Turning from sin is not a synonym for faith. Repentance IS a change of mind, turning from sin is the result of repentance, not the definition of repentance. Faith and repentance (a change of mind) are synonyms, insofar as it relates to salvation.
Hi Brother InTheLight,
Faith and repentance both are sure effects of being born again, not the cause (proof faith is a "fruit of the Spirit, thus it can only be possessed until after having the Spirit). Faith and repentance are not synonyms for Jesus distinguished between the two when he said, "And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand:
repent ye, and believe the gospel" (Mark 1:15). Here repentance and faith in the gospel are separated, Jesus wasn't just repeating himself by saying "repent (i.e. believe) and believe the gospel" as this makes the verse make no sense. Faith in the gospel is defined by scripture with the example of Abraham in Romans 4, "20 He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God;21
And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform." (Romans 4:20-21), Thus faith in the gospel is believing you are a sinner with no hope, but Christ is your savior, trusting solely in the fact that Christ paid the debt for your sins and rose again for your justification.
Now that I have defined faith, what is repentance? The original word is metanoco, according to its etymology, signifies "To reflect on, or to be wise after the act, or to return or come to a right understanding." This repentance therefore imports a change of mind after an act has been committed, and which therefore implies a condemning of the act, and of course, sorrow for it,
and a change of conduct (I agree with you that the change in conduct is the result of repentance, thus not the same thing as repentance). This sorrow may be natural or worldly sorrow, or it may be godly or spiritual sorrow, as the act is viewed in the light of reason, or in the light of the Spirit. If the former, it needs to be repented of again. But the main point in the idea of repentance is the substance of the thing. It is this, that as repentance is self-condemnation, it stands in direct opposition to all self-righteousness, self-justification, or reliance on our own acts for acceptance with God, &c. The repentance which John preached, and to which he baptized the people prepared for the Lord, is further defined in its peculiar nature and effects by the rejection of the Pharisees from John's baptism of repentance. "O, generation of vipers! Who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come. Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance, and think not to say unto yourselves, We have Abraham to our father, for I say unto you that God is able of these stones to raise up children to Abraham (Matthew 3:7-9)." Had these Pharisees and Sadducees possessed the repentance which John preached, they would have signified it by a turning away from their cherished traditional hopes of being saved by their fleshly relation to Abraham, and by a reliance alone on him whose kingdom was about to be organized. The repentance preached was an abandonment of all confidence in the flesh, and a ready and hearty acknowledgment of Christ.
God Bless and Merry Christmas!
Brother Joe
