Repentance

Cited from: Synonyms of the New Testament, Trench (Pages 255-261)

Greek metanoeo & metamelouai

There are two types of repentance. First is the mere desire that the thing done might be undone, accompanied with regrets or even with remorse, but with no effective change of heart, there metamelouai is employed.; but where a true change of heart toward God, there metanoeo is employed. In either case it involves a change of mind.

To this purpose it is worth observing, that when the Scripture speaks of that kind of repentance, which is only sorrow for something done, and wishing it undone, it constantly uses the word metamelouai, to which forgiveness of sins is nowhere promised. Two examples of the usage of the word are given in Matthew. First is in the parable of the two sons Matt. 21:29, where the first son repented and went to work in his father’s vineyard after saying he would not. Second concerns Judas. When Judas repented he had a change of mind but the end of his repentance was anguish and despair.

KJV Matthew 27:3 Then Judas, which had betrayed him, when he saw that he was condemned, repented (metamelouai) himself, and brought again the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders,

This kind of repentance is ineffective, it is to be afflicted in mind, to be troubled for a former folly, being displeased for what we have done. And often the sorrow is not over the sin but the being caught and facing the consequence of the wrongdoing, and/or the embarrassment.

But that repentance to which remission of sins and salvation is promised, is perpetually expressed by the word metanoeo, which signifies a thorough change of heart and soul, of the life and actions.

But repentance can also be for actions which are deemed good, and not always wrong. Plutarch tells us of two murderers, who, having spared a child, afterwards “repented,” and sought to slay it. They came to regret their mercy to the child and repented of the good deed.

Most often any kind of repentance comes by the means of what is called “after knowledge.” It is a “I should have done differently,” or “now I know better.” It is a realization of the nature of the thing done is wrong or a mistake and is based upon knowledge unknown at the time. With God the conviction of sin is this “after knowledge” experience. Consider the inspired words of John:

KJV 1 John 1:8, “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.”
9. “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
10. “If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.”

When we genuinely confess our sins it is a godly repentance, change of mind. The confession is the admission that what we have done, which we had no prior sense of guilt, or excused, or we justified ourselves, we now have come to accept God’s judgment of our actions. In affect we confess that God is right and we have been wrong. It is reaching an agreement with God of what is sin and our accepting His judgment of right and wrong. This is the repentance which is effective and brings forgiveness, fellowship and salvation.

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