The Hebrew word for repentance is Teshuvah. It means to regret
sin you have done, and resolve never to do it again.
Teshuvah means to return (to God).
When we repent, we turn our back on the world (of sin) and
turn to Jesus. When we repent, it is in response to our love for Jesus.
"Love not the world, neither the things that are in the
world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all
that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the
pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passeth
away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for
ever." - 1 John 2:15-17 KJV
Jesus said,
"And when he had called the people unto him with his
disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny
himself, and take up his cross, and follow me." - Mark 8:34 KJV
When we repent, turning our life to Jesus, we deny our self.
We turn from our sinful desires and lusts and give our heart and our love to
Jesus. Repentance is crucifying our sinful desires out of love for Jesus, just
as He crucified His own flesh out of His love for us. We follow Jesus’ death by
repentance, His burial by water baptism in Jesus name, and His resurrection by
receiving the gift of His Spirit to live a new and holy life.
Peter preached repentance when he preached the Gospel on the
Day of Pentecost.
"Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized
every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye
shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. ... And with many other words did he
testify and exhort, saying, Save yourselves from this untoward [perverse,
wicked] generation." - Acts 2:38, 40 KJV
It is by the goodness of God that He leads us to repent.
"Or despisest
thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing
that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?" - Romans 2:4 KJV
By the Gospel: repentance – baptism in Jesus name –
receiving the gift of His Holy Ghost, we are a glorious church, holy and
without blemish.
"Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved
the church, and gave himself for it; that he might sanctify and cleanse it with
the washing of water by the word [word = ‘the gospel,’ according to Thayer’s
Greek Lexicon] That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not
having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and
without blemish." - Ephesians 5:25-27 KJV
It is because of the longsuffering of God that He has not
yet come back for His church, not willing that any should perish, but that all
repent.
"The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some
men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should
perish, but that all should come to repentance." - 2 Peter 3:9 KJV
"And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now
commandeth all men every where to repent [of their sins and turn to him]:"
- Acts 17:30 KJV
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