In the New Testament, the Greek words metanoia (μετάνοια) and metanoeō (μετανοέω) mean to change one’s mind.[1] According to Charles Ryrie, “Repentance means a genuine change of mind that affects the life in some way.”[2] This is a good understanding of the word. For unbelievers, repentance is a synonym for faith in Christ (Acts 17:30; 2 Tim 2:25; 2 Pet 3:9), and when they trust in Jesus alone as Savior (John 3:16; Acts 4:12), it results in forgiveness of sins (Acts 10:43; Eph 1:7), and eternal life (John 10:28), which positively affects their life for eternity. For Christians, repentance is a change of mind that leads to a change of behavior in which they turn from their sin and pursue righteousness (Rev 2:5, 16, 21-22; 3:3, 19),[3] as God expects of all His children (Eph 5:8-9; 1 Tim 6:11; 2 Tim 2:22; 3:16).
Does Sorrow Accompany Repentance?
Is there sorrow that leads to repentance? Yes, there can be true sorrow that leads to repentance. In his second letter to the Corinthians, Paul said, “the sorrow that is according to the will of God produces a repentance without regret, leading to salvation, but the sorrow of the world produces death” (2 Cor 7:10). Though sorrow may lead to repentance, it does not always do so, as “the sorrow of the world produces death” and not salvation (2 Cor 7:10b). That is, one may be sorrowful, and yet never turn to Christ. Judas, when he betrayed Christ, “felt remorse” for his actions (Matt 27:3), and then “went away and hanged himself” (Matt 27:5). Arnold Fruchtenbaum notes, “If repentance is used merely as a synonym for believing in the Messiah—the way the Bible uses it—only in that sense is it truly a condition for salvation. But if—as some groups use it—repentance means ‘to feel sorry for one’s sins,’ then it indeed becomes a false addition to salvation.”[4] According to Charles Ryrie, “The only kind of repentance that saves is a change of mind about Jesus Christ. People can weep; people can resolve to turn from their past sins; but those things in themselves cannot save. The only kind of repentance that saves anyone, anywhere, anytime is a change of mind about Jesus Christ.”[5]
Repentance for Salvation
Is repentance necessary for eternal salvation? Yes, repentance is necessary concerning salvation if one understands it to mean having a change of mind about salvation being obtained solely in Christ. Unbelievers cannot stop sinning, which means they cannot save themselves, and their good works have no saving merit (Isa 64:6; Gal 2:16; Eph 2:8-9; Tit 3:5). The lost need to understand that salvation is 100% in Christ alone. Peter said, “there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12). And when the Philippian Jailer asked Paul and Silas, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” (Acts 16:30), the simple reply was given, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved” (Acts 16:31). The gospel is simple. It means believing in the One who died for our sins, was buried, and raised again on the third day, as Scripture teaches (1 Cor 15:3-4). And salvation is by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone (John 3:16), and not by any human effort (Eph 2:8-9; Tit 3:5), for “the one who does not work, but believes in Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is credited as righteousness” (Rom 4:5). For Christians, turning from a life of sin and producing good works should follow salvation (Eph 2:10; Gal 6:10), but they are never a condition of it. Robert B. Thieme Jr., states, “Salvation repentance occurs when the unbeliever hears the Gospel, understands it, and makes a decision to accept Christ’s saving work (Luke 13:3, 5; Acts 17:30; 2 Pet 3:9). Believing in the Gospel message and repenting inherently operate together (Acts 20:21; Mark 1:14–15).”[6] Charles Ryrie states, “Repentance may prepare the way for faith, but it is faith that saves, not repentance.”[7]
What repentance means in a salvific sense is that people learn God is holy (Psa 99:9; Isa 6:3), that He “cannot look on wickedness with favor” (Hab 1:13; cf., 1 John 1:5), and can only condemn sin. Scripture reveals that everyone is sinful, “for there is no man who does not sin” (1 Ki 8:46; cf., Eccl 7:20), and “If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us” (1 John 1:8). The Bible reveals “there is none righteous, not even one” (Rom 3:10), that “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Rom 3:23), and that “the wages of sin is death” (Rom 6:23). The picture of mankind is that we are helpless, ungodly, sinners, and enemies of God, (Rom 5:6, 8,10), spiritually dead before God (Eph 2:1; Col 2:13). Furthermore, our good works have no saving merit in God’s sight (Isa 64:6; Eph 2:8-9; Tit 3:5). This means we have no personal ability to save ourselves. None whatsoever.
Despite this grim reality, God solved the sin problem and made a way for everyone to be saved. God provided a solution to the problem of sin, and that solution is Christ and what He accomplished at the cross (1 Cor 1:18; 15:3-4). Nearly two thousand years ago, God the Son—the second Person of the Trinity—came into the world by human birth (Isa 7:14; Luke 1:30-35), lived a perfectly sinless life (2 Cor 5:21; Heb 4:15; 1 Pet 2:22; 1 John 3:5), willingly died in our place (Isa 53:10; John 10:18), and bore the punishment for our sins (Mark 10:45; Rom 5:8; 1 Cor 15:3-4; 1 Pet 3:18). As a result of Jesus’ substitutionary death on the cross (Mark 10:45; Rom 5:8; 1 Pet 3:18), God the Father is fully satisfied with Christ’s sacrificial death on behalf of everyone (Rom 3:25; 1 John 2:2; 4:10), and that salvation is offered to everyone (John 3:16; 1 Tim 2:4; 4:10; 2 Pet 3:9), as a gift (Rom 3:24), by grace alone (Eph 2:8-9), through faith alone (Rom 3:28; 4:4-5; Gal 3:26), in Christ (John 3:16; 14:6; Acts 4:12). Upon hearing this good news, the unsaved can change their minds and place their faith solely in Christ as their Savior (Acts 4:12; 16:31). When people place their faith in Christ alone, they receive “forgiveness of sins” (Acts 10:43b; cf., Eph 1:7; Col 1:14), the gift of “eternal life” (John 10:18), “the gift of righteousness” (Rom 5:17; cf., 2 Cor 5:21; Phil 3:9), are “reconciled to God” (2 Cor 5:20), have “peace with God” (Rom 5:1), become “children of God” (Gal 3:26), and are “blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ” (Eph 1:3). That’s good news.
Dr. Steven R. Cook
Related Articles:
- Free Grace Salvation
- What is Free Grace Theology?
- Saved by Grace Alone, Through Faith Alone, in Christ Alone
- Knowing and Doing the Will of God
- The High Calling of God’s Servant
- The Life of Faith
- The Righteous Lifestyle of the Believer
- Walking Worthy of God’s Call to Service
- God’s Gift of Righteousness
- Eternal Life
- Assurance of Salvation
- The Cross & Crucifixion of Jesus
- Two Kinds of Forgiveness with God
- Defining Salvation in the Bible
- Who is the One Who Saves?
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[1] In the Old Testament, repent translates the Hebrew verb nacham (נָחַם), which, in certain passages, means to change one’s mind, and was used of the Lord who changed His mind about an action He was going to take (Ex 32:12-14; Jon 3:10). In the Septuagint (i.e., the Greek translation of the Hebrew OT), the translators used the Greek verb metanoeō (μετανοέω) as a synonym for the Hebrew verb nacham.
[2] Charles C. Ryrie, Basic Theology: A Popular Systematic Guide to Understanding Biblical Truth (Chicago, IL: Moody Press, 1999), 389.
[3] This would correspond to the meaning of the Hebrew verb shuv (שׁוּב), which means to turn; return, or go back. Shuv is used of God’s people responding positively to His discipline and returning to Him in obedience (Deut 30:1-3, 9-10). Interestingly, shuv is used of a righteous person who turns to a life of iniquity (Ezek 3:20, 18:24, 26; 33:18). The Septuagint translators chose the Greek verb epistrephō (ἐπιστρέφω) as a synonym for shuv. Like shuv, epistrephō means to turn, turn back, or go back. In the Septuagint, there is not a single instance where metanoeō is used to translate the Hebrew verb shuv.
[4] Arnold G. Fruchtenbaum, Faith Alone: The Condition of Our Salvation: An Exposition of the Book of Galatians and Other Relevant Topics, 92.
[5] Charles C. Ryrie, So Great Salvation: What It Means to Believe in Jesus Christ (Chicago: Moody Press, 1997), 85.
[6] Robert B. Thieme, Jr. “Repentance”, Thieme’s Bible Doctrine Dictionary, 218.
[7] Charles C. Ryrie, So Great Salvation, 90.
