This is the first among the Foundational Doctrines of Christ as listed out in Hebrews 6:1, 2.

Repentance is one of the foundational truths of our Christian Faith. Let us look at Repentance first before we look into dead works and repentance from dead works.

Repentance :
It means "a change of mind", or a change of heart and attitude. It means "to have a radical change in one's attitude toward sin and God".

There is the implication of the following:

1. Awareness of a moral separation from God and
   
2. A personal decision to forsake sin and enter into fellowship with God.
   

Such a change should be manifested in the individual's behavior so that justice, kindness, and humility are evident in their actions.

It is the First response of a person to God. If a person hasn't repented their faith is empty.

It is first of all not emotions. It is not doing religious rites or acts of penance.

It is an inner change of mind resulting in an outward turning back or turning around, to face and to move in a completely different direction because of that inward decision to change.

Let's look at some Scripture that shows how important this is in God's view.

Luk 15:7 (KJV) I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance. Luk 15:7 (AMP) Thus, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one [especially] wicked person who repents (changes his mind, abhorring his errors and misdeeds, and determines to enter upon a better course of life) than over ninety-nine righteous persons who have no need of repentance.

Luk 15:10 (KJV) Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth Luk 15:10 (AMP) Even so, I tell you, there is joy among and in the presence of the angels of God over one [especially] wicked person who repents (changes his mind for the better, heartily amending his ways, with abhorrence of his past sins).

Jesus Himself was speaking in those scriptures. We know He cannot lie. He explains it further in the story of the prodigal son.

Luk 15:17-19 (KJV) And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father's have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger! I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee, And am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants.

Verses 17-19 shows the change in heart of the prodigal son. He's making an inward decision to change here.

Then it continues in verses 20, 21 with the corresponding actions that happen after that.

Verses 22 onwards show the Father's response. You can see a true Father's heart here.

Luk 15:22-24 (KJV) But the father said to his servants, Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet: And bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it; and let us eat, and be merry: For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry.

The sinner takes one step; the Father takes 2 and more.

Before we got born again, every step we took was one step closer to Hell, one step to eternity away from God. That is the plight of sinners in the world today until they take a decision to turn around face the light and go in the direction of God. Till they turn around, their faith is empty. They cannot have living faith until they turn around towards God. You can't get saved unless you repent.

Isa 53:6 (KJV) All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.

You can't be an effective Soul winner and lead people to Christ properly until you know this message.

Rom 2:4 (KJV) Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance? Rom 2:4 (AMP) Or are you [so blind as to] trifle with and presume upon and despise and underestimate the wealth of His kindness and forbearance and long-suffering patience? Are you unmindful or actually ignorant [of the fact] that God's kindness is intended to lead you to repent (to change your mind and inner man to accept God's will)?

The sinner should hear the message of the goodness and love of God that made him sacrifice His only Son Jesus on the cross as a payment for the sin of all humanity. He should understand that God is for Him and not against him. God wants to be a Father to him and wants nothing to stand between Him and His child. He is the Father of all Mercies who takes pleasure in our prosperity and has promised us victory always and in every place. He should know that God has been patient with him all the days of His life waiting for him to hear this good news and turn to him.

Any other message is a message of fear and not of God. God is not the author of fear. He does not want his children to come to him in fear of his anger or wrath if they do not obey. God has finished his anger and wrath on Jesus. We don't ever have to deal with God's anger again. God is not angry with humanity anymore. Jesus has taken care of that by His obedience to the cross.

The sinner must hear it. They should not come to Jesus thinking they are doing Jesus a favour. They should not come to Jesus just to prosper. We prosper because we chose Christ. We chose Him because He is the Son of God, our creator, our savior, our redeemer.

Repentance Calls For A Renunciation Of Self Confidence And Will Initiate A Confidence In God.

Let's see the story of the Rich Young Ruler. Let's see how Jesus puts it.

Luk 18:18-23 (KJV) And a certain ruler asked him, saying, Good Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life? And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? none is good, save one, that is, God. Thou knowest the commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Honour thy father and thy mother. And he said, All these have I kept from my youth up. Now when Jesus heard these things, he said unto him, Yet lackest thou one thing: sell all that thou hast, and distribute unto the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, follow me. And when he heard this, he was very sorrowful: for he was very rich.

Jesus didn't tell the fellow that if he gives his wealth to the poor, it would be multiplied back to him. He dint say that when you give to the poor you are giving to the Lord and He will give it back. He didn't call him back with the promises of God.

It says, the guy went back sorrowful and distressed / disappointed.

To His disciples, he said that they had left all. So they would receive a hundred fold in this life.

They had already chosen Him. They chose him because they realized that he was the Christ, the anointed one.

That's how God builds the church, in the revelation of the Rock of Jesus Christ. He is the Christ, the Son of God, the savior and that's why we come to Him.

SO WE MUST REPENT AND TURN TO GOD. This must be preached first.

John the Baptist preached repentance.

Mar 1:1- 4 (KJV) The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God; As it is written in the prophets, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee. The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. John did baptize in the wilderness, and preach the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins.

He was preaching the baptism of repentance, for the remission of sins before the messiah was revealed. The people were trying to keep the covenant by works and were not preparing the way for the messiah.

Mat 3:1-3 (KJV) In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea, And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. For this is he that was spoken of by the prophet Esaias, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.

After John was put in Prison, Jesus preached the same thing. It was his first message to Israel.

Mar 1:14-15 (KJV) Now after that John was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.

Mat 4:17 (KJV) From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.

When Jesus sent the disciples to preach 2 by 2, he asked to hem to preach repentance.

Mar 6:7 (KJV) And he called unto him the twelve, and began to send them forth by two and two; and gave them power over unclean spirits; Mar 6:12 (KJV) And they went out, and preached that men should repent.

It was Jesus' last message and commission to us to preach repentance.

Luk 24:45-47 (KJV) Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures, And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day: And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.

On the day of Pentecost, Peter preached Repentance first and then Baptism.

Act 2:38 (KJV) 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.

It is a command of God.

Act 17:30 (KJV) And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent:

When there was no revelation on earth God didn't hold men accountable, but now He commands all men to repent.

If we don't preach repentance, we are misleading sinners and misrepresenting God because we saw God commanded every man to repent.

Direct Challenges:

1. Why should we repent?
   

   Because the Kingdom of God is at hand.
   

Mat 4:17 (KJV) From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.

1. What should we repent from and to?
   

   Repentance from Unbelief to Faith in God.
   

Mar 1:15 (KJV) And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.

1. What are the Alternatives?
   

   Nothing. Without repentance you shall perish.
   

Luk 13:5 (KJV) I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.

In Acts 20, 21 and in Hebrews 6:1, we see the structure itself being defined. Repentance comes before Faith towards God. Without repentance, your faith towards God is not genuine. You cannot have genuine saving, living faith unless you turn around towards God. You can't have faith towards God if you are walking in a direction opposite to God, facing the other way.

The Old Testament word "to repent" means literally, "to turn, to return or to turn back." This harmonizes with the meaning of repentance in the New Testament. Its basic meaning is always the same, "to change one's mind."

It is not an emotion. It is a decision that is made. If we understand that repentance is a decision, we can eliminate many false impressions and ideas connected with repentance.

Repentance is not Remorse or regret. Judas after realizing his mistake regretted what he did and went and hung himself. He did not repent. He was feeling condemned. The Amplified version brings out the meaning correctly. If he had truly repented, he would not have hung himself.

Mat 27:3-5 (KJV) Then Judas, which had betrayed him, when he saw that he was condemned, repented himself, and brought again the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders Saying, I have sinned in that I have betrayed the innocent blood. And they said, What is that to us? see thou to that. And he cast down the pieces of silver in the temple, and departed, and went and hanged himself. Mat 27:3-5 (AMP) When Judas, His betrayer, saw that [Jesus] was condemned, [Judas was afflicted in mind and troubled for his former folly; and] with remorse [with little more than a selfish dread of the consequences] he brought back the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and the elders, [Exod. 21:32.] Saying, I have sinned in betraying innocent blood. They replied, What is that to us? See to that yourself. And casting the pieces of silver [forward] into the [Holy Place of the sanctuary of the] temple, he departed; and he went off and hanged himself.

In the King James version of the scripture above, you will see the word Repent used. But the word used here is different from the other words used for repent elsewhere in the bible. We should be able to rightly divide the word of truth.

The Greek word used here is metamellomai which means to care afterwards or regret, to remorse.

It is the same word used only 4 other times in the Bible.

Heb 7:21 (KJV) (For those priests were made without an oath; but this with an oath by him that said unto him, The Lord sware and will not repent, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec:) Heb 7:21 (AMP) For those who formerly became priests received their office without its being confirmed by the taking of an oath by God, but this One was designated and addressed and saluted with an oath, The Lord has sworn and will not regret it or change His mind, You are a Priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek. [Ps. 110:4.]

The Lord does not have to repent for anything. He makes no mistakes. He is righteous. He may regret.

The other word used in all the other scripture is metanoeo which means an inward change.

REGRET', n.

1. Grief; sorrow; pain of mind. We feel regret at the loss of friends, regret for our own misfortunes, or for the misfortunes of others.

Never any prince expressed a more lively regret for the loss of a servant.

Her piety itself would blame, if her regrets should waken thine.

2. Pain of conscience; remorse; as a passionate regret at sin.

3. Dislike; aversion. [Not proper nor in use.]

REMORSE, n. remors'. [L. remorsus, from remordeo.]

1. The keen pain or anguish excited by a sense of guilt; compunction of conscience for a crime committed.

2. Sympathetic sorrow; pity; compassion.

Curse on th' unpard'ning prince, whom tears can draw to no remorse.

Its repenting and not regretting that brings you to God.

The same thing is seen with the rich young ruler as well. Scripture says he was distressed and sorrowful (Luke 18:18-24). He went away sorrowful. He didn't repent.

We see the same thing happen with Judas.

Act 1:25 (KJV) That he may take part of this ministry and apostleship, from which Judas by transgression fell, that he might go to his own place. Act 1:25 (AMP) To take the place in this ministry and receive the position of an apostle, from which Judas fell away and went astray to go [where he belonged] to his own [proper] place.

Bible says, he fell by transgression and went astray. No repentance is seen here. That's why he had to be replaced.

Heb 12:16-17 (KJV) Lest there be any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright. For ye know how that afterward, when he would have inherited the blessing, he was rejected: for he found no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears. Heb 12:16-17 (AMP) That no one may become guilty of sexual vice, or become a profane (godless and sacrilegious) person as Esau did, who sold his own birthright for a single meal. [Gen. 25:29-34.] For you understand that later on, when he wanted [to regain title to] his inheritance of the blessing, he was rejected (disqualified and set aside), for he could find no opportunity to repair by repentance [what he had done, no chance to recall the choice he had made], although he sought for it carefully with [bitter] tears. [Gen. 27:30-40.]

A profane person is someone who despises spiritual things. Esau forsook his birthright for the sake of a plate of soup / porridge. He did not think that it was that important. But later he regretted and was remorseful, but he found no place for repentance.

Repentance and then Faith

Without repentance, your faith towards God is not genuine. It's fake.

The Bible gives us a very good examples of the change in attitude of a person who has repented and got in faith.

Hebrews 6:1 + Acts 20: 20, 21 = attitude of gratitude ( a servant's heart)

In an act of repentance, we turn away from our dead works and face towards God ready to hear and obey His next command. We obtain an attitude to serve. A servant's heart - full of gratitude.

The prodigal son decided to change, turned away from his lifestyle and returned to his father with an attitude to server and be a servant.

In Acts 9:6, when Saul had an encounter with Jesus, he said, "Lord, what do you want me to do?"

In Acts 16, after the "Earthquake" incident, the jailor's response was, "What must I do to be saved?"

2Co 7:8-11 (KJV) For though I made you sorry with a letter, I do not repent, though I did repent: for I perceive that the same epistle hath made you sorry, though it were but for a season. Now I rejoice, not that ye were made sorry, but that ye sorrowed to repentance: for ye were made sorry after a godly manner, that ye might receive damage by us in nothing. For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death. For behold this selfsame thing, that ye sorrowed after a godly sort, what carefulness it wrought in you, yea, what clearing of yourselves, yea, what indignation, yea, what fear, yea, what vehement desire, yea, what zeal, yea, what revenge! In all things ye have approved yourselves to be clear in this matter. 2Co 7:8-11 (AMP) For even though I did grieve you with my letter, I do not regret [it now], though I did regret it; for I see that that letter did pain you, though only for a little while; Yet I am glad now, not because you were pained, but because you were pained into repentance [and so turned back to God]; for you felt a grief such as God meant you to feel, so that in nothing you might suffer loss through us or harm for what we did. For godly grief and the pain God is permitted to direct, produce a repentance that leads and contributes to salvation and deliverance from evil, and it never brings regret; but worldly grief (the hopeless sorrow that is characteristic of the pagan world) is deadly [breeding and ending in death]. For [you can look back now and] observe what this same godly sorrow has done for you and has produced in you: what eagerness and earnest care to explain and clear yourselves [of all complicity in the condoning of incest], what indignation [at the sin], what alarm, what yearning, what zeal [to do justice to all concerned], what readiness to mete out punishment [to the offender]! At every point you have proved yourselves cleared and guiltless in the matter. [I Cor. 5.]

In 2 Cor 7:10 we see 2 different types of sorrow listed:

1. Godly Sorrow - produces repentance and salvation
   
2. Sorrow of the world – produces death.
   

You will see from verse 11 from the Amplified version, the final results of Godly Sorrow - eagerness and earnest care to explain and clear yourselves [of all complicity in the condoning of incest], what indignation [at the sin], what alarm, what yearning, what zeal [to do justice to all concerned], what readiness to mete out punishment [to the offender]! At every point you have proved yourselves cleared and guiltless in the matter.

This ensures that you have a clear conscience and can boldly approach God and not run away from him any time you feel that you have something standing between you and God, between you and your answer.

It was worldly sorry that led Judas to hang himself. Worldly sorrow would make you yield to the devil and the final result would be death.