What is repentance?

August 31, 2023

Repentance is crucial to being born again in Christ. But what does the word mean according to the Bible, and how does one truly repent? Repentance in the Bible relating to God's people is a comprehensive topic. This writing will go into detail to reveal what genuine Biblical repentance is to be born again.

Where to start
Jesus explained to Nicodemus, a Pharisee, that no one can see the kingdom of God without first being born again (John 3:3). The four steps to being born again are faith in Christ, repentance, baptism, and receiving the Holy Spirit. To truly repent of sin, you must first understand your transgressions against God that you have previously been dead to and repent, or change your mind regarding each of them (James 1:21; 1 Peter 2:1). Furthermore, you must repent of the idea that you can save yourself, as it only takes one sin to be “guilty of all” (James 2:10). It is wise to start reading from the beginning of the Bible at the book of Genesis and onwards. The Bible, just like any other book, should be read at the start for a foundation of the events in the later books. The accounts in the book of Genesis explain human origins through the six days of creation and how sin entered the world - why we need a savior. The Ten Commandments allow prospective believers to see the sins in their lives and subsequently repent of each of them.

What is sin?
Sin is the transgression of the law (1 John 3:4). In total, sin is rebellion against God and His will. The penalty for any sin without a sacrifice is death (Romans 6:23). Repentance for believers in Christ is not regret or sorrow but a change of thought. Instead of being dead to sin, you admit that you have fallen short of God’s glory and you cannot save yourself. You have nothing to offer the Lord and ask for mercy and forgiveness. You can be justified in God’s eyes by simply believing and coming to faith in Christ (Romans 5:1). Subsequently, doing His will to the best of your abilities through the Holy Spirit should be the top priority in your born-again life (Matthew 7:21). You must also strive to do good works at every opportunity you have, as neglecting to do so is also sin (James 4:17).

Worldly attractions
Repentance includes sin and self-salvation, but also changing your mind on the things and activities you do in this world that are against God's will. Everything that you do must be for the glory of God (1 Corinthians 10:31; Colossians 3:17). Engaging in worldly entertainment such as concerts, bars, parties, clubs, sports games, ungodly television and movies, ungodly music, ungodly games, and anything else related should be avoided in your born-again life as they pull you away from your walk with Christ. You are clearly warned in scripture that if you love the things of this world, then you are an enemy of God, and your love for Him is not genuine (1 John 2:15; James 4:4). Instead, you must do the will of God (Romans 12:2; Ephesians 5:17). You are warned of condemnation if you do not repent of the sinful attractions that this world has to offer (1 John 2:17; Luke 13:3). Think about it, would you invite Jesus to a drinking party, a concert, or a club? Absolutely not! There will be no sports stadiums, parties, concerts, bars, Hollywood shows, or clubs in heaven or on the new earth. Heaven would be hell for you if you prefer these attractions and don’t repent. Your new life walking with Christ will not be easy. The path of salvation is narrow and straight, and very few will find and follow that path (Matthew 7:14).

True repentance
To truly repent is to change your mind on all things that are contrary to God's will. Reading the early books in the Bible and understanding God’s law first is wise so that you can have a complete foundation for your faith. To help reveal the sins from your old life, a good starting point is reading over the Ten Commandments and the two greatest commandments (Deuteronomy 6:5; Leviticus 19:18). If there are still unrepentant sins residing in you after getting saved, then those will be revealed to you by the Holy Spirit later in your walk and it is your responsibility to confess and repent of those sins when convicted (John 16:8; Matthew 3:8; Proverbs 28:13). Willful and continuous disobedience to God could put your salvation at jeopardy (Hebrews 10:26; Ephesians 4:30; 1 Thessalonians 5:19; Genesis 6:3)!