Fundamental Beliefs of the Church of God

Repentance
Fundamental Beliefs of the Church of God
Review – 3 Days & 3 Nights…
1. What are the two predominant views on the
three days and three nights (Matthew 12:38-39)?
Literal or idiom (means parts of three days and
three nights).
2. Define the word idiom.
Figure of speech; not to be taken literally.
3. Does the biblical evidence show that the word
“three” ever means “parts” as opposed to
three whole units? Provide evidence.
No evidence. Jonah 1:17.
Repentance
Fundamental Beliefs of the Church of God
Review – 3 Days & 3 Nights…
4. List at least three other signs given by God in the
Bible. Were any of them idiomatic expressions or
were they literal?
Rainbow; Sign to Hezekiah; Sign to Gideon.
5. Explain why proving a Sunday morning
resurrection is important to theologians.
Primary proof for Sunday worship.
6. Explain the series of events from the time of
the crucifixion to the resurrection.
See the chart.
Repentance
 Austin Bible Class
Fundamental Beliefs
of the
Church of God

Repentance
Instructor: Jim Franks
Date: September 2011 © 2011 Church of God, a Worldwide Association
 Fundamental Beliefs of the Church of God

Is salvation free
or is there a cost?

Does God expect

anything from us?

Repentance
 Fundamental Beliefs of the Church of God
Fundamental Belief 2.1.8 Repentance

Repentance is a gift from God—a gift that is

necessary for salvation and a proper relationship with
God. All who wish to be pardoned from the death
penalty that comes through sin must genuinely repent
of their sins, fully surrender their lives to God and
obey His commandments. They must by faith accept
Jesus Christ as their personal Savior, their Lord and
Master, their High Priest and their soon coming King.
These individuals are justified, forgiven of their sins
as an act of divine grace, being baptized and receiving
the Holy Spirit with the laying on of hands. At baptism
they become part of the spiritual Body of Christ, the
true Church of God. Repentance
Fundamental Beliefs of the Church of God
Repentance is a true change
in life and attitude…

• Fundamental belief of the NT Church

• First sermon in NT Church is about
repentance.
• Repentance is not a one time event.

Repentance
 Fundamental Beliefs of the Church of God

Scriptures…

1 John 5:20 “And we know that the Son of God

has come and has given us an understanding
that we may know Him who is true, and we are
in Him who is true, in His Son Jesus Christ.
This the true God and eternal life.”

Repentance
 Fundamental Beliefs of the Church of God

Scriptures…

Titus 2:11-14 “For the grace of God that brings salvation

has appeared to all men teaching us that denying
ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly,
righteously, and godly in the present age, looking for the
blessed hope and glorious appearing of our Great God
and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us, that
He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify
for Himself His own special people, zealous for good
works.”
Repentance
 Fundamental Beliefs of the Church of God

“Repentance is a change of mind and attitude toward

God. It follows conviction by the Holy Spirit through the
word of God. Repentance entails an awareness of
personal sins, accompanied by remorse and a
resolution to respond to God’s calling. Rather than a
temporary, emotional response, repentance toward God
results in an abiding change of thought, behavior, and
direction of life, wherein a person resolutely turns to
God and purposes to forsake all sin and walk in all
God’s commandments.”

Repentance
Fundamental Beliefs of the Church of God

Vines – Repent; Repentance

1. Verb (μετανοέω)(metanoeo). To perceive

afterwards (meta, after, implying change, noeo, to
perceive; nous, the mind, the seat of moral
reflection).
2. Noun (metanoia)(metanoia). After-thought, change
of mind, repentance. Used of repentance from sin
or evil, except in Hebrews 12:17 where the word
“repentance” seems to mean, not simply a change
of Isaac’s mind, but such a change as would
reverse the effects of his own previous state of
mind.
Repentance
Fundamental Beliefs of the Church of God

Repentance…

Means to change one’s “nous” – mind,

the seat of moral reflection, opinions,
feelings, or purpose. True repentance
means a complete change from the
inside out.

Repentance doesn’t just mean change.

A change can be for the worse and not
the better. Repentance is a turning
from sin and a turning to God.

Repentance
Fundamental Beliefs of the Church of God

Four uses of metanoia (or

metanoeo) in the NT…

1. A Synonym for Salvation

2 Peter 3:9 “The Lord is . . . not willing that
any should perish but that all should come
to metanoia,"
Luke 5:32 : "I have not come to call the
righteous, but sinners, to metanoia."

Repentance
 Fundamental Beliefs of the Church of God

Four uses of metanoia (or

metanoeo) in the NT…

2. A Change of Mind About Personal Conduct

Luke 17:3 “Take heed to yourselves, If
your brother sins against you, rebuke him;
and if he repents, forgive him.” Greek is
metanoeo (verb form of noun metanoia).
Repentance is a change of mind or heart.

Repentance
 Fundamental Beliefs of the Church of God

Four uses of metanoia (or

metanoeo) in the NT…
3. A Change of Mind About Oneself
Acts 2:37-38 “…Men and brethren, what shall
we do? Then Peter said to them, Repent, and
let every one of you be baptized…” (Greek =
metanoeo)
This example implies a complete change of
oneself. It is not about a specific action or
sin. It is a recognition that we are in need of a
Savior and that we are sinners.
Repentance
 Fundamental Beliefs of the Church of God

Four uses of metanoia (or

metanoeo) in the NT…

4. A Change of Mind About God

Acts 17:29-30 “Therefore, since we are the
offspring of God, we ought not to think
that the Divine Nature is like gold or silver
or stone, something shaped by art and
man’s devising. Truly, these times of
ignorance God overlooked, but now
commands all men everywhere to repent.”
Repentance
 Fundamental Beliefs of the Church of God
Quotes from Church
Literature…
Good News Article August of 1985 by
Herbert Armstrong…

“Too many commandment

keepers have only been converted
to the argument of keeping God’s
commandments and have never
really experienced definite
repentance– for a real conversion
is a definite experience…”

Repentance
Fundamental Beliefs of the Church of God

Quotes from Church Literature…

Study Course: “God Won’t Accept

You Just as Your Are.”
“It [repentance] is a tumultuous
upheaval in a person’s life, a spiritual
and emotional crisis triggered by a
painful and intense conviction from
grasping the true inner motives and
intentions… Real repentance
includes the heart-broken desire to
give ourselves over to God…”

Repentance
Fundamental Beliefs of the Church of God
Quotes from Church Literature…

Tomorrow’s World article from

December 1971
“Godly repentance means to
stop sinning, to turn and go
the other way– to change your
way of life! It’s not always
easy to say, I’m sorry. But it’s
even harder to mean it. Godly
repentance must come from
the heart.”
Repentance
 Fundamental Beliefs of the Church of God

Good Example of Repentance…

Luke 15 – The Prodigal Son

“But when he came to himself, he said, How

many of my father’s hired servants have
bread enough and to spare, and I perish with
hunger! I will arise and go to my father and
will say to him, Father I have sinned against
heaven and before you and I am no longer
worthy to be called your son, Make me like
one of your hired servants.” Repentance
Fundamental Beliefs of the Church of God

Doctrine of Repentance, A Summary…

• Repentance begins in the heart.

Jeremiah 31:18-19; Hosea 7:14-16; Joel 2:12-13;
2 Corinthians 7:9-11

• Repentance involves the admission of sin.

2 Chronicles 7:12-14; 1 John 1:9; Matthew 3:6-8

• Repentance requires action.

Galatians 2:20; Psalm 51; Acts 9:2-22

• God must grant repentance.

Acts 11:18; 2 Peter 3:9

Repentance
 Fundamental Beliefs of the Church of God

John the Baptist…

Matthew 3:1-8

“In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the

wilderness of Judea, and saying, Repent for the
Kingdom of heaven is at hand. For this is he who was
spoken of by the prophet Isaiah saying, The voice of one
crying in the wilderness, prepare the way of the Lord,
make His paths straight… Then Jerusalem, all Judea,
and all the region around the Jordan went out to him and
were baptized by him in the Jordan, confessing their
sins.”
Repentance
 Fundamental Beliefs of the Church of God

Jesus Christ…

Mark 1:14-15

“Now after John was put in prison, Jesus came

to Galilee preaching the gospel of the Kingdom
of God, and saying, The time is fulfilled, and the
Kingdom of God is at hand. Repent and believe
in the gospel.”

Repentance
 Fundamental Beliefs of the Church of God

The Church…

Acts 2:38

“Then Peter said to them, Repent and let

everyone of you be baptized in the name of
Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you
shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”

Repentance
 Fundamental Beliefs of the Church of God

Basic beliefs…

Hebrews 6:1-2

“Therefore, leaving the discussion of the

elementary principles of Christ, let us go on to
perfection, not laying again the foundation of
the repentance of dead works and of faith
toward God.”
Repentance
Fundamental Beliefs of the Church of God
After Repentance, Then What?

• Repentance is followed
by baptism.
Acts 2:38

• Repentance is from dead works.

Hebrews 6:1-2

Repentance
 Fundamental Beliefs of the Church of God

Example…
Psalm 51…
“Have mercy upon me, O God, according to Your
lovingkindness; according to the multitude of Your
tender mercies, blot out my transgressions. Wash me
thoroughly from my iniquity. And cleanse me from my
sin. For I acknowledge my transgressions, and my sin is
always before me. Against You, You only, have I sinned,
and done this evil in Your sight that you may be found
just when You speak, and blameless when You judge…
Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me,
and I shall be whiter than snow… Create in me a clean
heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit with me.”
Repentance
Fundamental Beliefs of the Church of God

Related Doctrines…

Grace. The free unmerited favor God

bestows on a sinner who repents. In
its broadest sense, grace is
expressed in every act of God’s self-
disclosure. By grace, man comes to
know God, is justified and is saved.
Through faith, the Christian remains
under grace. (Romans 3:24; 5:2, 16-
17; Ephesians 2:8-9; Titus 3:7).

One of the most misunderstood topics.

Repentance
Fundamental Beliefs of the Church of God

Related Doctrines…

Justification. God’s gracious act

of pronouncing a believer
righteous in His sight. It is
dependent upon repentance and is
made possible through faith in the
shed blood of Jesus Christ and
acceptance of Him as Lord and
Savior (Romans 3:20, 24-31; 4:1-8;
5:1, 9; Galatians 2:16).

Repentance
Fundamental Beliefs of the Church of God

Related Doctrines…

Sanctification. The state of holiness

imparted to the believer through the
indwelling of God’s Holy Spirit. Though
all Christians sin, God’s Holy Spirit leads
them to a life of repentance and
obedience, a life evidenced by the fruit
of the Holy Spirit. Sanctification follows
conversion and is made possible by
God’s grace, through faith in Jesus
Christ (1 Peter 1:2; 1 Corinthians 1:30; 1
John 1:8, 3-6, 9; Romans 6:22; Galatians
5:22-23; Romans 5:1).
Repentance
Fundamental Beliefs of the Church of God

Related Doctrines…

Conversion. A turning from the way

of sin to the way of God. It is closely
connected with God’s calling,
repentance and baptism, and is
sealed by the gift of the Holy Spirit.
Conversion is manifest in Godly
thoughts, attitudes, and actions that
form the basis of the believer’s life in
Christ (John 3:3-6; Matthew 18:3; Acts
2:38; Acts 3:19; Colossians 3:6-10).
Repentance
Fundamental Beliefs of the Church of God

Related Doctrines…

Salvation. A deliverance from the

bondage of sin and from the ultimate
penalty of sin, death. It is the gift of
God, by grace through faith in Jesus
Christ, not earned by personal merit
or good works. Through our
acceptance of the sacrifice of Jesus
Christ, God offers salvation as a gift to
be presented after the return of Jesus
Christ (Romans 6:18, 22-23;
Ephesians 2:8-9; 1 Peter 1:4; Romans
8:21-23). Repentance
 Fundamental Beliefs of the Church of God

2 Corinthians 7:10-11

“For godly sorrow produces repentance leading to

salvation, not to be regretted; but the sorrow of the
world produces death. For observe this very thing,
that you sorrowed in a godly manner: What
diligence it produced in you, what clearing of
yourselves, what indignation, what fear, what
vehement desire, what zeal, what vindication! In all
things you proved yourselves to be clear in this
matter.”
Repentance
Fundamental Beliefs of the Church of God
Godly Sorrow vs. Worldly Sorrow…

• Godly sorrow produces fruits of repentance.

• Worldly sorrow produces no such fruit.
• Godly sorrow produces a changed life.
• Worldly sorrow produces momentary
sadness.
• Godly sorrow recognizes magnitude of
sin.
• Worldly sorrow results from getting
caught and not regret for actions.

Repentance
Fundamental Beliefs of the Church of God

Seven Stages of Repentance (2

Corinthians 7)

1. Earnestness or carefulness
2. Clearing of yourself
3. Anger
4. Fear
5. Vehement desire
6. Zeal
7. Vindication
Repentance
 Austin Bible Class
Fundamental Beliefs
of the
Church of God

Repentance
Instructor: Jim Franks
Date: September 2011 © 2011 Church of God, a Worldwide Association