REPENTANCE: Responding to GOD

Knowledge and experience about the topic, gives a good and excellent way for the person who leads the lesson, the confidence to facilitate the study.

Start with putting ourselves and reminding ourselves about the experience and knowledge in connection with the word REPENTANCE.

In Biblical Hebrew, the idea of repentance is represented by two verbs:
- שוב shuv - (to return)
- 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
- 'noeo' - the verb: 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;

Metanoia
- a change of mind
- accompanied by regret and change of conduct
- "change of mind and heart"
- "change of consciousness"

Manifestations of repentance mentioned in the Bible:
- These include pouring out water, which symbolizes the pouring out of one's heart before God;
- Prayer, self-affliction, as fasting;
- wearing sackcloth;
- sitting and sleeping on the ground

Prophets - insist on a complete change of the sinner's mental and spiritual attitude, and not the physical routine or outward expression of repentance.

In Isaiah 55:7, states that
Let the wicked forsake his way
and the evil man his thoughts.
Let him turn to the LORD, and he will have mercy on him,
and to our God, for he will freely pardon.

“repentance brings pardon and forgiveness of sin.”

Apart from repentance:
- no other activities,
- no such as sacrifices
- no religious ceremonies
can secure pardon and forgiveness of sin.

(even if Christ allowed himself to be nailed in the cross if there is no repentance of the sinner he can never be saved)

Many rabbinic sources state that repentance is of paramount importance to the existence of this world, so that it was one of the seven provisions which God made before the Creation.

- "The Holy One, blessed be His name, said to Elijah, 'Behold, the precious gift which I have bestowed on my world: though a man sins again and again, but returns in penitence, I will receive him'" (Jerusalem Talmud Sanhedrin 28b).

- "Great is repentance: it brings healing into the world"; "it reaches to the throne of God" (Hosea 14:2, 5)

- "it brings redemption" (Isaiah 59:20)

- "it prolongs man's life" (Ezekiel 18:21)

- "Repentance and works of charity are man's intercessors before God's throne" (Talmud Shabbath 32a)

Sincere repentance is manifested when the same temptation to sin, under the same conditions, is ever after resolutely resisted.

"He that confesses his sin and still clings to it is likened to a man that holds in his hand a defiling object; though he batheth in all the waters of the world he is not cleansed; but the moment he casteth the defiling object from him a single bath will cleanse him, as it is said 'Whosoever confesses and forsakes them [his sins] shall have mercy'".


2nd Samuel 12

Identification of the sin, and what could have been:
8
I gave your master's house to you, and your master's wives into your arms. I gave you the house of Israel and Judah. And if all this had been too little, I would have given you even more.
9
Why did you despise the word of the LORD by doing what is evil in his eyes? You struck down Uriah the Hittite with the sword and took his wife to be your own. You killed him with the sword of the Ammonites.

Consequence of the Sin
10
Now, therefore, the sword will never depart from your house, because you despised me and took the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your own.'
11
"This is what the LORD says: `Out of your own household I am going to bring calamity upon you. Before your very eyes I will take your wives and give them to one who is close to you, and he will lie with your wives in broad daylight.
12
You did it in secret, but I will do this thing in broad daylight before all Israel.'"


David’s Response -- נחם nicham
13a
Then David said to Nathan, "I have sinned against the LORD."


Psalm 51
For the director of music. A psalm of David. When the prophet Nathan came to him after David had committed adultery with Bathsheba.

1 Have mercy on me, O God,
according to your unfailing love;
according to your great compassion
blot out my transgressions.
2 Wash away all my iniquity
and cleanse me from my sin.
3 For I know my transgressions,
and my sin is always before me.
4 Against you, you only, have I sinned
and done what is evil in your sight,
so that you are proved right when you speak
and justified when you judge.
5 Surely I was sinful at birth,
sinful from the time my mother conceived me.
6 Surely you desire truth in the inner parts [a] ;
you teach [b] me wisdom in the inmost place.
7 Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean;
wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.
8 Let me hear joy and gladness;
let the bones you have crushed rejoice.
9 Hide your face from my sins
and blot out all my iniquity.
10 Create in me a pure heart, O God,
and renew a steadfast spirit within me.
11 Do not cast me from your presence
or take your Holy Spirit from me.
12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation
and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.
13 Then I will teach transgressors your ways,
and sinners will turn back to you.
14 Save me from bloodguilt, O God,
the God who saves me,
and my tongue will sing of your righteousness.
15 O Lord, open my lips,
and my mouth will declare your praise.
16 You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it;
you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings.
17 The sacrifices of God are [c] a broken spirit;
a broken and contrite heart,
O God, you will not despise.
18 In your good pleasure make Zion prosper;
build up the walls of Jerusalem.
19 Then there will be righteous sacrifices,
whole burnt offerings to delight you;
then bulls will be offered on your altar.


13b
Nathan replied, "The LORD has taken away your sin. You are not going to die.

Consequence of Sin continuation
14
But because by doing this you have made the enemies of the LORD show utter contempt, [32] the son born to you will die."
15
After Nathan had gone home, the LORD struck the child that Uriah's wife had borne to David, and he became ill.


David’s Response - נחם nicham
16
David pleaded with God for the child. He fasted and went into his house and spent the nights lying on the ground.
17
The elders of his household stood beside him to get him up from the ground, but he refused, and he would not eat any food with them.
18
On the seventh day the child died. David's servants were afraid to tell him that the child was dead, for they thought, "While the child was still living, we spoke to David but he would not listen to us. How can we tell him the child is dead? He may do something desperate."
19
David noticed that his servants were whispering among themselves and he realized the child was dead. "Is the child dead?" he asked. "Yes," they replied, "he is dead."

David moved on knowing he was already forgiven
20
Then David got up from the ground. After he had washed, put on lotions and changed his clothes, he went into the house of the LORD and worshiped. Then he went to his own house, and at his request they served him food, and he ate.
21
His servants asked him, "Why are you acting this way? While the child was alive, you fasted and wept, but now that the child is dead, you get up and eat!"
22
He answered, "While the child was still alive, I fasted and wept. I thought, `Who knows? The LORD may be gracious to me and let the child live.'
23
But now that he is dead, why should I fast? Can I bring him back again? I will go to him, but he will not return to me."

David’s blessing after the repentance:

- he bore a son from Bathsheba – Solomon
- the ammonites were captured
- the crown of the King of the ammonites was placed on David’s head which was made of gold
- He ruled the Ammonites


Study Proper

Read the Key verses
2 Corinthians 7:10-11
Response of the Corinthians..
Worldly sorrow versus Godly sorrow

Acts26:19-21
Paul’s preaching about?
Meaning of repentance?
Decision followed by what?

Matthew 5: 29-30
Attitude towards sin

Responses to the Gospel
The Jews of the Pentecost Acts 2:22-42
The Ethiopian Eunuch Acts 8:26-40
Saul Acts 9:1-20
The Philippian Jailer Acts 16:25-34


1. Before studying, read thoroughly the topic, .if possible ask someone, a fellow disciple to review the topic. PRAY
2. Make some notes...key notes, mental notes and incorporate it with personal experiences (this would make the conversation more personal and more open)
3. Ask yourself. Are you now well versed with the topic presented?
4. Let the person read the verses…
5. Ask the person you study with on how he understood the verses given…
6. Is the person you study with is in line with what is being conveyed by the verse…
7. Always go back to your reference. Remember the study is not a debate but rather a venue where we could share how God has changed the lives of the believers.
8. Go to the self- assessment questions and ask them to the person whom you study with.
a. significant changes in your mindset and behavior
b. godly or worldly sorrow? Why?
c. how to imitate /god’s attitude towards sin?
(try to get him out of the shell)

9. Summarize the study put the pieces of the puzzle together. From the Previous studies
Response to conversion:
a. hearing the word
b. believing the message
c. attitude of repentance
d. confession of surrender
e. baptism in water

10. Ask the person if he has questions, clarifications, violent reaction or simply if he understood the study itself.

Remember:
A. the study is not about you, its about:
a. GOD
b. His lost sheep
c. How the messenger shared the message

B. Do not monopolize the conversation, its not a lecture but rather, a sharing of God’s word

C. Be receptive to the person you study with:
a. Look at his gestures
b. His body movements
c. His facial expression
d. Know the motivation of repentance:
a. Consequence oriented
i. Fear of the consequence
ii. Favorable outcome
b. Socially accepted
c. Logical validity
d. Emotional weight
e. Clear understanding of the concept
f. Combination of everything