Revell, 1981), 3:280.
Jesus Explains His Gospel
"afterthought" or "change of mind," but biblically its meaning does not stop there.13 As metanoia is used in the New Testament, it always speaks of a change of purpose, and specifically a turning from sin.14 In the sense Jesus used it, repentance calls for a repudiation of the old life and a turning to God for salvation.15
Such a change of purpose is what Paul had in mind when he described the repentance of the Thessalonians: "You turned to God from idols to serve a living and true God" (1 Thess. 1:9). Note three elements of repentance: a turning to God, a turning from evil, and the intent to serve God. No change of mind can be called true repentance if it does not include all three elements. The simple but all too often overlooked fact is that a true change of mind will necessarily result in a change of behavior.
Repentance is not merely shame or sorrow for sin, although genuine repentance always involves an element of remorse.16 It is a redirection of the human will, a purposeful decision to forsake all unrigh teous ness and pursue righteous ness instead.
Nor is repentance merely a human work. It is, like every element of redemption, a sovereignly bestowed gift of God. The early church, recognizing the authenticity of Cornelius's conversion, concluded, "Well then, God has granted to the Gentiles also the repentance that leads to life" (Acts 11:18; cf. 5:31). Paul wrote to Timothy that he should gently correct those who oppose the truth, "if perhaps God may grant them repentance leading to the knowledge of the
13. "Th e predominantly intellectual understanding of metanoia as a change of mind plays very little part in the NT. Rather, the decision by the whole man to turn around is stressed. It is clear that we are concerned neither with a purely outward turning nor with a merely intellectual change of ideas." J. Goetzman, "Conversion," in Colin Brown, gen. ed., New International Dictionary of New Testament Th eology (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1986), 1:358.
14. W. E. Vine, Vine's Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words (Old Tappan, N.J.: Revell, 1981), 3:280.
15. "It demands radical conversion, a transformation of nature, a defi nitive turning from evil, a resolute turning to God in total obedience (Mk. 1:15; Mt. 4:17; 18:3). . . . Th is conversion is once-for-all. Th ere can be no going back, only advance in responsible movement along the way now taken. It aff ects the whole man, fi rst and basically the centre of personal life, then logically his conduct at all times and in all situations, his thoughts, words and acts (Mt. 12:33ff . par.; 23:26; Mk. 7:15 par.). Th e whole proclamation of Jesus . . . is a proclamation of unconditional turning to God, of unconditional turning from all that is against God, not merely that which is downright evil, but that which in a given case makes total turning to God impossible (Mt. 5:29f., 44; 6:19f.; 7:13f. par.; 10:32 – 39 par.; Mk. 3:31ff . par.; Lk. 14:33, cf. Mk. 10:21 par.)." J. Behm, "Metanoia," in Gerhard Kittel, ed., Th eological Dictionary of the New Testament (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1967), 4:1002.
16. Th ayer's Greek lexicon defi nes metanoia as "the change of mind of those who have begun to abhor their errors and misdeeds, and have determined to enter upon a better course of life, so that it embraces both a recognition of sin and sorrow for it and hearty amendment, the tokens and eff ects of which are good deeds." Joseph Henry Th ayer, trans., Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1962), 406.