The subject we planned on discussing for this week was unexpectedly tossed out as our intro within the podcast evolved. Our conversation became about growing in grace and our understanding of the gospel. Of course, this isn't referring to finding ways to get more grace because God has already abundantly provided all of us with more than enough. But there is always a journey involving our understanding of it.
Some will struggle with growing because it may mean having a change of mind about something they considered as the truth from what they considered a 'biblical' perspective which they embraced as a significant part of their belief system. Some will double down and cling to previous assumptions, unwilling to receive what may help them in their walk with God. And what about the people we read of in the Bible? Did they not also grow in their understanding? Why would we think these humans knew everything or that they were any different from us? Eternity will be an exciting journey, always learning while being enlightened with a greater knowledge of the truth of God and the mystery of eternal things.
If repenting is required in order to be saved, justified and sanctified, it might be good to know exactly what it means. How is it defined? Well, that will depend on which church brand you do business with. Some will tell you one thing while others communicate something quite different. But most will be quite vague and not very specific. If repentance is based on a change of behavior, how does one know when they have fully succeeded? Does one "repent" before or after believing in Jesus?
When Jesus arrived on the ministry scene, He told some Jewish people to repent and believe the gospel. Repent from what? These folks were attempting to live by the ultimate blueprint when it came to behavior and works (the Mosaic law). To repent means to have a change of mind, nothing more. Jesus is announcing they should reconsider that path and look to some good news they would ultimately find in Him. And what is that? An eternal redemption providing God's righteousness as a gift, bringing an inheritance leading them to a place of perfection—apart from what they do.
What is the first thing you think of when you hear the words repent, repenting, and repentance? When someone from ChurchLand says people need to repent, they are usually communicating that the person who sins needs to stop sinning. But the messenger stating this hasn't stopped ... in spite of whatever sin reduction they may boast. So where does that leave them if God requires humans to stop committing sinful actions? Of course, a change in behavior and avoiding sin is going to be beneficial in multiple ways. But repentance goes much deeper than that. New Covenant repentance simply means to have a change of mind or to think differently (than we previously thought).
In addition, we who have crossed over from legalistic mindsets into a better understanding of the gospel of grace may have a hard time changing our minds about various doctrinal beliefs about the Bible or what it contains. Sure, it was easy to declare we moved from works to faith and from religious law to grace. But when we've been teaching or proclaiming things for a while under the banner of "grace people," it's easier for some to double-down rather than to allow God's Spirit to reveal new perspectives that we previously missed. We'll never stop learning ... and it will free us from feeling the need to be right all the time.
If repentance is based upon changes in behavior or if it specifically means to turn from sin, how can someone know they have truly reached a place where they can be defined as one who has attained the required plateau of having repented? Turning from sinful behavior is good advice, but when religion includes it in the context of repenting, things get a bit vague and uncertain as to whether that means reducing your sin count or eliminating sin altogether ... and leaves people in a place where they wonder if they are right with God—unaware that God is no longer counting sins against them.
A works-based religious system touts a message that believers are broken people who are in constant need to be fixed and that it's our responsibility to accomplish this. Let's repent by changing our thinking—realizing God no longer sees us in Christ as "sinners" but as children who have been gifted with righteousness through an inheritance. We have the life of God and His Spirit abiding within as holy and perfected people. We can begin living from this reality and experience it in the here and now.
John stood in the middle of a river calling for Jewish people to repent—because the kingdom of heaven was at hand—and to be cleansed with water. Although there is no record of the Pharisees being baptized by John, they also were not surprised or shocked by such a cleansing ritual where people would confess their sins ... which was common under the law. However, they were curious as to the motivation and purpose of this one who came from the priestly tribe. The old priests didn't go to the people, the people went to the priest.
After John's arrest, Jesus would go out among the Jewish people saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.” But exactly what was it that Jesus was calling for these people to do when He said to repent—these who were under the Mosaic law? If we assume His intent was to get them to stop sinning, He could have simply stated to work harder at keeping the law they were trying to live up to (but constantly failed at doing). Yet we know the law never resulted in reducing sin, but increasing it.
As we've done many times on the podcast over the years, we'll review the meaning of the word repent or repentance from the Greek and provide some specific consistency within the context. To repent is a good thing, but empty religion has defined it in a way that makes it impossible for people to do and only leads to a sin consciousness which Jesus came to free people from.
Those of us proclaiming righteousness based on grace through faith alone are often accused by those in religious circles as diminishing the need to repent. As people of grace, we most certainly believe in repentance, but just exactly what is it? Most will make the assumption it means to change your behavior, turn from sin and improve your moral lifestyle. But the origin of the word goes much deeper than that, and we take a closer look at the foundational meaning of repentance and why it is important.
