Is Repentance Required for Salvation? (Luke 13:3 Commentary)
Jesus said “Repent or Perish”
“unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.”
—Jesus (Luke 13:3)
This statement makes it sound like we need to repent or else we’ll end up in hell.
Yet other passages say we’re saved by “faith alone.”
So how does repentance fit into the equation?
Uniting with God Requires a Mind-Change
Before we start, I need to define some terms.
Repentance: The Greek word for “repent” in this verse is “metanoeo,” which means to “change one’s mind.”
Eternal Life: Eternal life isn’t just going to heaven when you die. Jesus Himself is eternal life—and the way we get eternal life is by uniting with Him.
So when Jesus says that repentance is required for salvation, He’s basically saying that we need to change our mind if we want to unify with Him.
Now that actually makes a lot of sense. After all, our mind’s natural tendency is to operate against God, which is inherently destructive. For example, we naturally think about things like “How can I rise above others?” That mindset doesn’t produce spiritual life, but rather spiritual death. If we want to become unified with Christ (Life), then we’d have to stop operating in the ways of death, and start operating in the ways of spiritual life. Our mindset would need to change—and that’s what “repentance” is.
Belief Inspires Mind-Change
When my wife started having “faith” that organic food was more healthy than regular food, her mind “changed,” and she started buying organic food. Her faith produced mind-change (repentance), which then influenced her actions.
That same thing happens when we have faith in Jesus. If you start having “faith” that Jesus is the Grandmaster Of The Universe, your mind changes (repents) on a lot of things. You start going to church instead of the clubs. You start thinking about others instead of only yourself. You start doing what He wants rather than only doing what you want.
Whatever you believe changes the way you think (repentance)… which then changes the way you operate. (That’s why James says that real faith dictates our actions.)
Bonus: Changing Your Mind Restores Intimacy with God
When I consciously do something that opposes God, I feel distant from Him. But when I “repent” and “change my mind” about my behavior, that lets me feel closer to God again. Repentance helps you enjoy intimacy with God.
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