Repentance: Returning to Godly Ways

The word ‘repent’ has two basic meanings.

One is ‘to be sorry’ or ‘to feel regret’, based upon the Hebrew word nacham. This is the meaning that most people think of when they think of repentance.

The other Hebrew word for repentance is teshuvah. It means ‘return’, ‘turn back’ or ‘restore’. In Greek, one word for ‘repent’ [metanoeo] means literally ‘to change one’s mind’ in the sense of changing one’s way of thinking. The other word for repent is epistrepho, which has the identical meaning as teshuvah – ‘to return’, or ‘to turn back towards’, or ‘be converted’ [which means to ‘turn back’ or ‘return’].     

Emphatic examples of the ‘returning’ meaning of repentance include “Repent and return to God” [Acts 26:20], and “return [teshuvah] to Me” [Isaiah 44:22] “Repent [metanoeo] and be converted [epistrepho].” [Acts 3:19]

The Messiah instructed His ministers to “cry repentance unto this people.” What does that mean?

            In part, it means to point out sin to the people, by teaching the Law. “Sin is the transgression of the Law.” [1^st John 3:4]  Sin is violation of Torah - the Royal  Law that includes the Ten Commandments of the Covenant. When people realize that they have broken the Laws of Yahweh in the Torah, they should feel regret and embarrassment, and adopt a change of attitude.

The other meaning of preaching repentance is to call people to return to the old paths, to turn back to Elohim, to encourage them to change their thinking and be converted.  It means calling the people to a reformation – to reorganize themselves for the better. In a spiritual sense to return to the old ways – as things were in the days of the Apostles and Disciples.

 

            “Come and fear not, and lay aside every sin, which easily doth beset you, which doth bind you down to destruction, yea, come and go forth, and show unto your God that ye are willing to repent of your sins and enter into a covenant with Him to keep His commandments, and witness it unto Him this day by going into the waters of baptism.” ~ Alma 7:15