Repentance and FaithRepentance and Faith

© John Stevenson, 2012

RepentanceRepentance FaithFaith

• NachamNacham: Reflects the idea of : Reflects the idea of sorrow and often indicates a sorrow and often indicates a change of purposechange of purpose

• ShuvShuv: To turn.: To turn.

““Yet even now,” declares the LORD,Yet even now,” declares the LORD,“Return [“Return [shuvshuv] to Me with all your heart,] to Me with all your heart,And with fasting, weeping, and mourning; And with fasting, weeping, and mourning; 1313 And rend your heart and not your And rend your heart and not your garments.” garments.” Now return [Now return [shuvshuv] tothe LORD your God, ] tothe LORD your God, For He is gracious and compassionate, For He is gracious and compassionate, Slow to anger, abounding in lovingkindness, Slow to anger, abounding in lovingkindness, And relenting [And relenting [nachamnacham] of evil. ] of evil. (Joel 2:12-13).(Joel 2:12-13).

Who knows whether He will not turn [Who knows whether He will not turn [shuvshuv] ] and relent [and relent [nachamnacham], ], And leave a blessing behind Him, And leave a blessing behind Him, Even a grain offering and a libationEven a grain offering and a libationFor the LORD your God?For the LORD your God?(Joel 2:14).(Joel 2:14).

• Metanoeo: Metanoeo: RepentRepent Corresponds to the Hebrew Corresponds to the Hebrew NachamNacham..• EpistrephoEpistrepho: Turn: Turn Corresponds to the Hebrew Corresponds to the Hebrew ShuvShuv..

Classical Greek used Classical Greek used metanoeometanoeo in a general in a general sense of a change of mind, heart, or direction, sense of a change of mind, heart, or direction,

including times when a person repented of including times when a person repented of doing something good to turn to a path of evil.doing something good to turn to a path of evil.

““Therefore repent [Therefore repent [metanoeometanoeo] and ] and return [return [epistrephoepistrepho], so that your sins ], so that your sins

may be wiped away, in order that times may be wiped away, in order that times of refreshing may come from the of refreshing may come from the

presence of the Lord; presence of the Lord; 2020 and that He and that He may send Jesus, the Christ appointed may send Jesus, the Christ appointed

for you” (Acts 3:19-20).for you” (Acts 3:19-20).

Louis Berkhof lists three elements Louis Berkhof lists three elements of biblical repentance.of biblical repentance.

• An intellectual elementAn intellectual element• An emotional elementAn emotional element• A volitional elementA volitional element

I now rejoice, not that you were made I now rejoice, not that you were made sorrowful, but that you were made sorrowful sorrowful, but that you were made sorrowful

to to the point of the point of repentance; for you were repentance; for you were made sorrowful according to made sorrowful according to the will of the will of God, God, so that you might not suffer loss in anything so that you might not suffer loss in anything

through us. through us. 1010 For the sorrow that is For the sorrow that is according to according to the will of the will of God produces a God produces a repentance without regret, repentance without regret, leading leading to to salvation, but the sorrow of the world salvation, but the sorrow of the world

produces death. (2 Corinthians 7:9-10).produces death. (2 Corinthians 7:9-10).

Therefore bear fruits in keeping with Therefore bear fruits in keeping with repentance, and do not begin to say to repentance, and do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham for our yourselves, ‘We have Abraham for our father,” for I say to you that from these father,” for I say to you that from these stones God is able to raise up children stones God is able to raise up children

to Abraham. (Luke 3:8).to Abraham. (Luke 3:8).

The Lord’s bond-servant must not be The Lord’s bond-servant must not be quarrelsome, but be kind to all, able to quarrelsome, but be kind to all, able to teach, patient when wronged, teach, patient when wronged, 2525 with with

gentleness correcting those who are in gentleness correcting those who are in opposition, if perhaps God may grant opposition, if perhaps God may grant

them repentance leading to the them repentance leading to the knowledge of the truth, knowledge of the truth, 2626 and they may and they may come to their senses come to their senses and escape and escape from from

the snare of the devil, having been the snare of the devil, having been held captive by him to do his will.held captive by him to do his will.

(2 Timothy 2:24-26).(2 Timothy 2:24-26).

RepentanceRepentance

Focus on the negative

FaithFaith

Focus on the positive

Turns away from sin and rebellion

Turns to God and trusts in Him

What is Faith?What is Faith?

• CognitionCognition• ConvincingConvincing• ConfidenceConfidence• CommitmentCommitment

……as it is written, “There is none as it is written, “There is none righteous, not even one;righteous, not even one;1111 There is none who understands, There is none who understands,There is none who seeks for God;There is none who seeks for God;1212 All have turned aside, together All have turned aside, together they have become useless;they have become useless;There is none who does good,There is none who does good,There is not even one (Romans There is not even one (Romans 3:10-12).3:10-12).

But a natural man does not But a natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of accept the things of the Spirit of God; for they are foolishness to God; for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually them, because they are spiritually appraised. (1 Corinthians 2:14).appraised. (1 Corinthians 2:14).

• Lydia... was listening... and the Lord opened her heart to respond to the things spoken by Paul (Acts 16:14).

• ...as God has allotted to each, a measure of faith (Romans 12:3b).

• For to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit... to another faith by the same Spirit (1 Corinthians 12:8-9).

• For to you it has been granted for Christ’s sake, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake, (Philippians 1:29).

• Simon Peter... to those who HAVE RECEIVED a faith of the same kind as ours, by the righteousness of our God and Savior, Jesus Christ (2 Peter 1:1).

““Teacher, I brought You my son, possessed Teacher, I brought You my son, possessed with a spirit which makes him mute; with a spirit which makes him mute; 1818 and and whenever it seizes him, it slams him whenever it seizes him, it slams him to the to the

ground ground and he foams and he foams at the mouthat the mouth, and , and grinds his teeth and stiffens out. I told Your grinds his teeth and stiffens out. I told Your

disciples to cast it out, and they could not disciples to cast it out, and they could not do do itit.” (Mark 9:17-18)..” (Mark 9:17-18).

And He asked his father, “How long has this And He asked his father, “How long has this been happening to him?” And he said, been happening to him?” And he said,

“From childhood. “From childhood. 2222 It has often thrown him It has often thrown him both into the fire and into the water to both into the fire and into the water to

destroy him. But if You can do anything, destroy him. But if You can do anything, take pity on us and help us!” (Mark 9:21-22).take pity on us and help us!” (Mark 9:21-22).

And Jesus said to him, “‘If You can?’ All And Jesus said to him, “‘If You can?’ All things are possible to him who believes.” things are possible to him who believes.” 2424 Immediately the boy’s father cried out Immediately the boy’s father cried out

and said, “I do believe; help my unbelief.” and said, “I do believe; help my unbelief.” (Mark 9:20-24).(Mark 9:20-24).

For by grace you have been saved through For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, faith; and that not of yourselves, it is it is the gift the gift of God; of God; 99 not as a result of works, so that no not as a result of works, so that no

one may boast. (Ephesians 2:8-9).one may boast. (Ephesians 2:8-9).

• Prodigal sonProdigal son• Pharisee and Tax CollectorPharisee and Tax Collector• ZaccheusZaccheus• PeterPeter• Saul of TarsusSaul of Tarsus• Philippian JailerPhilippian Jailer