V Indicates Scripture or other reference

When the Lord gave us the prophecy that this book is based upon, He first told us who He is, then He listed His grievances against us, then He told us what we must do about the way we have hurt His heart. God did not give us “options” in His prophecy – He gave us commands – and the first of those commands was:

I want you to repent. I want you to stop worshiping man-made institutions, and worship Me. That is what I created you to do – worship Me!

Repent is also the first command Jesus gave when He began His public ministry.V1 So we can see that repentance is an essential step in the life of anyone who expects to have any kind of relationship with Jesus. In fact, unless we repent, we cannot be baptized into the life of Christ here on earth, and we cannot enter into the presence of God in Heaven.

And yet, even though God wants everyone to repentV2, most people have no idea what the word means. Some think it means “to feel sorry” or to simply say “I wish I hadn’t done that,” and then go on with their lives. No! Repent means to change your life! Or, more accurately, to pray that God will change your life, and then let Him go ahead and do it His way.

Because of the fact that repentance – followed by baptism – is so essential to the Christian life, we’d like to take time to explain what Christian repentance and proper baptism really are.

Chapter two of the Book of Acts tells how the people of God – the Jews – were shaken out of their hum-drum religious life, and swept into the eternal life of their promised Messiah, Jesus. The Holy Spirit did the shaking – then God used Spirit-filled people to tell the Jews at Jerusalem how they could be swept up into His Spiritual revolution. Here is the Biblical account:

 

Now when they (the Jews) heard this (the Gospel), they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do? Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift (in this case, the indwelling) of the Holy Ghost.

                     Acts 2:37-38V3 

When Peter told his fellow Jews to“repent and be baptized for the remission (forgiveness) of sins,” he was not making it up out of his own head. He was saying that, even though the Son of God had come to earth and signed the covenant with His Father in His own blood, each person must still follow this Biblical process that God had ordained for rooting sin out of their own lives:

1: confess the sin by name;V4

2: turn your back on it – that is, repent of it;V5

3: let God cleanse you inwardly;V6

4: wash yourself in water – that is, be baptized.V7

When Peter called those Jews to repent, he used the Hebrew word shuwb, which means, “to walk in a direction that looks good to your eyes, discover it is the wrong direction in God’s eyes, make an immediate about-face, and hurry back toward God.” The New Testament was not written in Hebrew, but in Greek – and the Greek word for “repent” is metanoeo, which simply means “to know (noeo) after (meta) the fact.”

But that simple definition cannot satisfy God, and it shouldn’t satisfy us either. The Bible tells us, in James 1:12, that we must be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. By putting this verse alongside Peter’s call to repentance in Acts 2:38 we can see that, as Christians, we must change our ways every time we find out (either by reading the Bible or by a direct Word from the Holy Spirit) that we have been doing, saying, or thinking something that is wrong in the eyes of God.

That is one example of how the Bible itself can help us interpret the Hebrew and Greek words found in the Bible. Bible scholars often “put the Scriptures together” in this way to give us practical definitions of Biblical words and terms – and that is how one group of scholars arrived at this definition of metanoeo:

           “To repent with regret, accompanied by a true change of heart toward God. The word means to know (noeo) after (meta); it signifies a change of mind consequent to the after-knowledge, indicating regret for the course pursued, and resulting in a wiser view of the past and future. Most importantly, it is distinguished from metamellomai, ‘to regret doing something because of the consequences of one’s act or acts.’”

Spiros Zodhiates

Lexical Aids to the New Testament

That definition lets us see why saying “I’m sorry!” is not the same as Godly repentance. Many people say “I’m sorry!” to avoid the consequences of doing wrong (or getting caught). Per-haps you’ve done this yourself (as we have), and fooled a few people into thinking you were truly sorry. Of course you didn’t fool God. If you were a good actor (the Greek word for “actor” is hypocrite), you may have fooled yourself. But a person who is truly repentant does not want to fool anyone – especially not him- or herself.

A person who is truly repentant will confess – before God and before man – that he or she was wrong, and now wants to put things right. The Greek word for “confess” is homologeo – a combination of logeo (“to say”) and homou (“the same”). It means “to say the same thing about yourself that God says about you.” Here is an example of how this word is used in the Bible:

 

If we confess our sins, he [God the Father] is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

1^st John 1:9V8

If we confess ... then God will forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

If we will go to God and say, “I know I did wrong in your sight, and I want to change my ways and walk righteously before You” – and if we will go to everyone we stole from or lied to or lied about or hurt in any other way and say, “I’m sorry I hurt you. I know I was wrong, and I want to make it up to you as well as I can and as soon as I can. Will you please forgive me?” – then God will be faithful to His promises to forgive us and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

The very first sin that everyone in the world must confess to, repent of, and be cleansed from, is not placing our faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Have you done this? If you have not, then you would be wise to put this book aside for now, and pray for Jesus to come into your heart and save you. You’ll find a guideline for your prayer just above the footnotes in Chapter 3.

If you have placed your faith in Jesus – if you are saved – then now is the time for you to be baptized. (If you have already been baptized, but that baptism did not follow sincere repentance on your part, then now is the time for you to be re-baptized!)

Baptism is not an option for any Christian who is physically able to be baptized according to Biblical standards. Baptism is an essential part of repentance, because it is the outward picture of what God has done on the inside of a repentant sinner. It is a public declaration that the sinner chose to leave the old life of sin behind, and has been born again into a clean and pure relationship with Jesus and His worldwide Church. It is also a public declaration, by a local church, that a new Christian has been received into fellowship with them and with the worldwide Body of Christ. In other words, public baptism is an open declaration of Spiritual unity among Christian believers.

Because each person’s baptism does have a Spiritual effect upon every other member of the Body of Christ, no one has any right to be baptized unless he or she has truly repented of his or her former life of sin. And no local body of Christian believers has any right to baptize anyone into fellowship with the Body of Christ unless that person has made a public confession of his or her repentance.

Proper baptism means a lot to God. Many Christians recognize baptism as a sacrament – a sacred and holy act. And, because God’s enemy knows how much baptism means to Him and His people, he has done his best to ruin it. Satan has managed to confuse the Bible’s teaching about baptism, and he has used that confusion to divide groups of Christians from other groups.

For instance, there are some religious leaders who say it is baptism, and not the Blood of Christ, that saves people from sin and death and hell. That, of course, is sheer blasphemy; and it is certain to Spiritually separate those religious leaders from Christians who know the Truth of God and insist upon living their lives by that Truth.

There are some churches that sprinkle water on the heads of infants “before the devil can get to them” and call the sprinkling “baptism.” That is an outright denial of the Biblical command to “repent and be baptized,” simply because infants cannot speak, let alone repent. Again, those churches will find themselves Spiritually divided from Christians who know what this word “baptism” really means.

Various churches believe in all kinds of “formulas” for baptizing new Christians: face-first into the water, backward into the water, three times under the water, you name it. Some churches have baptismal fonts right behind the altar, and keep their water as warm as Miami Beach. Others baptize outside, in a river or pond, preferably in the dead of winter, so they can give new members a chance to “show they really mean it.” All these physically-different formulas have one emotional thing in common: the people who believe in each one insist that their way is “the only right way.”  

Nonsense! All those formulas are nothing but the traditions of men. That’s nothing new. Two thousand years ago, Jesus warned us that religious leaders always have, and always will, find ways to “make the Word of God of no effect through their traditions.” (Mark 7:13) That warning certainly holds true in this case. Every formula for baptism forces people to focus on the formula itself – and thus takes their attention away from the very thing that Christian baptism is all about: a picture of a sinner’s genuine repentance in the Name of Christ.

In the midst of all these formulas and religious errors, is there any such thing as a “proper” way to be baptized? Yes – have a Christian pastor plunge your entire body under the waterV9, hold you under for a few seconds, and lift you back up into the light, all in the presence of your brothers and sisters in Christ. This is God’s ordained way to give your fellow Christians a picture of the Spiritual truth that your old life of sin is drowned in the depths of the seaV10,and you have been raised up as a new creation in Christ Jesus.V11

If you are a repentant sinner, but you have never been baptized, contact a Christian pastor today, and tell him you are ready to obey God’s command to be baptized into the life of Jesus.

If you have been baptized, and if that baptism was not the follow-up to your repentance of sin, or if it was just some “sprinkling” you got back when you were too young to understand what repentance means, then you must go to a Christian pastor and do the same thing you would have to do if you had never been baptized: tell him you are a repentant sinner, and ask to be properly baptized into the Body of Christ.

That pastor, like all pastors, will follow a certain baptismal “procedure” – face-first, back-wards, three times under, etc. How can you tell if his procedure is “proper?” No problem – if you have properly repented of not placing your faith in Jesus, then you can be sure your baptism will be proper in the eyes of God. And once you have God’s approval for the baptism itself, you can look at the “procedure” part of the sacrament this way: your purpose is to give a local group of Christian believers a picture of Spiritual reality – so why not give them a picture they will enjoy looking at! If they want to dunk you face-first, dunk you three times, or dunk you in an ice-cold river, bless them by giving them your whole-hearted “Amen!”

As long as your baptism is a picture of sincere repentance on your part.

As long as you understand that it is the Blood of the Lord Jesus Christ, not any baptismal procedure, that saved you from sin.

As long as you are totally immersed in that water.

And as long as you come up out of that water shouting, “Hallelujah! Goodbye forever to that old life of sin! And hello to all the power and all the glory that my Lord Jesus Christ wants to reveal in my life, from now until forever!”

V1  Matthew 4:17

From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.

 

V2  2^nd Peter 3:9   

The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

 

V3  The complete text of the second chapter of Acts.

1  And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.

2  And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.

3  And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them.

4  And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.

5  And there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, out of every nation under heaven.

6  Now when this was noised abroad, the multitude came together, and were confounded, because every man heard them speak in his own language.

7  And they were all amazed and marveled, saying one to another, Behold, are not all these which speak Galileans?

8  And how hear we every man in our own tongue, wherein we were born?

9  Parthians, and Medes, and Elamites, and the dwellers in Mesopotamia, and in Judea, and Cappadocia, in Pontus, and Asia,

10  Phrygia, and Pamphylia, in Egypt, and in the parts of Libya about Cyrene, and strangers of Rome, Jews and proselytes,

11  Cretes and Arabians, we do hear them speak in our tongues the wonderful works of God.

12  And they were all amazed, and were in doubt, saying one to another, What meaneth this?

13  Others mocking said, These men are full of new wine.

14  But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and said unto them, Ye men of Judea, and all ye that dwell at Jerusalem, be this known unto you, and hearken to my words:

15  For these are not drunken, as ye suppose, seeing it is but the third hour of the day.

16  But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel;

17 “And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams:

18  And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy:

19  And I will show wonders in heaven above, and signs in the earth beneath; blood, and fire, and vapor of smoke:

20  The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before that great and notable day of the Lord come:

21  And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.”

22  Ye men of Israel, hear these words; Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know:

23  Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain:

24  Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible that he should be held by it.

25  For David speaketh concerning him, I foresaw the Lord always before my face, for he is on my right hand, that I should not be moved:

26  Therefore did my heart rejoice, and my tongue was glad; moreover also my flesh shall rest in hope:

27  Because thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.

28  Thou hast made known to me the ways of life; thou shalt make me full of joy with thy countenance.

29  Men and brethren, let me freely speak unto you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his sepulcher is with us unto this day.

30  Therefore being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him, that of the fruit of his loins, according to the flesh, he would raise up Christ to sit on his throne;

31  He seeing this before spake of the resurrection of Christ, that his soul was not left in hell, neither his flesh did see corruption.

32  This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses.

33  Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, he hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear.

34  For David is not ascended into the heavens: but he saith himself, The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand,

35  Until I make thy foes thy footstool.

36  Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ.

37  Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?

38  Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

39  For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.

40  And with many other words did he testify and exhort, saying, Save yourselves from this untoward generation.

41  Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls.

42  And they continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.

43  And fear came upon every soul: and many wonders and signs were done by the apostles.

44  And all that believed were together, and had all things common;

45  And sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need.

46  And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart,

47  Praising God, and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.

V4  Psalm 32:5

I acknowledged my sin unto thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid. I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the Lord; and thou forgave the iniquity of my sin.

 

V5  Ezekiel 18:30,31

Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, every one according to his ways, saith the Lord God. Repent, and turn yourselves from all your transgressions; so iniquity shall not be your ruin. Cast away from you all your transgressions, whereby ye have trans-gressed; and make you a new heart and a new spirit: for why will ye die, O house of Israel?

 

V6  Psalm 51:1-4

To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David, when Nathan the prophet came unto him, after he had gone in to Bathsheba. Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy loving kindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me. Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight: that thou might be justified when thou speak, and be clear when thou judge.

 

V7  Deuteronomy 23:10,11

If there be among you any man, that is not clean by reason of uncleanness that chanceth him by night, then shall he go abroad out of the camp, he shall not come within the camp: But it shall be, when evening cometh on, he shall wash himself with water: and when the sun is down, he shall come into the camp again.

 

V8 1st John 1:9 does not refer to a sinner’s initial act of repentance which leads to his or her salvation. The verb “confess” (homologeo) is in the Active Voice, which means the action (confession) must be carried out by the subject of the verb (the sinner). The verb is in the present Subjunctive Mood, which refers to continuous or repeated action. In this Scripture, the Apostle John is calling God’s people to a lifestyle of confession and repentance, which God will honor by living up to His promises of forgiveness and cleansing.

 

V9 Baptisma is derived from the Greek verb bapto, which means “to cover wholly with a fluid.” The translators lifted baptisma out of the Greek text and put it as-is into the English Bible.