Repentance... Does it just mean change of mind?

THE GOSPEL

10/30/20243 min read

Repentance just means change of mind? A change of mind about what? What is Yahshua's definition of the word Repent?

Mat 4:17 From that time Yahshua began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.
A teaching that seems to be gaining in popularity is one that states that the word "Repent" just means change of mind absent the need to turn from sins. This teaching seems to go hand in hand with the "Christ Alone/Faith Alone" doctrine. This exemplifies the danger of creating a foundation that is not based on the doctrine of Christ. The unstable foundation results in willfully ignoring the Words of Yahshua which clearly contradict the accepted foundational false doctrine. In this case the word Repent is neutered and partially redefined. We could go into the Strongs and Thayers definitions of the Greek word "metanoeō" and look into the Hebrew definitions but I will leave that up to the reader. In this particular case the usage of the word by the Messiah clears up any and all confusion.
Mat 12:41 The men of Nineveh shall rise in judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: because they repented at the preaching of Jonas; and, behold, a greater than Jonas is here.
With this simple statement, Yahshua warns us what will happen to those that do not repent while giving us a great example of what true repentance looks like in practice.
Jon 3:4 And Jonah began to enter into the city a day's journey, and he cried, and said, Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown.
Jon 3:5 So the people of Nineveh believed Elohim, and proclaimed a fast, and put on sackcloth, from the greatest of them even to the least of them.
Jon 3:6 For word came unto the king of Nineveh, and he arose from his throne, and he laid his robe from him, and covered him with sackcloth, and sat in ashes.
Jon 3:7 And he caused it to be proclaimed and published through Nineveh by the decree of the king and his nobles, saying, Let neither man nor beast, herd nor flock, taste any thing: let them not feed, nor drink water:
Jon 3:8 But let man and beast be covered with sackcloth, and cry mightily unto Elohim: yea, let them turn every one from his evil way, and from the violence that is in their hands.
Jon 3:9 Who can tell if Elohim will turn and repent, and turn away from his fierce anger, that we perish not?
Jon 3:10 And Elohim saw their works, that they turned from their evil way; and Elohim repented of the evil, that he had said that he would do unto them; and he did it not.
The people of Nineveh did not just believe that Yahweh existed, nor did they just believe that He had sent Jonah. They heard the Word of Yahweh that came through Jonah, they understood it and they believed it and the consequences that would come if they ignored it. Their repentance came with fasting, sackcloth, ashes and a TURNING from evil. Yahweh then saw their works and did not destroy them. We have a greater prophet than Jonah in Yahshua the Messiah and a greater message in the Gospel that He was anointed to preach.
Mar 1:15 And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of Elohim is at hand: repent ye, and BELIEVE THE GOSPEL.
Believing the Word of Yahweh is always followed by the the works which He commands in His word, unless we have believed some other word. Perhaps it's the word of a Pastor or a church which has led us away from Messiah. What ever it might be it's time that we start to hear Him.
Rev 3:20 Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man HEAR MY VOICE, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.