REPENTANCE - A Worksheet
The following is an outline that shows what the New Testament says
about repentance. Beginning with the verse references provided, the
topic can be explored to whatever degree desired.
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PART 1 - REPENTANCE IS NECESSARY; ALL PEOPLE HAVE AN OBLIGATION TO REPENT
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Repentance is what God requires of us, and what he desires for us.
- God commands all people to repent - Acts 17:30.
- God desires that all people repent - 2 Peter 3:9. (He does not
desire that they perish - the only alternative to repentance.)
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Repentance is made possible by God, and is for all people everywhere.
- For the Jews (Israel) - Acts 5:31.
- For the non-Jews - Acts 11:18
- The message (or command) is for all nations, all people
everywhere - Luke 24:47; Acts 17:30.
- It is made possible because of God's kindness - Romans 2:4.
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How does a person repent?
- WHAT WE MUST DO: We must have godly sorrow over our sin - 2
Corinthians 7:10. This sorrow results in a turning away from sin, and
choosing to do what is right in God's sight. (In contrast, worldly
sorrow accomplishes no such changes, but leaves a person continuing
in the way of death.) Godly sorrow is more than just a feeling of
remorse; it leads to change. [The article, "Repentance
and Remorse," provides a more in-depth look at these concepts.]
- WHAT GOD DOES: He gives/grants repentance to us - Acts 5:31;
11:18; 2 Timothy 2:25. (Our hearts are so stubborn that repentance is not
a natural condition for us.)
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The responsibility of preachers/leaders:
- The message of repentance must be preached - Luke 24:47.
- Preachers and leaders must do their part (instructing, etc.), but
must leave the final outcome (that is, whether or not the person will
repent) to God - 2 Timothy 2:25 (an example).
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Repentance is necessary for both "sinners" (unsaved
people) and "saints" (saved people).
- FOR UNSAVED PEOPLE: Jesus' focus was to bring sinners to
repentance - Luke 5:32 [This is also mentioned, in some translations,
in Mark 2:17 and Matthew 9:13.]
- FOR UNSAVED PEOPLE: The apostle's message was that repentance was
a requirement for forgiveness - Acts 2:38 (an example). [See also
other examples in the book of Acts, etc.]
- FOR SAVED PEOPLE: Repentance is necessary whenever a person stops
doing what is right in God's sight - Revelation 2:5 (an example).
[See also other examples in Rev. 2-3.]
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PART 2 - REPENTANCE IS A COMMON THEME THROUGHOUT
THE NEW TESTAMENT
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Taught by John the Baptizer:
- In connection with the Kingdom of Heaven - Matthew 3:2.
- In connection with baptism and forgiveness - Matthew 3:11; Mark
1:4; Luke 3:3; Acts 13:24; 19:4.
- In connection with works (the "fruit" of one's life) -
Matthew 3:8; Luke 3:8.
-
Taught by Jesus:
- In connection with the Kingdom of Heaven / Kingdom of God -
Matthew 4:17; Mark 1:15.
- In connection with his lifelong goal: to rescue sinners, so that
they will not perish - Luke 5:32 ; 13:3, 5. [This is also mentioned,
in some translations, in Mark 2:17 and Matthew 9:13.]
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Taught by the Disciples:
- A part of their ministry with Jesus - Mark 6:12.
- A part of the "Great Commission" that Jesus gave them -
Luke 24:47.
- A part of the message of salvation - Acts 2:38; 3:19; 8:22;
20:21; 26:20.
-
Repentance is one of the "basic teachings" of "the Faith"
- Hebrews 6:1. This is part of the "foundation" we must
build upon. (Refusing to go beyond the "basics" is not
an option.)
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PART 3 - CONCERNING THOSE WHO DO NOT REPENT
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An example of people who did not repent:
The people of Jesus' day - Matthew 11:20.
- They will have a more horrible judgment because they rejected
opportunities for salvation that others were never given - Matthew
11:21-22; Luke 10:13.
- People of the past who did repent, will also testify
against them - Matthew 11:22; Luke 11:32.
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The consequences for those who refuse to repent:
- They will perish - Luke 13: 3, 5 (even though that is not
what God desires - 2 Peter 3:9).
- They are, even now, filling up a "store house" of wrath
that will one day be poured out on them - Romans 2:5.
- (See also what Jesus says about the people mentioned in Section
1, above.)
-
Various things about such people:
- They are a source of grief, to those who have repented - 2
Corinthians 12:21. (Those who have repented are grieved, because they
understand the future doom of those who remain unrepentant)
- Even miracles will not change their hearts, if they are
unwilling to pay attention to God's Word - Luke 16:30-31.
- If they do understand the truth, and totally reject it
(from the heart), there is no way that they will ever want to return
to the truth - Hebrews 6:6. [This applies to those who may have
temporarily accepted the "basics" of the truth (Hebrews
6:1+), but who now totally reject it.]
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PART 4 - CONCERNING THOSE WHO DO REPENT
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[Examples of people who repented: The people who accepted the
teaching of John (the baptizer), Jesus, and the apostles. See the
context of the verses mentioned in PART 2, above.]
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The consequences for those who repent:
- Forgiveness, removal of sins - Acts 2:38; 3:19.
- Salvation, no regrets for having repented - 2 Corinthians 7:10.
- Note: Many things happen in the process of salvation. Repentance
is just one of the responses we must have. (Two of the other
responses we must have include trust in God and a willingness to live
a godly life.) God also is actively involved in our salvation. It is
important to realize that, even though a verse may mention only one
or two aspects of this multi-faceted event, all are present.
-
Various things about such people:
- They are a source of joy in heaven - Luke 5:7, 10.
- They are a source of joy to others who have repented - 2
Corinthians 7:9 (an example). (This specific example focuses on the
joy a leader had, when certain people in the church repented of their sin.)
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PART 5 - REPENTANCE IN THE BOOK OF REVELATION
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Warnings to five of the seven churches:
- BACKGROUND: These were seven actual churches in Asia, located in
the area of modern Turkey. The issues they had to deal with are
similar to those experienced down through the centuries, by both
churches and individual Christians. Because of this, these letters
have great value, even to this day.
- In some of these instances, the command to repent is directed
toward Christians who have fallen into sin, perhaps without realizing
it. In other instances, the people in question may have never been
genuine Christians, in the first place.
- EPHESUS - Strong in doctrine and works, but weak in love. They
were to repent, or lose their place among the churches - Revelation 2:5.
- [SMYRNA - Suffering persecution, but remaining faithful to God.
No rebuke; no command to repent.]
- PERGAMUM - Faithful in some ways, but toleration of false
teaching and compromise in moral issues. They were to repent of these
sins, or Jesus would fight against them - Revelation 2:16.
- THYATIRA - Active in many ways, but (for the most part) as
corrupt as the world. They were already unwilling to repent.
If this unwillingness continued, Jesus would bring them suffering and
death - Revelation 2:21-22.
- SARDIS - Having a superficial expression of life, but (with few
exceptions) totally dead; religious but unsaved. They were told to
turn their attention back to what they had received (the message of
the Bible) and repent - Revelation 3:3. [Jesus wanted them to
exchange what was superficial and worthless for what was genuine.]
- [PHILADELPHIA - Weak, but faithful and growing. No rebuke; no
command to repent.]
- LAODICEA - Superficial and pretentious; claiming to be spiritual,
but so filled with worldliness that there was no room for Christ.
They were to repent and let Jesus come into their midst - Revelation
3:19! [As far as Jesus was concerned, their present condition was as
disgusting as vomit.]
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A warning about a coming day: The day will come, in which
people will refuse to repent, even when they know that it is God
who is judging them.
- [BACKGROUND: In Revelation 6:8, one-fourth of the world's
population are killed, and the remaining three-fourths of the people
survive. In Revelation 9:18, one-third of these survivors (which
amounts to one-third of the original three-fourths) are
killed. This would be an additional one-fourth of the original
total population, bringing the total dead to half of all who had
originally been alive.]
- Even after half of the world's population has been killed, the
survivors refused to repent of their sin and idolatry - Revelation 9:20-21.
- Later, God let the sun scorch them with a burning heat. At this
time, they not only refused to repent and glorify God, but they also
cursed him - Revelation 16:9.
- Then God then sent darkness, along with pain (probably pain from
the burns and sores of the previous judgment). At this time the
people still refused to repent of what they had done -
Revelation 16:11.
- [FURTHER COMMENTS: These people have rejected God so totally,
that they will never become willing to turn to him for
salvation. At this point, there is nothing left for God to do, except
to return and bring judgment upon them, at the final battle of
Armageddon. These people are so firm in their rejection of God, that,
to their dying breath, they will continue to curse him - Revelation 16:21!]
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PART 6 - TWO MISC. VERSES
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A required response we must have, toward people who sin
against us: We must forgive them, when they repent of the sins they
have committed against us - Luke 17:3-4.
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A warning about godlessness: It could bring about
"un-repentable" (unchangeable) consequences - Hebrews
12:17. [In this verse, the word "repent" is used in the way
that is more commonly found in the Old Testament. See the separate
article, "What about Repentance in the Old Testament?"]
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Dennis Hinks © 2001
041110