Now to show why I believe that repentance is the product of the new birth, lets look at 1 Pet 1:3
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy
hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
The words begotten us again, speaking of new birth, is the word
anagennaō:
- to produce again, be born again, born anew
- metaph. to have one's mind changed so that he lives a new life and one conformed to the will of God
So repentance correlates with being born anew, which is produced through the resurrection of Christ from the dead. This explains why Peter says in Acts 5:31
31
Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins.
notice to be born anew is to have one mind changed, which is the essence of repentance.
Yes Repentance and New Birth correlate to each other but not as you have concluded BF. You have put the cart before the horse so to speak.
One must repent before they will be born anew by God.
An evangelical repentance, which is a godly sorrow wrought in the heart of a sinful person by the word and Spirit of God, whereby, from a sense of his sin, as offensive to God, and defiling and endangering to his own soul, and from an apprehension of the mercy of God in Christ, he, with grief and hatred of all his known sins, turns from them to God, as his Saviour and Lord. This is called “repentance toward God,” as therein we turn from sin to him; and “repentance unto life;” as it leads to spiritual life, and is the first step to eternal life, Mat_3:2; Act_3:19; Act_11:18; Act_20:12.
Biblical and Theological Dictionary by Richard Watson
Act 17:30 "Truly G3303 G3767, these times G5550 of ignorance G52 God G2316 overlooked G5237 (G5660), but now G3569 commands G3853 (G5719) all G3956 men G444 everywhere G3837 to
repent G3340 (G5721), NKJV+
Repent
G3340
- Original: μετανοέω
- Transliteration: metanoeo
- Phonetic: met-an-o-eh’-o
- Definition:
1. to change one’s mind, i.e. to repent
2. to change one’s mind for better, heartily to amend with abhorrence of one’s past sins
Act 11:18 When G1161 they heard G191 (G5660) these things G5023 they became silent G2270 (G5656); and G2532 they glorified G1392 (G5707) God G2316, saying G3004 (G5723), "Then G686 God G2316 has G1325 (00) also G2534 granted G1325 (G5656) to the Gentiles G1484
repentance G3341 to G1519 life G2222." NKJV+
Repentance
G3341
- Original: μετάνοια
- Transliteration: metanoia
- Phonetic: met-an’-oy-ah
- Definition:
1. a change of mind, as it appears to one who repents, of a purpose he has formed or of something he has done