REPENTANCE (re-pent'ans). In general, re pentance is sorrow for anything past. Theologi cally and ethically it signifies that sorrow for sin which produces newness of life.
The term most frequently used in the New Tcsta ment is the Greek word Ferdvoia, met-an'oy-ah, a change of mind.
In other words, it properly denotes an after thought, or the soul recollecting its own actings; and that in such a manner as to produce sorrow in the review, and a desire of amendment.
1. Specific Kinds. There are various kinds of repentance: (1) A natural repentance, or what is merely the effect of natural conscience.
(2) A national repentance, such as the Jews in Babylon were called unto ; to which temporal blessings were promised (Ezek. xviii :3o).
(3) An external repentance, or an outward hu miliation for sin, as in the case of Ahab.
(4) A hypocritical repentance, as represented in Ephraim (Hos. vii :16).
(5) An evangelical repentance consists in con viction of sin ; sorrow for it ; confession of it ; hatred to it ; and renunciation of it.
2. Evangelical and Legal Repentance Distinguished. Legal and evangelical repent ance are distinguished thus: (1) A legal repentance flows only from a sense of danger and fear of wrath ; but an evangelical repentance is a true mourning for sin, and an earnest desire of deliverance from it.
(2) A legal repentance flows from unbelief, but evangelical is always the fruit and conse quence of a saving faith.
(3) A legal repentance flows from an aversion to God and to his holy law, but an evangelical from love to both.
(4) A legal repentance ordinarily flows from discouragement and despondency, but evangelical from encouraging hope.
(5) A legal repentance is temporary, but evan gelical is the daily exercise of the true Christian.
(6) A legal repentance does at most produce only a partial and external reformation, but an evangelical is a total change of heart and life.
3. Author, Subjects of, Etc. The author of true repentance is God (Acts v :31). The subjects of it are sinners, since none but those who have sinned can repent. The means of repentance is the word, and the ministers of it ; yet sometimes consideration, sanctified afflictions, conversation, etc., have been the instruments of repentance. The blessings connected with repentance are, par don, peace, and everlasting life (Acts xi :18). The evidences of repentance are, faith, humility, prayer, and obedience ( Zech. xii :to).
4. Repentance and Conversion. Dr. A. A. Hodge thus distinguishes between repentance and conversion : (1) Conversion is the more general term, and is used to include the first exercises of faith, as well as all those experiences of love of holiness and hatred of sin, etc., which are consequent upon it. Repentance is more specific, and ex presses that hatred and renunciation of sin and that turning unto God which accompanies faith as its consequent.
(2) Conversion is generally used to designate only the first actings of the new nature at the commencement of a religious life, or, at most, the first steps of a return to God after a notable backsliding (Luke xxii :32), while repentance is applied to that constant bearing of the cross which is one main characteristic of the believer's life on earth (Ps. xix :12, 13; Luke ix :23 ; Gal. vi: 14; (Outlines of Theology, enlarged ed.
P. 489.) 5. Repentance of God. God is said to re pent (Gen. vi :6; Jonah iii :9, to). He cannot truly repent, since he never does wrong and is unerring wisdom. But God's actions, looked at from earth, may appear to indicate a change of purpose. We thus attribute to him human ideas which, of course, may be very incorrect.