Can a born again Christian repent?
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MasterYourLife
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Revelation 2:5
Therefore remember from where you have fallen, and repent and do the deeds you did at first; or else I am coming to you and will remove your lampstand out of its place—unless you repent
Revelation 3:3
So remember what you have received and heard; and keep it, and repent. Therefore if you do not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what hour I will come to you.
Written to believers.
Therefore remember from where you have fallen, and repent and do the deeds you did at first; or else I am coming to you and will remove your lampstand out of its place—unless you repent
Revelation 3:3
So remember what you have received and heard; and keep it, and repent. Therefore if you do not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what hour I will come to you.
Written to believers.
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JIMINZ
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Assuming by repenting you mean, turn away from sin.
A Believer does exactly that when they come to Christ, they Repent of the World, and or the Old Man.
That would be, the ultimate Repentance.
A Believer does exactly that when they come to Christ, they Repent of the World, and or the Old Man.
That would be, the ultimate Repentance.
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ajcarey
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Of course! And they'd better if/when they sin or their heart will harden and they'll fall away from Christ eventually. The following verses were all written to born-again Christians in Apostolic churches:
2 Corinthians 12:19-21: "20 For I fear, lest, when I come, I shall not find you such as I would, and that I shall be found unto you such as ye would not: lest there be debates, envyings, wraths, strifes, backbitings, whisperings, swellings, tumults: 21 And lest, when I come again, my God will humble me among you, and that I shall bewail many which have sinned already, and have not repented of the uncleanness and fornication and lasciviousness which they have committed."
1 Timothy 1:18-19 "This charge I commit unto thee, son Timothy, according to the prophecies which went before on thee, that thou by them mightest war a good warfare; Holding faith, and a good conscience; which some having put away concerning faith have made shipwreck"
Revelation 2:4-5: "4 Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love. 5 Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent."
Revelation 2:20-25: "20 Notwithstanding I have a few things against thee, because thou sufferest that woman Jezebel, which calleth herself a prophetess, to teach and to seduce my servants to commit fornication, and to eat things sacrificed unto idols. 21 And I gave her space to repent of her fornication; and she repented not. 22 Behold, I will cast her into a bed, and them that commit adultery with her into great tribulation, except they repent of their deeds. 23 And I will kill her children with death; and all the churches shall know that I am he which searcheth the reins and hearts: and I will give unto every one of you according to your works. 24 But unto you I say, and unto the rest in Thyatira, as many as have not this doctrine, and which have not known the depths of Satan, as they speak; I will put upon you none other burden. 25 But that which ye have already hold fast till I come."
Revelation 3:2-5: "2 Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die: for I have not found thy works perfect before God. 3 Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee. 4 Thou hast a few names even in Sardis which have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with me in white: for they are worthy. 5 He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels."
Revelation 3:19-21: "19 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent. 20 Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me. 21 To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne."
The concept itself is implied an innumerable amount of times in the Bible. It is a strait gate AND a narrow way that leads to eternal life. Since it's possible to veer from the narrow way after one enters into it, it's a good thing that there is an opportunity and space to repent to get back on it- for only those who endure to the end will be saved (Matthew 24:13).
James 5:19-20: "19 Brethren, if any of you do err from the truth, and one convert him; 20 Let him know, that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins."
Romans 8:12-14: "12 Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh. 13 For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live. 14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God."
2 Corinthians 12:19-21: "20 For I fear, lest, when I come, I shall not find you such as I would, and that I shall be found unto you such as ye would not: lest there be debates, envyings, wraths, strifes, backbitings, whisperings, swellings, tumults: 21 And lest, when I come again, my God will humble me among you, and that I shall bewail many which have sinned already, and have not repented of the uncleanness and fornication and lasciviousness which they have committed."
1 Timothy 1:18-19 "This charge I commit unto thee, son Timothy, according to the prophecies which went before on thee, that thou by them mightest war a good warfare; Holding faith, and a good conscience; which some having put away concerning faith have made shipwreck"
Revelation 2:4-5: "4 Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love. 5 Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent."
Revelation 2:20-25: "20 Notwithstanding I have a few things against thee, because thou sufferest that woman Jezebel, which calleth herself a prophetess, to teach and to seduce my servants to commit fornication, and to eat things sacrificed unto idols. 21 And I gave her space to repent of her fornication; and she repented not. 22 Behold, I will cast her into a bed, and them that commit adultery with her into great tribulation, except they repent of their deeds. 23 And I will kill her children with death; and all the churches shall know that I am he which searcheth the reins and hearts: and I will give unto every one of you according to your works. 24 But unto you I say, and unto the rest in Thyatira, as many as have not this doctrine, and which have not known the depths of Satan, as they speak; I will put upon you none other burden. 25 But that which ye have already hold fast till I come."
Revelation 3:2-5: "2 Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die: for I have not found thy works perfect before God. 3 Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee. 4 Thou hast a few names even in Sardis which have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with me in white: for they are worthy. 5 He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels."
Revelation 3:19-21: "19 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent. 20 Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me. 21 To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne."
The concept itself is implied an innumerable amount of times in the Bible. It is a strait gate AND a narrow way that leads to eternal life. Since it's possible to veer from the narrow way after one enters into it, it's a good thing that there is an opportunity and space to repent to get back on it- for only those who endure to the end will be saved (Matthew 24:13).
James 5:19-20: "19 Brethren, if any of you do err from the truth, and one convert him; 20 Let him know, that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins."
Romans 8:12-14: "12 Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh. 13 For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live. 14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God."
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Doesn"t that mean that a born again believer has started living in sin again? Is there need for repentance from an occational sin? Of course we need to ask for forgiveness, but repent? Doesn't repent mean change direction in life?
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He has already repented when he received Christ as Saviour, because he has become a whole new creature as a result; old things have passed away, all things have become new. And when the mortal body (the flesh) gets the better of him, he confesses his transgression, and is immediately forgiven and cleansed from all unrighteousness.
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Hi @zoidar, here's some of what theologian/pastor Dr. R C Sproul had to say about it.
REPENTANCE
The opening message of John the Baptist, who served as a herald for Jesus, was, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” This call to repentance was an urgent appeal to sinners. No one who refuses to repent can ever enter the kingdom of God. Repentance is a prerequisite, a necessary condition for salvation.
In Scripture, repentance means “to undergo a change of one’s mind.” This change of mind is not a mere switching of minor opinions, but of the entire direction of one’s life. It involves a radical turning from sin and to Christ.
Repentance is not the cause of new birth or regeneration; it is the result or fruit of regeneration. Though repentance begins with regeneration, it is an attitude and action that must be repeated throughout the Christian life. As we continue to sin, we are called upon to repent as we are convicted of our sin by the Holy Spirit.
Theologians make a distinction between two kinds of repentance. The first is called attrition. Attrition is a false or spurious kind of repentance. It involves remorse caused by a fear of punishment or a loss of blessing. Every parent has witnessed attrition in a child when he is caught with his hand in the cookie jar. The child, fearing the paddle, cries, “I’m sorry, please don’t spank me!” These pleas coupled with crocodile tears are usually not signs of genuine remorse for wrongdoing. This was the kind of repentance Esau exhibited (Genesis 27:30-46). He was sorry not because he had sinned, but because he had lost his birthright. Attrition, then, is repentance motivated by an attempt to get a ticket out of hell or to otherwise avoid punishment.
Contrition, on the other hand, is true and godly repentance. It is genuine. It includes a deep remorse for having offended God. The contrite person openly and fully confesses his sin with no attempt to excuse it or justify it. This acknowledgment of sin is coupled with a willingness to make restitution whenever possible and a resolve to turn away from sin. This is the spirit of repentance that David exhibited in Psalms 51. “Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. . . . The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, a broken and a contrite heart—these, O God, You will not despise” (Psalms 51:10; Psalms 51:17).
When repentance is offered to God in a spirit of true contrition, He promises to forgive us and to restore us to fellowship with Him: “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9).
Summary
1. Repentance is a necessary condition for salvation.
2. Repentance is the fruit of regeneration.
3. Attrition is false repentance motivated by fear.
4. Contrition is true repentance motivated by godly remorse.
5. True repentance includes full confession, restitution, and resolve to turn from sin.
6. God promises forgiveness and restoration to all who truly repent.
Biblical passages for reflection:
Ezekiel 18:30-32
Luke 24:46-47
Acts of the Apostles 20:17-21
Romans 2:4
2 Corinthians 7:8-12
--DavidThe opening message of John the Baptist, who served as a herald for Jesus, was, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” This call to repentance was an urgent appeal to sinners. No one who refuses to repent can ever enter the kingdom of God. Repentance is a prerequisite, a necessary condition for salvation.
In Scripture, repentance means “to undergo a change of one’s mind.” This change of mind is not a mere switching of minor opinions, but of the entire direction of one’s life. It involves a radical turning from sin and to Christ.
Repentance is not the cause of new birth or regeneration; it is the result or fruit of regeneration. Though repentance begins with regeneration, it is an attitude and action that must be repeated throughout the Christian life. As we continue to sin, we are called upon to repent as we are convicted of our sin by the Holy Spirit.
Theologians make a distinction between two kinds of repentance. The first is called attrition. Attrition is a false or spurious kind of repentance. It involves remorse caused by a fear of punishment or a loss of blessing. Every parent has witnessed attrition in a child when he is caught with his hand in the cookie jar. The child, fearing the paddle, cries, “I’m sorry, please don’t spank me!” These pleas coupled with crocodile tears are usually not signs of genuine remorse for wrongdoing. This was the kind of repentance Esau exhibited (Genesis 27:30-46). He was sorry not because he had sinned, but because he had lost his birthright. Attrition, then, is repentance motivated by an attempt to get a ticket out of hell or to otherwise avoid punishment.
Contrition, on the other hand, is true and godly repentance. It is genuine. It includes a deep remorse for having offended God. The contrite person openly and fully confesses his sin with no attempt to excuse it or justify it. This acknowledgment of sin is coupled with a willingness to make restitution whenever possible and a resolve to turn away from sin. This is the spirit of repentance that David exhibited in Psalms 51. “Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. . . . The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, a broken and a contrite heart—these, O God, You will not despise” (Psalms 51:10; Psalms 51:17).
When repentance is offered to God in a spirit of true contrition, He promises to forgive us and to restore us to fellowship with Him: “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9).
Summary
1. Repentance is a necessary condition for salvation.
2. Repentance is the fruit of regeneration.
3. Attrition is false repentance motivated by fear.
4. Contrition is true repentance motivated by godly remorse.
5. True repentance includes full confession, restitution, and resolve to turn from sin.
6. God promises forgiveness and restoration to all who truly repent.
Biblical passages for reflection:
Ezekiel 18:30-32
Luke 24:46-47
Acts of the Apostles 20:17-21
Romans 2:4
2 Corinthians 7:8-12
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Hi David!
Before I reply I want to start by saying I like your mild way here on CF. I don't know if I ever seen you being unfriendly or aggressive. Now to my answer.
I don't share Sprouls understanding on repentance. Why? Because it's not how it was for me when I got saved. First I repented and then I got regenerated/born again.
I agree that we have to turn to God for forgiveness when we occasionally fall in sin, but I don't use the word repentance for that. From my understanding repentance needs to be done when a Christian is moving away from God towards a worldy life and a life of sin. Then there is a need for change in direction, repentance.
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If I know of a sin I have committed whether in thought, word or deed, I repent. My attitude better be one of repentance, my desire the purity of God.
Is not one known sin a reversal of direction? Did not King David repent, after how many years of walking with the Lord?
Don't make a light thing of any one sin, and what's more, don't pretend that known sins are the only ones. And I'm not talking about accidental sins, but about the old man still at work in us, and the ongoing sanctification from which he draws us away. Thank God for the Holy Spirit.
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How do you know when the regeneration began? Don't you know you have no desire nor ability to repent apart from the work of God? Feelings are no gauge of repentance.
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"Don't you know you have no desire nor ability to repent apart from the work of God?"
I'm not sure about that ...
Possibly I was first regenerated (which I doubt), then I repented and then I got born again. I'm 100% sure the new birth took place after repentance. But then regeneration and rebirth are two different things.
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Hi Zoidar, I believe that some of the misunderstandings that we have within Christendom are due to the different meanings that we assign to the terminology that we use to express ourselves. I have, in fact, seen many different understandings of two of the terms you just used, "repent" and "new birth"/"born again", right here on CF. Maybe we should explain (as OP authors) what the terms we use mean to us (especially controversial terminology that we use in our titles and/or opening sentences), so that our threads end up being a little more productive from the get-go?
God bless you!
--David
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Darren Brown
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the chapter romans 7 Paul talks about doing things that he doesn't want to do. I think that a Christian needs to be repenting. I think that we are sinning a lot more than we know and the Holy Spirit teaches us and shows us our sins. Its a process of being transformed into the image of Christ that is never finished. There are two definitions of repenting that help me 1) turning away from sin and 2) changing our mind about sin. We need to change the way that we think about our sin. Its not enough to recognize that we are sinning we need to change the way we think about it. Judas (betrayal of Jesus) was sorry about his sin and recognized his sin, but he never changed his mind about it, and never turned from it. Peter (denial of Jesus) was also sorry over his sin, but he turned from it and changed his mind over it.
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I understood Sproul as using regeneration and the new birth as the same thing. That's how I use it. If you are regenerated or born again then you have become a member of the body of Christ and is saved.
As far as I know the word regeneration isn't in the Bible. I don't like to use it, but prefer using the words new birth or born again.
I'm not sure exactly how I should have explained this in the OP. I wanted to have a discussion about what repententance means for a born again believer. I didn't know there were so many different understandings of what repentance means.
I was surprised everone voted "yes". If I knew that, a better OP would have been: "How do you understand repentance of an allready born again believer?"
God bless you David!
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1 john 1
9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar and His word is not in us.
1 john 2
1 My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous
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