| Introduction and Overview of Repentance | | Confusion Over Repentance 3 | | Repentance in a Nutshell | | In a Nutshell, Repentance in the Old Testament | | In a Nutshell -- Repentance in the New Testament | | Generic Repentance | | What Is Saving Repentance? | | Repentance: Looking at the Context | | Repentance and the Divinity of Jesus, Part 1 | | Repentance and the Divinity of Jesus, Part 2 | | Repentence and the Divinity of Jesus, Part 3 | | Savins Repentnace About the Person and Work of Christ | | Repentance and Jesus' Offer of Salvation | | Repentance from Religion, Matthew 3:5-9 Part 1 | | Rep;entance from Religion, Matthew 3:5-9 Part 2 | | Repentance from Religion: Matthew 3:5-9, Part 3 | | Repentance from self righteousness: Luke 13:4-5 | | Repentance from Self Righteousness, Luke 13:4-5 | | Repentence from Self Righteousness, Luke 13:4-5 | | Repentance from Religious Ritiuals, Hebrews 6:1-2 | | Repentance from Religious Rituals, Hebrews 6:1-2 | | Repentance and Jesus' Offer of Salvation, Summary | | Repentance from Sin | | Why Would God Need a Bull Horn? | | Repentance throughout the New Testament, Introduction | | Repentance in Matthew 3 | | Repentance in Matthew 4:17 | | Repentance in Matthew 9:13 | | Repentance in Matthew 11:20-24 | | Repentance in Matthew 12:41 | | Repentance in Matthew 21:29 | | Repentance in Matthew 27:3 | | Repentance in Mark 1:4 | | Repentance in Mark 1:15 | | Repentance in Mark 2:17 | | Repentance in Mark 6:12 | | Repentance in Luke 3:3 | | Repentance in Luke 3:8 | | Repentance in Luke 5:32 | | Repentance in Luke 10:13 | | Repentance in Luke 11:32 | | Repentance in Luke 13:3, 5 | | Repentance in Luke 15:7 | | Repentance in Luke 16:30 | | Luke 17:3-4 | | Repentance in Luke 24:47 | | Repentance in Acts 2:38 | | Repentance in Acts 3:19 | | Repentance in Acts 5:31 | | Repentance in Acts 8:22 | | Repentance in Acts 11:18 | | Repentance in Acts 13:24 | | Repentance in Acts 17:30 | | Repentance in Acts 19:4 | | Repentance in Acts 20:21 | | Repentance in Acts 26:20 | | Repentance in Romans 2:4 | | Repentance in Romans 11:29 | | Repentance in 2 Corinthians 7:8-10 | | Repentance in 2 Corinthians 12:21 | | Repentance in 2 Timothy 2:25 | | Repentance in Hebrews 6:1 | | Repentance in Hebrews 6:6 | | Repentance in Hebrews 7:21 | | Repentance in Hebrews 12:17 | | Repentance in 2 Peter 3:9 | | Repentance in Revelation 2:5 (2x) | | Repentance in Revelation 2:16 | | Repentance in Revelation 2:21-22 | | Repentance in Revelation 3:3 | | Repentance in Revelation 3:19 | | Repentance in Revelation 9:20 & 21 | | Repentance in Revelation 16:9 & 11 | | Appendix C, Repentance as a Condition for Salvation, pg. 1 | | Appendix C: Repentance as a Condition for Salvation, pg. 2 | | Appendix D - Repentance from Sin in the New Testament | | Appendix E, Other Theological Usages of Repentance in the New Testament | | Appendix F: Generic Repentance in the New Testament |
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Repentance and Salvation In Scripture
by
Ronald R. Shea, Th.M., J.D.
Repentance in a Nutshell
Repentance in a Nutshell Part I: Common Myths About Repentance
Myth #1: Repentance is directed to sin, either by way of heartfelt remorse, or by way of turning from one's sins.
Fact: Sin is not the inherent object of repentance. One can repent about anything. To demonstrate this, one need only consider the following facts:
1) The person who repents more often than any other person in the Old Testament is God! If sin is the automatic and intrinsic object of repentance, and means to "turn from one's sins," we have a "God" who turns from His sins! This fact alone should serve notice that there is something seriously wrong with the belief that "repentance" means "turning from sin."
2) Even more troubling, the person who refuses to repent more often than any other person in the Old Testament is God! Therefore, if repentance means "turning from one's sin," we not only have a "God" who frequently turns from His sins often, we also have a God who frequently refuses to turn from His sins! To quote the astronaut who returned to the lunar module only to learn that he had locked the door behind him during his moon walk . . . "Houston, we have a problem."
3) One can even repent from goodness to sin! Plutarch, the Greek historian, writes of two criminals who "spared a child, and then afterwards, repented and sought to slay it." This is not repenting from sin, it is repenting to sin! The very opposite meaning so often ascribed to "repentance" in common culture.
4) Finally, and amazingly, the phrase "repent of your sins" never occurs in Scripture!! That's correct! Never! To confirm this, simply take out a Strong's Concordance, and look up every passage where the words "repent," or "repented," occur in Scripture. You will never see the phrase "repent of your sins" in the Bible. Yet somehow, a phrase that never occurs in Scripture has become the central message of the gospel for all too many evangelists, ministers and theologians! Unless someone is determined to defend some preconceived theological notion on Repentance, the above summary of facts should genuinely alarm the reader that something is seriously astray in the church today. And this is not some minor error in an obscure question of theology. It deals with the most important message in the universe, affecting the eternal destiny of every man, woman and child on this planet. And you don't even need to be a scholar in Hebrew or Greek to confirm this. You can simply confirm these facts using a concordance and a Bible.
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Repentance in a Nutshell |
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