10 Reasons Sin Confession Is Questionable!!!

[reneweddaybyday]

Why should I respond to posts which simply dance around issues?

What issues have I danced around?

I am asking for clarification from you. You appear to believe that in order to be born again, a person must confess his/her sins.

What if a person does not confess all sins committed? What if a person overlooks some of the sins he or she has committed?

This is a serious question. I am not being facetious, nor am I dancing around issues.



I have also asked about sins committed after a person is born again. And I have the same question. In my own life, I have realized that I am no longer in sync with God. I just know that I do not have His love, His joy, His peace in my life and I am struggling. And I cannot recall where I veered from the path.

I don't have a specific "sin" to confess.

Or let's say I do know of a sin or two I committed in my wandering from Him. But what about the several I don't recall so I don’t "confess" them. Does God still forgive those sins, even if they are not specifically addressed?


Those are legitimate questions I am asking and you are sweeping them under the carpet.


So rather than call my intent into question and accuse me of "farce" or "dancing around the issues", why don't you just answer the questions?


Or just admit you don't know (if that's the case).


Thank you.

 

[BillG]

What issues have I danced around?

I am asking for clarification from you. You appear to believe that in order to be born again, a person must confess his/her sins.

What if a person does not confess all sins committed? What if a person overlooks some of the sins he or she has committed?

This is a serious question. I am not being facetious, nor am I dancing around issues.



I have also asked about sins committed after a person is born again. And I have the same question. In my own life, I have realized that I am no longer in sync with God. I just know that I do not have His love, His joy, His peace in my life and I am struggling. And I cannot recall where I veered from the path.

I don't have a specific "sin" to confess.

Or let's say I do know of a sin or two I committed in my wandering from Him. But what about the several I don't recall so I don’t "confess" them. Does God still forgive those sins, even if they are not specifically addressed?


Those are legitimate questions I am asking and you are sweeping them under the carpet.


So rather than call my intent into question and accuse me of "farce" or "dancing around the issues", why don't you just answer the questions?


Or just admit you don't know (if that's the case).


Thank you.

Hi,

Would you mind clarifying for me what I have bolded above?

 

[BenFTW]

"Sin confession for forgiveness" as you term it above is not really true biblical confession at all. I think I understand now what you are trying to say in the thread. But I still don't like the title . . .

Even those that agree with me don't like the title because they still believe in sin confession but not for the sake of obtaining forgiveness. I use sin confession as the short version of "sin confession for the sake of forgiveness." Most people understand sin confession as a means of seeking forgiveness, traditionally.

 

[BenFTW]

this thread has been cleverly manipulated to make it seem that you can interpret scripture in the way best suited to your own understanding

the premise is one we have heard ad infinitum and the responses are canned and tired

nobody really listens and some of the snappy comebacks have ZERO to do with the op; they are simply geared as an 'HAHA I got you' while denying doing any such thing

nonetheless, ignore what the NT actually teaches, you will have to ignore what Jesus says but of course He is 'old school' to many these days

it's all good though, eh?

What has been cleverly manipulated? I have presented an argument from scripture in order to have a discussion. I have used verses to make my case, and the truth of Christ's atonement. If you disagree feel free to bring a rebuttal, but do not defame me with accusations. Again, let us reason.

 

[BenFTW]

well those believers then need encouragement and study and to understand that we are no longer under condemnation

but it is the entire package of ignoring instruction regarding forgiveness on a horizontal level that has been addressed more than once at CC with some people insisting it is not necessary

that, and stating Jesus was old school and now it's all different

the people who have said this here and tried to teach that here, know who they are

so really, while your immediate post contains truth and I agree some people are consumed by guilt, it in no way address the bigger problems many of us have been addressing and concerned about during your absence

you would have an awful lot of reading to catch up

Instead of bringing up "some people" (instead of naming names) why not stick to the discussion at hand and the people you are dealing with? Have I, the writer of the OP, said this? Have I said that we are not to forgive on a "horizontal level?" No, in fact in the first post of this thread I even quoted a verse that specifically says to forgive others because God for Christ's sake has forgiven us. We make amends.

 

[reneweddaybyday]

Hi,

Would you mind clarifying for me what I have bolded above?

When I wrote that, I was thinking of the fruit of the Spirit shown in Gal 5:22-23 (love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance). I did not mean that God does not love me because I know He does.

 

[BenFTW]

TOTAL FORGIVENESS
-----------------------------------------------------------​

1. The blood of Jesus has granted us the remission of our sins (Hebrews 10:18).

2. Communion involves consuming bread and wine, representations of Jesus' flesh and blood. The blood representing the remission of our sins/our forgiveness (Matthew 26:27). We remember Jesus and that which He attained on our behalf through His suffering (the forgiveness of sin, reconciliation to the Father).

3. All sin has been forgiven through Jesus because He is the sacrifice for sin, once and for all (Hebrews 10:10-14).

4. If Christ is not risen, you are dead in your sins. He is risen though, and so you are not dead in your sins (1 Corinthians 15:17).

5. Jesus was sent to reconcile us to God, if we still have sin on our account (held against us), we remain condemned. However, there is no condemnation in Jesus Christ (Romans 8:1). Therefore our sin has been forgiven and has experienced remission (back to point 1).

6. Jesus being the sufficient sacrifice that He is for all sin, there is no more offering for sin (Hebrews 10:18). Therefore, there is nothing more to do in order for sin to experience remission/forgiveness. Jesus did it.

7. We are justified by faith, not works. We do not earn salvation (saved by grace through faith), we believe that Jesus Christ died for our sins, paying the penalty for our sins (death), and resurrected on the third day for our justification (Romans 5:1, Romans 3:28, Romans 4:5). So forgiveness then is a matter of faith in the Son of God.

8. Without the shedding of blood, there is no remission of sin(Hebrews 9:22). Remission occurs through blood shed, the method described in God's word. So what does that make of any method otherwise mentioned?

9. We may enter God's presence boldly, something we could not do if our sin was not forgiven. We would die! The blood of Jesus has made our sins of scarlet as white as snow and we do not have to have reservations going before Him (Hebrews 10:19-22).

10. Seeking forgiveness through anything other than faith in Christ is to trample underfoot the Son of God, considering His blood as common (not able to do that which God says it does; being the same as the blood of bulls and goats that are not able to take away sin) and attempts to find another offering, if you will (see point 6), when there remains no more sacrifice for sins (Hebrews 10:29). We are forgiven through Christ and Him crucified. This is the profession of our faith.

It is for these reasons that we have total forgiveness. We are redeemed and forgiven of all sin. This does not mean we stop repenting, but it does mean that we no longer seek forgiveness from God because the Father has forgiven us for Christ's sake. We may express gratitude, worship, and praise to the Lord for His mercy and grace. Thank Him for the Gospel, that we are reconciled to God, forgiven, and our sins paid in full by the Son of God, Jesus Christ our Messiah.

Ephesians 4:32 King James Version (KJV)

32 And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.​

I'm pulling a JoanieMarie, .

What is there to disagree with here? Its very simple. Sin confession for the sake of forgiveness is shown to be incorrect when compared to the total forgiveness of sin we have through the shed blood of Jesus Christ. We have forgiveness, it is ours; total forgiveness from God means that we no longer seek forgiveness from the Lord. He has given it to us for Christ's sake (He died for it!).

I do not understand what there is to debate, but if someone wishes to bring a rebuttal I am listening. This isn't an anti-sin confession stance. This is an anti-sin confession for forgiveness stance, because it takes away from what Jesus did and also has implications in our walk with God (such that people alienate themselves from God, are bombarded by guilt and condemnation, and they have no assurance or peace with God).

 

[Shamah]

1 John 1:8-10, "If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His Word is not in us."

Psalm 32:5, “I acknowledged my sin to You, And my crookedness I did not hide. I have said, “I confess my transgressions to יהוה,” And You forgave the crookedness of my sin. Selah.”

1 John 1:8-10, "If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins,.."

Do "If" mean we can choose to or choose not to and it;s the same?

If you mow my lawn I will pay to $20, do you think you will gt paid if you do not mow it?

Hebrews 7:23, “And indeed, those that became priests were many, because they were prevented by death from continuing, but He, because He remains forever, has an unchangeable priesthood. Therefore He is also able to save completely those who draw near to Yah through Him, ever living to make intercession for them.”

He makes intercession on our behalf...

1 John 1:8-10

"If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His Word is not in us."


In each of the verses in the passage above, the Greek word used is "ean", which means "if" or "possibly". It's a conditional conjunction. With all conditional conjunctions the condition must first be met in the conditional phrase/statement in order for the rest of the statement to be true.

Taking verse 8...


The two independent thoughts conjoined by "if" are:

1) We confess our sins (condition)
2) God to forgive our sins and cleans us of all unrighteousness (resulting statement)


The context of the verse is "God's faithfulness to forgive one's sins".

home run.

 

[JGIG]

well those believers then need encouragement and study and to understand that we are no longer under condemnation

Agreed. That's exactly what Ben's OP does.

but it is the entire package of ignoring instruction regarding forgiveness on a horizontal level that has been addressed more than once at CC with some people insisting it is not necessary

Horizontal meaning between us and other people - again, agree. We are to confess our sins one to another. If I sin against you, I need to ask your forgiveness.

Forgiveness on a horizontal level is NOT what the OP is about. Asking forgiveness from God for sins already died and bled for is.

that, and stating Jesus was old school and now it's all different

the people who have said this here and tried to teach that here, know who they are

Well, I've heard such accusations but have yet to see proof.

What I have seen taught is that the Cross worked - there is forgiveness for all who are willing to receive it - and He forgives completely those who put their trust in Him (Hebrews 7).

Forgiveness before the Cross was a very different process - sin, repent, sacrifice, get forgiven, rinse, and repeat - that was the Old Covenant process, and Jesus did preach the Old Covenant to those under the Old Covenant. And then He made a better and living way by which we draw near to God (also Hebrews 7). No longer do we don sackcloth and ashes and bring sacrifices when we sin, but come to the throne of Grace with boldness and confidence as forgiven people. We get help, not rinse and repeat.

so really, while your immediate post contains truth and I agree some people are consumed by guilt, it in no way address the bigger problems many of us have been addressing and concerned about during your absence

you would have an awful lot of reading to catch up

Here's the thing: It's my opinion that the problem is with what some SAY we believe, not with what we actually believe. Lots of straw men strewn about here at the BDF on CC!

-JGIG

 

[BillG]

When I wrote that, I was thinking of the fruit of the Spirit shown in Gal 5:22-23 (love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance). I did not mean that God does not love me because I know He does.

Amen and that he does.

Jesus himself said it.

God loves us as much as he loves Jesus.

I just wanted to ask because when I tell people that they do not believe it and when I quote the verse they can't recall it, and if they have they haven't got it. Me being a prime example of not getting it.

John 17:23
23 I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me.

 

[HeRoseFromTheDead]

What is there to disagree with here? Its very simple. Sin confession for the sake of forgiveness is shown to be incorrect when compared to the total forgiveness of sin we have through the shed blood of Jesus Christ. We have forgiveness, it is ours; total forgiveness from God means that we no longer seek forgiveness from the Lord. He has given it to us for Christ's sake (He died for it!).

#5 - Sin does not put us under the type of condemnation mentioned in Romans 8:1. It grieves GOD and our consciences condemn us (not the Romans 8:1 kind).

 

[HeRoseFromTheDead]

What is there to disagree with here? Its very simple. Sin confession for the sake of forgiveness is shown to be incorrect when compared to the total forgiveness of sin we have through the shed blood of Jesus Christ. We have forgiveness, it is ours; total forgiveness from God means that we no longer seek forgiveness from the Lord. He has given it to us for Christ's sake (He died for it!).

#6 - A sinner needs to be cleansed of an evil conscience. The only way that can happen is to be in agreement with the holy spirit that we have sinned, and acknowledge it.

 

[BillG]

Agreed. That's exactly what Ben's OP does.





Horizontal meaning between us and other people - again, agree. We are to confess our sins one to another. If I sin against you, I need to ask your forgiveness.

Forgiveness on a horizontal level is NOT what the OP is about. Asking forgiveness from God for sins already died and bled for is.





Well, I've heard such accusations but have yet to see proof.

What I have seen taught is that the Cross worked - there is forgiveness for all who are willing to receive it - and He forgives completely those who put their trust in Him (Hebrews 7).

Forgiveness before the Cross was a very different process - sin, repent, sacrifice, get forgiven, rinse, and repeat - that was the Old Covenant process, and Jesus did preach the Old Covenant to those under the Old Covenant. And then He made a better and living way by which we draw near to God (also Hebrews 7). No longer do we don sackcloth and ashes and bring sacrifices when we sin, but come to the throne of Grace with boldness and confidence as forgiven people. We get help, not rinse and repeat.




Here's the thing: It's my opinion that the problem is with what some SAY we believe, not with what we actually believe. Lots of straw men strewn about here at the BDF on CC!

-JGIG

Ah yes.

Horizontal forgiveness.

That we should ask for.

But I believe we should not wait to be asked to forgive before we forgive.

If someone sins against me I now forgive (not say I'm perfect in this but this I seek)

[h=1]To forgive is to set a prisoner free and discover that the prisoner was you." Lewis B Smedes[/h][FONT=Merriweather, Georgia, serif]There is another issue though.
[/FONT]
Forgiving ourselves

 

[HeRoseFromTheDead]

What is there to disagree with here? Its very simple. Sin confession for the sake of forgiveness is shown to be incorrect when compared to the total forgiveness of sin we have through the shed blood of Jesus Christ. We have forgiveness, it is ours; total forgiveness from God means that we no longer seek forgiveness from the Lord. He has given it to us for Christ's sake (He died for it!).

#9 - This is a non-sequitur the way you stated it. It only makes sense if a person has no faith.

 

[BillG]

#6 - A sinner needs to be cleansed of an evil conscience. The only way that can happen is to be in agreement with the holy spirit that we have sinned, and acknowledge it.

Not sure I would say "an evil conscience"

Does a believer have an evil conscience?

But I do agree that we acknowledge we have sinned.
To me that's confessing.

 

[reneweddaybyday]

Amen and that he does.

Jesus himself said it.

God loves us as much as he loves Jesus.

I just wanted to ask because when I tell people that they do not believe it and when I quote the verse they can't recall it, and if they have they haven't got it. Me being a prime example of not getting it.

John 17:23
23 I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me.

yeah. so amazing. and it is hard to comprehend sometimes. the God Who created heaven and earth and all that is therein loves me?????

 

[HeRoseFromTheDead]

Not sure I would say "an evil conscience"

Does a believer have an evil conscience?

But I do agree that we acknowledge we have sinned.
To me that's confessing.

Bad conscience, defiled conscience

 

[JGIG]

I don’t think that you read all of what I read, and you certainly didn’t look at the copy and paste from Bauer. You pulled this out of context from Bauer.



I read the exact thing as I was writing my last post. I said exactly what you posted here. I said in ancient Greek texts, metanoia does mean “a change of mind.”

I said that it meant more because of the Hebrew mindset of the Jews.

Wow, that's exactly what Hebrew Roots folks do. Take the Greek, and then say that it doesn't mean what it means because of the Hebrew mindset. Next you'll be inserting a Hebrew word where God ordained the Greek language to communicate what He wanted communicated!

It does not matter one bit what YOU SAID, it matters what the BIBLE SAYS. And the Greek word for repent means 'change of mind'. Just because you don't like it doesn't mean you get to go 'round changing it!

I also noted, as you did not, that this copy and paste does not have a single Bible verse in it. In fact, neither metanoia nor metanoeo have a single Bible verse meaning “change of mind.”

Well, that would be news to the writers of the letters where they purposefully penned the Greek words metanoia and metanoeo as God inspired!

And YOU think YOU have the authority to go and change what they wrote.

I'm a bit gobsmacked at what you're trying to pull here, Angela!

According to Blue Letter Bible:

• Strong's Number G3340 matches the Greek μετανοέω (metanoeō), which occurs 36 times in 32 verses in the Greek concordance of the KJV. (source)

and

• Strong's Number G3341 matches the Greek μετάνοια (metanoia), which occurs 24 times in 24 verses in the Greek concordance of the KJV. (source)

Are you seriously going to sit there and try to convince us that the writers didn't really mean to use a word that doesn't really mean what they meant to say? Really?

The Greek language is anything BUT vague. Its specificity and richness in meaning made Koine Greek God's choice of language in penning the New Covenant Scriptures.

But YOU know better the meaning that the writers intended.

Just to be clear about what you're saying.

Noted.

Look carefully at what you posted in the quote just above. Just Greek texts. No Bible verses, as Bauer highlights them all. And a dirty trick to just paste this, when the rest of the entry is the BIBLICAL MEANING of the word. That is eisegesis, and that is why hypergrace and Word Faith always end up wrong. Because they cut and paste what they want the Bible to say, and leave the parts they don’t like

Which in this case, means leaving out EVERY SINGLE BIBLE QUOTE.

Alrighty then. Here are links to the lists of verses where metanoeo and metanoia appear in Scripture (I tried to post them, but there are too many, making the post too long, so dear reader, kindly click on the links below to access):


Mat 3:2 - Rev 2:21 , Rev 2:22 - Rev 16:11


Mat 3:8 - 2Pe 3:9

Also very subjective to leave all the quotes about what metanoia means in the Bible. You know, the Christian/Jewish meaning. I didn’t even get into the LXX, that is a whole study in itself.

And yet, you went onto say the exact thing I said.

My point is that this redefined version of metanoia that Word Faith is engaged in, is merely going away from the Bible, into Ancient Greek texts.

Ummmm, the New Covenant Scriptures ARE FROM the ancient Greek texts. If you go to the Greek original language, you cannot be going 'away from the Bible'.

The connotations in the Bible are much more important that the old Greek denotations.

• Connotation: an idea or feeling that a word invokes in addition to its literal or primary meaning

Yep, connotations are important, but not at the cost of the actual meaning of a word. You're putting connotation (which in itself can be highly subjective) above actual meaning of a word.

Hypergrace is lying, when it claims over and over that metanoia “merely” or “only” means “change of mind” - a simple compound word.

Not merely or only, but giving the published meaning of the Greek word as given in particular passages. It apparently rubs against your preferred, personally derived meaning, so you slap a label of hypergrace on it and declare it a lie.

And this discussion is about the lies of they hypergrace people.

No, this discussion is about the forgiveness of God. Perhaps you should go re-read the OP before continuing to rail against this monstrous straw man you've erected.

So what motive do they have for changing the definition of metanoia to an unbiblical definition?

It is actually you who has attempted to redefine metanoia as demonstrated above.

Well, they don’t want to examine themselves, confess their sins as part of their Christian walk.

It's always intriguing to me how folks go about judging the hearts of people they've never met and do not know. We've said - repeatedly - that confession of sins is a GOOD thing.

They just want happiness, and sunny ways,

As opposed to depression, self-loathing, and darkness . . .

Yeah, gotta watch out for those joyful types bearing the Fruit of the Spirit!

never understanding that they are not yet sancitified, certainly not glorified, and they are missing an essential part of their walk with Christ.

Scripture completely proves the opposite of what you say:

30 Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified. (from Rom. 8)​

They are always going to be stymied in their Christian walk, because they have lost the Biblical meaning of metanoia, to say nothing of so many other words.

You're making an accusation with no basis in fact. I can say that my walk is not 'stymied', but steady, sure, peaceful, and joyful. Easy? Sometimes. Difficult? Often. We live in a fallen world and stuff comes at us all the time. Yet in Christ, and with Him walking every step with me in this life, there is peace; there is joy, and often happiness and sunny ways in the midst of it all \o/!

I find that both tragically sad and appalling. Sad for the hypergracers, and appalling that they keep preaching this lying doctrine, pulling things out of context, redefining the Biblical definition, and trying to seduce even the very elect.

Well, you go right on ahead and be tragically sad and appalled while we walk in the peace and joy of Christ.

I'm content to keep it simple: Scripture in context, original language definitions as they were written, and everything through the lens of the finished Work of Christ.

​-JGIG

 

[UnderGrace]

Powerful truth about "metanoia", you deserve a rep

Wow, that's exactly what Hebrew Roots folks do. Take the Greek, and then say that it doesn't mean what it means because of the Hebrew mindset. Next you'll be inserting a Hebrew word where God ordained the Greek language to communicate what He wanted communicated!

It does not matter one bit what YOU SAID, it matters what the BIBLE SAYS. And the Greek word for repent means 'change of mind'. Just because you don't like it doesn't mean you get to go 'round changing it!





Well, that would be news to the writers of the letters where they purposefully penned the Greek words metanoia and metanoeo as God inspired!

And YOU think YOU have the authority to go and change what they wrote.

I'm a bit gobsmacked at what you're trying to pull here, Angela!

According to Blue Letter Bible:

• Strong's Number G3340 matches the Greek μετανοέω (metanoeō), which occurs 36 times in 32 verses in the Greek concordance of the KJV. (source)

and

• Strong's Number G3341 matches the Greek μετάνοια (metanoia), which occurs 24 times in 24 verses in the Greek concordance of the KJV. (source)

Are you seriously going to sit there and try to convince us that the writers didn't really mean to use a word that doesn't really mean what they meant to say? Really?

The Greek language is anything BUT vague. Its specificity and richness in meaning made Koine Greek God's choice of language in penning the New Covenant Scriptures.

But YOU know better the meaning that the writers intended.

Just to be clear about what you're saying.

Noted.





Alrighty then. Here are links to the lists of verses where metanoeo and metanoia appear in Scripture (I tried to post them, but there are too many, making the post too long, so dear reader, kindly click on the links below to access):


Mat 3:2 - Rev 2:21 , Rev 2:22 - Rev 16:11


Mat 3:8 - 2Pe 3:9







Ummmm, the New Covenant Scriptures ARE FROM the ancient Greek texts. If you go to the Greek original language, you cannot be going 'away from the Bible'.

• Connotation: an idea or feeling that a word invokes in addition to its literal or primary meaning

Yep, connotations are important, but not at the cost of the actual meaning of a word. You're putting connotation (which in itself can be highly subjective) above actual meaning of a word.





Not merely or only, but giving the published meaning of the Greek word as given in particular passages. It apparently rubs against your preferred, personally derived meaning, so you slap a label of hypergrace on it and declare it a lie.






No, this discussion is about the forgiveness of God. Perhaps you should go re-read the OP before continuing to rail against this monstrous straw man you've erected.






It is actually you who has attempted to redefine metanoia as demonstrated above.





It's always intriguing to me how folks go about judging the hearts of people they've never met and do not know. We've said - repeatedly - that confession of sins is a GOOD thing.





As opposed to depression, self-loathing, and darkness . . .

Yeah, gotta watch out for those joyful types bearing the Fruit of the Spirit!





Scripture completely proves the opposite of what you say:

30 Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified. (from Rom. 8)​

You're making an accusation with no basis in fact. I can say that my walk is not 'stymied', but steady, sure, peaceful, and joyful. Easy? Sometimes. Difficult? Often. We live in a fallen world and stuff comes at us all the time. Yet in Christ, and with Him walking every step with me in this life, there is peace; there is joy, and often happiness and sunny ways in the midst of it all \o/!





Well, you go right on ahead and be tragically sad and appalled while we walk in the peace and joy of Christ.

I'm content to keep it simple: Scripture in context, original language definitions as they were written, and everything through the lens of the finished Work of Christ.

​-JGIG

 

[Nehemiah6]

...And the Greek word for repent means 'change of mind'...

But that is not all that it means, and Angela was perfectly correct in pointing that out.

You have failed to examine the term "repentance" as it applies in Scripture, and it means FAR MORE that merely a change of mind. But the Hyper-Grace false teachers simply IGNORE repentance, let alone present it faithfully as revealed in Scripture.

Thayer's Greek Lexicon
STRONGS NT 3340: μετανοέω

... to change one's mind for the better, heartily to amend with abhorrence of one's past sins...

...used especially of those who, conscious of their sins and with manifest tokens of sorrow, are intent; on obtaining God's pardon...

... conduct worthy of a heart changed and abhorring sin...

...to withdraw or turn one's soul from...

...to feel sorry that one has done this or that...of having offended someone...

In Scripture repentance means a TOTAL TURNAROUND for sinners -- a turning from sins and idols to a turning to God and Christ. Which is far more than a mere "change of mind". Lexical meanings can only go so far. Once must study the Word to see that repentance is a 180 degree change in the heart, mind, soul, motives, desires, and direction of life. The conversion and repentance of Saul of Tarsus to the apostle Paul is an excellent example.