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→Biblical means of Salvation: brief treatment of scriptural meaning of "repent" and "repentance", based on the New Testament apostolic use of the Greek "metanoia" Strong's G3341
==Biblical means of Salvation==
==Biblical means of Salvation==
The Lord Jesus commanded His disciples that "repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem." (Lk. 24:47). And thus did the apostles, even as Paul testified "both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ." (Acts 20:21) The Lord Jesus declared that the Holy Spirit would convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment (Jn. 16:7-11) and which conviction is necessary for man - whom the Bible evidences as sinful and (usually) self-righteous - to realize his need for mercy and salvation. God "desires truth in the inward parts", (Ps. 51:6) and a soul needs to have a heart that can honestly admit his/her own sinfulness and guilt, but which wants a new life in Christ. Unless the sinner hardens his heart (Acts 19:9), this conviction works such a humble and a contrite heart, and it is those who be of such that God saves, when they believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. (Ps. 34:18; Acts 2:37,38 16:30,31) And which is to God's credit and honor, and not to that of man. (Eph. 1:6; 2:8,9)
The Lord Jesus commanded His disciples that "repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem." (Lk. 24:47). And thus did the apostles, even as Paul testified "both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ." (Acts 20:21) The Lord Jesus declared that the Holy Spirit would convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment (Jn. 16:7-11) and which conviction is necessary for man - whom the Bible evidences as sinful and (usually) self-righteous - to realize his need for mercy and salvation. God "desires truth in the inward parts", (Ps. 51:6) and a soul needs to have a heart that can honestly admit his/her own sinfulness and guilt, but which wants a new life in Christ. Unless the sinner hardens his heart (Acts 19:9), this conviction works such a humble and a contrite heart, and it is those who be of such that God saves, when they believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. (Ps. 34:18; Acts 2:37,38 16:30,31) And which is to God's credit and honor, and not to that of man. (Eph. 1:6; 2:8,9)
In the New Testament, the word for "repent" is the Greek '''μετανοέω''' ''metanoeo'', which means more than regret and simple sorrow for sin. It also has the deeper [[connotation]] of "turning away", a "reversal", "to think differently", "feel compunction", "reconsider". A "metanoic conversion" is a radical change. The sinner touched by the grace of true repentance (Greek '''μετάνοια''' ''metanoia'') experiences a ''reformation'' of character, a decisive reversal of decision, away from sin, and toward God. It involves not only the moment of a conviction of sin and a decision in drawing to Christ, but the ongoing orientation of being turned constantly against sin and constantly turned faithfully toward God, daily deciding for Him. Children born into a Christian family that constantly seeks to be dedicated toward the righteousness of God and away from the world of sin solely by the grace of repentance, or ''constantly being turned'', can live a "life of repentance", not of grief, but of being firmly turned toward God and living decisively for Jesus Lord and Savior every day.
This conviction and drawing to Christ can only be done by God, (Jn. 6:44) but usually He works through preachers of the word to do so, and the preaching of the holy apostles manifests the Holy Spirit working this through them. (Acts 2:14-27; 13:16-41) In so doing, the manner of early Christian preachers in reaching souls was to reason "with them out of the scriptures", (Acts 17:2; 18:28; 28:23; cf. Lk. 24:25-27,44; Rm. 10:17) though if their audience was primarily scripturally illiterate [[Gentiles]], then natural revelation was invoked, (Acts 14:15-17; 17:24-28) with supernatural signs and miracles from God usually providing Divine attestation to both classes. (Acts 2:33; 3; Rm. 15:19) The Divinely inspired words of the apostles themselves were received as the word of God (1Thes. 2:13) being able to be proved by the scriptures, (Acts 17:11), which is the only tangible class of revelation which is given assurance of being wholly inspired of the one true God, (2Tim. 3:16) the finished canon of which man is not to add to, but all is tested by scripture. (Is. 8:20; 2Pet. 1:16-21) (Rev. 22:18,19) The conversion which resulted by such conviction and faith in the risen Lord Jesus and His sinless shed blood was manifested by radically changed hearts and lives, with those who were saved evangelizing as well. (Acts 2:42-47; 6:4; 1Thes, 1:8,9)
This conviction and drawing to Christ can only be done by God, (Jn. 6:44) but usually He works through preachers of the word to do so, and the preaching of the holy apostles manifests the Holy Spirit working this through them. (Acts 2:14-27; 13:16-41) In so doing, the manner of early Christian preachers in reaching souls was to reason "with them out of the scriptures", (Acts 17:2; 18:28; 28:23; cf. Lk. 24:25-27,44; Rm. 10:17) though if their audience was primarily scripturally illiterate [[Gentiles]], then natural revelation was invoked, (Acts 14:15-17; 17:24-28) with supernatural signs and miracles from God usually providing Divine attestation to both classes. (Acts 2:33; 3; Rm. 15:19) The Divinely inspired words of the apostles themselves were received as the word of God (1Thes. 2:13) being able to be proved by the scriptures, (Acts 17:11), which is the only tangible class of revelation which is given assurance of being wholly inspired of the one true God, (2Tim. 3:16) the finished canon of which man is not to add to, but all is tested by scripture. (Is. 8:20; 2Pet. 1:16-21) (Rev. 22:18,19) The conversion which resulted by such conviction and faith in the risen Lord Jesus and His sinless shed blood was manifested by radically changed hearts and lives, with those who were saved evangelizing as well. (Acts 2:42-47; 6:4; 1Thes, 1:8,9)