I believe the Sinner’s Prayer is just another way of the Bible saying to “Repent.”
A Biblical Case For Repentance:
At the heart, I believe the Bible teaches that "
Repentance" means, "
Asking God for forgiveness" (Which of course naturally then leads to the "fruits of repentance", i.e. obedience to the Lord):
Important Note: While I may believe "
Repentance" does involve to a certain degree a "
change of mind" (like a person changing their mind about their old life of sin), I do not think "Repentance" exclusively means a “
change of mind.”
"
Asking God for forgiveness of sin" can either refer to: The "
Sinner's Prayer" (Initial Salvation) (Romans 10:13), and or the seasoned believer "
Confessing one's sin" (Continued Salvation) (See 1 John 1:9, 1 John 2:1).
Anyways, here are my ten points using Scripture showing that "repentance" means "asking God for forgiveness of sin.”
#1.
Acts 2:38,
The New Living Translation says in
Acts 2:38 to "repent of your sins."
Douay Reheims says in
Acts 2:38 to "Do penance."
New Life Version says in
Acts 2:38 to "Be sorry for your sins"
#2.
Luke 17:3 says, "Take heed to yourselves: If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him; and if he repent, forgive him." This doesn't make any sense if "repent" means believe in Jesus (as some teach) or to have a change of mind about sin (as others teach) or to exclusively forsake sin. Yes, we are to forsake sin as a part of repentance but that comes later after repentance (Which is to ask God for forgiveness of our sin). For how can we reconcile with a brother if we do not say we are sorry vs. just going on about life as if we did nothing wrong?
#3. Jesus said in
Matthew 12:41 that the Ninevites will rise up in Judgment against this generation because they repented at the preaching of Jonah. If you were to turn to Jonah chapter 3, you would be able to see in
Jonah 3:6-10 that the King of the Ninevites had told his people to:
(a) Cry out to God (i.e. Repentance) (See
Jonah 3:8).
(b) Turn from their sins or evil ways (i.e. The Natural Fruits of Repentance).
#4.
Matthew 3:6 (which then lines up with
Matthew 3:8). Also, in
Mark 1:4-5, it says John preached the "baptism of repentance" for the remission of sins (verse 4), and it then defines this "baptism of repentance" by saying they confessed their sins when they were baptized (verse 5).
#5. We see in
Acts of the Apostles 8:22 a clear example of Peter telling Simon to "repent" of his wickedness in trying to pay for the Holy Spirit. Peter is telling Simon to make a prayer towards God. For Peter says that he should pray that God might forgive him. In other words, Peter is telling Simon to repent of a one time event of wickedness by way of prayer to GOD. This only makes sense if "repent" means to "ask for forgiveness."
#6.
Ezekiel 14:6 says,
"Repent, and turn yourselves from your idols;" Repent makes the most sense here if a person is asking God for forgiveness by way of prayer instead of a person just believing in God. Naturally a person believes in God as their Savior if they are planning on forsaking their idols.
#7. We see repentance is the topic of discussion in
Luke 15 (
Luke 15:6) (
Luke 15:10); This is then followed up by the "Parable of the Prodigal Son" with the son desiring to be reconciled with his father. We learn the WAY the Prodigal Son desired to be reconciled with his father when he said,
"I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee, And am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants." (
Luke 15:18-19).
In other words, the Prodigal Son was seeking forgiveness. This ties into the point of repentance in
Luke 15:6 and
Luke 15:10.
#8.
Luke 10:13 says,
"Woe unto thee, Chorazin! woe unto thee, Bethsaida! for if the mighty works had been done in Tyre and Sidon, which have been done in you, they had a great while ago repented, sitting in sackcloth and ashes." This rules out the theory that repentance is exclusively forsaking sin. Granted, forsaking sin always follow true repentance (Asking God for forgiveness of one's sins) but forsaking sin is not repentance. The word "repented" here is describing a one time event because they "repented", sitting in sackcloth and ashes. In
Jonah 3:6 we learn that the King of Nineveh sat in sackcloth and ashes. In
Jonah 3:8, the King of Nineveh tells people to put on sackcloth, and cry mightily unto God (i.e. repentance): and then turn from their evil way (i.e. the fruits of repentance).
#9. John the Baptist says we are to bring forth fruits worthy of repentance (
Luke 3:8). Fruits are deeds (or obedience to God). How can repentance be the same thing as the fruit? Is the fruit the same thing as the tree?
#10.
Jeremiah 8:6 says, "I hearkened and heard, but they spake not aright: no man repented him of his wickedness, saying, What have I done? every one turned to his course, as the horse rusheth into the battle." Here we see the word "repented of wickedness" tied with the words, "What have I done?" This is an acknowledgement of one's sin to God as a part of asking His forgiveness.
Notable Additional Verses that Deal with Repentance
(But They Do Not Use The Word "Repent" or "Repentance"):
"For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved." (
Romans 10:13).
13 "And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner.
14 I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted. (
Luke 18:13-14).
Proverbs 28:13 says whosoever confesses and forsakes sin shall have mercy.
