Repentance
The word interpreted as repent in Greek is not complicated. It is simple. It is the Greek word metaneo, which simply means to think differently afterward or reconsider.
Contrary to some modern teachings, repentance is a thing of the past. It’s not a practice that remains relevant for the righteous today.
To make such a claim would mean that someone has arrived at a state of perfection in all areas of thought and life in Christ. While I need not think of myself as being dead in sin and trespasses any longer because I have been made a new creation in Christ Jesus and given eternal life, that does not mean my every thought and imagination is now perfect. I am the righteousness of God in Christ. However, that does not mean there can never be an attitude or thought that I need to change my mind about, so it can affect my choices and actions.
In the Scriptures, when something is referred to as the church, it really is a part of the church, and to be that, it means the ones being addressed have been born again and are new creations in Christ. If anyone knew who the church was, it would be the one who created the church to start with.
I would take my stand on knowing that Jesus, as the One who created the church, is the authority on what the church is and who is a part of it. Therefore, if Jesus says something to a church, I must find a way to accept it and not formulate a doctrine that eliminates what He said. I need the Holy Spirit to help me see and understand just as we all do. Jesus speaks to seven different churches in the letter of Revelation.
P.S. They are all part of the church on earth, but Jesus addresses them based on their local geography of being a gathering, and they each have their own appointed messenger—something to consider.
Revelation 3:1 “And to the angel of the church in Sardis write, “These things says He who has the seven Spirits of God and the seven stars: ‘I know your works, that you have a name that you are alive, but you are dead. 2 Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die, for I have not found your works perfect before God. 3 Remember therefore how you have received and heard; hold fast and repent. Therefore, if you will not watch, I will come upon you as a thief, and you will not know what hour I will come upon you. 4 You have a few names even in Sardis who have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with Me in white, for they are worthy.
Jesus says this is a church in Sardis, so it is an authentic church, but it is an authentic church dealing with some issues.
Once again, we find Jesus evaluating this church based on its works. When looked at from the outside, it is not an idle church. It is a church that is doing things that make it appear as though it is a live church, but Jesus says this church is dead. How can Jesus acknowledge this is a church He created by giving life to those who make it up and then say to them as a church that they are dead even though outwardly they appear alive?
He encourages them to strengthen the things that remain, that are ready to die. When a church gets into its mind that there are important things they must do to the distraction of really important things, the Holy Spirit details it can look alive while it is dying spiritually. The most important thing is an active, intimate relationship with Jesus and the Father. Interestingly, Jesus says to this church that He did not find their works perfect before God. Jesus then encourages them to remember. Their business has led to them forgetting the more important thing to God. They are to remember how they have received and heard, hold fast, and repent. In other words, there is a need to experience a change of mind to such a depth and degree that it changes what is occurring even though, outwardly, it looks alive.
Teaching anyone that repentance is no longer needed is dangerous because it eliminates the notion of the need to change one’s mind to be in unity with God’s thoughts and what Jesus desires. The act of renewing the mind by the washing or the water of the word is, in fact, an act of repentance. Teaching that there is no longer a need for repentance ignores the fact that even as they attempt to teach that repentance is no longer needed because we are already righteous, it is in and of itself a call to some type of repentance.
If, in my claim to know Jesus and be walking with Him, I am not finding areas of thought and attitude that fail to align with Him and thus am inclined to change my mind to adjust to how He thinks, I appear to be alive while I am actually dead and I need to repent. Repentance is a way of life for a believer in Jesus. I wish to engage it because, like those in Sardis who were given a promise of walking with Jesus in white by being found worthy due to not defiling their garments, I, too, want to be found worthy.
