Repentance: Vital to the Christian life

Repentance is not often taught from modern pulpits, but it is essential to all elements of the Christian life – salvation, sanctification and service. Repentance is more than just acknowledging that we had done acts that violate God’s statutes. We must be sorry for those actions and regret having engaged in them. We must “change our minds” about those actions. We must truly believe that those actions were evil and harmful to us. We must commit ourselves to not repeat them in the future.

In Hebrew, repent has a secondary meaning. It also means “to comfort or console.” Think of the two aspects of repentance as reflecting our part and God’s response. We repent — regret our past actions; and God comforts us with the knowledge that we are forgiven and that our relationship with Him has been restored. This is what Paul had in mind when he wrote, “For the sorrow that is according to the will of God produces a repentance without regret, leading to salvation, but the sorrow of the world produces death” (2 Corinthians 7:10). God does not “shame” people into repentance; instead, “the kindness of God leads you to salvation” (Romans 2:4).

Repentance is taught throughout the Bible. The prophet Ezekiel called on the people to, “Repent, and turn yourselves from all your transgressions; so iniquity shall not be your ruin” (Ezekiel 18:30). John the Baptist admonished the people, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Matthew 3:1-2). Jesus began His ministry by teaching, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” (Matthew 4:17). Jesus later commissions his disciples to be witnesses to His resurrection so that “repentance for forgiveness of sins would be proclaimed in His name to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem” (Luke 24:47).

The disciples were faithful to their calling and at Pentecost Peter exhorted the Jewish people to, “Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins;” (Acts 2:38). Paul carried the message to Jews and Gentiles proclaiming “repent and turn to God” (Acts 26:20).

Repentance is how we respond to God’s calling to salvation. Peter and Paul also point out the connection of repentance not only to salvation but to sanctification and service. Peter tells the people that in response to their repentance they will “receive the gift of the Holy Spirit” (Acts 2:38). He states that it is “the sanctifying work of the Spirit, to obey Jesus Christ” that enables our efforts towards sanctification. Paul calls new believers to “demonstrate their repentance by their deeds” (Acts 26:20) – this is service.

When we repent we change our minds about the nature of the sins we have committed and then devote ourselves to live lives free of those sins. God responds by forgiving us and by adopting us as His children. Our restored relationship is the source of great comfort. God then gives us the Holy Spirit to work sanctification in us and to accomplish deeds through us.