For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, (Romans 3:23)
INTRODUCTION
Hebrews 6:1-3 lists principles of the doctrine of Christ on which a believer is to build his spiritual life. These principles are called the "foundations" of the Christian faith and are the basic doctrines on which the Christian faith rests. The first of these principles is "repentance from dead works.”
REPENTANCE
The basic meaning of the word "repentance" is a change in mind which results in a change in outward actions. Some people associate repentance with emotions, like shedding tears and feeling sorry for wrong actions and thoughts. Repentance is not an emotion. It is a decision. Emotion sometimes accompanies true repentance. But it is possible for a person to feel great emotion and to shed many tears and yet never truly repent. Other people associate repentance with meeting special religious requirements. This is sometimes called "doing penance.” It is possible to fulfill many such religious requirements and yet never repent in the true Biblical sense. True repentance is a change of mind that results in a change in outward actions. Outward change is the act of turning away from sin towards God and righteousness. This "turning away" shows the inward change of mind which has occurred.
To summarize: Biblical repentance is an inner change of mind resulting in an outward turning away from sin to move towards God and righteousness.
INEFFECTIVE REPENTANCE
There are some passages in the Bible where the word "repent" is used in a different way.
JUDAS:
In Matthew 27:3-4, Judas Iscariot realized Jesus had been condemned to death. He repented of his part in betraying Christ: When Judas, who had betrayed him, saw that Jesus was condemned, he was seized with remorse and returned the thirty silver coins to the chief priests and the elders. "I have sinned," he said, "for I have betrayed innocent blood." "What is that to us?" they replied. "That's your responsibility."(Matthew 27:3-4) The Greek word used here is not the same word which means change. It is a word which people often misinterpret as true repentance. In many languages there are words which have more than one meaning. This is true in the languages in which the Bible was written. There is more than one meaning to the word "repent" in the Bible. The word used in this passage about Judas means emotion, sorrow, and anguish.
Judas experienced sorrow over what he had done but he did not experience true Biblical repentance. He did not make a decision which resulted in change in his actions. He continued in sin and in the end, hung himself.
ESAU:
Esau was another man who made this tragic error. Esau sinned by selling his God-given birthright for a bowl of soup. The Bible records: Afterward, as you know, when he wanted to inherit this blessing, he was rejected. He could bring about no change of mind, though he sought the blessing with tears. (Hebrews 12:17) Esau exchanged his birthright for a bowl of soup. In doing so, he rejected all the blessings and promises of God associated with the birthright. Later, Esau regretted what he had done. He cried aloud and shed bitter tears. But strong emotion is not proof of repentance. Esau did not truly repent. He was just sorry he had lost the birthright and wished he could have it back. His "repentance" was not acceptable because there is a difference between regret and true repentance.
DEAD WORKS
If we are to fully understand the meaning of repentance, we must understand what it is from which we are to repent. We must understand "dead works.” "Dead works" are the actions of a life lived apart from God. These works may be wrong deeds or acts of self-righteousness. These are called "sin" in the Bible. The basic thing that causes sin is selfishness. It is the love of self as opposed to the love of God. This love of self results in man going "his own way": We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all. (Isaiah 53:6) Jesus died for the sins of men. And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again. (II Corinthians 5:15) When you repent from these dead works of selfishness it means you acknowledge the existence of the one true God, realize you are a sinner, ask forgiveness of your sin, and accept God's plan of salvation through Jesus Christ.
THE ORIGIN OF SIN
Evil existed before man was created. Sin was originated by Lucifer, also known as Satan. The Bible records that Lucifer was a special angel who was originally created perfect by God. Lucifer sinned when he tried to stage a rebellion against God. Because of this sin, Lucifer was cast out of Heaven to earth: How you have fallen from heaven, O morning star, son of the dawn! You have been cast down to the earth, you who once laid low the nations! You said in your heart, "I will ascend to heaven; I will raise my throne above the stars of God; I will sit enthroned on the mount of assembly, on the utmost heights of the sacred mountain. I will ascend above the tops of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High." (Isaiah 14:12-14)You were anointed as a guardian cherub, for so I ordained you. You were on the holy mount of God; you walked among the fiery stones. You were blameless in your ways from the day you were created till wickedness was found in you. Through your widespread trade you were filled with violence, and you sinned. So I drove you in disgrace from the mount of God, and I expelled you, O guardian cherub, from among the fiery stones. (Ezekiel 28:14-16)
On earth, Lucifer continued his rebellion against God. When God created the first man and woman Satan led them to sin against God. This rebellion is sometimes called "the fall of man", meaning that man fell from righteousness into sin. You can read about this in Genesis chapters two and three. God warned Adam and Eve that the penalties of sin would include physical and spiritual death. Spiritual death was a loss of their relationship with God. Physical death was death of their actual physical body. Because of the sin of Adam and Eve death came on all men: Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all men, because all sinned. (Romans 5:12)
Because of the fall of the first man and woman, sin passed on all mankind. That means everyone born inherits the basic nature of sin.Just as physical traits are inherited, the spiritual trait of the basic sin nature is inherited.Each person has sinned and faces the penalties of physical and spiritual death.Satan is responsible for all evil in the world and his rebellion towards God still continues as he tempts man to sin. There is a constant battle in the spirit world for the hearts, minds,and souls of men.Each person has inherited the basic sin nature. Each person sins individually when he is drawn by this sinful nature to rebel against God: but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death. (James 1:14-15)
All have sinned, but God has provided a way to escape the penalties of sin. Through repentance from dead works and accepting Jesus Christ as personal Savior you can be "saved" from the penalties of sin.
NAMES FOR SIN
The Bible uses several different names for sin. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins." (Matthew 1:21)
The actual meaning of the word "sin" is to miss the mark and be in error. It is like shooting a weapon and missing the target. It is falling short of what you should be and God's perfect plan for you. For from within, out of men's hearts, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery,(Mark 7:21) Evil means bad, worthless, corrupt, wicked, and morally sinful.
Wickedness means to have an evil mind set to do mischief. It is a mental disregard for righteousness, justice, truth, and virtue: This is how it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come and separate the wicked from the righteous. (Matthew 13:49)
Transgression means breaking the law. It is like a man stepping across a line over which he has no right to step, invading forbidden territory, and crossing the boundary between right and wrong: What, then, was the purpose of the law? It was added because of transgressions until the Seed to whom the promise referred had come. The law was put into effect through angels by a mediator. (Galatians 3:19)
This word means injustice, wrong, iniquity, falsehood, and deceitfulness: All unrighteousness is sin, and there is sin that does not lead to death. (I John 5:17)
Disobedience is the opposite of obedience. It means to ignore God and His law: For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man the many will be made righteous. (Romans 5:19)
JUST AN INTRODUCTION...
This lesson is only an introduction to the subject of repentance from dead works. You learned the definition of repentance, the names and definitions for sin, and the origin of sin. The next chapter continues this discussion of the first principle of the Christian faith, repentance from dead works.
If you would like to study more on what God considers sin, we have included this compilation of sins listed in the New Testament. The following references identify a total of 103 different sins. Some are repeated in more than one list. There are...
-Seven which come from the heart and defile: Matthew 15:18-20
-Thirteen which come from the heart and defile: Mark 7:21-23
-Twenty-three which bring the judgment of God: Romans 1:29-32
-Seven which believers cannot do: Romans 13:13,14
-Six with which believers should not associate: I Corinthians 5:9-11
-Ten which prevent entrance into the Kingdom of God: I Corinthians 6:9,10
-Seventeen more which prevent entrance into the Kingdom of God: Galatians 5:19-21
-Four which bring wrath and prevent entrance into the Kingdom of God: Ephesians 5:5-6
-Eleven from which believers must turn away: II Corinthians 12:20-21
-Nine in which the unsaved live and in which believers should not live: Ephesians 4:17-19
-Six which must not exist among believers: Ephesians 5:3,4
-Nine which believers should put away: Ephesians 4:25,28,29,31
-Six which believers must put off: Colossians 3:8,9
-Six which believers must mortify and which bring the wrath of God: Colossians 3:5-6
-Fourteen for which the law was given: I Timothy 1:9-10
-Nineteen from which believers must turn away: II Timothy 3:1-5
-Nine from which believers are saved: Titus 3:3-5
-Five which believers must lay aside: I Peter 2:1
-Seven sins of the flesh in which believers no longer live: I Peter 4:2-4
-Eight which condemn to the lake of fire: Revelation 21:8
-Six which prevent access to the tree of life and the holy city: Revelation 22:14