Repentance Unto Life

 I think one of the most terrible commands in the Bible is to Repent.  As the cliché goes “easier said than done.” When I accepted Jesus as my Lord and Savior I wondered if I will ever truly and perfectly repent. Sometimes it grieves me so much, and like the prophets of old I’m so overwhelmed by God’s holiness and my own sinfulness so I can say with Isaiah “Woe to me!…I am ruined! (Isa 6:5 NIV) and in feeling God’s presence I can say what Apostle Peter had said “…”Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!”” (Luke 5:8 NIV). I even groaned inside like Apostle Paul “What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? (Rom 7:23-24 NIV)

With that struggle, I view Christian life as a quest and a journey pressing on to the higher ground, trying to escape the pull of this lower nature. Because of that I continually examine my life. Observing what’s happening inside of me. And, one word grabs a hold of my mind as I read and search the scriptures for the answer. That is REPENTANCE!

The Bible highlights the significance of this command. Hebrews 6:1 puts repentance first on the list of elementary or the primary teachings of the church. First preaching done by the Lord in Mark 1:15 declared “Repent…!” His forerunner John the Baptist shouts in the desert “repent!” The apostle Peter first appeal to the hearers of the first gospel preaching is “repent!” (Acts 2:38)

But what is repentance? Thayer defines it as μετανοέω (metanoeō)  

1) to change one’s mind, i.e. to repent  

2) to change one’s mind for better, heartily to amend with abhorrence of one’s past sins’  

When I look at that definition, I said to myself, thank God at least I’m on the right track. Repentance starts with the mind. It’s changing of ones mind! But, in one sense were always changing, isn’t it? That’s why Thayer, the Greek Lexicographer added, to change one’s mind for the better, heartily to amend (that is to change, alter, modify, revise, revolutionize, transform, develop, update, and reform) with abhorrence of one’s past sins’.  

When we compare the above difinition with Apostle Paul’s words to the following passages  

 2 And do not be conformed (Greek. suschēmatizō)   to this world, but be transformed (Gk. metamorphoō) by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. NKJV  

 2 Cor 3:17-18  

18 But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed (Gk. metamorphoō) into the same image (Gk.  eikōn) from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.  

 We will notice on that passages, that a person has two ways of changing a process we can also called metamorphosis. One is being conformed to the schema, outline, pattern or fashion of this world. The other is changing and becoming like an image or icon of our Lord (Romans 8:29). These are the two directions or two ends of a person’s journey, the end product of his changing process. One is becoming like the World the other becoming like the Lord.  

 To become like our Lord requires a decision not to be conformed, and not to be fashioned like of this world. It should touch the aspect of our will, a part of our personality that choose to become like the Lord and choose to do his will. It’s the honest prayer of the heart that says “thy (Lord’s) will be done” and not my will. And like Mary we said to our Lord “be it unto me according to Your Word.”  

 It includes the death on man’s part. The death of ones’ owns will and the death of his old personality. We can’t be truly changed without the death of our old selves. If our old personality is still alive, true change will NOT occur. Our metamorphosis is NOT compared to a BUTTERFLY whose change occurs while it is alive. The metaphor used by our Lord is the metamorphosis of a SEED. It must die to itself. Be buried, and by being dead and buried, change will occur, it will germinate, at will have its roots, it will grow, and grow as a new plant.  

 24 I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds. 25 The man who loves his life will lose it, while the man who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.  

NIV                                                                                   

 So, Repentance in metaphoric biblical language is our death and resurrection which occurs deep within our old self. It happens when we accept Christ by faith and baptism.  Faith in HIS death and resurrection. Baptized into Christ, united WITH His death and resurrection.  

 

Look again into this passage for death and resurrection concepts of Repentance.  

 6:1 What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? 2 By no means! We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? 3 Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live (literally “should live” [periphatessumen] a new life. 5 If we have been united with him like this in his death, we will certainly also be united with him in his resurrection. NIV  

 At first, I haven’t notice how great and awesome are the promises revealed in this passage. Our baptism is a public declaration that we repent (vv.1-2) that we died and buried in/with Christ (vv.2-3) there is a responsibility to walk a new life (v.4) and, that we will certainly be resurrected (v.5). There is a great responsibility! Yes, but don’t forget there is a great assurance that we will be resurrected, which by no means only on the next life, but we will have a resurrected life, a new life here and now! However, we must die to sin first.  

I remember, the movie the “Last Samurai”, when the Chinese Emperor asked Tom Cruise how the last samurai heroically died in the battle. The Emperor asked “tell me how he died?” Tom Cruise dramatically replied “I will tell you… how he lived.” In the same way, if we will truly die to ourselves, to our own way of thinking, our own agenda, our own plan, our own paradigm and perspective in life, then and only then we will truly live. Then and only then we can fight our own battle. Then only then we can serve our Master, our Emperor, Jesus The King our Lord!  

 

 

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Eduardo “Jhun” Ma (BSE ATh.)  

 

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