Definitions > Repent

[Adstar]

Hello everyone.

I have been reading some recent threads and the though has come to me that people may be discussing the same word but hold different idea on what that word actually means.

So I though it would be a good idea to get deep within peoples minds to try and have a look at their foundations of understanding.

So my request to you is to give your most descriptive definition of what the word "Repent" means.

God bless you all

All praise The Ancient Of Days

[BobTriez]

Ok, I'll bite.....to me, to repent means -

1.) Confess & admit sinful behaviour

2.) Have genuine remorse for your behaviour ( ie. say you are sorry to God )

3.) Turn from said behaviour ( heart change ) and commit to engage no more in it.

4.) Flee from any future temptations to engage in sinful behaviour

God bless,

Bob

[Guest Called]

To be truly sorry for your sins and to make a decision to turn away from that sin and follow Christ.

Greek Definition:

to change one's mind, i.e. to repent

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

[Catsmeow]

Short and sweet: Godly sorrow that leads to change at a heart level.

[Guest LadyC]

ITA with all of the above. repentance is a state of the heart, it is an expression of remorse, it's in a nutshell, apologizing to God for your sinful actions, and turning from those sins.

ideally one repents through verbal confession. but whether your lips move or not, God hears your thoughts. He knows if you are repentant. in the case of one who becomes seriously injured and can not speak, a verbal confession is impossible... but that doesn't mean one can't repent! others may not hear it and know whether you did or not, but God hears it, if it is sincere.

[Orr v'emet]

I agree with all the above, couldn't really add a thing.

[Shelby]

Ditto KBM

[Adstar]

Ok, I'll bite.....to me, to repent means -

1.) Confess & admit sinful behaviour

2.) Have genuine remorse for your behaviour ( ie. say you are sorry to God )

3.) Turn from said behaviour ( heart change ) and commit to engage no more in it.

4.) Flee from any future temptations to engage in sinful behaviour

God bless,

Bob

Thats the type of breakdown i was looking for. Thank you Bob for that

So repent is a process that requires the 4 steps I was lloking at steps 3 and 4 and they seemed at first to be the same step only described with different words.

3.) Turn from said behaviour ( heart change ) and commit to engage no more in it.

4.) Flee from any future temptations to engage in sinful behaviour

Now after thinking about it for a while i can see a big difference 3 is to have the will to stop sinning but 4 is to actually stop sinning.

If we commit to stop engaging in sin we may still end up sinning but as long as we are making a commitment and effort to avoid sinning then we can still be trying to avoid sin without being successful.

Point 4 seems to be very different if we can flee from any future temptations to engage in sin then we can cease to sin. So if we cannot flee from sin and then sin then have we satisfied the 4 points? have we repented?

Bob this is just how i am reading your points. Of course we are just humans using a human language So a lot of misunderstandings can rear their ugly heads So please clear things up for me. could you give more light to points 3 and 4 for me?

Looking forward to your reply

All Praise The Ancient of Days

[ted]

Repent-

Stop doing the sinful things before God gives me a spiritual butt- whuppin'

t.

[Jedi4Yahweh]

Repent-

Stop doing the sinful things before God gives me a spiritual butt- whuppin'

t.

I believe "Bibical Repentance" is three fold meaning true repentance starts with the heart meaning being sorrowful for all your wrong doings and your rebellion against God.

And the second part of repentance is hating the wrong things you have done and turning from them and running from them. Its doing a u-turn in your actions where you once were living a life of wrong doing know your living a life of doing whats right.

And third part is turn to God in a humble repentive heart asking for his forgivenss and mercy.

So there are three steps to repentance:

1. Godly Sorrow.

2. Turning from Sin

3. Turning to God

There are two types of sorrow: Godly sorrow and Worldly sorrow. Godly sorrow draws you closer to God and Worldly sorrow draws you away from God. Godly sorrow is when you see your self in need of forgiveness and mercy. Wordly sorrow is when you blame all your problems on God. "Living for God is too hard, maybe I should just give up."--Worldly Sorrow.

Therefore just because you have godly sorrow does not mean you have repented becaues godly sorrow only leads to repentance, its not repentance itself. You must also turn from you life of wrong doing and also turn to God. Likewise if you have turned from sin but have no godly sorrow for your past wrong doings then you have not repented in your heart and likewise their are those who claim they have turned to God but yet have not turned from their wrong doings or have any godly sorrow. This is not bibical repentance.

Paul speaking:

Act 26:20 But shewed first unto them of Damascus, and at Jerusalem, and throughout all the coasts of Judaea, and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, and do works meet for repentance.

Paul said he taught both Jews and Gentiles that they are to Repent, Turn to God, and do good works showing repentance.