Lesson Description
In this lesson, we will explore repentance and faith and understand their relationship to the new birth. We will examine what it means to change our mind in response to God’s truth, believe the gospel of Jesus Christ, and trust in His finished work. We will also distinguish genuine repentance from religious fear and understand why salvation rests on God’s grace rather than our ability to make ourselves worthy. Our focus will be on what Scripture teaches about responding to God’s message of eternal life.
Prayer
Heavenly Father, thank You for the gift of eternal life through Jesus Christ. Thank You for Your grace and for the truth revealed in Your Word. As I study this lesson, help me understand repentance and faith according to Scripture. Teach me to turn from wrong beliefs and trust what You have accomplished through Your Son. Help me distinguish between trying to earn salvation and responding to Your grace with a sincere heart. May my understanding of the gospel grow deeper, and may my life reflect the truth I learn. In Jesus Christ’s name, Amen.
Lesson Content
1. Jesus Called People to Repent and Believe the Gospel
Scripture: Mark 1:15 (KJV)
“And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.”
Jesus called His hearers to repent and believe the gospel.
Repentance and faith are important responses to God’s message. To repent is to change one’s mind or thinking in response to the truth. In the biblical context, repentance can also involve turning away from sin and wrong beliefs toward God.
Believing the gospel means trusting the good news God has revealed through Jesus Christ.
Repentance is not a payment we make to earn salvation. Neither is faith a work by which we purchase eternal life. Instead, we respond to God’s message by turning from unbelief and trusting His provision.
Practical Example:
Someone may believe that eternal life is earned by performing enough good works. After studying the gospel, that person recognizes that salvation is God’s gift through Christ and places their trust in Him rather than in personal achievements.
Remember: Jesus called people to repent and believe the gospel. We respond to God’s truth by turning from unbelief and trusting His message.
2. Repentance Involves a Change of Mind
Scripture: Acts 17:30 (KJV)
“And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent:”
Paul spoke these words while addressing the people of Athens. He challenged their understanding of God and called them to respond to the truth he proclaimed.
Repentance involves a change of mind in response to God’s truth. It is more than feeling embarrassed or experiencing temporary regret. It means reconsidering what we believe and turning toward what God has revealed.
In Acts 17, Paul’s message challenged idolatry and directed his hearers toward the true God.
For us, repentance may involve recognizing that we have misunderstood salvation, trusted in false ideas, or followed beliefs that contradict Scripture.
Practical Example:
A person may believe that God accepts people because of their religious background. After examining the gospel, they recognize their need to trust Jesus Christ rather than depend on religious identity.
Remember: Repentance involves changing our thinking in response to God’s truth.
3. Faith Means Believing What God Has Revealed
Scripture: Romans 10:9 (KJV)
“That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.”
Paul connects salvation with believing in the risen Lord Jesus Christ.
Christian faith is not merely believing that God exists or agreeing with religious ideas. It involves trusting the truth God has revealed concerning Jesus Christ.
The resurrection is central to the gospel. Jesus died and was raised again, and the message of salvation directs our attention to Him.
We should not treat faith as a special feeling that we must produce before God will accept us. Faith concerns the One in whom we trust and the truth of His gospel.
Practical Example:
A person may know many facts about Jesus without personally trusting Him. Learning the gospel calls that person to consider what God has done through Christ and to believe the message.
Remember: Biblical faith rests on Jesus Christ and the truth of the gospel.
4. We Receive the Promise of Eternal Life Through Faith
Scripture: John 3:16 (KJV)
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”
Jesus revealed God’s love through the gift of His Son.
The promise is directed toward whoever believes in Him. Eternal life is not presented as a reward for people who have achieved moral perfection. It is connected with believing in Jesus Christ.
This truth is essential when studying repentance and faith. We do not turn to God to persuade Him to provide a salvation He has not offered. We respond to the good news of what He has provided through His Son.
Practical Example:
Someone who believes they must become perfect before they can trust Christ may continue postponing their response. John 3:16 directs their attention to Jesus and God’s promise of eternal life to the believer.
Remember: God’s promise of eternal life is centred on believing in His Son.
5. We Are Justified by Faith Apart from Works of the Law
Scripture: Romans 3:28 (KJV)
“Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law.”
Paul explains that justification is not achieved through the deeds of the law.
To be justified is to be declared righteous. Paul emphasizes that a person’s righteous standing before God does not come from successfully performing the works of the law.
This does not mean that our choices are unimportant. It means that our choices and good deeds cannot become the foundation on which we claim to have earned salvation.
Repentance and faith must therefore be understood in light of the gospel rather than as additional religious achievements.
Practical Example:
A person may believe that following religious rules makes them worthy of eternal life. Romans 3:28 challenges that confidence and points to justification by faith.
Remember: We are not justified by the deeds of the law; our confidence must be in God’s provision through Christ.
6. Godly Sorrow Is Different from Mere Regret
Scripture: 2 Corinthians 7:10 (KJV)
“For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death.”
Paul distinguishes between godly sorrow and worldly sorrow.
A person may feel sorry because they have been caught, lost something valuable, or suffered consequences. Such feelings do not necessarily mean that the person has reconsidered their actions or beliefs.
Godly sorrow, by contrast, is associated with repentance. It moves a person toward a genuine response to what is right.
However, we must understand this passage in its context. Paul was addressing the Corinthians concerning their response to a previous letter and the correction it brought. We should not turn this verse into a demand that every person must experience a particular emotional intensity before God can save them.
Practical Example:
Someone who lies may regret being discovered but still intend to continue lying. Another person may acknowledge that dishonesty is wrong, reconsider their conduct, and seek to act truthfully.
Remember: Feeling bad about consequences is not the same as genuinely reconsidering what is wrong.
7. Repentance Is Not an Attempt to Earn God’s Forgiveness
Scripture: Acts 10:43 (KJV)
“To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins.”
Peter proclaimed that forgiveness of sins is received through Jesus Christ.
The promise centres on Christ and is offered to whoever believes in Him. This directs our attention away from the idea that we must perform enough religious acts to persuade God to forgive us.
Repentance should not be turned into a price we pay for forgiveness. We should instead understand it as a response to God’s truth and a turning away from wrong beliefs and conduct.
We must also distinguish between the foundation of forgiveness and the practical importance of acknowledging wrongdoing. Scripture teaches us to be truthful about sin, but it does not present personal suffering or religious performance as the payment for salvation.
Practical Example:
A person may spend years punishing themselves emotionally because of past mistakes, believing that their suffering will make God accept them. The gospel directs them to Jesus Christ, in whom forgiveness is offered.
Remember: Forgiveness is found through Jesus Christ, not purchased through self-punishment or religious performance.
8. Faith Comes Through Hearing God’s Word
Scripture: Romans 10:17 (KJV)
“So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.”
Paul explains the relationship between hearing God’s message and faith.
The surrounding passage discusses the proclamation of the gospel and the importance of people hearing the message concerning Christ.
This reminds us that faith is connected with the truth God has revealed. We need to hear and understand the gospel rather than depend only on emotions, traditions, or personal experiences.
Studying Scripture helps us examine what we believe and distinguish the gospel from teachings that place human achievements at the centre of salvation.
Practical Example:
Someone may have heard many religious messages but remain confused about how eternal life is received. Studying passages such as John 3:16, Romans 3:28, and Ephesians 2:8–9 can help clarify the biblical message.
Remember: Faith is connected with hearing God’s Word and understanding the gospel of Christ.
9. We Should Not Confuse Repentance with Perfect Behaviour
Scripture: Philippians 3:9 (KJV)
“And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:”
Paul explains that he does not depend on his own righteousness derived from the law. Instead, he points to righteousness associated with faith in Christ.
This helps us distinguish repentance from the idea that we must correct every weakness before we can come to Christ.
Repentance is not a claim that we have achieved perfect behaviour. It involves responding to God’s truth rather than continuing to depend on wrong beliefs or self-righteousness.
Believers continue to grow in understanding and conduct, but their salvation is not a prize reserved for those who have reached perfection.
Practical Example:
A person who wants to trust Christ may still recognize weaknesses in their character. Instead of believing they must become perfect first, they can trust the gospel and continue learning to live according to God’s Word.
Remember: Our righteous standing rests on God’s provision through Christ, not on our achievement of perfect behaviour.
10. True Faith Should Influence How We Live
Scripture: James 2:17 (KJV)
“Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.”
James emphasizes that faith should not be treated as an empty claim that has no practical expression.
When reading this passage, we should consider James’s argument in its context. He challenges a person who claims to have faith but shows no concern for the needs of others. His example concerns the relationship between professed faith and practical action.
Paul teaches that we are not justified by works of the law, while James challenges a claim to faith that produces no corresponding action. These passages address related but distinct concerns and should be studied carefully rather than forced into contradiction.
Good works do not purchase eternal life. Instead, our conduct matters because faith should influence how we respond to people and live in the world.
Practical Example:
A person who claims to care about a hungry neighbour but refuses to offer any help when able should examine whether their profession of faith is being expressed in practical love.
Remember: Good works do not purchase salvation, but genuine faith should not remain an empty claim without practical expression.
Lesson Summary
In this lesson, we have learned that:
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Jesus called people to repent and believe the gospel.
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Repentance involves a change of mind in response to God’s truth.
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Faith means trusting Jesus Christ and the truth of His gospel.
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Eternal life is promised to those who believe in God’s Son.
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Justification is not earned through works of the law.
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Godly sorrow differs from regret that focuses only on consequences.
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Forgiveness is found through Jesus Christ, not purchased through self-punishment.
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Faith is connected with hearing God’s Word.
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Repentance does not mean achieving perfect behaviour before coming to Christ.
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Faith should influence our conduct and practical love toward others.
Final Takeaway
Repentance and faith are responses to God’s truth. We turn from unbelief and trust the gospel of Jesus Christ, receiving God’s provision rather than trying to earn eternal life through religious performance. Our good works do not purchase salvation; they should reflect the faith we profess.
Reflection Question
What is the difference between repenting because you trust God’s truth and trying to change yourself so that you can earn His acceptance?
Take time to read Mark 1:15, Ephesians 2:8–10, and Romans 10:9–17. Consider how these passages help you understand repentance, faith, grace, and the gospel.