‘Repent’ in Websters dictionary is defined as ‘to feel pain, sorrow or regret for something done or spoken, to express sorrow for something past’.
Now some of you may never have even heard that before, because your pastor or preacher is telling you repent means ‘to turn’.
Repent can sometimes mean ‘to change’ depending on the context, but it never means ‘to turn’ – ever. In fact most often throughout the Bible the word ‘repent’ means ‘grief and sorrow’ – that’s what the word means.
Many of you may say but ‘repent’ means ‘to turn’ is what my pastor told me so many times, but ‘repent’ never means ‘to turn’ – that’s because they don’t understand it.
The first time the word ‘repent’ is mentioned in the Bible is actually when The Lord God used it talking about himself when in Genesis 6, He said: ‘And it repented the LORD that he had made man and it grieved him at his heart’.
The KJV Bible has a built in dictionary – that is one of the great things about it – in that God wanted to preserve his word in perfect form in the KJV so that many of the words used are defined in the KJV itself if you look closely, so that you can know what they mean.
If you were to say that repent meant ‘to turn’ so that God ‘turned’ from making Man or He ‘changed his mind’ from making Man, if that were the case, then we would not be here right now. Think about that a minute. If ‘repent’ meant ‘to turn’ or ‘to change’, then none of us would be here right now.
“For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death.” (2 Corinthians 7:10)
“Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble. Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time:” (1 Peter 5:5-6)
“Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded. Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness. Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.” (James 4:7-10)
“In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth;” (2 Timothy 2:25)
“The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” (2 Peter 3:9)
Salvation
Salvation – What the Bible Says
Where Do I Stand With the Lord?
How To Discern, Test and Judge Rightly
Twenty-One Jezebelic Footprints
Casting Out Demons
Refutation of Claims Made by Cessationists
How To Help Those in the Occult
Contrition
A Guide to the Tribulation
The Truth About the Rapture
Deception Party – Pick Your Poison
What Is the Gospel of Jesus Christ?
The Antichrist and a Cup of Tea
The Shroud of Turin
Christian Testimonies
Renunciation Prayers
Prayer for Repentance and Forgiveness
Prayer To Renounce Being Offended
Prayer To Ask To Develop Good Fruit
Prayer to Surrender Burdens (Short)
Prayer for Protection
Prayer for Deliverance
