Repentance and Faith © John Stevenson, 2012

RepentanceFaith

Nacham: Reflects the idea of sorrow and often indicates a change of purposeNacham: Reflects the idea of sorrow and often indicates a change of purpose Shuv: To turn.Shuv: To turn.

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

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

Metanoeo: RepentMetanoeo: Repent Corresponds to the Hebrew Nacham. Corresponds to the Hebrew Nacham. Epistrepho: TurnEpistrepho: Turn Corresponds to the Hebrew Shuv. Corresponds to the Hebrew Shuv. Classical Greek used metanoeo in a general sense of a change of mind, heart, or direction, including times when a person repented of doing something good to turn to a path of evil.

“Therefore repent [metanoeo] and return [epistrepho], so that your sins may be wiped away, in order that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord; 20 and that He may send Jesus, the Christ appointed for you” (Acts 3:19-20).

Louis Berkhof lists three elements 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 sorrowful, but that you were made sorrowful to the point of repentance; for you were made sorrowful according to the will of God, so that you might not suffer loss in anything through us. 10 For 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 Corinthians 7:9-10).

Therefore bear fruits in keeping with repentance, and do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham for our father,” for I say to you that from these stones God is able to raise up children to Abraham. (Luke 3:8).

The Lord’s bond-servant must not be quarrelsome, but be kind to all, able to teach, patient when wronged, 25 with gentleness correcting those who are in opposition, if perhaps God may grant them repentance leading to the knowledge of the truth, 26 and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, having been held captive by him to do his will. (2 Timothy 2:24-26).

Repentance Focus on the negative Faith Focus on the positive Turns away from sin and rebellion Turns to God and trusts in Him

What is Faith? CognitionCognition ConvincingConvincing ConfidenceConfidence CommitmentCommitment

…as it is written, “There is none righteous, not even one; 11 There is none who understands, There is none who seeks for God; 12 All have turned aside, together they have become useless; There is none who does good, There is not even one (Romans 3:10-12).

But a natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God; for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually 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 with a spirit which makes him mute; 18 and whenever it seizes him, it slams him to the ground and he foams at the mouth, and grinds his teeth and stiffens out. I told Your disciples to cast it out, and they could not do it.” (Mark 9:17-18).

And He asked his father, “How long has this been happening to him?” And he said, “From childhood. 22 It has often thrown him both into the fire and into the water to destroy him. But if You can do anything, take pity on us and help us!” (Mark 9:21-22).

And Jesus said to him, “‘If You can?’ All things are possible to him who believes.” 24 Immediately the boy’s father cried out and said, “I do believe; help my unbelief.” (Mark 9:20-24).

For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; 9 not as a result of works, so that no 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