick up the yoke of Christ. We turn away from our work and turn toward the rest that Christ offers.


Just saying you've changed your mind, to me, doesn't really give an understanding of what repentance is. It doesn't include The Lord Jesus Christ, and to me, without the Lord there is no repentance from sin.

If you say you have repented of your sin, how did you do that? If you say you tried real hard and just changed your mind, No, you didn't really repent of your sin. You repented of your previous understanding of what sin was and turned toward a different understanding of what you think sin is. The only way to truly repent of sin is to turn to Christ Jesus. In whom is no sin.
 

Nehemiah6

Senior Member
Jul 18, 2017
24,167
12,763
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#8
Nit picking here, but would repentance be more a change of heart?
Not only a change of heart, but a change of heart and mind as well as a change of direction of life. A complete turnaround. The conversion of Saul the persecutor of Christians to Paul the missionary apostle is a clear example.
 

notuptome

Senior Member
May 17, 2013
15,050
2,538
113
#9
Nit picking here, but would repentance be more a change of heart?

To answer the question, if one is not willing to turn away from their sin, then the change of heart/mind is of no value.
You got it. The new birth is a complete transformation.

2Co 5:17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

For the cause of Christ
Roger
 

stonesoffire

Poetic Member
Nov 24, 2013
10,665
1,829
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#10
I don't think anyone is doctrinally looking at what is happening or not happening. It's an experience with God, where you come to the end of self, and turn to the Lord.

Oops..there I said experience again!
 
Mar 11, 2016
3,055
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Singapore
abigail.pro
#11
metánoia – literally, "a change of mind" ("after-thought"); repentance

Turning from all sins is a result of that repentance (fruits) as Trofimus already pointed out.

I think, this very small difference in understanding whether repentance is mental or physical (excuse the lack of a better word) can determine how we see ourselves. Like, instead of waiting for the fruit to show (be still; Jesus is the vine, we are the branches), we struggle to make it happen (we work; physical; turn away from sins).
 

Chester

Senior Member
May 23, 2016
4,273
1,410
113
#12
Seeking opinions on this:

1. Do you believe repentance is simply a change of mind that requires one to believe in Jesus only for salvation?

2. Or, do you believe repentance is one turning away from all sin?

3. Or, a combination of the two is required?
I voted for #3 - a combination of the two, but I don't really like any of your three choices.

The Greek word "repent" means literally "to think differently": so at the core that is what repentance means.

But I don't like the wording of your first choice: "repentance is simply a change of mind that requires on to believe in Jesus only for salvation"

It is not simply a change of mind. That change of thinking is everything! Once we realize that we cannot attain salvation by our own efforts and realize we need God (that is - we change our way of thinking - we repent), then and only then are we able to believe (trust) in Jesus, and then out of His working in our lives we produce good works (that is - turn away from sin)

I don't like choice #3 because it seems to make the "turning from sin" a "requirement" for salvation.
 
Dec 9, 2011
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#13
The Bible says that a great light came Into the world but men loved darkness so then how would man turn from sin If they loved darkness?Nevertheless every human being of age knows that there Is a GOD,creation Itself declares It,so then there Is no excuse for man not to choose to believe In the WORD of GOD sent to this world,the TRUTH the WAY and the LIFE,no man can come to GOD unless the Father draws him,for we are HIS workmanship created in Christ unto good works that was before ordained that we should walk in them.
Choose to come to GOD first and GOD will equip you.
 
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stonesoffire

Poetic Member
Nov 24, 2013
10,665
1,829
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#14
From the beginning of our new birth, repentance will come each time we see an aspect of the love and mercy of God through Jesus.
 
Feb 7, 2015
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#15
Of course it is a combination. Why would anyone change their mind about doing something, and then keep right on doing it?
 
Dec 12, 2013
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#16
My view.....A change of mind that leads to a process of growth, maturity and understanding which fine tunes the conscience which in turn allows for an every increasing faithful walk with Christ......we will sin less and less but not be fully sinless (in our flesh) until glorified and or resurrected.
 

Waggles

Senior Member
Sep 21, 2017
3,338
1,261
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South
adelaiderevival.com
#17
The word repent and repentance in the Greek refers to a complete U-turn
a piece of string looped back on itself
a 180 degree turn around

before the gospel I was going in this direction (perdition?)
I believe the gospel and repent
a complete turn around in heart and mind and life

the trick of course is to keep on walking in this new direction and not to turn back the other way
 
E

eternally-gratefull

Guest
#19
Seeking opinions on this:

1. Do you believe repentance is simply a change of mind that requires one to believe in Jesus only for salvation?

2. Or, do you believe repentance is one turning away from all sin?

3. Or, a combination of the two is required?

I see it as a change of view. A change in thinking, a movement from what you always believed, to something else.

I see it as God (HS) Working on us as he takes what we already know about God (romans 1) and convicts us of our own person sin (for all have sinned) our own personal judgment (The penalty of sin is death) and the righteousness of Christ (Including the cross) And letting us know about the kingdom of God and what it takes to enter in (the gospel of grace)

once we have decided that we are going to trust God because we realise how sinful we are. And how our only Hope is christ, we have repented, and the process of going trom unbelief, to believe (but no faith) it faith (repentance) has come to fruition, we will call out on the name of the lord to be saved.

Once we do not. We are born again, And God will now be able to work on our lives to get us to turn from sin. Which will take many times of repenting and trusting God in all areas of our lives, which is a lifelong project.

 
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E

eternally-gratefull

Guest
#20
Of course it is a combination. Why would anyone change their mind about doing something, and then keep right on doing it?

Are we talking about sin as a way of life, or individual personal sins. That would make a huge difference.