The Strand Study Bible

II CORINTHIANS Written From Philippi During Paul’s Third Missionary Journey great remorse, but until you “change your mind” and agree with God as to who you are and who Jesus is ( Mt 3:2 ), you have not repented unto salvation. J. Vernon McGee in Thru The Bible (I Cor. - Rev.) notes: You see, repentance and the shedding of tears are not the same. 1 Repentance may include “sorrow” ( ye were made sorry – vs 9), but sorrow for sin is not repentance. Hell is full of sorrow, but only for the consequences of sin. The rich man who died and went to Hell uttered not a word of sorrow for his actions, only sorrow for his pain (Lk 16:19-31). You can weep over sin and even express great sorrow, but until you “change your mind” and agree with God as to who you are and who Jesus is, you have not repented unto salvation. Repentance may include “conviction” ( after a godly manner – vs 9), but conviction is not repentance. If so, then Felix “repented” when he trembled before Paul (Acts 24:24-25). You may be convicted that you are a sinner and even admit that you are lost, but repentance is a two-sided coin. You not only have to “change your mind” as to who you are, you have to also “change your mind” as to who Jesus is and call upon Him to be your Savior (Rom 10:9-13). Otherwise, you have not repented unto salvation. 7:10 This word ( repentance ) comes from a combination of two Greek words: PHτD ( meta - meaning, “ after ”) and QοHZ ( noeo - meaning, “ mind ”). The word ( metanoeo ) literally means “ to change one’s mind; to perceive afterwards; to change what you believe and to agree with God ” ( Mt 3:2 ). J. Vernon McGee in Thru The Bible (I Cor. - Rev.) notes: 1940 Metanoeo is used 58 times in the New Testament. It is used three different ways: 1. It is used 37 times concerning the lost (Mt 3:2,8,11 & 4:17 & 9:13 & 11:20-21 & 12:41, Mk 1:4,15 & 2:17 & 6:12, Lk 3:3,8 & 5:32 & 10:13 & 11:32 & 13:3,5 & 16:30 & 24:27, Acts 2:38 & 3:19 & 5:31 & 11:18 & 13:24 & 17:30 & 19:4 & 20:21 & 26:20,20, Rom 2:4, II Cor 7:10, II Tim 2:25, Heb 6:1 & 12:17 and II Pet 3:9) True repentance concerning salvation occurs whenever a person “changes his mind” ( repents ) concerning who he is. He is a sinner in need of salvation. According to Matthew 27:3, Judas did not repent ( have regret ) as to who he was (he was a sinner in need of salvation); he only regretted (repented) what he had done to an innocent man. Unfortunately, that is never enough to save a person from sin and sin’s penalty (Hell). Until a person sees himself as being “sinfully” sick (Lk 5:31-32), he will never see his need for a “spiritual doctor” (the Savior). Our problem is not in what we do before God, but in what we are before God. The mistake Judas made was in “turning from his sin” (what he had done to an innocent man) instead of “changing his mind” about his sinfulness (the fact that he was a sinner in need of a Savior). Like the thief on the cross who never had an opportunity to “turn from his sin,” we, like him, can only “acknowledge our sinfulness” in order to be saved (Lk 23:40-41). True repentance for salvation occurs when we “change our mind” concerning two areas: - Who we are (Lk 23:39-41) – We are sinners in need of salvation (Rom 5:6-8) - Who Jesus is (Lk 23:42) – Jesus is God (Jn 5:17-18 & 8:24,58-59 & 10:30-33) and Savior from sin (I Tim 3:16 & 4:10) 2. It is used 17 times concerning the saved (Lk 15:7,7,10 & 17:3-4, Acts 8:22, II Cor 7:9 & 12:21, Heb 6:6 and Rev 2:5,5,16,21,21,22 & 3:3,19) True repentance concerning sanctification occurs whenever a Christian “changes his mind” ( repents ) concerning his everyday sin, as it leads to a change of life (Ezk 18:21,30-32). According to I John 1:8-10, a Christian can and will sin from time to time. When he does, he needs to “agree with God” that he has sinned and then confess it to God. 3. It is used 4 times concerning the lost during the Tribulation Period (Rev 9:20-21 & 16:9,11) Although the lost, during the Tribulation Period, will witness the actual judgment of God upon their world, because of their sin, they will refuse to “change their minds” ( repent ) about the Gospel of Christ (Mk 1:15). Judas did not repent ( have regret ) as to who he was (he was a sinner in need of salvation); he only regretted what he had done to an innocent man. The mistake Judas made was in “turning from his sin” (what he had done to an innocent man) instead of “changing his mind” about his sinfulness (the fact that he was a sinner in need of a Savior). NOTE – True repentance for salvation has nothing to do with “turning from sin” and everything to do with “acknowledging one’s sinfulness” ( Jonah 3:5 ). Like the thief on the cross who simply acknowledged his sinfulness (Lk 23:39-43), the only part a person has in salvation is the beggar’s part. If repentance means to “turn from sin and change one’s life,” then did God sin when He repented (Jonah 3:10)? I think not. Telling a sinner that he must “turn from sin” before receiving salvation gives a false view of salvation, and is but another form of “works.” Ephesians 2:8-9 is clear: For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. Repentance for salvation does not require a person to “clean himself up first” (turn from his sin) in order to be saved. THE ADAGE IS TRUE: You come to God as a sinner; you don’t come to God as a “ sinless ” sinner Here we find God’s definition of repentance –real repentance . Repentance is a change of mind. As far as I can tell, the only repentance God asks of the lost is in the word believe . Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ! What happens when one believes? There is a change of mind. There is a turning from something to Someone. 1

1 McGee, J. Vernon. Thru the Bible (I Cor. –Rev.), Nashville, TN, Thomas Nelson, 1983. Print.