MODULE 4: God — His Nature & Attributes

Lesson Objective

By the end of this lesson, the student will:

Understand biblical repentance and biblical faith
Distinguish repentance from remorse and fear
Understand faith as trust, not mental agreement
See repentance and faith as inseparable responses to the Gospel
Be freed from works-based repentance and performance-based faith

Introduction: Why Repentance and Faith Must Be Properly Defined

Many believers struggle with assurance and peace because repentance and faith have been misunderstood. Some believe repentance means continual sorrow for sin. Others believe faith means trying harder to believe or prove sincerity through behavior.

The Gospel calls for a response, but that response must be understood correctly.

Repentance and faith are not human achievements that earn salvation. They are the God-enabled responses to what Christ has already accomplished.

📖 Mark 1:15

“Repent ye, and believe the gospel.”

Jesus did not separate repentance and faith—they operate together.

Section 1: What Repentance Is NOT

Before defining repentance, we must remove common misconceptions.

Repentance is not:

feeling bad enough for sin
crying, sorrow, or emotional distress
punishing yourself for past wrongs
making promises to do better
lifelong guilt or shame

📖 2 Corinthians 7:10

“For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death.”

Sorrow may lead to repentance, but sorrow itself is not repentance.

Section 2: The Biblical Meaning of Repentance

The Greek word for repentance is metanoia, which means:

a change of mind
a change of thinking
a turning of understanding

Biblical repentance is a change of belief, not merely a change of behavior.

📖 Acts 20:21

“Testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Repentance involves turning:

from self-righteousness to God’s righteousness
from unbelief to belief
from independence to trust

Behavior changes follow repentance; they do not create it.

Section 3: Repentance Toward God

📖 Acts 3:19

“Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out…”

Repentance toward God means:

agreeing with God about sin
agreeing with God about righteousness
agreeing with God about Christ

True repentance is not focused on how bad you are—it is focused on how sufficient Christ is.

Section 4: Faith Defined Biblically

Faith is not positive thinking, blind optimism, or emotional confidence.

📖 Hebrews 11:1

“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”

Biblical faith is:

trust in God’s Word
reliance on Christ’s finished work
resting in God’s promise

📖 Romans 10:17

“So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.”

Faith does not come from effort—it comes from hearing truth.

Section 5: Faith Is Not Works

📖 Romans 4:5

“But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.”

Faith is not:

proving sincerity
earning acceptance
demonstrating worthiness

Faith means stopping self-effort and trusting Christ alone.

Section 6: Repentance and Faith Work Together

Repentance changes your mind.
Faith rests your heart.

You repent from unbelief.
You believe in Christ.

📖 Acts 16:31

“Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved.”

Belief includes repentance. Repentance includes belief. They are two sides of one response.

Section 7: Repentance After Salvation

Repentance is not only for initial salvation—it is also part of Christian growth.

📖 Romans 12:2

“Be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind…”

Ongoing repentance means:

continual alignment with truth
renewing thinking when wrong beliefs surface
returning to Gospel thinking

This is not repentance for salvation, but repentance from wrong thinking.

Section 8: Faith After Salvation

Faith continues after salvation as a lifestyle of trust.

📖 Colossians 2:6

“As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him.”

You received Christ by faith.
You grow by faith.
You stand by faith.

Section 9: What Happens When Repentance and Faith Are Distorted

When repentance is distorted:

believers live in constant guilt
assurance is weakened
joy is lost

When faith is distorted:

believers strive instead of rest
performance replaces trust
fear replaces confidence

📖 Galatians 3:3

“Having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?”

Section 10: The Gospel Response Summarized

The Gospel calls humanity to:

turn from self-reliance
trust completely in Christ
rest in God’s grace

📖 John 6:29

“This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.”

Even faith itself is a God-enabled response.

Summary of Lesson 4

Repentance is a change of mind, not self-punishment
Faith is trust in Christ, not effort
Repentance and faith operate together
Salvation and growth both flow from Gospel-centered belief

Reflection Questions

Have you ever confused repentance with guilt or fear?
What are you trusting in—your effort or Christ’s finished work?
How does understanding faith as rest change your relationship with God?

Memory Verse