In the New Testament we find these two words, repent and repentance, and they are used frequently. Let’s do a quick study on them so we can decide what we believe these words mean.

Repent= metanoeō G3340 means: morally to feel compunction, to change one’s mind for better, heartily to amend with abhorrence of one’s past sins. Used 34 x’s in the NT

Repentance= metanoia G3341 means: a change of mind, as it appears to one who repents, of a purpose he has formed or of something he has done. Used 24 x’s in the NT

I like to start a study with looking at the very first time a word is used in the Scriptures. Starting this way gives me a huge clue as to what is being said with the usage of this word, why it’s being said, what context this word is used in and why it was used by the author for that specific time to communicate God’s Word to His people. I’m going to attempt to keep this short, God willing.~

The very 1st time the word repent shows up in the New Testament is in Mat 3:2

Mat 3:2  And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. (John the Baptist)

Here, it shows us that THIS act of repenting John is speaking of, is the apex point of ALL that John is to be communicating to God’s people in preparation for the Coming of the Lord Jesus.

The 2nd time the word repent is used is in Mat 4:17

Mat 4:17  From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. (Jesus)

This verse is used to show the start of the ministry of Jesus, because the very next verse is Jesus calling His first disciples to walk with Him and share His message of repentance. Jesus said in Mat 4:17 that this repentance was required, because the kingdom of Heaven was walking in their midst, or at hand.

The 3rd time the word repent is used is in Mat 11:20, seven chapters later, after He and His chosen disciples encounter some opposition.

Mat 11:20  Then began he to upbraid the cities wherein most of His mighty works were done, because they repented not: 

*upbraid= oneidezō G3679: to reproach, upbraid, revile, root word: oneidos: to disgrace, bring shame.

This Message of repentance, was from the Father in Heaven and was being personally delivered by His only begotten Son Jesus and His hand chosen witnesses, and that Message was “repentance” because Jesus started to REVILE those cities where He performed MOST of His mighty works in and they still refused to repent.

Are we following so far? I’m trying to keep it simple. There are 3 cities/towns that Jesus spoke a reproach in revilement to, the 1st was a town in Galilee called Chorazin which means “a furnace of smoke” and the 2nd was Bethsaida which means “house of fish”, it was a small fishing village in Galilee. The 3rd was Capernaum which means “the city of comfort”.

Notice that Jesus is concentrating on the areas that surrounded where He lived and where He was a witness and neighbor to their lives. He is publicly shaming them for their lack of repentance.

Mat 11:21  Woe unto thee, Chorazin! woe unto thee, Bethsaida! for if the mighty works, which were done in you, had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. 
Mat 11:22  But I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the day of judgment, than for you. 

Mat 11:23  And thou, Capernaum, which art exalted unto heaven, shalt be brought down to hell: for if the mighty works, which have been done in thee, had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day. 
Mat 11:24  But I say unto you, That it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment, than for thee. 

The last and 5th time the word repent is used in the book of Matthew is here.

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. 

In Mark, the oldest of the Gospels, it records the start of Jesus’ ministry again with the same words as in Matthew:

Mar 1:15  And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel. 

Mar 6:12  And they went out, and preached that men should repent. 

That’s it for the book of Mark, only two times the word repent is used, and both times it is at the start of going out and sharing the Message of Jesus from the Father.

John 12:49 For I have not spoken of myself; but the Father which sent me, he gave me a commandment, what I should say, and what I should speak.

Luke uses the word repent 9 times in his Gospel. The Gospel of John uses only the word repentance as in the way one lives their lives.

Now, I feel it is extremely important to point out that in the New Testament there is a difference between what is considered the ungodly and what is considered the sinner.

1 Pet 4:18 And, “If it is hard for the righteous to be saved, what will become of the ungodly and the sinner?”

Ungodly are those that do not recognize God, do not believe in Him and are not convicted by His God’s laws written in their hearts.

Sinners are those that know the good they OUGHT TO DO and choose to do wrong instead.

James 4:17 Anyone, then, who knows the right thing to do, yet fails to do it, is guilty of sin.

So we’re clear on the fact that a sinner and an ungodly person are two different things? Good. Let’s move on.

1Tim 1:9  Knowing this, that the law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and for sinners, for unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers, 
1Tim 1:10  For whoremongers, for them that defile themselves with mankind, for menstealers, for liars, for perjured persons, and if there be any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine; 

Wait! Stop for a second since we know that the ungodly and sinners are different, how are the unholy and profane different? Let’s take a quick look.

Unholy= anosios G462, impious, wicked

Profane= bebēlos G952, accessible, something or someone that it is lawful to tread upon or within.

Ooh! That’s good. The Unholy ones are those that profess God but deny His power, and although they claim piety, they are impious towards a God that they DO believe in.

To be profane, means something or someone that is good for nothing, worthless, it’s purpose is to be trampled upon as an example by men.

Mat 5:13  Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men. 

Heb 10:29 How much more severely do you think one deserves to be punished who has trampled on the Son of God, profaned the blood of the covenant that sanctified him, and insulted the Spirit of grace?

Mat 25:30  And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. *he was a servant, not an unbeliever.

So, just to be clear, the ungodly do NOT SIN, they by nature do things that are contrary to God, like brute beasts without any thought of offense to a God they do not believe in. Check out these verse that explain this:

Jud 1:10  These men, however, slander what they do not understand, and like irrational animals, they will be destroyed by the things they do instinctively.

2Pe 2:12  These men are like irrational animals, creatures of instinct, born to be captured and destroyed. They blaspheme in matters they do not understand, and like such creatures, they too will be destroyed. 

Okay, you still with me? That was just a quick peak into the word REPENT, now let’s dive into a quick look at the word REPENTANCE.

The very first time this word repentance is used in Mat 3:8 and it’s John the Baptist once again that is the first to say it, being the forerunner that he was called to be.

Mat 3:7  But when he (John) saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism, he said unto them, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come? 
Mat 3:8  Bring forth therefore fruits *meet for repentance: 

*meet= axios and it means: worthy of, the measurement of something that is equal to or comparable to.

The 2nd time the word repentance is used is in Mat 3:11

Mat 3:11  I indeed baptize you with water *unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire: (the word *unto is the word eis G1519 is a preposition and it means: towards or in the direction of.)

John is saying that he is baptizing people towards repentance and the Holy Spirit that Jesus will baptize them with will be the FIRE of trials that will be perfecting their faith over time, like silver purified in the fire 7 times.

The 3rd time the word repentance is used is in Mat 9:13

Mat 9:13  But go ye and learn what that meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: for I am not come to call the righteous, but *sinners to repentance. 

Okay, we just learned, if you were paying attention; that Sinners are those that BELIEVE in God and KNOW what His will is and choose NOT to do it, for whatever reason.

Jesus is saying that He DID NOT come TO CALL the righteous, THEY are already walking in the will of the Father. He came to CALL the SINNER to REPENTANCE. Understand? He came to CALL those that SAY they know Him but don’t walk in accordance to the will of the Father in heaven.

Luke 15:7  I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance. 

Luke 24:47  And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among ALL nations, beginning at Jerusalem. 
Luke 24:48  And ye are witnesses of these things. 

THE GOSPEL is God GIVING us the opportunity to REPENT. Those that BELIEVE in God, sinners.

Act 5:31  God exalted Him to His right hand as Prince and Savior, in order to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins. 

Act 11:18  When they heard these things, they held their peace, and glorified God, saying, Then hath God also to the Gentiles given repentance unto life. 

Act 26:20  But shewed first unto them of Damascus, and at Jerusalem, and throughout all the coasts of Judaea, and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn back to God, and do works *meet/worthy of repentance. 
Act 26:21  For these causes the Jews caught me in the temple, and went about to kill me. 

You see, the reason I’m writing this article is due to the false doctrine of Once Saved Always Saved that has permeated the congregation of the Lord. I, many a time, have had my life spiritually and physically threatened for merely telling a BELIEVER in God that they need to repent and turn back to God and do works that match and are worthy of what they say they repented for.

2Co 7:9  Now I rejoice, not that you were made sorry, but that you sorrowed to repentance: for ye were made sorry after a godly manner, that ye might receive damage by us in nothing. 
2Co 7:10  For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death. 

No longer will I sit by and listen to the excuse of “Well they were never really saved to begin with” because THIS clearly says otherwise.

Heb 6:4  For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, 
Heb 6:5  And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, 
Heb 6:6  If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame. 

Let’s not forget the people in Mat 7:22 operated in their God given gifts, only, they used them for profane reasons. God’s gifts and the knowledge He gives to us the are without repentance. Which means we CHOOSE whether we serve God with them or not.

I will close this with these words from Paul to the Philippians.

Php 2:12  Therefore, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not only in my presence, but now even more in my absence, continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling. 

God Bless you all, I pray that you had ears to hear and a mind to comprehend all that I’ve laid out here today In Jesus Name.

Be Free and Set Free!