[George]

Originally Posted by Buck

re·pent 1 (rĭ-pěnt') Pronunciation Key
v. re·pent·ed, re·pent·ing, re·pents

v. intr.
To feel remorse, contrition, or self-reproach for what one has done or failed to do; be contrite.
To feel such regret for past conduct as to change one's mind regarding it: repented of intemperate behavior.
To make a change for the better as a result of remorse or contrition for one's sins.

v. tr.
To feel regret or self-reproach for: repent one's sins.
To cause to feel remorse or regret.

[Middle English repenten, from Old French repentir : re-, re- + pentir, to be sorry (from Vulgar Latin *paenitīre, from Latin paenitēre).]
re·pent'er n.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2006 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

Aloha Buck,

Below is Webster's 1828 Dictionary definition for the word repent - Notice the difference?

Webster's 1828 Dictionary

REPENT'ANCE, n.
1. Sorrow for any thing done or said; the pain or grief which a person experiences in consequence of the injury or inconvenience produced by his own conduct.

2. In theology, the pain, regret or affliction which a person feels on account of his past conduct, because it exposes him to punishment. This sorrow proceeding merely from the fear of punishment, is called legal repentance, as being excited by the terrors of legal penalties, and it may exist without an amendment of life.

3. Real penitence; sorrow or deep contrition for sin, as an offense and dishonor to God, a violation of his holy law, and the basest ingratitude towards a Being of infinite benevolence. This is called evangelical repentance, and is accompanied and followed by amendment of life.

Repentance is a change of mind, or a conversion from sin to God.

Godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation. 2Cor. 7. Matt. 3.

Repentance is the relinquishment of any practice, from conviction that it has offended God.

I have said (over & over again) when it comes to SPIRITUAL issues and matters - a Dictionary cannot be our FINAL AUTHORITY as to the "meaning" of words with spiritual significance; and neither can the various Lexicon's (including the Lexicon within Strong's Concordance).

If you want to know the definition of the so-called "archaic" words within the King James Bible (such as: abase, adjure affright, ague, alamoth, ambassage, Euroclydon, eshew, exactors, etc., etc.,) Webster's 1828 Dictionary will suffice; BUT when it comes to the meaning of "spiritual" words such as repent, repentance, justification, faith, believe, body (flesh), soul, spirit, heart, mind, conscience, etc., etc., you will have to study the Bible for the definition.

The Bible is its own best "Dictionary" when it comes to defining "spiritual" words - anything else (Dictionaries, Lexicons, etc.) will only give you the "opinions" of men.

For example: if you want the Bible "definition" for the word HEART, you get a Concordance (Swordsearcher is 10 to 100 times faster and easier than Strong's Concordance) and look up the word "heart" ("hearts" & "hearted"). The word heart (hearts/hearted) occurs approximately 944 times in 884 verses in the Bible. In order to get the Scriptural "meaning" of the word HEART - you have to read all 884 verses where the word occurs (in context), and if you are sincerely seeking the truth, God will show you what the "Biblical" HEART is.

This takes STUDY - this takes WORK, but it is the only way that a person can find out the Scriptural "meaning" of the "spiritual" words in the Bible. And even then, if God doesn't show you the "meaning", you may not "get it"!

Running to a Dictionary or a Lexicon for the "meaning" of "spiritual" words in the Bible is the lazy man's way of "study", and more often than not - it will lead to an erroneous, or false meaning.

My question for you is: WHY are you insisting that REPENTANCE is a PART of our SALVATION? The only "part" we have in our Salvation is we MUST BELIEVE the Gospel: [Acts 16:31 And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.] PLUS NOTHING!

If "repentance" precedes salvation - fine; if "repentance" follows salvation - fine; BUT "repentance" is NOT A REQUIREMENT for our Salvation, BELIEVING the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ is! The problem with insisting that we must "repent" of our sins BEFORE we can be saved is: WHAT if we "MISS" some of the sins we have committed because of "ignorance" -can we be saved? I have been saved for over 50 years, and I am becoming more aware of "SIN" in my life that I never knew existed (within my heart) just a few years ago!

SIN is exceedingly SINFUL; and as such, we really only have an "inkling" of just how wicked and sinful we really are. The closer we get to the Lord Jesus Christ the more we realize this truth. It is impossible to REPENT of ALL of our sins, we aren't even aware of half of them!

It's by God's Grace; it's by God's Love; it's by God's Mercy; it's by Christ's Sacrifice for all of my sins that I am saved. I could have been in continual "repentance" from October 1958 up until now and that wouldn't PAY for my SINS! My "REPENTANCE" wouldn't satisfy God's REQUIREMENT for my SINS - the shedding of the Lord's Jesus Christ's BLOOD for my SINS; the death of my SAVIOUR for my SINS!

I am exceedingly SINFUL, and IF the Lord Jesus Christ's sacrifice on Calvary is not enough to PAY for ALL of my sins, all of the "repentance" (on my part) in the world isn't going to save me!

1 Timothy 1:15 This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.

I am JUSTIFIED in God's eyes - NOT because I "repented" of my sins, but because I believed the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Romans 3:24 Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:

Romans 3:28 Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith

Romans 5:1 Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:

Romans 5:9 Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.

1 Corinthians 6:11 And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.

Galatians 2:16 Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in JesusChrist, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.

Galatians 3:11 But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith.

Galatians 3:24 Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.

Titus 3:7 That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life. without the deeds of the law.

WHERE IS "REPENTANCE" in ALL of the preceding verses?

The Lord Jesus Christ EARNED my Salvation; He PAID the PRICE REQUIRED for my sins, and not for my sins only, but for the sins of the whole world. "Repentance", on my part, has NOTHING to do with Christ saving me!

Ephesians 2:8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.

I have been saved "by God's Grace" - and "repentance" (on my part) had absolutely NOTHING to do with His saving me.