What is Repentance?

Many people think that repentance means confessing their sins to God.
However, repentance is not merely the confession of sins. It is something much greater than that.

One day, while John the Baptist was baptizing people in the waters of the Jordan, he saw the Pharisees. Knowing that their lives had not changed despite their baptism, he said to them:

« Ye offspring of vipers, who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bring forth therefore fruit worthy of repentance. » (Matthew 3:7-8, ASV)

Human actions stem from human thoughts. To change one’s actions, one’s thoughts must first change. Repentance, therefore, affects the way a person thinks.

The word « repentance » comes from the Greek « metanoia », which means a change of mind. It goes beyond simply acknowledging one’s faults.