What is Biblical Repentance

 

BIBLICAL REPENTANCE. The word repentance is a hard word for people to grasp because it can mean slightly different things depending on the context in which its used. It can mean grieved, or a change of mind or yes at times even a turn from sin, such as a saved individual that turns from a sin with The Lord’s help, also repentance can mean something such as a change leading to an action. And yes, even if you go to the Greek or a Websters 1828 dictionary, you can come up with the same conclusion if you read the full definition as well as if going to the Greek via a concordance.

 

More and more, I find myself looking to the Bible to define words rather than websters or The Strong’s Concordance. Tools are meant to help us not hinder us. We have a perfect Bible, The Authorized Version of the Bible which is nicknamed the King James Version. If you speak or read English, THIS is the Bible.

 

The Geneva Bible is close but it is not The Authorized Version. Through ignorance or disobedience people seek for “easier to read Bibles” which are not Bibles, these “new versions” are corrupt perversions containing DAMNABLE heresies and an attempt to discredit God’s authority by changing God’s word, and making the “scriptures” have different meanings.

 

Their attempt is to make God into a liar which is something God hates. Lies are an abomination to Him. Those “new versions” are not from God; God would NOT lead someone into reading a “bible” that attempts to make Himself an abomination, this is NOT happening. These new versions also deny the Deity of The Lord Jesus Christ in that they remove the word “Lord” from many verses making it “easier to read”. Perhaps for people who hate God and don’t want to acknowledge that Jesus Christ is The Lord and God manifest in the flesh and also the ONLY begotten Son of God. How to explain it? Read God’s word and He will teach you. Removing God’s title as The Lord does NOT make things easier to understand, we can understand the words “The Lord Jesus” or “Lord Jesus” PERFECTLY! And the times where they do correctly use the words “Lord Jesus” or “The Lord Jesus” is thrown in there to deceive you.

 

Satan is smart, and the perfect lie, is the lie that contains just enough truth to deceive. THIS is how people get deceived into all these denominations and false doctrines and ideas that come from NOWHERE in scriptures but from devils and a natural man’s corrupt mind (an unsaved mind). The satanic agenda behind those who wrote the new versions which come from Egyptian manuscripts rather than the Textus Receptus is sickening. They deny The Lord Jesus Christ from His rightful and accurate Title : The Lord. Jesus Christ is THE LORD, the ONLY Saviour and IN HIM is the fulness of the Godhead BODILY (read 1John 5:7 in the KJV) and by the new versions changing God’s words and the meanings of things and denying that Jesus is THE Lord is a satanic attempt on their part to attempt to make God a liar. God can NEVER LIE.

 

Now many will claim that The LORD repented. The LORD is NOT a sinner and never can or will be a sinner. But that’s why you need to understand that repentance needs to be looked at in CONTEXT. God was grieved at His heart that people were made and that these people were incredibly wicked.

 

Colossians 2:8-9

Authorized (King James) Version

“8 Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. 9 For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.”

 

1 John 5:7-8

Authorized (King James) Version

“7 For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one. 8 And there are three that bear witness in earth, the Spirit, and the water, and the blood: and these three agree in one.”

 

Genesis 6:5-6

Authorized (King James) Version

“5 And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. 6 And it repented the LORD that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart.”

 

The LORD was grieved at His heart here, we see that He repented. Now He didn’t change His mind that He made man, He didn’t change His mind and undo what He did; what He did do was grieve, and that grief, led Him to an action, look at the next two verses:

 

Genesis 6:7-8

Authorized (King James) Version

“7 And the LORD said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for it repenteth me that I have made them. 8 But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD.”

 

Lets look at where The LORD is written that He will choose to not repent. This case repentance shall be hid from God’s eyes.

 

Hosea 13:13-15

Authorized (King James) Version

“13 The sorrows of a travailing woman shall come upon him:

he is an unwise son;

for he should not stay long in the place of the breaking forth of children.

14 I will ransom them from the power of the grave;

I will redeem them from death:

O death, I will be thy plagues;

O grave, I will be thy destruction:

repentance shall be hid from mine eyes.

15 Though he be fruitful among his brethren,

an east wind shall come,

the wind of the LORD shall come up from the wilderness,

and his spring shall become dry,

and his fountain shall be dried up:

he shall spoil the treasure of all pleasant vessels.”

 

Lets look at where God repents with a change of mind:

 

Exodus 32:13-15

Authorized (King James) Version

“13 Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, thy servants, to whom thou swarest by thine own self, and saidst unto them, I will multiply your seed as the stars of heaven, and all this land that I have spoken of will I give unto your seed, and they shall inherit it for ever. 14 And the LORD repented of the evil which he thought to do unto his people.

15 And Moses turned, and went down from the mount, and the two tables of the testimony were in his hand: the tables were written on both their sides; on the one side and on the other were they written.”

 

Here repented means “grieved” in terms of what The LORD is doing in verse 18, but we will see another meaning of the word repentance in that in verse 19 the people the verse is describing these individuals in how they did not repent and they continued in their sin, the word repent is not in this scripture here, but you can see where the meaning of it applies in that they ceased not (ie repented not) from their own doings, nor from their stubborn way.

 

Judges 2:17-19

Authorized (King James) Version

“17 And yet they would not hearken unto their judges, but they went a whoring after other gods, and bowed themselves unto them: they turned quickly out of the way which their fathers walked in, obeying the commandments of the LORD; but they did not so. 18 And when the LORD raised them up judges, then the LORD was with the judge, and delivered them out of the hand of their enemies all the days of the judge: for it repented the LORD because of their groanings by reason of them that oppressed them and vexed them. 19 And it came to pass, when the judge was dead, that they returned, and corrupted themselves more than their fathers, in following other gods to serve them, and to bow down unto them; they ceased not from their own doings, nor from their stubborn way.”

 

Now the people in verse 19 didn’t repent, or even grieve of their sin, which shows they did not repent because they continued in their sin.

 

 

1 Samuel 15:34-35

Authorized (King James) Version

“34 Then Samuel went to Ramah; and Saul went up to his house to Gibeah of Saul. 35 And Samuel came no more to see Saul until the day of his death: nevertheless Samuel mourned for Saul: and the LORD repented that he had made Saul king over Israel.”

 

The LORD grieved here, we can see this.

 

The next verse is:

 

1 Samuel 16:1

Authorized (King James) Version

“16 And the LORD said unto Samuel, How long wilt thou mourn for Saul, seeing I have rejected him from reigning over Israel? fill thine horn with oil, and go, I will send thee to Jesse the Beth-lehemite: for I have provided me a king among his sons.”

 

 

Now in terms of mankind, from the early chapters in Matthew which is doctrinally Old Testament, we see baptism and repentance, and the commandment to bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance.

 

Matthew 3:5-9

Authorized (King James) Version

“5 Then went out to him Jerusalem, and all Judæa, and all the region round about Jordan, 6 and were baptized of him in Jordan, confessing their sins.

7 But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism, he said unto them, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come? 8 Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance: 9 and think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham.”

 

Fruits meet for repentance can mean, “show me evidence that you’ve changed your mind or turned”. For a practical application:

 

Example number 1, You tell me that you’ve stopped liking pineapple on your pizza but every time we go to get pizza you order pepperoni and pineapple, I don’t think you’ve changed your mind, or I don’t think you’ve repented.

 

Continuing number 1, Since I see that you’re still continuing to put pineapple on your pizza and every time we go to get pizza you have never told me that the idea of pineapple that you regretted putting the pineapple on your pizza and I don’t recall seeing that you’re grieved by having pineapple on your pizza, I don’t believe you’ve changed your mind/repented about that.

 

Example number 2, You tell me that you’ve stopped liking pineapple on your pizza and every time we go to get pizza you order pepperoni and now green peppers, I see that you’ve changed your mind about pineapple, I see that you’ve repented.

 

Continuing Example number 2, Since I see you no longer put pineapple on your pizza although there was a few times that you have put pineapple on your pizza, I can still see that at times you regret or that you grieved that you did put that pineapple on your pizza, I still see that you’ve changed your mind/repented about that.

 

 

 

Lets look at the beginning of the chapter with some verses:

 

Matthew 3:1-6

Authorized (King James) Version

“In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judæa, 2 and saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. 3 For this is he that was spoken of by the prophet Esaias, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. 4 And the same John had his raiment of camel’s hair, and a leathern girdle about his loins; and his meat was locusts and wild honey. 5 Then went out to him Jerusalem, and all Judæa, and all the region round about Jordan, 6 and were baptized of him in Jordan, confessing their sins.”

 

Matthew 3:11-12

Authorized (King James) Version

“I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire: 12 whose fan is in his hand, and he will throughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the garner; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.”

 

Jesus was baptized by John the Baptist, so that He/they could fulfill all righteousness.

 

Matthew 3:13-17

Authorized (King James) Version

“13 Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him. 14 But John forbad him, saying, I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me? 15 And Jesus answering said unto him, Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness. Then he suffered him. 16 And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him: 17 and lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”

 

Jesus didn’t sin and never can sin, He is God, but again, to fulfill all righteousness He was baptized by John’s baptism. Now for OTHER people who were there at that time THESE people did need to repent and have John’s baptism, lets see these verses for more information:

 

Mark 1:3-5

Authorized (King James) Version

“3 The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.

4 John did baptize in the wilderness, and preach the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins. 5 And there went out unto him all the land of Judæa, and they of Jerusalem, and were all baptized of him in the river of Jordan, confessing their sins.”

 

They were baptized and confessed their sins. Belief in Jesus is implied.

 

 

Luke 3:2-4

Authorized (King James) Version

“2 Annas and Caiaphas being the high priests, the word of God came unto John the son of Zacharias in the wilderness. 3 And he came into all the country about Jordan, preaching the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins; 4 as it is written in the book of the words of Esaias the prophet, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.”

 

Luke 3:7-9

Authorized (King James) Version

“7 Then said he to the multitude that came forth to be baptized of him, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come? 8 Bring forth therefore fruits worthy of repentance, and begin not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, That God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham. 9 And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: every tree therefore which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.”

 

 

Now we see the “turning from sin” application for the word repent.

 

Luke 5:29-32

Authorized (King James) Version

“29 And Levi made him a great feast in his own house: and there was a great company of publicans and of others that sat down with them. 30 But their scribes and Pharisees murmured against his disciples, saying, Why do ye eat and drink with publicans and sinners? 31 And Jesus answering said unto them, They that are whole need not a physician; but they that are sick. 32 I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.”

 

It’s more clear the message here in the book of Mark.

 

Mark 2:15-18

Authorized (King James) Version

“15 And it came to pass, that, as Jesus sat at meat in his house, many publicans and sinners sat also together with Jesus and his disciples: for there were many, and they followed him. 16 And when the scribes and Pharisees saw him eat with publicans and sinners, they said unto his disciples, How is it that he eateth and drinketh with publicans and sinners? 17 When Jesus heard it, he saith unto them, They that are whole have no need of the physician, but they that are sick: I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.

18 And the disciples of John and of the Pharisees used to fast: and they come and say unto him, Why do the disciples of John and of the Pharisees fast, but thy disciples fast not?”

 

These people the publicans and sinners we can learn that they are NOT whole and in need of help, they are sick and in need of a physician if we use the metaphor that Jesus used. He further explains that He didn’t come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance. These publicans and sinners were going to Jesus for help. We can’t help ourselves with our sin, we can only go so far, and we can’t save ourself no matter how much we clean up in our lives. We need Jesus as our Saviour.

 

 Luke 15:6-8

Authorized (King James) Version

“6 And when he cometh home, he calleth together his friends and neighbours, saying unto them, Rejoice with me; for I have found my sheep which was lost. 7 I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance.

8 Either what woman having ten pieces of silver, if she lose one piece, doth not light a candle, and sweep the house, and seek diligently till she find it?”

 

In this case I believe repenteth refers to someone turning to God. We will so more of this in:

 

Luke 24:44-48

Authorized (King James) Version

“44 And he said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me. 45 Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures, 46 and said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day: 47 and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. 48 And ye are witnesses of these things.”

 

Keep in mind this is now the NEW TESTAMENT (see Hebrews 9:15-17)

 

Hebrews 9:15-17

Authorized (King James) Version

“15 And for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance. 16 For where a testament is, there must also of necessity be the death of the testator. 17 For a testament is of force after men are dead: otherwise it is of no strength at all while the testator liveth.”

 

Luke 24:1-10

Authorized (King James) Version

“24 Now upon the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they came unto the sepulchre, bringing the spices which they had prepared, and certain others with them. 2 And they found the stone rolled away from the sepulchre. 3 And they entered in, and found not the body of the Lord Jesus. 4 And it came to pass, as they were much perplexed thereabout, behold, two men stood by them in shining garments: 5 and as they were afraid, and bowed down their faces to the earth, they said unto them, Why seek ye the living among the dead? 6 He is not here, but is risen: remember how he spake unto you when he was yet in Galilee, 7 saying, The Son of man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again. 8 And they remembered his words, 9 and returned from the sepulchre, and told all these things unto the eleven, and to all the rest. 10 It was Mary Magdalene, and Joanna, and Mary the mother of James, and other women that were with them, which told these things unto the apostles.”

 

Acts 11:17-19

Authorized (King James) Version

“17 Forasmuch then as God gave them the like gift as he did unto us, who believed on the Lord Jesus Christ; what was I, that I could withstand God?

18 When they heard these things, they held their peace, and glorified God, saying, Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life.

19 Now they which were scattered abroad upon the persecution that arose about Stephen travelled as far as Phenice, and Cyprus, and Antioch, preaching the word to none but unto the Jews only.”

 

Now this is in Acts and looking back to John’s baptism:

 

 

Acts 13:23-25

Authorized (King James) Version

“23 Of this man’s seed hath God according to his promise raised unto Israel a Saviour, Jesus: 24 when John had first preached before his coming the baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel. 25 And as John fulfilled his course, he said, Whom think ye that I am? I am not he. But, behold, there cometh one after me, whose shoes of his feet I am not worthy to loose.”

 

 

Acts 19:1-8

Authorized (King James) Version

“And it came to pass, that, while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul having passed through the upper coasts came to Ephesus: and finding certain disciples, 2 he said unto them, Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed? And they said unto him, We have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost. 3 And he said unto them, Unto what then were ye baptized? And they said, Unto John’s baptism. 4 Then said Paul, John verily baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people, that they should believe on him which should come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus. 5 When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 6 And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them; and they spake with tongues, and prophesied. 7 And all the men were about twelve.

8 And he went into the synagogue, and spake boldly for the space of three months, disputing and persuading the things concerning the kingdom of God.”

 

Keep in mind that Acts is a transition book and, in a way, a historic book as we see the events of the early church as well as the revelation that God granted repentance unto life as we see in Acts 11:18. Look at how Acts 19 verse 8 mentioned the kingdom of God, now there was a baptism in verse 5, but they had previously received John’s baptism as seen in verse 3.

 

 

Acts 11:18

Authorized (King James) Version

“18 When they heard these things, they held their peace, and glorified God, saying, Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life.”

 

 

Acts 20:20-21

Authorized (King James) Version

“20 and how I kept back nothing that was profitable unto you, but have shewed you, and have taught you publickly, and from house to house, 21 testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.”

 

 

Acts 26:19-21

Authorized (King James) Version

“19 Whereupon, O king Agrippa, I was not disobedient unto the heavenly vision: 20 but shewed first unto them of Damascus, and at Jerusalem, and throughout all the coasts of Judæa, and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, and do works meet for repentance. 21 For these causes the Jews caught me in the temple, and went about to kill me.”

 

Paul was telling about his encounter with The Lord. Here are some of the verses prior to that, lets examine verses 12-18:

 

Acts 26:12-18

Authorized (King James) Version

“12 Whereupon as I went to Damascus with authority and commission from the chief priests, 13 at midday, O king, I saw in the way a light from heaven, above the brightness of the sun, shining round about me and them which journeyed with me. 14 And when we were all fallen to the earth, I heard a voice speaking unto me, and saying in the Hebrew tongue, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks. 15 And I said, Who art thou, Lord? And he said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest. 16 But rise, and stand upon thy feet: for I have appeared unto thee for this purpose, to make thee a minister and a witness both of these things which thou hast seen, and of those things in the which I will appear unto thee; 17 delivering thee from the people, and from the Gentiles, unto whom now I send thee, 18 to open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.”

 

Romans 2:3-11

Authorized (King James) Version

“3 And thinkest thou this, O man, that judgest them which do such things, and doest the same, that thou shalt escape the judgment of God? 4 Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance? 5 but after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God; 6 who will render to every man according to his deeds: 7 to them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life: 8 but unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath, 9 tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile; 10 but glory, honour, and peace, to every man that worketh good, to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile: 11 for there is no respect of persons with God.”

 

 

Romans 11:28-30

Authorized (King James) Version

“28 As concerning the gospel, they are enemies for your sakes: but as touching the election, they are beloved for the fathers’ sakes. 29 For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance. 30 For as ye in times past have not believed God, yet have now obtained mercy through their unbelief:”

 

2 Corinthians 7:8-10

Authorized (King James) Version

“8 For though I made you sorry with a letter, I do not repent, though I did repent: for I perceive that the same epistle hath made you sorry, though it were but for a season. 9 Now I rejoice, not that ye were made sorry, but that ye sorrowed to repentance: for ye were made sorry after a godly manner, that ye might receive damage by us in nothing. 10 For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death.”

 

Verse 11 now talks about things regarding the saved believer:

 

2 Corinthians 7:11

Authorized (King James) Version

“11 For behold this selfsame thing, that ye sorrowed after a godly sort, what carefulness it wrought in you, yea, what clearing of yourselves, yea, what indignation, yea, what fear, yea, what vehement desire, yea, what zeal, yea, what revenge! In all things ye have approved yourselves to be clear in this matter.”

 

 

 

2 Timothy 2:24-26

Authorized (King James) Version

“24 And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient, 25 in meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth; 26 and that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will.”

 

Hebrews 6:1-8

Authorized (King James) Version

“Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God, 2 of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment. 3 And this will we do, if God permit. 4 For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, 5 and have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, 6 if they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame. 7 For the earth which drinketh in the rain that cometh oft upon it, and bringeth forth herbs meet for them by whom it is dressed, receiveth blessing from God: 8 but that which beareth thorns and briers is rejected, and is nigh unto cursing; whose end is to be burned.”

 

Hebrews 12:15-17

Authorized (King James) Version

“15 looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled; 16 lest there be any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright. 17 For ye know how that afterward, when he would have inherited the blessing, he was rejected: for he found no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears.”