|
|
|
REPENTANCE AS DEFINED IN GOD'S WORD
Repent = "metanoeo" comes from the combination of the Greek words meta meaning 'after', implying change and the Greek word noeo meaning the mind, the understanding = literally, 'after thought', i.e., rethinking. The implication here is that when you have an 'after thought' you have a change of mind from one thing to another which is mutually exclusive. The sphere of this word is therefore limited to within the mind. Other kinds and spheres of activity are not in view.
[Vine's Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words, W.E. Vine, Revell Publishing, Old Tappan, New Jersey, 1981, pp. 279-280), states]:
"metanoeo... lit. to perceive afterwards (meta, after, implying change, noeo, to perceive; [comes from the Greek noun] nous, the mind, the seat of moral reflection), in contrast to pronoeo, to perceive beforehand, hence signifies to change one's mind or purpose..."
Notice the implication of a complete change of mind from one thing to another which is mutually exclusive of the former and not just any and every change.
B) REPENT = METANOIA IN GOD'S WORD IS A CHANGE FROM DISBELIEF TO BELIEF IN WHAT IS TAUGHT
The words "repentance" and "repent" in God's Word are translated from the Greek words "metanoia", (noun); "metanoeO", (verb) respectively which refer to a turn about, a deliberate change of mind resulting in a change of direction in thought. When one believes a fact relative to God's revealed Word, one turns from doubt or unbelief to faith in that revealed truth.
(v. 24) "And the Lord's servant must not quarrel; instead, he must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful.
(v. 25) Those who oppose him he must gently instruct, in the hope that God will grant them repentance [metanoian] leading them to a knowledge of the truth."
Notice that Paul indicates that a servant of the Lord, a pastor/teacher is to gently instruct in the Word of God, (v. 4:2), those who oppose him in the hope that God will grant them repentance, i.e., a change of mind which leads to a knowledge, i.e., an acceptance, belief in the truth of God's Word being taught. So repentance = metanoian here is not a feeling of regret, or an action of some kind, but simply a change of mind from opposing, i.e., rejecting or disbelieving truths from God's Word to a knowledge and acceptance of them, i.e., belief in them. From disbelief to belief.
[J. . Dwight Pentecost states, ('Things Which Become SOUND DOCTRINE, Fleming H. Revell Co., Westwood, N.J., 1965, pp. 62-63)]:
"Now, in laying down the qualifications for the servant of the Lord, the Apostle emphasizes that the Lord's servant must have the ability to teach. That, of course, which he teaches - according to II Timothy 4:2 - is the Word of God. As the servant of God teaches the Word of God, the truth of the Word of God will be brought home by the Spirit to the mind of the hearer, and the hearer will change his mind because of the truth that has been presented. This change of mind, in respect to a revealed truth from the Word of God, is called in II Timothy 2:25 'repentance.' "
In order to repent, i.e., turn to Christ alone for forgiveness of sins which means that you believe that He alone can and will forgive you, you must turn from your rejection of Him - from the belief that your sins are something you yourself can and will deal with in your own way and not God's way. So instead of rejecting faith alone in Christ alone you turn to faith placed in Him alone as Savior - that is God's way of dealing with your sins. That is what the Bible defines as 'repentance for the forgiveness of sins':
"Paul said, 'John's baptism was a baptism of repentance. He told the people to believe in the One coming after him, that is, Jesus.' "
"repentance" = "metanoias" = a change of the mind from not believing to believing "in the One coming after him, that is, Jesus."
Since John's baptism was a baptism that signified an individual's repentance,
and since the message of John to people was to believe in Jesus Christ as Messiah/Savior thereupon he was water baptized,
then repentance here = "metanoias" = believing in Christ as Messiah/Savior.
John the Baptist "prepare[d] the way for the Lord [making] straight paths for Him", (Mt 3:3; Isa 40:3) by declaring "the Kingdom of God is near", (Mt 3:2), i.e., that the Messiah is coming now to bring His Kingdom into the world when all of Israel believes in Him. John further declared Who Jesus is:"Behold the Lamb of God Who takes away the sins of the world", (Jn 1:29), i.e., as testified to in Old Testament Scripture, (Isa 53:4-5); declaring "one must believe in Jesus", (Acts 19:4), being that Lamb of God Who takes away the sins of the world, i.e., "Repent [= believe in Christ as Messiah].. for the forgiveness of sins", (Acts 19:4; Mk 1:4) to gain entrance into this eternal Kingdom. Then John commanded those who believed in Jesus to demonstrate this change to faith in Him by a "baptism of repentance [/belief in Jesus] for the forgiveness of sins", (Acts 19:4; Mk 1:4).
Notice that baptism and washings in
general were perceived by Israelites as symbolic immersions and washings
and not acts which provided actual results of what they represented. This
would be consistent with what the Old Testament Scripture teaches,
[
]
So when an Israelite underwent John's or Jesus' baptism of repentance/belief in Jesus, what was in view was immersion into water as a symbol of ones actual identification with Israel's Messiah and His eternal kingdom when he believed in Jesus.
(v. 29) '''The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, "Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!
(v. 30) This is the one I meant when I said, 'A Man Who comes after me has surpassed me because He was before me.' "
(v. 31) I myself did not know him, but the reason I came baptizing with water [=a baptism of repentance signifying that one believed in Christ as Messiah for the forgiveness of sin, (Mk 1:4; Acts 19:4)] was that he might be revealed to Israel [so that all Israelites might believe in Him unto the kingdom of heaven and when all Israel believes the kingdom would begin, (Mt 1:4; Zech 12:1-13:4 ]." '''
"And so John came, baptizing in the desert region and preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins."
Notice that John's baptism was a baptism that represented having been forgiven of one's sins.
(v. 12) "When Jesus heard that John had been put in prison, he returned to Galilee."
(v. 17) "From that time on Jesus began to preach, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near."
Notice that our Lord continued John's message of repent/believing in the One coming after him, that is Jesus for His Kingdom is near = at hand ready to begin:
(v. 23) "[Peter said] 'From this man's [David's, (v. 22)] descendants God has brought to Israel the Savior Jesus, as He promised.
(v. 24) Before the coming of Jesus, John preached repentance and baptism to all the people of Israel."
Notice that John's preaching was directed to Israel - a preaching of corporate repentance of national Israel and individual water baptism. John the Baptist preached this as did our Lord Who continued this after John's death.
This corporate repentance of the nation Israel resulting in trusting in the coming Messiah Jesus Christ as Savior would then bring in the Kingdom had all Israel accepted her Messiah, (cp Mt 3:1-3, 11); but they crucified Him instead - leading to the gospel being presented to Gentile and Jew and the establishment of the Church instead.
John the Baptist "prepare[s] the way for the Lord [making] straight paths for Him", (Isa 40:3), by declaring "the kingdom of God is at hand", (Mt 3:2), i.e., that the Messiah is coming to bring His Kingdom into the world upon acceptance of all Israel of her Messiah; declaring Who He is: "The Lamb of God Who takes away the sins of the world", (Jn 1:29), as testified to in Old Testament Scripture, (Isa 53:4-5); declaring that "one must believe ...in Jesus", (Acts 19:4), "for the forgiveness of sins", (Mk 1:3) to gain entrance into this Kingdom; then commanding one to demonstrate this repentance, this change to faith in the Messiah/Savior for forgiveness of sins, by a "baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins", (Mk 1:4; Acts 19:4).
(v. 1) '''In those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the Desert of Judea
(v. 2) and saying, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near."
["near" = "eggiken gar " = lit., 'has drawn near'
" eggiken" = to cause to approach, to be near, to be at hand
"gar" = a causal particle 'for' which introduces a reason, (which is that the Kingdom of God is potentially at hand), for the thing previously said, (which is that Israel must therefore repent in order to bring it in) = 'Israel repent, trust in the coming Messiah and all that the Scriptures relate about Him, for then the Kingdom of God will be caused to approach and enter into history, (i.e., a corporate trusting in Him by national Israel will result in eternal life in the Kingdom and that Kingdom will then commence on earth when the entire Israel nation accepts Jesus Christ as Messiah and Savior).'. However the Jews did not receive Him at the time, (Jn 1:11) - so the Kingdom did not commence]
(v. 3) This is he [John] who was spoken of through the prophet Isaiah: "A voice of one calling in the desert, 'Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him.' ", (Ref., Isa 40:3)
(v. 4) John's clothes were made of camel's hair, and he had a leather belt around his waist. His food was locusts and wild honey.
(v. 5) People [from Israel, (Jn 1:31)] went out to him from Jerusalem and all Judea and the whole region of the Jordan.
(v. 6) Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River.
[Once an Israelite trusted in Christ as Messiah/Savior unto the kingdom of heaven which was declared as near in conjunction with the Messiah's arrival as the Lamb of God Who takes away the sins of the world, (Jn 1:29), that Israelite believer thereupon confessed his sins, (Pr 28:13; 1 Jn 1:9), and was water baptized by John in the Jordan River. This water baptism was declared as a baptism of repentance, symbolic of changing one’s mind from not believing to faith alone in Christ alone as Messiah/Savior, (Acts 19:4). This baptism was symbolic of the Israelite believer's identification of national Israel with our Lord and His Kingdom which was to be ushered in had all Israel accepted Him as Messiah, hence John's statement, 'The Kingdom of God is near']
(v. 7) But when he [John] saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to where he was baptizing, he said to them: "You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath?
(v. 8) Produce fruit in keeping with repentance."
Notice that producing fruit and repentance are two different things. One repents, i.e., believes in the Messiah Jesus Christ for forgiveness of sins so as to gain entrance into the kingdom of heaven and after that one is to produce fruit, i.e., godly behavior.
So the command is to produce fruit, i.e., change the behavior in keeping with the change of mind = repentance from unbelief to belief. If repentance were the same as producing fruit then this verse would make no sense: "produce fruit in keeping with producing fruit???
So John's message (and our Lord's message at first) of repentance was limited to the people of Israel and it was related to the coming of their Messiah Jesus Christ in Whom John exhorted Israel to repent/believe Him as "The Lamb of God Who takes away the sins of the world" unto the forgiveness of sins. Upon the nation Israel accepting her Messiah/Savior, the Kingdom would commence on earth. But Israel inevitably rejected and crucified Him:
(v. 10) "He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him.
(v. 11) He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him."
And now the Apostle Peter, (referring to Acts chapter 2), in addressing the people of Israel en masse, speaks directly to their rejection and crucifixion of Jesus of Nazareth, (Acts 2:23, 36), their Lord and their Messiah, (v. 36). But he included Gentiles in his message, (v. 39), which now points to the Church and not Israel. Upon repenting/believing one was not only forgiven of one's sins, but one also received the gift of the Holy Spirit.
Many of the Jews acknowledged the validity of Peter's references from Old Testament Scripture being fulfilled in Jesus Christ - their Lord and Messiah, (v. 36), i.e., they believed in Him and were thus added to the growing number of the Church, (41, 47b). These references established Christ's diety, (Ps 110:1 quoted by Peter in vv. 34-35) and the truth of His resurrection from the dead, (Ps 16:8-11 quoted by Peter in vv 25-28), which proved His Diety and Messiahship to them. Thus a large number of them responded by faith in Christ as Messiah and Savior which they understood provided for them eternal life in the kingdom:
1) [Compare Acts 2:36-39, 44]:
(v. 36) "Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, Whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ.'
[So convincing and convicting fellow Jews that 'Jesus, Whom you crucified, [is] both Lord and Christ.' was Peter's message - not in view was Peter's exhorting to behave better or feel remorse or commit to a holy lifestyle]
(v. 37) When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, Brothers, what shall we do?'
['They were cut to the heart', i.e., they felt remorse = the other kind of repentance = "metamelomai" which led them to the first kind of repentance: a change from not believing to faith alone in Christ/Messiah alone unto eternal life, (cf., 2 Cor 7:10). Notice Peter in the next verse tells his Jewish brothers to do the first kind of 'Repent' = "metanoEsate" = change your mind from unbelief to belief in Christ as their Lord and Christ, i.e., Messiah/Savior]:
(v. 38) Peter replied, 'Repent [plural] and let each one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ, [singular = after being forgiven and Holy Spirit received], for the forgiveness of your sins [plural]. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit [plural].' "
Peter exhorts his audience of fellow Jews, (v. 14, 22, 29, 36, 37), to repent = "metanoEsate" = 2nd person plural aorist imperative = a command to change their minds from not believing to believing in Jesus Christ as both Lord and Christ in order to receive forgiveness of their sins [plural] and the gift of the Holy Spirit [plural]. And Peter says, 'let each one of you be water baptized' [singular] which would follow this reception of forgiveness and reception of the Holy Spirit and be a symbollic representation of them.
Note that Peter's audience was indeed largely Jewish and would have understood that water baptism was symbolic of something for the washings and baptisms in the Old Testament Scriptures were largely symbolic. Just as the Jews viewed John's water baptism as symbolic of their faith in the coming Messiah and His Kingdom as part of national Israel, in the same way, the water baptism commanded by Peter would be viewed as symbolic of their faith in the Messiah Who had come - but this time the message of the Kingdom was not in view, the message of the Church was.
The word which is translated "Repent", ("metanoesate"), is plural and therefore goes with the plural phrase
"eis .aphesin ......ton hamartion hymon
"for forgiveness the sins ............your [plural]
Then the phrase which is translated 'let each one of you be baptized', inserted in the middle would follow this repentance in time being in the singular:
"Baptistheto .ekastos .....umon"
"Be baptized each one ...of you" =
"ekastos ...umon" =
"each one of you" =
"ekastos" = nom. singular masc. adj. = "each one"
So the phrase "Baptistheto ekastos umon" = "let each one of you commence to be baptized" stands out as a singular one. It is a parenthetical statement - an action which is to be taken after the fact of receiving forgiveness of sins and the gift of the Spirit.
Peter's command to repent follows his sermon to the Jews on Who Jesus Christ is and that the Jews crucified Him in their unbelief. It does not have a change of behavior or a feeling of remorse in view but a change of belief in Who He is. Men should behave better no matter Who the Messiah is.
Finally, upon finishing his exposition on Who Jesus Christ is, the Jews immediately responded with a feeling of remorse, the other kind of repentance, whereupon Peter commanded them to 'repent' ("metanoEsate") = change their minds about Who it is that they crucified and repent = believe that He is their 'Lord and Christ' unto the 'forgiveness of sins' and the reception of the 'gift of the Holy Spirit.'
[Compare what Dr. Stanley D. Toussaint states in the Bible Knowledge Commentary, (New Testament edition, John F. Walvoord and Roy B. Zuck editors, Victor Books, U.S.A., 1988, p.359)]:
"...the clause "and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ" [is] parenthetical [a digression from the subject of the verse which is salvation]....
(a) The verb [be baptized] makes a distinction between singular and plural verbs and nouns. The verb "repent" is plural and so is the pronoun "your" in the clause "so that your sins may be forgiven" (lit., "unto the remission of your sins," "eis aphesin ton hamartion hymon"). Therefore the verb "repent" must go with the purpose of forgiveness of sins. On the other hand the imperative "be baptized" is singular, setting it off from the rest of the sentence.
(b) This concept fits with Peter's proclamation in Acts 10:43 in which the same expression "sins may be forgiven" ("aphesin hamartion") occurs. There it is granted on the basis of faith alone.
(c) In Luke 24:47 and Acts 5:31 the same writer, Luke, indicates that repentance [i.e., faith] results in remission of sins.........
....The problem with [the adverse] interpretation [that water baptism contributes towards remission of sins] is that elsewhere in Scripture forgiveness of sins is based on faith alone (John 3:16, 36; Rom. 4:1-17; 11:6; Gal. 3:8-9; Eph. 2:8-9; etc.). Furthermore Peter, the same speaker, later promised forgiveness of sins on the basis of faith alone (Acts 5:31; 10:43; 13:38; 26:18)."
(v. 39) "The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off [i.e., Gentiles, i.e. all mankind]--for all whom the Lord our God will call."
And after all of this we have forgiveness of sins via repent/believing in Jesus not only for the Jew but also for the Gentile, i.e., the whole world.
a) [Compare Eph 2:13, 17, 19]:
(v. 13) "But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near through the blood of Christ."
(v. 17) He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near."
(v. 19) "Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God's people and members of God's household."
1 cont.) [Acts 2:36-39, 44 cont.]:
(v. 44) "And all those who had believed were together, and had all things in common"
Furthermore, compare Acts 2:44 which indicates that the key point of Acts 2:38 is believing in the gospel of salvation and not confession of the guilt of crucifying our Lord or a promise to change one's behavior.
Bob Wilkin states, (Cassette #510 entitled 'The Unhindered Gospel' by the Grace Evangelical Society, Irving, Tx.):
"When you come... to verse 44 it says, 'Now all those who believed were together." [mentioning belief and not confession] It doesn't say, 'Now all those who turned from their sins...' It says all those who believed. So... [in ] Acts 2:38... [the] reference to 'repent' means change your mind about Christ, and that's a synonym for faith - that's a synonym for believing Him..."
(v. 17) "Now, brothers, [Peter is referring to fellow Jews] I know that you acted in ignorance, as did your leaders.
(v. 18) But this is how God fulfilled what he had foretold through all the prophets, saying that His Christ would suffer.
(v. 19) Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord."
"Repent" = "metanoEsate" = change your mind about Jesus Christ being the Messiah/Savior, i.e., trust in His name, (Acts 10:43), "so that your sins may be wiped out."
So the word which is translated "repent" in Acts 3:19 and Acts 2:38 = "metanoesate", the imperative form of the Greek verb "metanoeo", and the noun which is translated "repentance" = "metanoian" in Mt 3:11, are derived from the Greek word "metanoias". Both words mean a turn about, a deliberate change of mind resulting in a change of direction in thought, literally, to perceive afterwards.
Scripture teaches that this kind of repentance is to turn to God relative to dealing with ones sins such that one now seeks for God to remedy the situation through faith alone in Jesus Christ alone instead of whatever other way one was dealing with them.
Notice that in Acts 3:17-19 there is no mention of baptism which signifies that it is not essential for forgiveness of sins, simply symbolic.
Notice that Paul is now offering to Israel and all mankind the opportunity to repent [change one's mind from turning away from to] turn to God, i.e., turn to faith in His Christ, (v. 18), so that one's sins may be wiped out, i.e., forgiven, (Acts 2:38), and in God's appointed time, (when all Israel believes, ref. Zech 12:1-13:4), God will send the Christ]:
(v. 20) and that He may send the Christ, who has been appointed for you - even Jesus.
(v. 21) He must remain in heaven until the time comes for God to restore everything, as he promised long ago through His holy prophets."
So our Lord will come to commence His Kingdom rule at the moment of His Second Coming when all Israel will recognize her Messiah as a result of God's enablement and Israel's subsequent response of faith.
[Pentecost, op. cit., pp. 63-64]:
"Scripture establishes that salvation is a one step by faith in Christ as Personal Savior process. It is not by repentance and then faith. Scripture establishes that faith and the repentance that it refers to are synonymous. According to Scripture, repentance with respect to salvation is hearing the truth of the gospel and changing one's mind about believing it. So in effect, repentance and belief are two sides of the same coin. One does not believe in the gospel of salvation unless one has changed one's mind............. [i.e., repented = "metanoeo"] .........from not believing it to believing it.
What part, then does the change of mind, or repentance, have in salvation? We would suggest to you from the Word of God that repentance is included in believing. It is not a separate act which conditions salvation, but rather it is included in believing; for when one believes a fact, he turns from doubt or unbelief to faith in that revealed truth."
(v. 8) "The Lord's message [of the gospel of salvation, (v. 5)] rang out from you not only in Macedonia and Achaia - your faith in God has become known everywhere. Therefore we do n ot need to say anything about it,
[Notice the phrase 'faith in God' here is indicated as a direct result of turning 'from idols', (v. 9)]:
(v. 9) for they themselves report what kind of reception you gave us. They tell how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God,
(v. 10) and to wait for His Son from heaven, Whom He raised from the dead - Jesus, Who rescues us from the coming wrath."
So turning 'to God from idols' and 'waiting for', i.e., trusting in 'His Son' from heaven results in being rescued 'from the coming wrath' = the message of the gospel, (v. 5).
[Pentecost, cont.]:
"...Paul said, '...ye turned to God from idols...', This is one act. There are not two acts herein - only one; but the one involved the other. Notice, very carefully, what Paul said and what he did not say. Paul did not say, 'Ye turned from idols to God.' Had Paul stated it that way, two acts would have been involved: ye turned from idols - Act Number One; ye turned to God - Act Number Two. If there were two acts here, you could terminate the process in the middle. For instance, a man could turn from idols, and stop there, without turning to God. And so, the Apostle is not saying that you took two steps. Rather, Paul said, 'You turned to God from idols - that is one act. The turning to God involved the abandonment of the idols, but it all is one act."
Just as one repents of breaking the commandment, 'Do not covet', (Ex 20:17), by changing ones mind from an attitude of coveting to one of not coveting;
in the same way, one repents unto forgiveness of sins by changing ones mind from an attituce of not believing to believing alone in Christ alone to save one from ones sins - unto eternal life.
One changes one's mind about not believing the gospel and then what happens is that one believes - two sides of the same coin. An unbeliever who has repented from disbelief of the gospel of salvation is now a believer.
"All the prophets testify about Him [Jesus Christ, v. 39] that everyone who believes in Him receives forgiveness of sins through His name."
(v. 18) But this is how God fulfilled what he had foretold through all the prophets, saying that His Christ would suffer.
(v. 19) Repent, then, and turn to God
[= turn to faith in His Christ Who suffered for you, (v. 18)],
so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord."
"Peter replied, 'Repent [plural] [= change your mind about believing that Jesus is both Lord and Christ, (v. 36)]
and let each one of you [singular] be baptized [after being forgiven and Holy Spirit received] in the name of Jesus Christ, for the forgiveness of your [plural] sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit [plural].' "
Repentance relative to truths from Scripture is a change of mind toward the revealed truth of the Word of God. Previously a man disbelieved the revealed truth; and he has changed his mind and now accepts or believes the revealed truth, so that faith and repentance can be used interchangeably, relative to salvation unto eternal life.
There are a number of references we could cite to show that repentance is often used as a synonym for faith. In these passages you could eliminate the word 'repentance' and substitute the word 'faith' and it would not change the truth of the Word at all.
"The Lord is not slow in keeping His promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance [= faith]."
(v. 37) "When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, 'Brothers, what shall we do?'
(v. 38) "Peter replied, 'Repent [plural]
[= believe that Jesus is both Lord and Christ, (v. 36)]
and let each one of you [singular] be baptized [singular = after being forgiven and Holy Spirit received], in the name of Jesus Christ, for the forgiveness of your [plural] sins. And you [plural] will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.' "
(v. 18) But this is how God fulfilled what he had foretold through all the prophets, saying that His Christ would suffer.
(v. 19) Repent, then, and turn to God
[= turn to faith in Christ Who suffered for you, (v. 18)],
so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord."
"Repent, then, and turn to God" [=Believe in Christ Who suffered for you, (v. 18)] so that your sins may be wiped out"
Note that the specifics of the belief in God that will wipe out ones sins is to believe in His Christ Who suffered for you for those sins, (v. 18). So when one is commanded to repent, the precise end result is that one will change their mind and turn to God, believing in His Son Who suffered for one, (v. 18); i.e, for forgiveness of sins through His name, (Acts 10:43). Notice also that baptism does not appear in this passage indicating that it is not essential for forgiveness of sins, merely symbolic.
"Godly sorrow brings repentance [= faith] that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death."
(v. 14) "After John was put in prison, Jesus went into Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God.
(v. 15) 'The time has come,' he said. 'The kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the good news!' "
"Repent and believe" = "believe". Notice that without the word 'repent' we have less of an emphasis on changing the mind. But even with just the command to believe, there is the assumption of a change of mind, a repentance. For one would not command one to believe in the gospel if there was not an assumption that one did not believe in it in the first place and needed to repent from that disbelief and believe!
(v. 24) "And the Lord's servant must not quarrel; instead, he must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful.
(v. 25) Those who oppose him he must gently instruct, in the hope that God will grant them repentance [metanoian] leading them to a knowledge of the truth."
"in the hope that God will grant them repentance" = [faith] leading to a knowledge of the truth"
A) BELIEVING UNTO SALVATION = A SIMPLE MENTAL ASSENT IN THE TRUTH OF THE GOSPEL
1) FAITH BELIEVE TRUST DEFINED
a) ENGLISH DICTIONARY DEFINITION OF FAITH
i) Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary:
ftp://ftp.uga.edu/pub/misc/webster/
1. Belief; the assent of the mind to the truth of what is declared by another, resting solely and implicitly on his authority and veracity; reliance on testimony.
2. The assent of the mind to the statement or proposition of another, on the ground of the manifest truth of what he utters; firm and earnest belief, on probable evidence of any kind, especially in regard to important moral truth. Faith, that is, fidelity, -- the fealty of the finite will and understanding to the reason.
\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Believed; p. pr. & vb. n. Believing.]
To exercise belief in; to credit upon the authority or testimony of another; to be persuaded of the truth of, upon evidence furnished by reasons, arguments, and deductions of the mind, or by circumstances other than personal knowledge; to regard or accept as true; to place confidence in; to think; to consider; as, to believe a person, a statement, or a doctrine. "
1. To place confidence in; to rely on, to confide, or repose faith, in; as, we can not trust those who have deceived us. I will never trust his word after. --Shak. He that trusts every one without reserve will at last be deceived. --Johnson.
2. To give credence to; to believe; to credit. Trust me, you look well. --Shak.
3. To hope confidently; to believe; -- usually with a phrase or infinitive clause as the object. I trust to come unto you, and speak face to face. --2 John 12. We trust we have a good conscience. --Heb. xiii. 18.
4. to show confidence in a person by intrusting (him) with something.
Syn: Confidence; belief; faith; hope; expectation"
b) NT GREEK DICTIONARY DEFINITION OF FAITH
[The New Analytical Greek Lexicon which is a dictionary of the koine Greek language of the Bible, (Wesley J. Perschbacher, Editor, Hendrickson Publishers, Peabody, Ma; 1992, p. 329), states as the meaning of the word pisteuo which is translated believe in the English Bible translations as follows]:
"(4100)... [pisteuo] 1 pers. sg. pres. act. indic., fut... [pisteuso] ...to believe, give credit to, Mark 1:15; 16:13; Luke 24:25; intrns. to believe, have a mental persuasion, Matt. 8:13; 9:28; James 2:19; to believe, be of opinion, Rom. 14:2; in N.T. [pisteuein en, eis] to believe in or on, Matt. 18:6; 27:42; John 3:15, 16, 18; absol. to believe, be a believer in the religion of Christ, Acts 2:44; 4:4, 32; 13:48; trans. to intrust, commit to the charge or power of, Luke 16:11; John 2:24; pass. to be intrusted with, Rom. 3:2; 1 Cor. 9:17"
Note that the Greek word used in the Bible which is translated into forms of the verb 'to believe' is also defined according to the Greek dictionary to mean a trust in the information presented, i.e., a mental assent - devoid of additional actions on the part of an individual other than the mental agreement.
c) SCRIPTURE DEFINES SAVING FAITH AS A MENTAL ASSENT TO THE TESTIMONY OF GOD ABOUT HIS SON
The Word of God confirms that forms of the verb to believe when used in passages concerning how an individual receives eternal life is defined as an acceptance - a mere mental assent - of the testimony of God:
(v. 9) "We accept man's testimony, but God's testimony is greater because it is the testimony of God, which He has given about His Son.
[Accepting the testimony of God about His Son is presented here as an agreement that what God is saying about His Son is true - mere mental assent. The next verse then defines accepting the testimony of God as believing]:
(v. 10) Anyone who believes in the Son of God has this testimony in his heart..........
["has this testimony in his heart" = in his mind, scripture equates the heart and mind, (ref., Lk 24:25; Lk 24:45; Ro 14:5)].
Anyone who believes that the Son will provide eternal life for him has this testimony in his heart such that it is a part of the mental understanding of his mind that he is now saved unto eternal life]
(v. 10 cont.) .....Anyone who does not believe God has made Him out to be a liar, because he has not believed the testimony God has given about His Son.
[So to be saved one must believe in the testimony of God about His Son. The verb believe is herein defined relative to salvation unto eternal life as a mental assent, an acceptance, that what God says about His Son is true. Nothing else is required here in order to receive eternal life such as demonstrating this faith by some kind of action or emotion like regret or remorse]
(v. 11) And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son.
[i.e., if you want eternal life: trust in God's Son to provide it for you]:
(v. 12) He who has the Son has life..........
[He who believes in God's testimony about His Son - a mental assent that the Son will provide eternal life for him if he merely believes in the Son doing this has eternal life, (v.10)]....
(v. 12 cont.) ...he who does not have the Son of God does not have life."
[To have the Son means to believe that He will provide eternal life for you. To not have the Son is to not take God at His Word that the Son alone will provide eternal life for you. So if you believe what God testifies to, then you will therefore have eternal life because God says so. God being Who He is, He will deliver.
And then John writes further that an individual can know that he is saved unto eternal life at the very moment of his mental assent]:
(v. 13) I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you many know that you have eternal life."
So, taking God at His Word about eternal life through His Son provides assurance that you do now possess the gift of life everlasting in heaven never to lose it.
The word which is translated "repent" in Scripture relative to salvation and truths from God's Word does not refer to feeling sorry for one's sins.
There is another Greek word in Scripture, "metamelomai", which is often rendered "repent" in English, and means to feel sorry, to experience remorse, to regret.
[Vine's Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words, W.E. Vine, Revell Publishing, Old Tappan, New Jersey, 1981, p. 280]:
"meta = to change, melO = to care for... signifying to regret, (Mt 21:29, 32; 27:3; 2 Cor 7:8 twice; Heb 7:21)."
None of this family of words is ever stipulated as what one must do to have eternal life.
"But He [Jesus Christ, (v. 14)] became a priest with an oath when God said to him:
"The Lord has sworn and will not change His mind: 'You are a priest forever.' "
"[He] will not change His mind" = "ou metamellomai" = lit., 'He will not regret [it]'
(v. 29) " 'I will not,' he answered, but later he changed his mind and went."
"he changed his mind" = "metamelEtheis" = lit., 'regretting it'
(v. 32) "For John came to you to show you the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and the prostitutes did. And even after you saw this, you did not repent and believe him."
"you did not repent" = "ou metemelEthEte" = lit., 'you did not regret [it]'
"When Judas, who had betrayed him, saw that Jesus was condemned, he was seized with remorse and returned the thirty silver coins to the chief priests and the elders."
"he was seized with remorse" = "metamelEtheis" = lit., 'feeling regret'
So repent in the Bible relative to salvation means to change one's mind from not trusting in to trusting alone in Christ alone to provide the remedy for one's sins. It does not mean to feel sorry or regretful. The other repent which means a feeling of sorrow or regret may or may not accompany one's decision to repent = change the mind and trust in Christ as Savior, but this feeling is not part of the Biblical repenting for eternal life.
So repentance = believing unto eternal life does not require any emotional reaction in order for it to occur. One may simply change one's mind about a particular truth from God's Word and believe it without any accompanying emotions at all. Consider the little child who comes to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. How much sorrow can a 6 or 7 year old have for his or her sins in order that he receive the gift of eternal life from a gracious God?
[Pentecost, op. cit., pp. 62-72]:
"The doctrine [of repentance] has suffered tremendously from an erroneous concept held by most men, for when the word 'repent' is used it brings to the mind of the average individual the thought of sorrow for sin. He pictures one down whose face course tears of remorse, and from whose lips come promises of change and a vow never to fall into the same sins again. And this sorrow for sins is usually called 'repentance.' But there could be nothing further from the concept of the Word of God than the idea that repentance means sorrow for sins. From the Word of God we discover that the word translated 'repent' means 'a change of mind.' It means, literally, 'a turning about'; not so much a physical turning about as a mental turning around, a change of course, a change of direction [in thinking], a change of attitude. This is the concept in the word. Now, such a change of mind as the Scripture enjoins when it speaks of repentance may produce a sorrow for sin, but it will be the result after one has seen his sin in the light of the holiness of God and has changed his attitude toward it. If we were to be honest with ourselves we would have to confess that most so-called repentance is not sorrow for sin at all, but sorrow for getting caught in our sin. Such a sorrow is not repentance, and we will miss the important teaching of the Word of God, repentance is a change of mind. It is in 2 Corinthians 7:8-10 that the Apostle speaks at some length concerning repentance in relationship to the believer. You will recall the background. Paul had written earlier, in a very strong tone, concerning sin in the life of the assembly. He had been somewhat distressed as to what reception his strong language would receive. He wrote,
(v. 8) " 'Even if I caused you sorrow by my letter, I do not regret it - Though I did regret it - I see that my letter hurt you, but only for a little while -
["I do not regret it" = (Gk), "ou metamelomai" = 'I do not feel sorry about it.'
"Though I did regret it" = (Gk), "metemelomEn" = "I did regret it"
This is a different verb form from metanoia in both phrases. They signify an emotional response not a change of mind.]
(v. 9) yet now I am happy, not because you were made sorry, but because your sorrow led you to repentance.
["repentance" = (Gk), "metanoian" = repentance, a change of mind. Notice that the godly sorrow that led to repentance = change of mind. Sorrow is depicted here as an occurrence within the Corinthians which led to the repentance]
(v. 10) Godly sorrow brings repentance [metanoian = repentance = change of the mind] that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death."
Note that this is not a statement that every one must experience godly soorow in order to come to repentance/saving faith, rather it distinguishes between godly sorrow when it does occur which leads to repentance/faith as opposed to worldy sorrow which does not. It leads to death. Certainly, this does not rule out the possibility that one can come to repentance/faith without having to experience godly sorrow. Other passages indicate that one simply believes without any particular emotional response and one is saved unto eternal life, (Ref. Jn 3:16).
[Pentecost, cont.]
"Here the Apostle is showing the relationship between sorrow and repentance, and he says that a godly sorrow - that is, a sorrow that is produced because the child of God views his sin as God views it - will lead to a change of mind toward that sin. What he loved, he now hates; what he grasped after, he now repudiates; what governed and controlled his life and became the goal of his life, he now abandons, so that as he confesses his sin he receives forgiveness from God"
Paul shows that sorrow in this particular circumstance in the life of a number of believers in Corinth led to repentance - to a change of mind about certain specific sins in their lives. Hence, Paul shows that sorrow is not identical with repentance.
(v. 8) "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God -
(v. 9) not by works, so that no one can boast."
2) [Compare Ro 10:14-17, 11:6]:
(v. 14) "How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them?
(v. 15) And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written, 'How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!'
(v. 16) But not all the Israelites accepted the good news. For Isaiah says, 'Lord, who has believed our message?'
(v. 17) Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ.
(v. 11:6) And if [the gospel of salvation is] by grace, then it is no longer by works; if it were, grace would no longer be grace."
(v. 29) "The jailer called for lights, rushed in and fell trembling before Paul and Silas [having faced suicide or being executed for letting prisoners escape, (vv. 27-28), and ending up in the Lake of Fire].
(v. 30) He [the jailer] then brought them [the prisoners who remained in the jail instead of escaping] out and asked, 'Sirs, what must I do to be saved?'
(v. 31) They [Paul and Silas] replied, 'Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved - you and [when they believe] your household."
Notice that the jailer was in terror of going to Hell which led him to be open to what Paul told him he must do to be saved from that. Having believed he was indeed saved, but not because he was terrified, but because he believed. Furthermore, notice that there was nothing in this passage that indicates he felt any remorse, sorrow or regret for his sins. It was the terror in this case that led him to change his mind and believe.
"For John came to you to show you the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and the prostitutes did. And even after you saw this, you did not repent and believe him."
"you did not repent" = "ou metemelEthEte" = 'you did not regret [it]'
Notice that an emotional reaction of repentance = regret was supposed to have led to belief but it was not part of the belief itself.
(v. 8) "Even if I caused you sorrow by my letter, I do not regret it. Though I did regret it--I see that my letter hurt you, but only for a little while -
(v. 9) yet now I am happy, not because you were made sorry, but because your sorrow led you to repentance. For you became sorrowful as God intended and so were not harmed in any way by us.
(v. 10) Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death.
(v. 11) See what this godly sorrow has produced in you: what earnestness, what eagerness to clear yourselves, what indignation, what alarm, what longing, what concern, what readiness to see justice done. At every point you have proved yourselves to be innocent in this matter."
Notice that the godly sorrow indicated above was not part of the repentance/change of mind but led to it and other responses as well.
4) [Compare Jn 6:70-71; 13:27; Mt 27:3-5; Jn 17:12]:
(Jn 6:70) "Then Jesus replied, 'Have I not chosen you, the Twelve? Yet one of you is a devil!'
(Jn 6:71) (He meant Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, who, though one of the Twelve, was later to betray him.)"
(Jn 13:27) "As soon as Judas took the bread, Satan entered into him."
(Mt 27:3) "When Judas, who had betrayed him, saw that Jesus was condemned, he was seized with remorse and returned the thirty silver coins to the chief priests and the elders.
(Mt 27:4) 'I have sinned,' he said, 'for I have betrayed innocent blood.' 'What is that to us?' they replied. 'That's your responsibility.' "
(Mt 27:5) "So Judas threw the money into the temple and left. Then he went away and hanged himself."
(Jn 17:12) "While I [Jesus] was with them [the disciples], I protected them and kept them safe by that name You gave Me. None has been lost except the one [Judas Iscariot] doomed to destruction so that Scripture would be fulfilled."
Notice that Judas was filled with Satan, he was of the devil, certainly not a born again believer; and he was doomed to destruction, (Jn 17:12). He became filled with remorse for the sin of betrayal of our Lord and hanged himself. His emotion of remorse did not result in repentance leading to salvation, but rather destruction, (Jn 17:12).
Throughout this chapter our Lord tells Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews, what he must do to be born again and have eternal life. There is no mention of any requirement in this chapter and for that matter in the entire gospel of John for man to do to be born again other than to believe in the Son being given for him, (Jn 3:14-18). Emotional responses, commitment of some kind, deeds of any kind are not in view any place in John. As a matter of fact, any of the repent family of words does not even appear in John, even if that word did represent something more than simple mental assent belief, (and it does not).
(v. 21) " 'Lord,' Martha said to Jesus, 'if you had been here, my brother would not have died.
(v. 22) But I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask.'
(v. 23) Jesus said to her, 'Your brother will rise again.'
(v. 24) Martha answered, 'I know he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.'
(v. 25) Jesus said to her, 'I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies;
(v. 26) and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?'
(v. 27) 'Yes, Lord,' she told him, 'I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who was to come into the world.'
[Notice that there is no indication of any emotional response, commitment to behave better, etc. Martha exercised a simple mental assent moment of belief in 'the Christ, the Son of God, Who has to come into the world.' which is sufficient to save her unto eternal life, (cf 1 Jn 5:1)]
(v. 28) And after she had said this, she went back and called her sister Mary aside. 'The Teacher is here,' she said, 'and is asking for you.' "
(v. 4) "Since ancient times no one has heard, no ear has perceived, no eye has seen any God besides you, who acts on behalf of those who wait for him.
(v. 5) You come to the help of those who gladly do right, who remember your ways. But when we continued to sin against them, you were angry. How then can we be saved?
(v. 6) All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind our sins sweep us away."
Notice that all of our righteous acts including water baptism, feelings of sorrow, commitment to behave better are as filthy rags before God - even if perceived as divinely inspired; and they are excluded by Scripture from what a man must do to be saved, (Eph 2:8-9; Ro 4:4-5; 11:6).
No one can please God with any such actions who is under the control of the sin nature which includes all mankind, even believers before they get saved:
(v. 5) "Those who live according to the sinful nature have their minds set on what that nature desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires.
(v. 6) The mind of sinful man is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace;
(v. 7) the sinful mind is hostile to God. It does not submit to God's law, nor can it do so
(v. 8) Those controlled by the sinful nature [all unbelievers] cannot please God [with any deeds or emotional reactions toward salvation]."
(v. 4) "But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared,
(v. 5) He saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of His mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit."
So even if an individual were to express some kind of righteous emotion, or commitment or deed, that would not be the basis of how he is to be saved. Such actions are simply not required, not in view, even excluded, (Ephesians 2:8-9):
(v. 8) "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God--
(v. 9) not by works, so that no one can boast."
Repent = "metanoeo" comes from the combination of the Greek words meta meaning to change and the Greek word noeo meaning the mind, the understanding. The sphere of this word is therefore limited to within the mind. Other kinds and spheres of activity are not in view.
[Vine's Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words, W.E. Vine, Revell Publishing, Old Tappan, New Jersey, 1981, pp. 279-280), states]:
"metanoeo... lit. to perceive afterwards (meta, after, implying change, noeo, to perceive; [comes from the Greek noun] nous, the mind, the seat of moral reflection), in contrast to pronoeo, to perceive beforehand, hence signifies to change one's mind or purpose..."
A change in behavior such as behaving better, or an emotional response such as regret or sorrow may result from a change in mind but such is an added concept and must therefore be part of an additional expression of words. Therefore metanoeo in and of itself does not include a change of behavior or some expression of emotions.
Therefore the phrase 'turn from sin' or 'turn from idols' relative to the word repent = "metanoeo" cannot be anything other than an activity which is restricted to within the mind. Turning from sin relative to salvation therefore is a mental adjustment in which one turns from thinking that one does not have a sin problem...
(Some consider themselves relatively more moral than others and therefore God doesn't have a problem with them. There are 'worse' offenders than themselves. Others state that they are not doing anything so seriously wrong that God should be concerned about them. They're doing the best that they can and that's all they think that God expects. Still others feel that their sins are something that they themselves can and will deal with - often with a system of works which includes water baptism, church going, asking for forgiveness, improving behavior, etc., etc. And still others who are born into a family such as being a descendant of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, think that God will automatically favor them because of this).
...to the attitude that they are helpless and hopeless sinners before God and must turn to God's mercy for forgiveness through faith alone in His Son alone:
"He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit."
"For they themselves [believers from other parts of the world, (v. 8)] report about us what kind of a reception we had with you, and how you turned to God from idols to serve a living and true God."
[Pentecost, op. cit., p. 71]:
"[The] word 'turning' gives us this basic concept that we have been considering [relative to the meaning of the word 'repent' unto eternal life in the New Testament].
There was a change in attitude, a change of mind....
[For example, the people of Thessalonica to whom Paul preached had known no God but idols]
Then Paul came to them to present the truth of God. They turned from their idols to believe the truth that had been revealed, and the Apostle says that the act gave them salvation...
In the passage, the change of mind was not the precursory step to salvation. It is not the first of several steps to salvation. It is not a prerequisite for salvation. Rather, salvation depends upon believing, and believing involves repudiating the false teaching that one espoused, and holding to the revealed truth of the Word of God. From Scripture, then, we see that salvation is predicated upon faith. Faith involves the repudiation, or turning from all falsehood, from every false basis of salvation, from every false hope, and turning to accept from God the gift of salvation through His Son. But salvation is not dependent upon the work of repentance; rather, it depends upon the faith that involves repentance......
The one who turns to God accepts God's judgment upon sin, accepts the fact of his need of a Saviour, accepts the fact of his guilt, accepts the fact of his lostness apart from Christ, accepts the fact of his helplessness. He turns from all self-righteousness in which he trusted, turns from his own works, turns from his church as a means of dispensing salvation, and [in this one time process of turning, he] turns to the Lord Jesus Christ, accepts the fact of God's judgment upon sin and sinners, and by faith receives Jesus Christ as the One Who is judged for him [all of this in the one time process of turning - of changing his mind - of repenting."
Objectors insist that simply advising one to trust in Christ to have eternal life, receive forgiveness of sins is not enough. They insist that a formal acknowledgment of conviction of ones sins or acknowledging that one is a lost sinner and has a sin problem with God is also required. Such passages as Jn 3:14-18; 5:24; 6:29, 47; Acts 10:43; 16:31; Eph 2:8-9 they say are not sufficient to provide what a man must do to be saved because they only tell one to trust alone in Christ alone unto eternal life.
However, when one does trust alone in Christ alone to receive eternal life/ avoid condemnation/ receive forgiveness of sins, there is necessarily inherent in this moment of trusting alone in Christ alone a perception that one needs to be saved from ones sins - that one indeed does have a sin problem with God and is a lost sinner. Objectors to this should ask the question, 'Why would one trust alone in Christ alone to have eternal life with God and avoid condemnation for one's sins in the Lake of Fire if they did not think they had a sin problem, a condemnation problem with God? So a formal acknowledgment of this is redundant and adds to what Scripture asks one to do to have eternal life: 'Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved', (Acts 16:31a). There is no passage in Scripture that stipulates that a formal acknowledgment of one's lost condition is required in order to qualify for eternal life.
Notice that the idea of a formal acknowledgment of sins and condemnation and lostness is not addressed by our Lord in His conversation with Nicodemus in John chapter 3 either: He simply told Nicodemus that in order to enter the kingdom of God he must be born again, (vv. 3, 5) via a moment of believing in the Son being given for him, (vv. 14-18) and if he does not he will remain under condemnation, (v. 18b).
The issue being salvation unto eternal life, then making Jesus Lord of one's life is not in view. Making Jesus Christ the Lord of one's life infers that you act in accordance with His Lordship on a moment to moment basis. It is a lifelong process, a task for the already saved individual, not a task one must do in order to be saved.
Furthermore, Jesus Christ is Lord of all whether or not one is saved - that is why He is constantly addressed as Lord throughout Scripture.
Finally, once one expresses faith alone in Christ alone unto eternal life, then Jesus Christ becomes Lord of that born again individual in a special way as a child in the family of God, (Jn 1:12), whether he knows it, likes it, desires it, acts like it or not. Now begins the lifelong process of growing into the image of Christ, i.e., making Jesus Christ the Lord of ones life - but there are no guarantees, and apparently, most will fall far short in this lifelong endeavor.
(v. 36) "Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ.
[So convincing and convicting fellow Jews that 'Jesus, Whom you crucified, [is] both Lord and Christ.' was Peter's message - not in view was Peter's exhorting to behave better or feel remorse or commit to a holy lifestyle]
(v. 37) Now when they [Jews, (vv. 22, 29)] heard this, they were pierced to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, 'Brothers, [Jews, (vv. 22, 29)] what shall we do?'
['They were pierced to the heart', i.e., they felt remorse = the other kind of repentance = "metamelomai" which led them to the first kind of repentance: a change from not believing to faith alone in Christ/Messiah alone unto eternal life, (cf., 2 Cor 7:10). Notice Peter in the next verse tells his Jewish brothers to do the first kind of 'Repent' = "metanoEsate" = change your mind from unbelief to belief in Christ as their Lord and Christ, i.e., Messiah/Savior]:
(v. 38) Peter replied, 'Repent [plural] and let each one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ, [singular = after being forgiven and Holy Spirit received], for the forgiveness of your sins [plural]. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit [plural].' "
Peter exhorts his audience of fellow Jews, (v. 14, 22, 29, 36, 37), to repent = "metanoEsate" = 2nd person plural aorist imperative = a command to change their minds from not believing to believing in the Messiah Jesus Christ Whom they crucified in order to receive forgiveness of their sins [plural] and the gift of the Holy Spirit [plural]. And Peter says, 'let each one of you be water baptized' [singular] which would follow this reception of forgiveness and reception of the Holy Spirit.
Peter's command to repent does not have a change of behavior or a feeling of remorse or a commitment to our Lord in view. Peter's sermon is about Who Jesus Christ is and that the Jews crucified Him in their unbelief. His sermon is not an exhortation to the Jews to behave better or commit to Jesus Christ as Lord of their lives. Furthermore, one does not need an exposition on Who the Messiah is in order to be exhorted to behave better. Whether or not Jesus Christ is the Messiah Whom they crucified should not affect whether or not they should repent = behave better. Men should behave better no matter Who the Messiah is.
Finally, upon finishing his exposition on Who Jesus Christ is, the Jews immediately responded with a feeling of remorse, the other kind of repentance, ("metamelomai"), whereupon Peter commanded them to 'repent' ("metanoEsate") = change their minds about Who it is that you crucified and repent = believe that He is your 'Lord and Christ' unto the 'forgiveness of sins', (cf. Acts 3:17-19), and the reception of the 'gift of the Holy Spirit.' "
For
a complete study on this passage in Acts chapter 2:
B) REPENTANCE FOR FORGIVENESS OF SINS UNTO ETERNAL LIFE DOES NOT INCLUDE FOLLOWING JESUS
"The next day Jesus decided to leave for Galilee. Finding Philip, he said to him, "Follow me."
The word repent implies a complete change of mind from one thing, which is mutually exclusive of/to another, and not just any and every kind of change.
In the context of following Jesus in John 1:43, the change of direction in order for it to be repentance must now exclude following anyone else and anything to do with the purpose which that implies. It must signify a complete change of mind and consequent follow through in action from following one person and direction to following a completely different person and not the former person and a completely different direction which is mutually exclusive of the other. No where in this passage does it stipulate or clearly imply to what end Philip must follow Jesus much more a complete departure from following anyone and the purpose for that following. No other passage from any other book in the bible or later passage in John can be used to force John 1:43 to say differently. It says what it says.
As a matter of fact, a number of the disciples were already following John the Baptist which direction certainly was not completely different and mutually exclusive of following Jesus Christ as John the Baptist was the forerunner and pointer to Jesus Christ who preached the same message as our Lord did. So there is not any conclusive evidence in view in this verse that Jesus is asking Philip to repent of anything.
To simply ask someone to follow one does not necessarily imply that there is repentance in view at all. To ask someone to follow one implies a new direction, but not a complete change of direction and purpose which is mutually exclusive of a current direction as the word repentance demands. Otherwise every time a verse/sentence has the words go, come, turn, stop, move, leave, etc., etc., implying a change of direction then repentance must be implied wreaking havoc with the normative rules of language, context and logic and destroying the distinctive and established definition of the word repent. Repentance would thus be found around every corner, and no longer have any meaning distinctive from so many verbs and nouns that describe human behavior.
In accordance with the normative rules of language, context and logic which is reflected in dictionaries and Scripture, faith is no more and no less than a mental acceptance of what is presented to one as true. In the context of salvation unto eternal life passages in the Bible, the content of what is presented is always the content that Jesus Christ paid the price for ones sins for the purpose of providing eternal life for one who believes in that. There is never in the content of what one is asked to believe in any passage in the bible in order to receive eternal life a request to turn from committing sin nor to make a commitment to lead a faithful life. In all salvation unto eternal life passages it is implied that one has a sin problem in the content of the salvation verse when one is asked to trust, (believe, have faith in), Jesus Christ to take care of that problem via His payment for ones sins. If one were not convinced one had a sin problem with God, then one would not believe in His one and only Son to take care of ones sin problem, would they? This is the repentance unto forgiveness of sins unto eternal life, i.e., the turning from thinking one does not have a problem with God relative to ones sins to faith alone in Christ alone to solve that problem and receive eternal life. This is what repentance unto forgiveness of sins for the reception of eternal life is referring to and NOT turning to make a commitment to be faithful or turning to make a commitment to not sin in ones life in order to receive eternal life.
RETURN
TO STUDY ON SAVED BY GRACE AND THE WORD BELIEVE 
OR
CONTINUE STUDY OF REPENT FOR FURTHER INFORMATION
IX) THE CONCEPT OF REPENTANCE FROM THE OLD TESTAMENT POINT OF VIEW IS THE SAME AS IT IS FOR THE NEW TESTAMENT
[Pentecost, op. cit., pp. 65-68]:
"We would next like to consider the concept of repentance in the Old Testament, for it is in this portion of the Word of God that a great deal of the confusion concerning the relationship of repentance to salvation arises. For our consideration, we are including in the Old Testament Scriptures all that took place before the death of Christ, and, for the purpose of our study, even those portions of the Word addressed to Israel immediately after the death of Christ: for we believe that the concept is the same in all these portions of Scripture.
[Dr Pentecost is stating here that he is including New Testament passages which refer to Old Testament times in his treatment of the Old Testament meaning of the word repentance]:
In the first Gospel of the New Testament, you find that John the Baptist appeared suddenly on the scene in Israel with a startling announcement. He commanded and exhorted the people...
'Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.' "
"Paul said, 'John's baptism was a baptism of repentance. He told the people to believe in the One coming after him, that is, Jesus.' "
"repentance" = "metanoias" = a change of the mind from not believing to believing "in the One coming after him, that is, Jesus."
Since John's baptism was a baptism that signified an individual's repentance,
and since the message of John to people was to believe in Jesus Christ as Messiah/Savior thereupon he was water baptized,
then repentance here = "metanoias" = believing in Christ as Messiah/Savior.
John the Baptist "prepare[d] the way for the Lord [making] straight paths for Him", (Mt 3:3; Isa 40:3) by declaring "the Kingdom of God is near", (Mt 3:2), i.e., that the Messiah is coming now to bring His Kingdom into the world when all of Israel believes in Him. John further declared Who Jesus is:"Behold the Lamb of God Who takes away the sins of the world", (Jn 1:29), i.e., as testified to in Old Testament Scripture, (Isa 53:4-5); declaring "one must believe in Jesus", (Acts 19:4), being that Lamb of God Who takes away the sins of the world, i.e., "Repent [= believe in Christ as Messiah].. for the forgiveness of sins", (Acts 19:4; Mk 1:4) to gain entrance into this eternal Kingdom. Then John commanded those who believed in Jesus to demonstrate this change to faith in Him by a "baptism of repentance [/belief in Jesus] for the forgiveness of sins", (Acts 19:4; Mk 1:4).
Notice that baptism and washings in
general were perceived by Israelites as symbolic immersions and washings
and not acts which provided actual results of what they represented. This
would be consistent with what the Old Testament Scripture teaches,
[]
So when an Israelite underwent John's or Jesus' baptism of repentance/belief in Jesus, what was in view was immersion into water as a symbol of ones actual identification with Israel's Messiah and His eternal kingdom when he believed in Jesus.
After John the Baptist announced the arrival of our Lord, and our Lord identified Himself with the believing remnant in Israel by His baptism at the hand of John, Jesus began to preach and His message was identical to John's message as recorded in Matthew 4:17:
'Jesus began to preach, and to say, ' '''Repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.''' '
This corporate repentance and individual water baptism is nothing new, for John the Baptist preached this as did our Lord Who came after John:
(v. 23) " 'From the offspring of this man [David, (v. 22)] according to promise God has brought to Israel a Savior, Jesus,
(v. 24) after John had proclaimed before His coming a baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel."
This corporate repentance of the nation Israel resulting in trusting in the coming Messiah Jesus Christ as Savior would then bring in the Kingdom, (cp Mt 3:1-3, 11).
Both John, the forerunner of the Messiah, and the Messiah called upon the nation Israel to repent. John's message, as it is recorded in the third chapter of Matthew's Gospel, was a scathing denunciation of sin and sinners. But John did not call upon them to be sorry for their sins, nor to weep tears because their sins were being uncovered. John called upon them to change their mind concerning sin, concerning righteousness, and concerning their need of a Deliverer.
[In other words, John called upon them to believe that they had a sin problem, to believe that they were not righteous enough to go into the kingdom, and to believe that they indeed needed a Deliverer - Jesus Christ their Messiah, Who was 'at hand' - in their presence]
The nation Israel had been delivered over to rule by the Pharisees, and Pharisaism told the people of Israel that they were righteous because they were the children of Abraham, and that God would deliver any child of Abraham from going down into the pit. Pharisaism was a system of works; if a man observed the three hundred and sixty-five negative commandments, and the two hundred and fifty positive commandments, as the Law was summarized by the Pharisees, the Pharisees assured him he was safe. Our Lord denied that there was righteousness in Pharisaism, and demanded that the people turn to God to receive righteousness from Him. In that portion we call the Sermon on the Mount, our Lord said,
'...Except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.'
...These people were trusting Pharisaism for righteousness; they were trusting the Law of Moses for righteousness. Righteousness is not in Pharisaism, nor in the Law, but it is in the Messiah Who offers His righteousness to you. Men needed to change their minds about their own need. They were complacent in their self-righteousness, for the Pharisees counted themselves and their disciples as righteous before God. Our Lord and John preached to the nation that there was need for a change of mind: a change of mind concerning sin, a change of mind concerning righteousness, a change of mind concerning their need, that they might come to God to receive God's forgiveness [by trusting alone in the Messiah alone].
In Matthew 22 we find that our Lord pronounced a judgment upon the nation because the nation would not repent...
(v. 1) ''' Jesus spoke to them again in parables, saying:
(v. 2) "The kingdom of heaven is like a king who prepared a wedding banquet for his son.
(v. 3) He sent his servants to those who had been invited to the banquet to tell them to come, but they refused to come.
(v. 4) Then he sent some more servants and said, 'Tell those who have been invited that I have prepared my dinner: My oxen and fattened cattle have been butchered, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding banquet.'
(v. 5) But they paid no attention and went off - one to his field, another to his business.
(v. 6) The rest seized his servants, mistreated them and killed them.
(v. 7) The king was enraged. He sent his army and destroyed those murderers and burned their city.
[Jesus came to His own, Israel and His own received Him not, (Ref. Jn 1:11). Jerusalem was burned in AD 70. The major reason for our Lord not bringing in the kingdom right then was the fact that although multitudes did truly repent =believe in the Messiah to save them into the kingdom of God, many many more Jews did not. The nation in effect did not all repent. Not even a majority repented, thus rejecting the offer of bringing in the kingdom by our Lord at that time. It was a question of the entire nation changing its mind about the Messiah Jesus Christ relative to trusting in Him and not their own righteousness and entering the kingdom, i.e., eternal life]
And the nation to whom Christ had given a call to repentance repudiated Him as God's heaven-sent Messiah, and continued to trust in their own righteousness [which is as filthy rags, Isa 64:6]. In Matthew 21:43-44 Christ said,
(v. 43) " 'The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof.
(v. 44) And whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken: but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder.' "
This was our Lord's announcement of judgment upon those who refused to repent and had rejected Him. And then, in Matthew 23:37-38 our Lord says,
(v. 37) " 'O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!
(v. 38) Behold, your house is left unto you desolate.' "
Christ announced judgment upon the city of Jerusalem and upon the institutions within the city. The Temple, the priesthood, the Sanhedrin that had condemned Him - all would come under divine judgment. That judgment fell in the year A.D. 70 when Titus and his Roman legions, as the instruments of divine judgment, marched in and conquered the city, and destroyed and dispersed the people."
[Pentecost, op. cit., pp. 67-69]:
"As we come over to the Books of Acts we find frequent exhortations to repentance. Peter, preaching in Acts 2, proclaimed the resurrection of Christ, proved the resurrection from the Old Testament Scriptures, [notice that the content of the gospel is clearly proved to Peter's audience which is mostly of Jews] and concluded in verse 36
(v. 36) "Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, Whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ.'
[So convincing and convicting fellow Jews that 'Jesus, Whom you crucified, [is] both Lord and Christ.' was Peter's message - not in view was Peter's exhorting to behave better or feel remorse or commit to a holy lifestyle]
(v. 37) When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, Brothers, what shall we do?'
['They were cut to the heart', i.e., they felt remorse = the other kind of repentance = "metamelomai" which led them to the first kind of repentance: faith alone in Christ/Messiah alone unto eternal life, (2 Cor 7:10). Notice Peter in the next verse tells his Jewish brothers to do the first kind of 'Repent' = "metanoEsate" = change your mind from unbelief to belief in Christ as their Messiah/Savior]:
(v. 38) Peter replied, 'Repent [plural] and let each one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ, [singular = after being forgiven and Holy Spirit received], for the forgiveness of your sins [plural]. And you [plural] will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.' "
Peter exhorts his audience of fellow Jews, (v. 14, 22, 29, 36, 37), to repent = "metanoEsate" = 2nd person plural aorist imperative = a command to change their minds from not believing to believing in the Messiah Jesus Christ Whom they crucified in order to receive forgiveness of their sins [plural] and the gift of the Holy Spirit [plural]. And Peter says, 'let each one of you be water baptized' [singular] which would follow this reception of forgiveness and reception of the Holy Spirit.
The word which is translated "Repent", ("metanoesate"), is plural and therefore goes with the plural phrase
"eis .aphesin ......ton hamartion hymon
"for forgiveness the sins ............your [plural]
Then the phrase which is translated 'let each one of you be baptized', inserted in the middle would follow this repentance in time being in the singular:
"Baptistheto ekastos .....umon"
"Be baptized each one ...of you"
"ekastos ...umon" =
"each one of you" =
"ekastos" = nom. singular masc. adj. = "each one"
"umon" = gen plural 2 pers pers pron = "of you"
So the phrase "Be baptized each one ...of you" stands out as a singular one. It is a parenthetical statement - an action which is to be taken in sequence of time, after the fact of receiving forgiveness of sins and the gift of the Spirit. It is in the third person aorist passive imperative expressing a strong wish on the part of Peter that each individual Jew (singular) should commence having water baptism done to him, (passive voice), once the entire lot of them (plural) have come to repentance, i.e., have trusted in Christ as Savior and Messiah. So the phrase about water baptism is singular emphasizing that after all the Jews (plural) in Peter's audience have repented of their (plural) disbelief and trusted in their Messiah and all (plural) have thereby been forgiven of their sins and all (plural) have received the gift of the Spirit then next in the order of things comes the parenthetical 3rd person imperative statement of letting each one