Bible repentance (”metanoya”), means a changed mind. “The goodness of God leads to repentance [or a changed mind]” (Rom 2:4). It can happen anywhere, anytime. God is always leading us towards knowing him and his grace and to “repent from dead works” (self-effort). We have righteousness as a gift by the grace of God, not by our self-effort or self-righteousness (Rom 5:17).
There’s no need for emotional reactions even though that could be involved. But many times, after the crying and anguish is over, things are still the same because the person has yet to change his mind about letting go of his self-effort and trusting instead in God’s grace and love regarding the matter.
of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God (Heb 6:1).
just one thought here- repentence is not needed for salvation- in as much as we must ‘become clean enough that Christ wil laccept us” The bible simply says ‘believe on the; Lord Jesus Christ” Nothing aobut ‘cleansing ourselves first before we are acceptable”
The word ‘repentence’ does not mean ‘lordship salvation’ where oen must make a life commitment vow to eschew all sin from here on in’ The original word for ‘repent’ simply means ‘change of mind” IE we ‘change our mind about WHO is responsible for salvation” (We do not save ourselves, this is a hard pill for many to swallow because we ‘feel like’ WE have to do soemthign in order to be saved- ie: Work to achieve salvation- The bible is very clear- We need only ‘repent’ Have a change of mind about WHO Saves- Chrsit and Christ alone saves- when we come to that realization, and submit to that reality finally, we have come to a point of ‘repentence”
Roy B. Zuck writes:
Repentance is included in believing. Faith and repentance are like two sides of a coin. Genuine faith includes repentance, and genuine repentance includes faith. The Greek word for repentance (metanoia) means to change one’s mind. But to change one’s mind about what? About sin, about one’s adequacy to save himself, about Christ as the only way of salvation, the only One who can make a person righteous (“Kindred Spirit,” a quarterly publication of Dallas Seminary, Summer 1989, p. 5).
Some claim this is ‘easily salvation’ ‘cheap salvation (in that it cheapens the price Christ paid on the cross by not requiring us to make a vow to never sin again as in lordship salvation)’ etc- however, it’s clear in Gods’ word that the word repentence simply means to have a change of mind/heart about how we ‘get to heaven’ ie we don’t work our way there- and instead means we humbly accept Christ as our only means of salvation- We ‘bow the knee’ as it were- We admit finally to Christ that HE is Lord, and that We are NOT-
Repentance is marked by change. that brings the wanderer back onto the right path
Repent in the New Testament Covenant context means to change. The change is from not accepting the collective offer of salvation to accepting Jesus as your personal savior. It does not include feeling regret, remorse, contrition, or self-reproach for past sins. All sin was forgiven over 2,000 years ago no record of their occurrence remains.
Church is not a rest home for saints; church is a hospital for sinners.