Repent and Believe : The Human Response to the Gospel
Repent and Believe
The Human Response to the Gospel
7 minute read
The Statement of Faith
We believe that the proper response to the gospel is repentance toward God and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Repentance is a change of mind and heart that turns from sin and self toward God. Faith is personal trust in Christ—not merely intellectual assent but wholehearted reliance on Him for salvation. Repentance and faith are inseparable: true faith includes repentance, and genuine repentance expresses itself in faith. Both are enabled by God's grace yet genuinely exercised by us.
How Did We Get Here?
What does it mean to become a Christian?
Some reduce it to walking an aisle, signing a card, or praying a prayer. Others make it so mysterious that no one can be sure they've done it. Still others separate repentance from faith, as if you could truly trust Christ without turning from sin.
Jesus' first recorded words in Mark's Gospel are clear: "The time has come. The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!" (Mark 1:15). Two commands, one response. Repent—turn around. Believe—trust the news. This is how we enter the kingdom.
Understanding what repentance and faith actually mean protects us from two errors: "easy believism" (faith without repentance) and "lordship perfectionism" (demanding complete transformation before someone can be saved). The biblical balance is both—genuine faith that includes a heart of repentance, received as grace not achieved as performance.
What the Bible Says
Repentance: Turning from Sin
"Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord."
— Acts 3:19
The Greek word for repentance (metanoia) means a change of mind that results in a change of direction. It's not just feeling bad about sin; it's turning from it. "Repent and turn"—the two go together.
"Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death."
— 2 Corinthians 7:10
There's a difference between godly sorrow and worldly sorrow. Worldly sorrow is being sorry you got caught or regretting consequences. Godly sorrow is grief over offending God—and it leads to repentance, to actual change.
"Produce fruit in keeping with repentance."
— Matthew 3:8
John the Baptist demanded evidence. Genuine repentance shows itself in changed behavior. If nothing changes, was it really repentance? The fruit doesn't earn salvation, but its presence confirms the root is real.
Faith: Trusting in Christ
"Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved."
— Acts 16:31
The answer to the Philippian jailer's question ("What must I do to be saved?") is direct: believe in the Lord Jesus. Not perform. Not achieve. Believe—trust, rely on, commit yourself to Christ.
"Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see."
— Hebrews 11:1
Faith has substance. It's "confidence" and "assurance"—not vague hope but solid trust. Faith believes God's promises are reliable, even when we can't see their fulfillment yet.
"You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder."
— James 2:19
Intellectual assent isn't saving faith. Demons have accurate theology—they know who Jesus is—but they don't trust Him. Saving faith involves knowledge (knowing the gospel), assent (agreeing it's true), and trust (personally relying on Christ).
Repentance and Faith Together
"I have declared to both Jews and Greeks that they must turn to God in repentance and have faith in our Lord Jesus."
— Acts 20:21
Paul summarizes his message as "repentance toward God and faith in our Lord Jesus." These aren't two separate steps but two aspects of one turning. You can't truly turn to Christ without turning from sin. You can't truly turn from sin without turning to Christ.
"From that time on Jesus began to preach, 'Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.'"
— Matthew 4:17
Jesus' preaching combined repentance with the good news of the kingdom. The kingdom's arrival demands response: turn around, because something wonderful has come.
Both Are Gifts of Grace
"God exalted him to his own right hand as Prince and Savior that he might bring Israel to repentance and forgive their sins."
— Acts 5:31
Repentance is something Christ gives, not just something we generate. Left to ourselves, we wouldn't repent. God grants the ability to turn.
"For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God."
— Ephesians 2:8
Even faith is a gift. We exercise it genuinely, but God enables it. This protects against pride: we can't boast that we were smarter or more spiritual than those who don't believe.
How It Fits the Full Narrative
The prophets called for repentance. "Return to me, and I will return to you" (Malachi 3:7). The prophetic message was consistently: turn back, turn from idols, return to the Lord. Israel's history is a cycle of turning away and being called back.
John the Baptist prepared the way. His message was simple: "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near" (Matthew 3:2). He prepared hearts to receive the Messiah by calling for repentance.
Jesus embodied the call. He didn't lower the standard—He raised it (Matthew 5-7). But He also welcomed repentant sinners with scandalous grace. The call to repentance was always accompanied by the offer of forgiveness.
The apostles continued the message. Peter at Pentecost: "Repent and be baptized" (Acts 2:38). Paul in Athens: "He commands all people everywhere to repent" (Acts 17:30). The content varied; the call to response remained constant.
The church awaits final repentance. In Revelation, even amid judgment, the call goes out to repent (Revelation 2-3; 9:20-21). Until the end, God extends the invitation to turn.
Why This Matters
It guards against false assurance. "Easy believism" offers assurance without transformation. But if there's no repentance, there's no genuine faith. Examining whether we've truly turned protects us from deceiving ourselves.
It guards against despair. Some people think they must achieve perfect repentance before God will accept them. But repentance isn't perfection; it's direction. It's not about how far you've come but which way you're facing. Even imperfect faith in a perfect Christ saves.
It clarifies evangelism. We don't just invite people to add Jesus to their lives. We call them to turn—from sin, from self-reliance, from other saviors—and to trust Christ. The gospel demands response, not just agreement.
It shapes ongoing Christian life. Repentance and faith aren't just entry points; they're daily postures. Luther's first thesis was: "When our Lord and Master Jesus Christ said 'Repent,' he intended that the entire life of believers should be repentance." We keep turning, keep trusting, all life long.
How to Communicate This
Hold repentance and faith together. Don't separate what Scripture joins. You can't have one without the other. Faith without repentance is presumption; repentance without faith is despair.
Distinguish repentance from perfection. Repentance is a change of direction, not sinless achievement. Someone can genuinely repent while still struggling with sin. The question is whether they're fighting or indulging.
Distinguish faith from mere assent. Believing facts about Jesus isn't the same as trusting Jesus. Use illustrations: believing a chair can hold you is different from sitting in it. Saving faith commits; it doesn't just acknowledge.
Emphasize grace enables both. We genuinely repent and believe—but only because God enables us. This keeps salvation from being a work while maintaining genuine human response.
Call for decision. The gospel invites response. Don't leave people in perpetual consideration. Ask: Will you turn from your sin and trust Christ today?
Defending Against Critics
Objection: "If faith is a gift, why does God command it?"
Response: God commands what He also gives. He commands us to love, yet love is a fruit of the Spirit. He commands new birth, yet only He can regenerate. The command reveals our responsibility; the gift reveals His grace. We exercise faith genuinely; He enables it graciously. Both are true.
Objection: "Lordship salvation adds works to faith."
Response: The question is what faith is, not what's added to it. If faith is merely intellectual assent, then yes, calling for repentance adds something. But biblical faith includes trust, commitment, and surrender. We're not saved by repentance-as-works; we're saved through faith that includes the repentant heart. The thief on the cross had no works—but his cry to Jesus expressed genuine, repentant faith.
Objection: "Easy believism still saves—even if people don't live like it."
Response: James says faith without works is dead—and dead faith doesn't save (James 2:17, 26). Jesus warned that many who say "Lord, Lord" will be turned away (Matthew 7:21-23). A profession without transformation is not evidence of salvation but reason for concern. We're not saved by works, but saving faith produces works.
Objection: "What if someone repents but doesn't perfectly trust? Or trusts but doesn't fully repent?"
Response: Faith and repentance can be small and weak yet genuine. Jesus said faith as small as a mustard seed is enough (Matthew 17:20). The issue is reality, not quantity. A person who genuinely turns to Christ—however falteringly—has repented and believed. Perfection isn't required; sincerity is.
Going Deeper
Key passages to study:
- Mark 1:14-15 – Jesus' opening message
- Luke 15:11-32 – The prodigal son (repentance illustrated)
- John 3:16-18 – Belief and salvation
- Acts 2:36-41 – Peter's call to repentance
- Acts 17:30-31 – God commands repentance
- Acts 20:21 – Repentance toward God, faith in Christ
- Romans 10:9-13 – Confession and belief
- Hebrews 11:1-6 – The nature of faith
- James 2:14-26 – Faith and works
Questions for reflection:
- Have I genuinely repented—turned from sin and self—or just added Jesus to my existing life?
- Is my faith mere mental agreement, or have I personally trusted Christ with my life?
- Am I still practicing daily repentance and daily faith?