Repentance

Is repentance required for salvation?  Yes, it is, but one must understand what true biblical repentance really is. 

Repentance in salvation means a "change of mind" from any idea of religion (or belief system) that man may have to accept God's way of salvation.

Repentance is absolutely essential for salvation, but true repentance is contained in one’s faith in Jesus Christ as Savior.

Repentance is the translation of a Greek word (metanoia/metanoeo) meaning, 'to have another mind', 'to change the mind', and is used in the New Testament to indicate a change of mind in respect of sin, of God, and of self. This change of mind may, especially in the case of Christians who have fallen into sin, be preceded by sorrow (2 Corinthians 7:8-11), but sorrow for sin, though it may 'work' repentance, is not repentance. Saving faith (Romans 1:16-17, 3:25) includes and implies that change of mind which is called repentance.

When a person believes the Gospel message of Jesus Christ, accepting His payment on the cross for their sins; they are “repenting” or “changing their mind” from whatever they believed in before (or didn’t believe in for that matter) and are now placing their faith in Jesus Christ as their Savior. One can "repent" without believing or trusting in Jesus Christ as their Savior, but they cannot believe or trust in Christ without simultaneously “changing their mind” in the process. To emphasize this point further, one can “change their mind” about Christ believing He was a great prophet, teacher, humanist, etc., but they could still not trust in Jesus as their personal Savior. Therefore, one can "repent" without believing/trusting, but cannot believe or trust on Christ without repenting too in the process.

Many teach that repent means to “turn from sins” or “sorrow for sin.” These statements are false. The English word repent may mean these things, but not the Greek words used in Scripture. Turning from sin or sorrow for sin involves human effort or works, which are not part of God’s salvation plan (Eph. 2:8-9, Rom. 4:5, 11:6). If one did have to turn from sin or feel sorrow for sin, then how much sinning would they have to turn from? How bad would they have to feel to know they qualify for salvation? These are questions and feelings which could never be answered. One could never have full assurance of their salvation by relying on these factors. We are not looking at ourselves for assurance in salvation, we are looking at Christ’s efforts (Rom. 5:10, Gal. 2:16, Phil. 3:9, Tit. 3:5).

True biblical repentance is a “change of mind” towards God, and faith in Christ follows. “Testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.” (Acts 20:21).  Repentance is included in our saving faith towards Christ because we are understanding that Jesus is God in flesh who fulfilled the requirements / Law of God to be the perfect, sinless Savior shedding His blood, dying, and rising again as proof of the acceptable sacrifice to God for all mankind's sins.

One last point on repentance is that if repenting was a separate doctrine than belief or faith in Christ, and not simultaneously involved in trusting Christ as one’s Savior; then the Apostle John must have left out part of the Gospel message because one will not find the words “repent” or “repentance” in the book of John at all. The Gospel of John is widely considered the clearest representation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, so to forsake an element of the salvation message would be quite unfathomable. Jesus saves at the moment of belief in Him as one's Savior. (John 5:24, 6:40, 47)

Believe (Trust) on the Lord Jesus Christ to be saved (Acts 16:31).