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"Repent!" Traveling along the highways and byways one often sees signs with that cryptic word on it. A scripture may accompany it, or a phrase like "the end is near", or "prepare to meet thy God". The signs may be large or small, nicely finished or scrawled, attached to a tree usually, but sometimes standing on a post or a stake.

Occasionally you will see someone carrying a sign in the city with that message on it, and we generally dismiss them as a kook or a crackpot even though they may fancy themselves as a prophet. To most of us it all seems a bit flaky and bizarre, and the very word itself seems to be of another time and another world. It is a word we are uncomfortable with, or perhaps with the way the word is presented.

Somebody should tear down those creepy signs beside the roads, and rip them from the hands of those weirdos on the street corners. They are an embarrassment, and we just don't like the whole business. They make us feel strangely uncomfortable.

It all seems so repulsive, that word. It suggests we do something that we don't understand, and it doesn't tell us what it means, or what we should do. It's all rather conceptually dark to us and we don't even want to think about it. It's something that we know we probably can't do anyway. And besides, what would our friends think if we tried to do that thing, that repent thing? Would they say that which they have said about others? You know, "old so-and-so has got religion now". Its all really kind of unnerving and unsettling to think about.

Well friends, perhaps you think I am a little too sarcastic, or even a little smug in saying those things, but that is the general attitude toward repentance. In a way I don't blame people for thinking that way. All those roadside signs, and strange looking individuals carrying those signs, and preaching through a bullhorn are indeed a little bit off center. They think that they are doing something good and right, but in reality they are actually creating a bad taste in the mouth of the general public. It is not what we should think of when we think of the word "repent".

What does it mean to repent from a biblical perspective? Will we wind up like them if we repent? That is what this lesson is all about.

First, lets start with some definitions.

THE AMERICAN HERITAGE DICTIONARY OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE, THIRD EDITION, says:

Repent 1. To feel remorse, contrition, or self-reproach for what one has done or failed to do; be contrite. 2. To feel such regret for past conduct as to change one's mind regarding it. 3. To make a change for the better as a result of remorse or contrition for one's sins.

STRONGS EXHAUSTIVE CONCORDANCE says:

In the Old Testament, the words related to repentance are most of the time translated from the Hebrew word nacham (Strong's No. 5162) which means to sigh, or to be sorry, to regret. Another word used is shuwb (pronounced shoob), it is Strong's No. 7725 and means to turn away, or to turn back.

In the New Testament, there are two words used most frequently. One is metanoeo (Strong's No. 3340) which means to repent, to think differently, or to reconsider. The other is metanoia (Strong's No. 3341) which means repentance, compunction, reformation, or reversal (presumably of one's thinking). Another word used sparingly is metamellomai (Strong's No. 3338) which means to care afterward, or to regret. There is one other related word which is used only once, in Romans 11:29. It is ametameletos (Strong's No. 278) and means irrevocable, without repentance, or not to be repented of.

So now we basically know what Dr. Strong, a great Bible scholar, recorded concerning repentance, and we also know what the modern contemporary concept of repentance is from the dictionary. But you know what? It is a lot simpler than that. All the word means is to change your mind and actions. It is as simple as that.

There are different types of repentance.

Here are few examples:

1) We have all made mistakes and wished that we hadn't. Why? Because it made us feel stupid or ridiculous and it may have embarassed us. We wish that we hadn't done it and we make up our minds not to do that again because it made us feel foolish or insecure, and was painful. I don't know about you, but in my case I usually have a few harsh words to say to myself. You could say that this is a kind of repentance to one's self.

2) We have all wronged someone or something (maybe you kicked the dog on a bad day) and our conscience indicted us afterward. We usually feel bad, don't want it to happen again, and, most of the time, apologize to that someone or something. We sincerely regret what we did to them, so we could say that this is repentance toward someone or something else.

3) We do something serious that impacts our lives and the lives of others. We know that we must correct it and we go to some authority to seek relief. A good case in the Bible would be Esau. He was very remorseful that he had lost his birthright blessing. He was so sorry that he sought repentance with tears the apostle Paul said. Problem was, it was directed to the wrong person. He went to his father Isaac instead of God, all to no avail. What would this be called, repentance for a bad decision? You name it. There is a lot more to the story of Esau losing his inheritance as first born, and it had little to do with a cup of soup. See my article on Adultery at ourfatherword.org.

4) We commit a criminal act, are indicted, convicted by a court of law and go to jail. Sitting there in our cell we have lots of time to consider and decide that we shouldn't have done the crime. We have a change of heart (if you can call it that) because of the penalty, but what if we hadn't been caught? So, because of the punishment we become contrite and regret the crime because we don't want to do the time. Paying the penalty has brought on this type of repentance and that may be the only reason.

5) At some point in our lives our consciences begin to bother us about the way we have conducted ourself in general and we begin to want to change. We feel regrets and eventually tell God so. We then set about to live a life more condusive to what we believe He wants. This is repentance toward God.

This list could go on and on. I'm sure that you could add many more types to this list if you just gave it a little thought. Of course, the one that we are zeroing in on in this lesson is the last one, repentance toward God.

Even God repents.

The first time a reference to repentance is found in the Bible it is God doing it. Yes, even God repents.

Genesis 6:6 And it repented the LORD that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart.

This verse is not necessarily taking about all of mankind, the subject here is Adam and his progeny. It shows God was sorry for the way He did things with regards to the Adamic race. He was unhappy and decided to correct the situation that caused His unhappiness.

Genesis 6:7 And the LORD said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for it repenteth me that I have made them.

Notice here that He would not only destroy Adam's children, but also the other creatures that lived with him as well. He had His reasons believe you me, because the whole environment in the Tarim Basin where Adam's descendants lived was corrupted.

Genesis 6:8 But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD.

He would destroy them all, except for Noah and his family. Why? The following verse says it all.

Genesis 6: 9 These are the generations of Noah: Noah was a just man and perfect in his generations, and Noah walked with God.

Noah's DNA was still pure Adamic, it was not corrupted like all the others. His wife and his children were also still pure.

Genesis 6:10 And Noah begat three sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth.

It was from these three sons and their wives that the Adamic race continued.

Notice that not only was God repentant (that is, He regretted the situation), but He determined to do something about it. He sent a mighty flood to take them all out, and that decision was not easy to make. I am sure that He thought long and hard about it before initiating the action. Hence, we can surmise from this verse that any repenting we do also involves taking some action based on that regret no matter how hard it may be. Why God acted this way in this particular case is very interesting but that is another lesson for another time.

There are other examples of God repenting in the Bible and changing His mind about something. Search them out for yourself.

The Old Testament prophets preached repentance to Israel, for which they were persecuted and killed.

1 Kings 8:47 Yet if they shall bethink themselves in the land whither they were carried captives, and repent, and make supplication unto thee in the land of them that carried them captives, saying, We have sinned, and have done perversely, we have committed wickedness;

Ezekiel 14:6 Therefore say unto the house of Israel, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Repent, and turn yourselves from your idols; and turn away your faces from all our abominations.

Ezekiel 18:30 Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, every one according to his ways, saith the Lord GOD. Repent, and turn yourselves from all your transgressions; so iniquity shall not be your ruin.

The New Testament prophets preached repentance, for which they were persecuted and killed also.

Matthew 3:1 In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea,

Matthew 3:2 And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.

Matthew 4:17 From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.

It is not hard to see from these verses that we are to consider our ways and, if necessary, to repent of them. It requires a change of heart (the way you think about things), confessing your mistakes and taking positive action regarding them.

The whole upshot of this article is to say that what you see and hear about that old and archaic word "repent" is not the way that it really is, or the way that it should be. Changing your outlook on life doesn't have anything to do with religious nonsense. It has to do with the heart and doing what is right and sensible in your life. What the intent of that word boils down to is to learn to love God with all your heart, and to love your fellow man as yourself. There is absolutely nothing wrong with that word "repent" when we do it on that basis.

As far as losing your friends go, anyone who will walk away from you when you begin to do what is right and acceptable isn't much of a true friend anyway. The ones who love you regardless of what you believe are those who are really your true friends. Think about it.