REPENT?
My friend those in the Lordship Salvation Camp will tell you that repent means to turn from your sins. Read this...
Matthew 21:32
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.
See how Jesus is asking them to change their belief not actions. The Pharisees believed not. So biblical repentance means to stop unbelieving, CHANGE YOUR MIND, and believe.
Judas repented, how did that work out for him?
Matthew 27:3
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,
Here is an example of God NOT WANTING THE PEOPLE TO REPENT.
Exodus 13:17
And it came to pass, when Pharaoh had let the people go, that God led them not through the way of the land of the Philistines, although that was near; for God said, LEST PREADVENDURE THE PEOPLE REPENT when they see war, and they return to Egypt:
GOD LED THE PEOPLE OUT OF THE SIGHT OF THE PHILISTINES.
Why? He did not want them to see their might, and change their mind (REPENT) and go back to Egypt.
If repenting means to turn from your sins then why is God doing it? Not only does God do it, he is recorded to do it more than man in the bible. These are examples of God repenting.
KING JAMES VERSION, NOT OTHER MODERN VERSIONS THAT CHANGE REPENT INTO RELENT!
Genesis 6:6
And it REPENTED THE LORD that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart.
Amos 7:3
The LORD REPENTED for this: It shall not be, saith the LORD.
Genesis 6:7
And the LORD said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for it REPENTETH ME that I have made them.
Jeremiah 18:10
If it do evil in my sight, that it obey not my voice, then I WILL REPENT of the good, wherewith I said I would benefit them
Jeremiah 26:13
Therefore now amend your ways and your doings, and obey the voice of the LORD your God; and the LORD WILL REPENT him of the evil that he hath pronounced against you.
Hosea 11:8
How shall I give thee up, Ephraim? how shall I deliver thee, Israel? how shall I make thee as Admah? how shall I set thee as Zeboim? mine heart is turned within me, MY REPENTINGS are kindled together
Exodus 32:14
And the LORD REPENTED of the evil which he thought to do unto his people.
Deuteronomy 32:36
For the LORD shall judge his people, and REPENT HIMSELF for his servants, when he seeth that their power is gone, and there is none shut up, or left.
Judges 2:18
And when the LORD raised them up judges, then the LORD was with the judge, and delivered them out of the hand of their enemies all the days of the judge: for it REPENTED THE LORD because of their groanings by reason of them that oppressed them and vexed them.
1 Samuel 15:11
It REPENTETH ME that I have set up Saul to be king: for he is turned back from following me, and hath not performed my commandments. And it grieved Samuel; and he cried unto the LORD all night
1 Samuel 15:35
And Samuel came no more to see Saul until the day of his death: nevertheless Samuel mourned for Saul: and the LORD REPENTED that he had made Saul king over Israel
Psalm 135:14
For the LORD will judge his people, and HE WILL REPENT HIMSELF concerning his servants.
Psalms 106:45
And he remembered for them his covenant, and REPENTED according to the multitude of his mercies.
Jeremiah 18:8
If that nation, against whom I have pronounced, turn from their evil, I WILL REPENT of the evil that I thought to do unto them.
There is a whole bunch more, but I think you get the point. Repent means to turn around, to change your mind. Repent and believe the gospel. Change your mind about what you use to believe (atheism, other religions, superstition, or humanism) and believe on Christ. Repent only means turn from your sins, if the word sin(s) is at the end of the repent command. It would be like if I told you kicking is violent, and then you were to ask me if soccer is violent. In other words kick what? If it is a face then it is violent, if it is a can on the road or a football for three points then it is not!
Read the Wikipedea definition of repent,
In Biblical Hebrew, the idea of repentance is represented by two verbs: שוב shuv (to return) and נחם nicham (to feel sorrow). In the New Testament, the word translated as 'repentance' is the Greek word μετάνοια (metanoia), "after/behind one's mind", which is a compound word of the preposition 'meta' (after, with), and the verb 'noeo' (to perceive, to think, the result of perceiving or observing). In this compound word the preposition combines the two meanings of time and change, which may be denoted by 'after' and 'different'; so that the whole compound means: 'to think differently after'. Metanoia is therefore primarily an after-thought, different from the former thought; a change of mind accompanied by regret and change of conduct, "change of mind and heart", or, "change of consciousness".
I don't like going outside the Bible to understand the bible because scripture tells us to compare spiritual with spiritual. I love Wikipedea but it is not a spiritual source. That is why this portion (man's word) is at the bottom, however that settles the Greek issue.
-But to him that worketh not