More on Repent

I got this from a blog, and I am not sure which one it is, sorry. So please forgive me not giving recognition to you. 

Some Thoughts On Repentance And Faith

"But what think ye? A certain man had two sons; and he came to the first, and said, son, go work today in my vineyard. He answered and said, I will not: but afterward he repented, and went." Matthew 21:29

Interestingly enough the word repent here in greek is the word Metamellomia; which means to be remorseful with a desire to undo the wrong you have done. It means to change direction. This is the same word used when Judas repented of what he had done in betraying Jesus and took the money back and then later hung himself. Jesus however is using this word to get the attention of the scribes and Pharisees along with this little story about the rebellious sons and the vineyard.

"And he came to the second, and said, likewise. And he answered and said, I go sir: and went not." Matthew 21:30

Can you follow the flow here and see that Jesus is trying to knock away a faulty foundation that the Cheif Priests and elders had convinced themselves of thinking they were the children of Abraham? Can you see where the world today also has the same inclination within their own evil nature to think themselves deserving of God's blessings without any change in their attitude here perhaps thinking that repentance and Johns Baptism were for those really bad people who were not part of the family of God like they were?

"Whether of them twain did the will of his father? They say unto him, The first. Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That the publicans and the harlots go into the kingdom of God before you." Matthew 21:31

Many that follow Free Grace theology from Zane Hodges perspective are teaching that using repentance in the gospel call is confusing the gospel message. Also, many that follow the Lordship group, sometimes do not seem to see the need in being careful not to mislead or confuse others when using the call to repentance in the gospel message. I believe that you can confuse people in the gospel invitation, but I also believe that when repentance is delivered properly, following the way Jesus used it....then it exalts the beauty of the gospel. It doesn't confuse it. Also the person that feels that repentance should not be used in the gospel call is ignoring a tremendous amount of scripture that gives us every warrant in the world and even encourages us to in fact use it....and to use it boldly at that. The person however that does not see the need for precision with these truths is making light of words of God. Look at how Jesus finishes off this little parable.

"For John came unto you in the way of righteousness, and ye believed him not; but the publicans and the harlots believed him: and ye, when ye had seen it, repented not afterward, that ye might believe him." Matthew 21:32

Notice here that Jesus is using faith first in that the publicans and harlots believed and were healed but that with the Pharisees he is using repentance and Metamellomia repentance at that. Yes the same repentance that Judas repented with. Did the publicans and harlots repent? Yes they did and as we see they believed and repented because of Jesus' words. Jesus is trying to reveal this to the Pharisees who saw no need that they should repent. Of course this repentance is incomplete and will not save if like in Judas' case you have no promise to believe in and that is the key.

"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," Matthew 27:3

Notice that Judas repented and even did a 180 degree turn. Judas illustrates to us the tremendous danger of allowing Roman Catholicism into the evangelical camp and what a tremendous tragedy it is that major men who consider themselves to be evangelical continue to encourage it.

I do hear many ecumenical and neo-evangelicals often say that Judas needed to repent and that it was better that he had never been born because he was unwilling to repent. This clearly is error and dangerous error at that, reflecting a confusion of understanding the gospel call as well. They see faith dangerously close to being a vow and a commitment on our part that gains God's favor. Always remember that the sinner needs to receive at the cross.

Let me quote this again, "Then Judas, which had betrayed him, when he saw that he was condemned, repented himself..."

What was lacking in Judas' case?

"..I have sinned in that I have betrayed the innocent blood." Matthew 27:4a

Judas had no faith in the Son of the living God...but he did believe that Jesus was an innocent man. Remember he was the one who challenged the woman who poured out that expensive ointment saying it should have been given to the poor when in reality he was a theif and trying also to turn Jesus' disciples against Christ.

I think it also to be very troubling that some Lordships try to make a case that Judas believed that Jesus was the Son of God because he was in the boat when the other disciples confessed this truth. They join up with the no-Lordships in trying to make the case that belief in the Son of God has no power. Judas simply never believed. He was clearly a skeptic and in his final and dark hour he still refused to believe in Him. He never was clean. He never believed. He never had faith alone in Christ alone and in His grace alone to the glory of God alone.


The apostle Peter in the book of acts shows us why we have every warrant in the world to boldly teach repentance in the gospel call, and if you look in his sermons and exhortations you will see that he was listening closely to Jesus and put it all together, and that when we come together with the whole counsel of God; faith occurs, and then that repentance becomes Metanoia, which has the positive aspect of the change of mind about your love of sin and your only hope found in taking that sin to Christ who alone is your sin-bearer while you receive in His resurrection power the ability to turn from sin. In fact I heard that the Greek meaning in Peters exhortation could read like this: "Since you have received the gift of God, Repent and be Baptised." I am no Greek scholar so perhaps someone out there could enlighten us as to whether this is true. The Metamellomia that Jesus spoke of grabs the attention of the sinners heart and alarms his conscience but it does not save. Metanoia is what occurs when one turns to God in faith believing in his death, burial and ressurection and His grace alone. This was of tremendous cost to Christ and costs you absolutely nothing. His saving work is free and to say that your salvation is costly to you is to insult the finished work of Christ and His grace. Salvation is not a Roman bartering system.


Some, I doubt not, have tinkered up Christ's teachings, and Christ's gospel, from a desire to do more good. Things are allowed to be said and done at revivals which nobody could defend. Do you notice, at the present moment, the way the gospel is put? I am uttering no criticism upon anyone in particular, but I continually read the exhortation, "Give your heart to Christ." The exhortation is good, but do not suffer it to cover over the gospel word: "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved." In the Sunday-school, the teaching often is, "Dear children, love Jesus." Now, this is not the gospel. The love of Jesus comes as a fruit, but the gospel is, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved." If we think that we shall do more good by substituting another exhortation for the gospel command, we shall find ourselves landed in serious difficulties. If, for a moment, our improvements seem to produce a larger result than the old gospel, it will be the growth of mushrooms, it may even be the growth of toadstools; but it is not the growth of trees of the Lord. Let us keep close to Christ as our infallible Teacher in these days of peril, and be exceedingly jealous of the truth, else we may be duped, as Pompeii tricked certain cities that would not admit his troops. He said, "I don't ask you to allow my armies to be billeted upon you; but here are a few sick and wounded men, for whom I ask that you will allow them to rest among you." When the invalids were within the walls, they opened the gates, and the inhabitants were easily subdued. Keep out the little errors for which sympathy is asked; or, if not, your citadel will be captured before you are aware of the attack. Stand fast in the faith once for all delivered to the saints, and let no man spoil you by philosophy and vain deceit." CH Spurgeon- An All Round Ministry