The word “repent” strictly speaking means “to turn around,” “to change from one direction to the opposite direction” or “to completely change one’s mind.” It does not mean to demonstrate sorrow, despair or weeping and gnashing of one’s teeth, although these may accompany the act of repentance.

In fact Biblical repentance is preceded by and stems from “Godly sorrow.” The Apostle Paul states in 2 Corinthians 7:10, “Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death.” What is the difference between Godly sorrow and worldly sorrow? Worldly sorrow is sorrow one experiences due to one’s relationship to, connection with and appreciation of the world. It is concerned only with temporal things, e.g., judicial penalties, financial ruin, personal revenge, etc. Godly sorrow on the other hand is sorrow one experiences due to one’s relationship to, connection with, understanding and appreciation of God. It is God-centered. Its concern is with the eternal. It is born by the influence of the Holy Spirit. Jesus said, speaking of the Holy Spirit, in John 16:7 and 8, “But I tell you the truth: It is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Counselor will not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him to you. When He comes, He will convict the world of guilt in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment.”

Once the Spirit of God reveals to a person that he/she is a sinner and lost, only to face God’s judgment, it is then that person’s choice to either continue in his/her sin or to repent, by turning to Jesus Christ for salvation. In this regard “to repent” means to turn away from any plan, system or teaching advocating salvation by works, i.e., good deeds and thoughts, religious practices, rituals or sacraments and to turn only to Christ, trusting Him and His sacrifice on the cross for one’s personal salvation.

Once a person makes a conscious act of will of this nature, God grants to him/her eternal life, never to be retracted or taken away. Jesus said in John 5:24, I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes Him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life.” Again in John 3:16 Jesus declared, “For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.”

To be perfectly clear on this matter, it is not one’s obligation to generate sorrow for one’s sins in order to repent. If this was the case this self-production of sorrow could be considered a work. The Apostle Paul proclaims in Ephesians 2:8 and 9, “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith-and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God-not by works, so that no one can boast.” This is not a contradiction of what was previously stated. It is true that one experiences sorrow prior to repentance, but this is the result of the Holy Spirit’s influence upon us.

Godly sorrow is the product of the Holy Spirit as He speaks to us, but repentance is a product of our free will and exercise of choice. It takes place when we turn from any other form or plan of salvation and turn by faith only to Jesus Christ and His substitutional sacrifice on the cross as payment for our sins and our eternal life.

There are about 34 occasions where the word for repent in one tense or the other is used in the New Testament. If you will substitute “turn around,” “change your mind” or “turn from” for each occurrence, you will then understand the meaning of repentance in each application.