I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you… ~ Ezekiel 36:26

I will give them a heart to know Me, that I am the LORD. They will be My people, and I will be their God, for they will return to Me with all their heart. ~ Jeremiah 24:7

And the LORD thy God will circumcise thine heart, and the heart of thy seed, to love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, that thou mayest live. ~ Deuteronomy 30:6

Salvation is about a change that occurs within the heart.

When a person is saved, their heart changes and a new spirit is born within them. The work of salvation begins first in the heart of man, and when the heart turns to the Lord, a change in how one thinks and behaves, commences.

The purpose of this article is to address the true meaning of the Greek word for repentance (metanoeo) which is being exploited by many as simply a change of mind. This is causing an erosion regarding what it truly means to repent in regards to our faith in Jesus.

Metanoeo in its Biblical use is not simply changing the mind, such as deciding to eat a hamburger instead of pizza for lunch. The actual meaning  of the Greek word translated as metanoeo consists of two parts. Metá, “changed after being with” noiéō, “think” – properly, “think differently after,” “after a change of mind“; to repent (literally, “think differently afterwards”).

Notice that the meaning is not simply to change your mind, but to think differently after the mind has been changed. This change of mind is the result of something else, that is why metanoeo has to do with a change of thinking and purpose “afterwards.” 

After what? After the heart turns to the Lord! 

When the heart turns to the Lord (for with the heart man believes unto righteousness), then the mind changes. True repentance that accompanies salvation is a continuous thing and not a one time mental decision. That is why Paul speaks of being transformed by the renewing of our minds in his letter to the Romans.

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. ~ Romans 12:1-2

In Ephesians Paul speaks of being renewed in the spirit of our minds. When our hearts turn to the Lord there is an ongoing state of repentance (a change through renewal of our minds) which stays with us for the rest of our lives because we are consecrated to the Lord for his purposes.

To reduce repentance down to a one time decision of changing your mind from unbelief to belief as if salvation is the result of a mental decision is to miss the teachings of scripture entirely. Yet this is exactly what some are doing and the result is many are becoming scoffers at any thought of repentance of sin which they claim is a work and somehow is in opposition to the work of Christ.

Allow me to say it another way to make it plain. Those who hold such views do not believe that salvation has anything to do with turning from sin to Christ so as to live for the glory of God and Christ. On the contrary, that which is being advanced by this free grace theology is that belief (which is a mental decision) saves you from the penalty of your sins, even if you choose to go on living in ungodliness and wickedness. For all intents and purposes, salvation through belief in Jesus is (according to this theology) a get out of hell for free, card. The purpose

True salvation is not a get out of hell free card, it is deliverance from the powers of darkness and reconciliation to God. And it begins in this life. True salvation is freedom from sin through Jesus Christ with the promise of life in the world to come.

The belief that repentance is nothing more than a decisional change of the mind fails to acknowledge that salvation is a matter of belief from the heart, for it is with the heart that man believes unto righteousness.

But the righteousness which is of faith speaketh on this wise, Say not in thine heart, Who shall ascend into heaven? (that is, to bring Christ down from above:) Or, Who shall descend into the deep? (that is, to bring up Christ again from the dead. But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach; That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. ~ Romans 10:6-11

True belief in Jesus comes from the heart, and when the heart turns to Christ, there is cleansing from sin and thus a change in the way one thinks about sin. For this reason, Paul says to the Romans, Shall we go on sinning that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we who are dead to sin live any longer therein? ~ Romans 6:1-2

Notice the expectation of Paul regarding how a believer ought to think with regards to sin.

A saved person has become dead to sin through their union with Christ (when their heart turned to the Lord), thus a change in their thinking follows, especially regarding sin. We are to consider ourselves as being dead to sin and alive to God through Jesus Christ. This is what repentance of sin actually looks like. We believe in Jesus to deliver us from the power of darkness and to save us from our sins. Thus we change how we live because we begin to think differently after our heart turns to the Lord. How can we not think differently about sin if our heart has truly turned to the Lord? 

True repentance is the change that occurs after something else happens – namely, the turning of the heart to the Lord. It is not a casual change of  your mind. It involves purpose and is actually the change of mind that happens afterwards (after the heart has turned to the Lord).

Faith in Jesus (turning our hearts to the Lord) causes our thinking (our minds) to change. That is what repentance is. The mind is changed because of the work of the Holy Spirit in the heart. Salvation is not the result of a mental change of the mind, but the result of a changed heart by the power of God, which causes us to think differently. When this happens we turn from our sins to no longer live therein, but live instead, in union with Christ through faith. 

Again, true repentance is not simply a mental change of our mind, but a change in our thinking that is caused by something else, namely the work of the Spirit of God in our hearts.

While repentance does involve a changed mind, the outworking of repentance has the expression of turning from a life of disobedience to obedience because of our faith towards God.

The biblical teaching of repentance as a change in our thinking is a far cry from the change of mind which is preached by those who advocate free grace theology. Whereas free grace theology claims that repentance is decisional (to change from unbelief to belief), while at the same time disparaging repentance from sin as a work, the repentance of scripture is a new way of thinking that leads us out of living in sin to living in righteousness.  

True Biblical repentance has to do with the purpose and motives of the hearts. It is not simply a mental exercise, in which one casually changes their mind as we often do in everyday activities. True repentance is a change in our thinking that results from the inward work of the Holy Spirit within the heart.

This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind, Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart. Who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness. But ye have not so learned Christ; If so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus: That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness. ~ Ephesians 4:17-24

In the text above, the gentiles who do not know God walk after the vanity of their minds, and their understanding of God is darkened because of the blindness of their hearts.

One cannot come to repentance (having a changed mind afterwards), without the heart first enlightened by the power of Christ. It is with the heart that man believes the gospel, affecting a change in the way one thinks afterwards. This is faith and repentance. True faith is accompanied with repentance (a changed mind afterwards – after the heart has turned to the Lord).

Paul says of the unrepentant Gentiles in the world that they are “past feeling and have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness.” The NIV translation of the Bible says, Having lost all sensitivity, they have given themselves over to sensuality so as to indulge in every kind of impurity, and they are full of greed.

Paul then reminds them that this is not what they had learned concerning Christ, and that they were to put off the old man with his deeds and put on the new man in Christ, and Paul refers to this as being renewed in the spirit of their minds (i.e., repentance).

But ye have not so learned Christ; If so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus: That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness. ~ v. 20-24

When anyone comes to the Lord, there is a desire to serve God and to live a life that is pleasing to him, but as we all know, we still have to manage the carnal desires of our fleshly nature, and this is where the walk of sanctification comes in. When we are born again, our minds change regarding sin and disobedience, but as we live out our faith, there is a war within our members (our flesh) which is at war against our minds, thus the life of faith coincides with a continual renewal of our minds.

Paul refers to the putting off of the old man (denying our fleshly desires), and putting on the new man (yielding to God to live according to the Spirit), as being renewed in the spirit of our minds.

Peter says something similar when he tells us, Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance: But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy. ~ 1 Peter 1:13-16

This is the work of ongoing repentance (the change of our minds) in the life of a believer and its unfortunate that there are Pastors who teach that no repentance of sin is necessary for eternal life, but simply a changed mind (a one time mental decision). Yet according to Peter, we are to hope for the grace we are to receive at the coming of Christ by girding the loins of our minds by not living according to our former lusts in the times of our ignorance.

Our former lusts is a reference to our old lives before Christ and the times of our ignorance is a reference to our being in unbelief and sin. Anyone willing to submit to the truth of God can easily come to the understanding that true repentance which accompanies faith is turning from sin (our old life) and following Christ in obedience. This is what salvation looks like when it take hold of one’s heart. 

True repentance is not a casual change of the mind like one would change their mind about eating a hamburger instead of pizza for lunch. The changed mind is not caused by the will of the flesh.

But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. ~ John 1:12-13

The changed mind that is repentance, is the result of a heart encounter with Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit. It is the result of the will of God being received in the heart, and those who yield to the will of God have a changed mind afterwards that causes them to pursue the things that please God.

When Paul tells the Ephesians to put off the old man and be renewed in the spirit of their minds, the result is the new man in Christ.

That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness. Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbor: for we are members one of another. ~ v 22-25

Notice the change that Paul speaks of. This is the changed mind which is repentance in action. Paul says to put away lying and speak the truth. Yet there are many Western Christians who are being taught that one does not have to stop lying to be saved, because that would mean they are saved by works. 

Many of these same people are the ones who will scoff at the notion of repentance of sin, claiming that repentance only means to change their mind, and turning from sin is a work. Yet, the repentance of scripture has works that follow because true repentance changes a person’s behavior and lifestyle. One cannot claim to have repented if there is no change in how they live and behave.

Turning from sin is embedded in the foundation of our faith. One cannot know the life of God if they do not turn from sin. This is why  Paul speaks of the Gentiles who do not know God and who walk after the vanity of their minds with their foolish hearts darkened and being alienated from the life of God.

Westernized Christianity is in a lot of trouble with its war against repentance of sin. It is a war they will not win because it is waged against the truth of the Living God.

Paul continues by telling the Ephesians the following:

Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath: Neither give place to the devil. Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labor, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth. Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers. And grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamor, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you. ~ Ephesians 4:22-32

The Westernized teaching of free grace theology would consider these words in the text above as optional and having nothing to do with salvation, even though Paul will go on to warn in the verses to come not to be deceived by such words. No one who has truly repented (changed their mind as a result of their heart turning to the Lord) can read the words above and consider them optional. If Christ has changed your heart, your life belongs to him and you are compelled by His Holy Spirit to live according to the life of Christ. 

Belief without true repentance which leads to obedience, will not save you. The gospel requires a turning from disobedience to obedience. This does not mean that one has to live a perfect life to be saved, but it does mean that one cannot continue to rebel in their hearts against God and think that they have eternal life. Not being under bondage does not mean that you are free to beat your wife and sleep with your neighbor’s. Such ignorance will purchase you a one way ticket to eternal destruction.

As believers we never have to live in fear of not measuring up, because Christ is our salvation. However, we ought to have the fear of the Lord that restrains us from wilful sin and wickedness. And therein is the difference. Saved people have the fear of the Lord in them. If you can live in sin with no fear of God, you are very dangerous grounds. 

Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied. ~ Peter 1:2

According to the apostle Paul, the Israelites who rejected Christ, did not “obey the gospel” ~ Romans 10:16, and we who believe were set free from sin when we obeyed from the heart. ~ Romans 6:17

If a person has not turned from ungodliness, and changed their mind to live in obedience to God rather than living in disobedience, they are not saved. They are deceived. Saved people have an abiding conviction in their hearts to do what is right in the sight of God. Again, this does not mean they live in perfect obedience every minute of every day, but it means there is an abiding desire to please God that rules their hearts. 

John the Baptist preached to the people to “bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance…” ~ Matthew 3:8. The New Living Translation says, Prove by the way you live that you have repented of your sins and turned to God.

True repentance turns us from a life of disobedience to obedience, and our mind is renewed so that we no longer have an excuse to justify sin. When Paul confronted the Corinthians about the sin of fornication in their midst, Paul chided them because they had not “mourned.” Unfortunately there are some Pastors and Christians that would refer to mourning or having sorrow regarding sin as works.

Yet according to the apostle Paul, the sin of fornication which was going on in the midst of the Corinthians should have grieved them, but it hadn’t. After Paul’s correction they did repent and in 2 Corinthians 7:8-11 Paul speaks about their repentance referring to it as godly sorrow which brought about a carefulness within them and clearing of themselves, and an indignation, a reverence, and zeal for what is right. These are the effects that true repentance has on the soul, and you can’t get this from just a causal changing of the mind. The change of mind that true repentance brings produces these qualities mentioned above.

If a person doesn’t have an abiding conviction for doing right and obeying the Lord, there truly has not been the change of mind that true repentance brings.

Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded. Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness. Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up. ~ James 4:7-10