Do you have no regard for the wealth of His kindness and tolerance and patience [in withholding His wrath]? Are you [actually] unaware or ignorant [of the fact] that God’s kindness leads you to repentance [that is, to change your inner self, your old way of thinking—seek His purpose for your life]? Romans 2:4
Yesterday the sermon was on repentance and how it’s been so misunderstood and so often wrongly defined. This has caused a lot of confusion in and outside of the body of Christ. Mostly because when the Scriptures were translated from Greek to Latin Vulgate, they translated the Greek word metanoia (repent) to “poenitentiam agite” to do penance without considering the heart of the meaning of the word, which is to change of mind and heart.
All the definitions of the Hebrew and Greek words basically agree on the definition of, repent, change of mind, change the inner man (particularly to acceptance of the will of God). A profound change of mind and heart. Involves a recognition of wrongdoing, a sincere regret or remorse, and a commitment to change one’s behavior and align with God’s will. Notice no where does the original meaning include penance. That’s because Jesus paid it all for us.
Once we receive Jesus as our Savior and Lord, and we turn from the things of this world and sin and look to Him, we have repented. But now repentance has only just begun because we now are the righteousness of Christ, our sins not only have been forgiven, but we also now have been given dominion over sin back. Sure we are going to sin, for we live in a fallen world, but the enemy can no longer accuse us because “now there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” Romans 8:1. Every time we read the Scriptures, hear a sermon or worship songs or speak the Gospel of Jesus we are repenting because it is renewing and changing our minds to become more like Christ. How awesome is our God that He has made a way to continually help us deepen our relationship with Him. Oh that we would take every opportunity to do so.
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