Metanoia

When you hear the word "repent" - what comes to mind? Does this word evoke the images of a rough prophet proclaiming destruction? A fiery preacher beating on a pulpit? Do you see people doing particular things to prove their repentance? What about a U-Turn sign? Most of these things are common to the average person. Especially when you consider how we have been taught.

Most people don't realize that the early Catholic Church actually changed the word repentance to penance. Which meant for us to do something right to counteract what we did wrong. Carrying with it the Old Testament view of repentance which was performance based. If you don't think we have borrowed from this type of thinking just listen to the average teacher/preacher. Repentance is almost always defined as turning away from sin and turning to God by changing the way you behave. It's not a bad thing in and of itself (not many people are going to argue with the need to clean up our lives). However, it causes us to lose the deep and rich meaning of the Greek word translated as REPENT.

METANOIA
Comes from two words:
META - to change
NOIS - mind
Therefore, metanoia means to change the mind and/or to change the way you think. And what we have learned over the last few years on this blog is that to change the way you think will change the way you behave. Sounds like repentance to me. Bruce Wilkinson defined repentance in this way: "Repentance means you change your mind so deeply that it changes you." Wherever and whenever the New Testament uses the word metanoia we are seeing a need to change the way we think. To repent and believe is to change from unbelief to belief. To move from distrust to trust. To abandon rejection of the truth and enter into acceptance of the truth. And when this takes place in our lives, true change will follow. Why? Because true repentance has taken place.

Sin is rooted in unbelief. When Jesus spoke of the Holy Spirit's coming, He said that the Spirit would convict the world of sin because they do not believe. It is unbelief that keeps us from entering into relationship, from experiencing the abundant life of Christ, and keeps us in a performance mentality. The truth of the matter is that those in biblical days understood metanoia. We, on the other hand, are trying to replace a different understanding of repentance.

I realize that many people will read this and say, "So you are okay with people not turning away from sin?" or "You believe someone can be saved without repentance?" When in fact I have said no such thing. Of course I want people to turn away from destructive habits and lifestyles, but that does not precede turning to Jesus. Any other understanding of repentance produces a works/performance mentality. We become "saved" because of what we do rather than through what Jesus has already done. We are trying to change before we turn to Christ, and it just doesn't work like that.

Metanoia brings us to a place where we begin to learn and fully appreciate the finished work of Christ. Where we begin to see ourselves as beloved children of our Heavenly Father. We begin to believe in His grace and mercy. Where we begin to live from our identity in Him. It's like what John said in his letter to the church: "We have come to know and to believe in the love that God has for us." Which is life changing.

Think about it. In the Old Testament we read where God repents. Does that mean that God was turning away from sin? None of us believe that. So why would we ever accept a definition of repentance that means anything different? I believe it shows just how sin conscience we have become. How we focus on outward displays rather than inward realities. Or how easy it has become to go through the motions rather than experience an actual changing of the mind and heart.

How much would change in our life if we actually believed? Now THAT is a good question.