When I came home from prison, I knew I needed to get my life together. By the grace of God, the 43 years I was facing ended up being less than six months in actual prison time. The rest of my sentence I served on probation, which is its own kind of prison; still better than actually being in a jail cell though. A friend, that I went to high school with, got saved in Miami and moved back to Maryland where I lived. He started going to a megachurch in our city and eventually invited me to come. I accepted. It was strange and fantastic at the same time.
The strange part was that most of the 2800 people, which grew to 4000 before I left, were white, and they were often unaware of the culture within their church. Every church has a culture; which isn’t bad unless you don’t recognize that you have a way of doing things that resonates with many people who attend the church. Most Christians assume they are living their lives biblically, and the way they do church is a reflection of that. In many cases, this is true, but no church does everything “biblical,” even if their intention is such.
One of the unbiblical ways this family of churches (not just them but many other churches do this too) functioned was the usage of the word repent. “Repent” was used consistently as a way to challenge Christians to obey God. In a small group context where sin was being confessed, it was easy for a response to be something like this, “Bro, you’re not repenting and believing the gospel.” Or “You gotta repent of that sin, bro.” Many variations of this type of phraseology, using the word repent, became synonymous with the biblical term sanctification. This word denotes the process of being like Jesus in our obedience. Resisting sin, growing in the fruits of the Spirit, and being “Christlike” is biblical. But telling Christians to “repent” is not. Below are four reasons why I think Christians should stop telling other Christians to repent.
Repent is the language of justification, not sanctification
The actual word “repent” (Metanoia in the Greek) is not about obedience; it’s about believing and turning one's mind to follow Jesus, which leads to a life of obedience. In most Greek dictionaries, repent has a spectrum of meaning.: change one’s mind, feel remorse, be converted, the nuance of remorse (a regret for shortcomings and errors), focus on the need of change in view of responsibility to deity.
Repent is primarily the language of conversion. It’s a call to place faith in Jesus, to believe in Him for the forgiveness of our sins. With a few exceptions, repent is used only when people need to believe in Jesus to be saved from the punishment of the sins. Those exceptions are:
The letters to the churches in Revelation 2 & 3
Luke 17:3–5 (CSB): Be on your guard. If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him. 4 And if he sins against you seven times in a day, and comes back to you seven times, saying, ‘I repent,’ you must forgive him.”
In Revelation, Jesus told John to write to the seven angels of those churches. Five of those angels/churches are told to repent. The angels/divine council and their role in humanity is too wonderful for this post. But this section of scripture is the only time in the NT where people who seem to be believers of Jesus are commanded to repent.
In Luke 17, Jesus used the word repent (metanoēsē) as an ongoing demonstration of remorse for lack of obedience. However, at this point in redemptive history, Jesus hadn’t become the object of repentance. Once someone repents by believing in Jesus, the command to repent is unnecessary.
The word “repentance” is a commitment to love God by obeying his commands because you’ve repented. The expectation is that once you believe the message of Jesus, those who genuinely believe will bear fruit consistent with the fact that they have repented. Below are verses that demonstrate “repent” is the call to be converted; to believing in Jesus for the forgiveness of sins.
Mark 1:15 (CSB): 15 “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!”
Matthew 4:17 (CSB): From then on, Jesus began to preach, “Repent, because the kingdom of heaven has come near.”
Matthew 11:20–21 (CSB): Then he proceeded to denounce the towns where most of His miracles were done because they did not repent: 21 “Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! If the miracles that were done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented in sackcloth and ashes long ago.
Other examples using the language as conversion, justification, belief in Jesus for the forgiveness of sin are persuasive in the NT. If “repent” means to believe in Jesus, then how can you believe in Jesus after you’ve already decided to believe in Jesus? It would be like Nicodemus asking how can a man be born again? It just doesn’t make sense. More could be said on this point, but the overarching evidence leads us to the second reason beli should stop telling each other to repent.
Honorable mention:
Luke 13:3, 5, 15:10, 16:30,
Acts 2:38, 3:19, 8:22, 17:30
The Apostles did not baptize anyone they didn’t think repented
The apostles, more than anyone, knew what Jesus meant when he said repent. They understood their responsibility to bind and loose, and baptize anyone who repented. Repentance and Baptism were inseparable for the apostles. Did they disobey God?
A few examples below prove this:
Acts 2:36–41 (CSB): Therefore let all the house of Israel know with certainty that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Messiah.” 37 When they heard this, they were pierced to the heart and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brothers, what should we do?” 38 Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, each of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. [39] For the promise is for you and for your children, and for all who are far off, as many as the Lord our God will call." [40] With many other words he testified and strongly urged them, saying, "Be saved from this corrupt generation!" [41] So those who accepted his message were baptized, and that day about three thousand people were added to them.
Acts 8:9–13 (CSB): 9 A man named Simon had previously practiced sorcery in that city and amazed the Samaritan people, while claiming to be somebody great. 10 They all paid attention to him, from the least of them to the greatest, and they said, “This man is called the Great Power of God.”, 11 They were attentive to him because he had amazed them with his sorceries for a long time. 12 But when they believed Philip, as he proclaimed the good news about the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, both men and women were baptized. 13 Even Simon himself believed. And after he was baptized, he followed Philip everywhere and was amazed as he observed the signs and great miracles that were being performed.
Acts 8:34–38 (CSB): The eunuch said to Philip, “I ask you, who is the prophet saying this about—himself or someone else?” 35 Philip proceeded to tell him the good news about Jesus, beginning with that Scripture. 36 As they were traveling down the road, they came to some water. The eunuch said, “Look, there’s water. What would keep me from being baptized?” 38 So he ordered the chariot to stop, and both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water, and he baptized him.
The apostles baptized only those who did repent. For them, when you repent you believe in Jesus and are justified. Moments after people repented they were baptized. Above in Acts 2:41 we see that three thousand people repented and were baptized in one day. You know what’s missing? Obedience. There was no way for any of those people to “repent” in the way we use the term today, which is synonymous with ongoing obedience. Those people believed the message and were baptized right away. The apostles saw repentance as believing the message of Jesus. They didn’t view it as obedience in the way we do today. Had repent meant actionable rather than rational, they may have required people show fruit before they were baptized. But they didn’t. To the apostles, if you believed the message of Jesus you repented and were worthy to get baptized.
Acts 16:13–15 (CSB): On the Sabbath day we went outside the city gate by the river, where we expected to find a place of prayer. We sat down and spoke to the women gathered there. 14 A God-fearing woman named Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth from the city of Thyatira, was listening. The Lord opened her heart to respond to what Paul was saying. 15 After she and her household were baptized
Acts 16:29–33 (CSB): The jailer called for lights, rushed in, and fell down trembling before Paul and Silas. 30 He escorted them out and said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” 31 They said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household.” 32 And they spoke the word of the Lord to him along with everyone in his house. 33 He took them the same hour of the night and washed their wounds. Right away he and all his family were baptized
Remember the thief on the cross (Luke 23:32-43)? What actual obedience could he do except acknowledge that Jesus is who he says he is? In fact, he doesn’t ask for forgiveness, but he does acknowledge his guilt that led him to his impending death by crucifixion. He had no ability to do works to show he’s truly repented. And Jesus’ response to his request was amazing; "Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise." Repent means to believe in Jesus. It’s conversion language. It’s the language of justification not sanctification. So if we don’t say “you need to repent” to one another, then what do we say?
Repent is not used as the language for obedience
One of the most precious truths in Christianity is that scripture is the word of God. God determines all reality and God’s Word is the truth that sanctifies us (John 17:17). It is where we find our hope and our identity. Those words are the words of life, so it is imperative that we observe what they say, and what they don’t say.
As I said above, after the book of Acts, you will not see the word “repent.” You will see “repentance & repented,” describing the fruit of people who did repent. But you will not see the word “repent” as the language of ongoing obedience. Repent is justification language. Sanctification (the process of becoming more like Jesus in action and attitude) has different words that God chose to communicate. Below are examples of how God talks to Christians who have converted.
Romans 6:12-14 CSB
[12] Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, so that you obey its desires. [13] And do not offer any parts of it to sin as weapons for unrighteousness. But as those who are alive from the dead, offer yourselves to God, and all the parts of yourselves to God as weapons for righteousness. [14] For sin will not rule over you, because you are not under the law but under grace.
Romans 12:1-2 CSB
[1] Therefore, brothers and sisters, in view of the mercies of God, I urge you to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God; this is your true worship. [2] Do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may discern what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God.
Galatians 5:16-17 CSB
[16] I say, then, walk by the Spirit and you will certainly not carry out the desire of the flesh. [17] For the flesh desires what is against the Spirit, and the Spirit desires what is against the flesh; these are opposed to each other, so that you don’t do what you want. …
Ephesians 4:1-3 CSB
[1] Therefore I, the prisoner in the Lord, urge you to walk worthy of the calling you have received, [2] with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, [3] making every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.
Ephesians 4:25 CSB
[25] Therefore, putting away lying, speak the truth, each one to his neighbor, because we are members of one another.
Colossians 3:2-5 CSB
[2] Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. [3] For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. [4] When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory. [5] Therefore, put to death what belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desire, and greed, which is idolatry.
Colossians 3:12-14 CSB
[12] Therefore, as God's chosen ones, holy and dearly loved, put on compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience, [13] bearing with one another and forgiving one another if anyone has a grievance against another. Just as the Lord has forgiven you, so you are also to forgive. [14] Above all, put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity.
James 2:12-13 CSB
[12] Speak and act as those who are to be judged by the law of freedom. [13] For judgment is without mercy to the one who has not shown mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.
2 Peter 1:5-9 CSB
[5] For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with goodness, goodness with knowledge, [6] knowledge with self-control, self-control with endurance, endurance with godliness, [7] godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. [8] For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being useless or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. [9] The person who lacks these things is blind and shortsighted and has forgotten the cleansing from his past sins.
I used more scripture for this point because I wanted to show the severity of this idea. God did not use the word repent when encouraging his children to live their repentance. He appealed from a different choice of words because it’s important that we believe who we are. And this is my pet peeve with Christians telling each other to repent, you’re telling someone to believe in Jesus. By believe I mean convert. It’s as if you’re saying that they never repented and need to do it again. But that’s not true. The moment you accepted Jesus you repented. Now we have to learn how to “walk in a manner worthy of the calling we have received.” The language of obedience may not be as succinct and notable as the word repent but it’s the language God chose to encourage us to obey. One of the reasons why, is that ,in scripture, language is almost always connected to identity.
Language is often connected to identity
This is also why you won’t hear the word sinner aimed at someone who has repented
The identity given to people who have repented
1 John 2:1 CSB
[1] My little children, I am writing you these things so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father-Jesus Christ the righteous one.
1 John 3:1-3 CSB
[1] See what great love the Father has given us that we should be called God's children-and we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it didn't know him. [2] Dear friends, we are God's children now, and what we will be has not yet been revealed. We know that when he appears, we will be like him because we will see him as he is. [3] And everyone who has this hope in him purifies himself just as he is pure.
Romans 8:16-17 CSB
[16] The Spirit himself testifies together with our spirit that we are God's children, [17] and if children, also heirs-heirs of God and coheirs with Christ-if indeed we suffer with him so that we may also be glorified with him.
2 Corinthians 5:17 CSB
[17] Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has passed away, and see, the new has come!
1 Peter 2:9-10 CSB
[9] But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his possession, so that you may proclaim the praises of the one who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. [10] Once you were not a people, but now you are God's people; you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.
1 Peter 4:12 CSB
[12] Dear friends, don't be surprised when the fiery ordeal comes among you to test you, as if something unusual were happening to you.
1 Corinthians 12:12-13 CSB
[12] For just as the body is one and has many parts, and all the parts of that body, though many, are one body-so also is Christ. [13] For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body-whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free-and we were all given one Spirit to drink.
Ephesians 2:4-5 CSB
[4] But God, who is rich in mercy, because of his great love that he had for us, [5] made us alive with Christ even though we were dead in trespasses. You are saved by grace!
Discouragement comes easy for the believer. We are often more aware of our failures than our victories. We are more aware of our sanctification (obedience) than we are our justification(righteousness). I understand why. And I understand that for many people “repent” doesn’t mean believe, but behave. For that reason, some may dismiss this as a matter of semantics. If so, we can agree to disagree. The language that God uses he uses for a reason. And I would rather use the words that remind me of my identity in Christ, than the language that communicates I don’t yet know him.
Christian, stop telling each other to Repent!
You can’t handle this truth! But you should still share the post
My next post will be wrapping up the tryth of systemic racism. If systemic racism is gone then what do make of what we’ve seen since then?
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