Is Repenting Required for Salvation a Work-Based Doctrine?

Today, we have a question that was sent in earlier this week. Do you have to repent of your sins in order to have them forgiven? And if the answer is "Yes," is repenting of your sins considered a work? This is a very good question, and upon first glance, it seems to be making a point, but once we extrapolate this, the answer shall be seen.

Repentance

Many people understand the word repentance as derived from the Greek word μετανοέω (metanoeō), which means "to turn from sin". That definition is not totally off the mark, regretting sin and turning from it are related to repenting, but it doesn't make up the entire definition when we look at the Bible holistically. Biblically speaking, repent means to "change one's mind," that when genuinely done, results in a change of actions (Luke 3:8-14, 5:32; Acts 3:19; 1 Kings 8:48; Isaiah 1:27; and many more). The Old Testament and New Testament use different words. One word is Hebrew (The OT) and the other is Greek (The NT).

The Two Words for Repentance

μετανοέω 

This is the Greek word Menetoeo. A Pocket Lexicon of the Greek New Testament by Alexander Souter defines Menetoeo as "I change my mind, I change the inner man (particularly with reference to acceptance of the will of God by the νοῦς (mind) instead of rejection): with ἀπό or ἐκ, the giving up definitely of the courses denoted by the following words is indicated. (157)" Menetoeo also means to think differently, and A Concise Dictionary of the Words in the Greek Testament and the Hebrew Bible defines it as 'think differently; afterwards; reconsider; feel compunction (guilt)." It expresses an intellectual action concerning a topic or idea, and we will see this in a bit.

תְּשׁוּבָה

This word is the Hebrew word Teshoovah, and it carries a deeper meaning than just turning from sin. It means changing your mind and returning to God's moral righteousness, and a restored personal relationship with God. The root word of Teshoova, Shoov (repent), always appears in the Bible when referring to returning to God from wickedness. So repenting means to simply change your mindset that results in righteous actions.

How Does This Relate to Salvation?

When repenting is mentioned in Acts, it's always about the people changing their minds about their sin and Jesus Christ (Acts 2:38; 3:19; 11:18; 17:30; 20:21; 26:20). Notice in Acts 2:38 Peter tells some people who did not think of Jesus as Messiah to change their minds about their own sin and views of Jesus. That is, the revelation of Moral Fallibility and Jesus' Lordship, Death, and Resurrection. So does this mean that we have to work to receive salvation from Jesus?

Is This a Work?

Now we are getting to the core of this question, asking that if we must change our mind, does that make it a work, and that we must work for our salvation? Let me break it down for you. Repenting is not working, it's actually letting go and the active halting of work. When the Bible talks about works, it's talking about a person attempting to please God by their own actions. Isaiah 64:6 tells us that our best actions are like period cloths to God (See this Word Study Here: https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=pfbid02H66qEWMTXUXMbF2S63bCKNNzi8e5gcpa5UucXwXzLmkabvnqXx8eqgTZUQ6L8G4nl&id=61559814822281&rdid=PUHgHijR4Q9CY4ft#).

"For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. (Ephesians 2:8-10)" This verse specifically says that we are not to attempt to please God alone as not to "boast" about our actions. We are not saved by works so we do not let pride drown our spirits. This takes on a different view of works, works in this case does not mean any "activity" at all, it refers to making a graven image of God in your mind, the idol of your own taste. Believing that you alone have pleased God to His fullest extent, separate from Him (Luke 5:32).

So how is Repenting for Salvation not a Work?

When you realize your true Moral guilt before an infinite and holy God and that Jesus Christ has taken the punishment you deserve, you have completely given up any actions that you can do to please God. Jesus Paid Your Debt In Full (Colossians 1:14; Ephesians 1:7, 2:8-9; Matthew 6:12; Luke 7:41-50; Romans 6:23; 1 Peter 1:18-19, 2:24; Revelation 5:9; Isaiah 53; and so many more). It is you finally realizing there is a hand right in front of you and a voice saying "I am here, I Love You, and I do not change". This is a matter of Grace. If I offer you a gift but say, "You must wash my dishes and vacuum my living room first," Is that a gift or are you working for it? Is there a payment if I do not require labor from you and simply give you the gift? Are you able to take it with no debt? Unless you want to play semantics, the answer is you did not have to work for the gift, because it was Gracious. Grace means offering something that is not deserved, freely, with no payment or debt, and yes, no work. Jesus, being infinitely valuable, was able to bear the sin of all humans who call on His work on the cross. Repenting with salvation is allowing the only work that can pay the debt, the work of Jesus on the Cross be what is presented before God.

When the final judgement comes, you have a choice to either be evaluated by your actions alone, or the perfection that is in Jesus. It's your choice. Stand alone, or take the saving hand.

But What About Works?

The Bible does mention works relating to being saved by the grace of Faith in Christ. Many people have taken that to mean that we must work for our salvation, but that is not at all true. When you properly understand the relationship between Saving Faith and Works, you see that when we genuinely put our Faith in Jesus, and give up our attempts to satisfy His righteousness, we allow the perfection of the Holy Spirit to heal and change our actions to be more like God. One of the results of Genuine repentance in Christ (Revelation of Moral Guilt and Jesus' Sacrifice) is fruits, or a change in actions. This is also known as Sanctification in the Spirit, like a dirty cup under a running faucet, it will slowly become cleaner.

"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another. (Galations 5:22-26)" Amen.