What is Repentance?

The question that has interested me for sometime is, "What is repentance?" The fact that our faith is based on principles, some laws and some examples, that gives us a strict path by which we are to live. The scriptures give us a narrow pathway that we are to live by both physically and spiritually. It is simply not good enough to avoid evil but we must repent from it. Yahshua in Matthew 5:21-48 gave many examples of a mind that even though the physical had not yet done the act of murder for example the spirit of the person was driving them to think with hate. The spirit is truly what guides a man and whether it is the spirit of Yahweh or the spirit of evil they both drive one to do something physical. Repentance is the key to cleaning the old spirit of a man and allowing the spirit of Yahweh to guide us. This is the conversion that Yahweh wanted and the spirit that Yahshua emulated to give us the example by which we are to live.

Zechariah 4:6 Then he answered and spake unto me, saying, This is the word of Yahweh unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith Yahweh of hosts.

Genesis 19:15 And when the morning arose, then the angels hastened Lot, saying, Arise, take thy wife, and thy two daughters, which are here; lest thou be consumed in the iniquity of the city. 16 And while he lingered, the men laid hold upon his hand, and upon the hand of his wife, and upon the hand of his two daughters; Yahweh being merciful unto him: and they brought him forth, and set him without the city. 17 And it came to pass, when they had brought them forth abroad, that he said, Escape for thy life; look not behind thee, neither stay thou in all the plain; escape to the mountain, lest thou be consumed.

Genesis 19:24 Then Yahweh rained upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire from Yahweh out of heaven; 25 And he overthrew those cities, and all the plain, and all the inhabitants of the cities, and that which grew upon the ground. 26 But his wife looked back from behind him, and she became a pillar of salt.

Lot and his family were comfortable in Sodom and lingered not really speedily getting ready to leave. The two messengers of Yahweh took hold of them and forced them out of the city. Lot was apparently appreciative of the city because he even asks that a city near by be saved so that he can have refuge there. Considering the blessing that Yahweh had given Lot and his family by helping them leave this is an interesting request on Lot's part. As Sodom and Gomorrah were being destroyed Lot's wife looks back and is immediately turned to a pillar of salt. This is an example of turning in the wrong direction, choosing destruction and wickedness over the blessing that Yahweh has given Lot's family. We too must be careful that as we learn more and are given more blessings and gifts that we never deny Yahweh's call.

Exodus 32:5 And when Aaron saw it, he built an altar before it; and Aaron made proclamation, and said, To morrow is a feast to Yahweh.

This angered Yahweh so much that he was willing to replace Israel with the sons and daughters of Moses. Moses in turn begs for Yahweh's mercy on behalf of Israel.

Exodus 32:30 And it came to pass on the morrow, that Moses said unto the people, Ye have sinned a great sin: and now I will go up unto Yahweh; peradventure I shall make an atonement for your sin. 31 And Moses returned unto Yahweh, and said, Oh, this people have sinned a great sin, and have made them deities of gold. 32 Yet now, if thou wilt forgive their sin--; and if not, blot me, I pray thee, out of thy book which thou hast written. 33 And Yahweh said unto Moses, Whosoever hath sinned against me, him will I blot out of my book. 34 Therefore now go, lead the people unto the place of which I have spoken unto thee: behold, mine Angel shall go before thee: nevertheless in the day when I visit I will visit their sin upon them. 35 And Yahweh plagued the people, because they made the calf, which Aaron made.

Numbers 32:10 And Yahweh's anger was kindled the same time, and he sware, saying, 11 Surely none of the men that came up out of Egypt, from twenty years old and upward, shall see the land which I sware unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob; because they have not wholly followed me: 12 Save Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenezite, and Joshua the son of Nun: for they have wholly followed Yahweh. 13 And Yahweh's anger was kindled against Israel, and he made them wander in the wilderness forty years, until all the generation, that had done evil in the sight of Yahweh, was consumed. 14 And, behold, ye are risen up in your fathers' stead, an increase of sinful men, to augment yet the fierce anger of Yahweh toward Israel. 15 For if ye turn away from after him, he will yet again leave them in the wilderness; and ye shall destroy all this people.

Those who made this grave sin before Yahweh and bowed to a golden calf lost more than their lives in many cases, many of them lost there place in the book of life. Moses asked that Yahweh accept his atonement for the people but Yahweh said that each man would be accountable for his own actions. It is important to note that even with the plague and warning from Yahweh that, "He would not protect Israel," there was time before the people became repentant. They removed the ornaments but it took a strong message from Yahweh to have Israel make this change. None of the Israelites except the few mentioned who were twenty or older entered the Promised Land. Once in the Promised Land the new generation was unrepentant many times too. One of the best examples of a repentant man of Israel was King David.

David having an adulterous affair with Bathsheba resulted in his loss of a son and peace within the kingdom of Israel. Uriah the husband of Bathsheba was one of David's mighty men. Somewhat a guard of David's interests but David went against this honor and had conceived a son with Bathsheba while Uriah was at war. David tried to trick Uriah into sleeping with his wife but Uriah was an honorable man and wouldn't sleep with his wife while his men were fighting. The murder and adultery displeased Yahweh and he sent Nathan to confront David about this indiscretion.

2 Samuel 12:1 And Yahweh sent Nathan unto David. And he came unto him, and said unto him, There were two men in one city; the one rich, and the other poor. 2 The rich man had exceeding many flocks and herds: 3 But the poor man had nothing, save one little ewe lamb, which he had bought and nourished up: and it grew up together with him, and with his children; it did eat of his own meat, and drank of his own cup, and lay in his bosom, and was unto him as a daughter. 4 And there came a traveller unto the rich man, and he spared to take of his own flock and of his own herd, to dress for the wayfaring man that was come unto him; but took the poor man's lamb, and dressed it for the man that was come to him. 5 And David's anger was greatly kindled against the man; and he said to Nathan, As Yahweh liveth, the man that hath done this thing shall surely die: 6 And he shall restore the lamb fourfold, because he did this thing, and because he had no pity. 7 And Nathan said to David, Thou art the man. Thus saith Yahweh Elohim of Israel, I anointed thee king over Israel, and I delivered thee out of the hand of Saul; 8 And I gave thee thy master's house, and thy master's wives into thy bosom, and gave thee the house of Israel and of Judah; and if that had been too little, I would moreover have given unto thee such and such things. 9 Wherefore hast thou despised the commandment of Yahweh, to do evil in his sight? thou hast killed Uriah the Hittite with the sword, and hast taken his wife to be thy wife, and hast slain him with the sword of the children of Ammon. 10 Now therefore the sword shall never depart from thine house; because thou hast despised me, and hast taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be thy wife. 11 Thus saith Yahweh, Behold, I will raise up evil against thee out of thine own house, and I will take thy wives before thine eyes, and give them unto thy neighbour, and he shall lie with thy wives in the sight of this sun. 12 For thou didst it secretly: but I will do this thing before all Israel, and before the sun. 13 And David said unto Nathan, I have sinned against Yahweh. And Nathan said unto David, Yahweh also hath put away thy sin; thou shalt not die. 14 Howbeit, because by this deed thou hast given great occasion to the enemies of Yahweh to blaspheme, the child also that is born unto thee shall surely die.

Hebrews 11:26 For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, 27 But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries.

Hebrews 6:4 For as touching those who were once enlightened and tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Spirit, 5 and tasted the good word of Yahweh, and the powers of the age to come, 6 and then fell away, it is impossible to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they impale to themselves the Son of Yahweh afresh, and put him to an open shame.

Hebrews 10 puts these scriptures into context. The continual braking of the law had no end in sight because year after year animals are sacrificed and the people continued to sin because they knew the animal sacrifices are there for a covering. Yahshua put this continual system into abeyance making one sacrifice the only sacrifice. This gives us much to rejoice about when new brethren come into the faith. They are given a fresh start, repentance and baptism. Repentance before baptism is an important part of the faith. Repentance as we have discussed means that one turns from the way of evil and turns toward Yahweh. It doesn't mean that we know necessarily all that we are to do but we focus on learning and perfecting the gift that Yahweh has given. A few examples of change can be found in Luke 15 and 16. The one that is most memorable is probably the parable of the prodigal son.

Luke 15:11 And he said, A certain man had two sons: 12 And the younger of them said to his father, Father, give me the portion of goods that falleth to me. And he divided unto them his living. 13 And not many days after the younger son gathered all together, and took his journey into a far country, and there wasted his substance with riotous living. 14 And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that land; and he began to be in want. 15 And he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country; and he sent him into his fields to feed swine. 16 And he would fain have filled his belly with the husks that the swine did eat: and no man gave unto him. 17 And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father's have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger! 18 I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee, 19 And am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants. 20 And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him. 21 And the son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son. 22 But the father said to his servants, Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet: 23 And bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it; and let us eat, and be merry: 24 For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry. 25 Now his elder son was in the field: and as he came and drew nigh to the house, he heard musick and dancing. 26 And he called one of the servants, and asked what these things meant. 27 And he said unto him, Thy brother is come; and thy father hath killed the fatted calf, because he hath received him safe and sound. 28 And he was angry, and would not go in: therefore came his father out, and intreated him. 29 And he answering said to his father, Lo, these many years do I serve thee, neither transgressed I at any time thy commandment: and yet thou never gavest me a kid, that I might make merry with my friends: 30 But as soon as this thy son was come, which hath devoured thy living with harlots, thou hast killed for him the fatted calf. 31 And he said unto him, Son, thou art ever with me, and all that I have is thine. 32 It was meet that we should make merry, and be glad: for this thy brother was dead, and is alive again; and was lost, and is found.

The younger son left with his inheritance and wasted it away. When he returned his father was exceedingly happy because this lost son in times of trouble returned to him. The other son who had stuck with the father had all that the father had. The joy should be that those that turn from the path of destruction have a place with those who have been faithful all their life. Luke writes here that Yahshua was happy to eat these men who the Pharisees knew as sinners because they were changing. They had returned to the Almighty.

Repentance is intertwined in every aspect of our faith. If we turn from the physical and spiritual death caused by continual sinning and we whole heartedly follow Yahweh the future will be exceptionally bright. Repentance leads to a better more righteous following of our Father Yahweh. Yahshua although never sinning showed us how to turn from evil and has given us the instruction by which we can live for Yahweh.

Matthew 7:11 If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father who is in heaven give good things to them that ask him? 12 All things therefore whatsoever ye would that men should do unto you, even so do ye also unto them: for this is the law and the prophets. 13 Enter ye in by the narrow gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many are they that enter in thereby. 14 For narrow is the gate, and straitened the way, that leadeth unto life, and few are they that find it. 15 Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly are ravening wolves. 16 By their fruits ye shall know them. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? 17 Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but the corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. 18 A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. 19 Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. 20 Therefore by their fruits ye shall know them.

Revelation 3:19 As many as I love, I reprove and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.

Revelation 2:2 I know thy works, and thy toil and patience, and that thou canst not bear evil men, and didst try them that call themselves apostles, and they are not, and didst find them false; 3 and thou hast patience and didst bear for my name's sake, and hast not grown weary. 4 But I have this against thee, that thou didst leave thy first love. 5 Remember therefore whence thou art fallen, and repent and do the first works; or else I come to thee, and will move thy candlestick out of its place, except thou repent.

We must remain faithful to our love of Yahweh; the reward of our faith is beyond anything that could be imagined within our earthly existence. May Yahweh bless and guide us in the paths of righteousness.