Repentance and Restitution

Wayne Fussell
1988 Preacher’s Study Notes

I. Introduction

A. When in Las Vegas, I studied with a young couple. The wife was so uneducated, both academically and spiritually, that I had to break it down into the simplest of terms so she could understand. In telling about the experience, I have often said, "She didn't even know what repentance meant!" Are we really able to internalize its true meaning?


B. We Hear Very Little On Repentance. It needs discussion for at least two reasons:

1. We All Sin (Romans 3:23). Since sin is universally prevalent, repentance is universally necessary.
2. So Difficult To Get People To Do. Repentance is an act of will — many are not willing.


a. Illustration: Story of the preacher who preached his first sermon at a new church on "Repentance." The next Sunday, he preached the same sermon again. The next Sunday, the same sermon. Finally, they asked, "Why?" He replied, "When you obey that one, I'll give you another one." It is difficult to get people to repent!

b. J. W. McGarvey: "If God should give spiritual gifts as He did in the first century, I would not ask for the gift of healing, prophecy, or tongues, but the gift that would enable me to help men to repent of their sins."
c. Noah preached 120 years. He converted only his family. The rest of the world remained impenitent.


Jeremiah, with many tears, made moving appeals to ancient Israel to repent, but they refused.
John the Baptist failed in the case of Herod and Herodias. It cost His life.
Even Jesus, the greatest preacher of all time, was unable to move men to repentance. “Then began He to upbraid the cities wherein most of His mighty works were done, because they repented not: “Woe unto thee, Chorazin! woe unto thee, Bethsaida! for if the mighty works, which were done in you, had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes” (Matthew 11:20-24). Paul, the prince of preachers, was not able to convince Felix and Agrippa to repent (Acts 24:26).


C. Great Preachers Have Preached On The Subject.

1. Jonah (Matthew 12:41). Jesus said, they "repented at the preaching of Jonah." (His message: "Repent")
2. John The Baptist (Matthew 3:2). "Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand."
3. Our Lord (Matthew 4:17). "From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand" (Luke 13:3; 24:47).
4. Peter (Acts 2:38). (He urged Simon to repent in Acts 8:22).
5. Paul (Acts 17:30).


D. Sinners Told To Repent (Acts 2:38).

1. Church Members (Acts 8:22).
2. Even Churches (Revelation 2:1-5 — Ephesus; Revelation 3:14-19 —Laodicea).

The Ephesian church was urged to repent of leaving their "first love:" the Laodicean church was urged to repent of luke-warrnness, being dead and false doctrine (see Revelation 2:14; 3:1, also).


E. My Task: To Show The Relationship Between Repentance And Restitution.
I entered this study thinking that restitution is included in the definition of "repentance," as well as "regret" and other things. I have come to realize that restitution may be one of the results of repentance, but it is not repentance in the strictest sense.

I found a neat outline which I intended to us: Repentance includes: Regret—Resolve—Reform—Restore. (My study has led me to conclude that the one word above which truly expresses repentance is "resolve.")

F. Theme Statement: Repentance Is A Change Of The Mind Which Leads To Change In Behavior. Where restitution is required and possible, true repentance will be followed by restitution.

II. Repentance Defined
[It would be difficult to show the relationship between repentance and restitution without first defining repentance.]

A. Repentance Is Not Sorrow — Even Godly Sorrow.

1. Some sorrow is just sorrow for getting caught! (Some television preachers might fall into this category!)
2. 2 Corinthians 7:10 — verse nine says they "sorrowed to repentance" . . . "For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death."
So godly sorrow is not equivalent to repentance--it prompts it.
3. Jeremy Taylor referred to godly sorrow as the "porch" or vestibule of repentance.



B. Not Sorrow With Confession.

1. Matthew 27:3 — "Then Judas, which had betrayed Him, when he saw that He was condemned, repented himself, and brought again the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders, Saying, I have sinned in that I have betrayed the innocent blood." ("Repented" here is the word for "regret")
There was remorse — confession — some action — but no repentance (Acts 1:25).

C. Not Reformation And Restitution.

1. Restitution is related to repentance, but it is not repentance.
a. Godly sorrow precedes and leads to repentance; restitution and reformation follow repentance — effects of repentance.
2. John said to the Pharisees and Sadducees, "Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance" (Matthew 3:8). The Amplified Version reads: "Bring forth fruit that is consistent with repentance — let your lives prove your change of heart." The TCNT reads: "Let your life, then, prove your repentance."

a. Repentance demands "fruit" (comp. Acts 26:20). Paul preached that they should “repent and turn to God, and do works meet for repentance."
b. Goodpasture: "In other words, he said, 'Let your conduct, your reformation of life be evidence of your repentance."
3. So, reformation and restitution are effects of repentance. . . fruits.


D. Note Two Words Translated "Repent": metamelomai and metanoeo.

1. Metamelomai means "after-care." It carries the thought of remorse or regret.

a. Judas regretted his sin, but did not repent (Matthew 27:3).
b. Some are sincerely perplexed as to why thousands repented and were baptized on Pentecost (Acts 2:37-41), while Judas repented and hanged himself. This is cleared up in the meaning of the terms translated "repent."
2. Metanoeo means "after-knowledge" and denotes
a "change of mind."

This is what Pentecostian did. The regret of sin caused them to cry out "What shall we do?" They were told to "repent" (Acts 2:38).
3. Kittel (p. 626): "Metanoein means a change of heart either generally or in respect of a specific sin, whereas metamelesthai means `to experience remorse.' Metanoein implies that one has later arrived at different view of something . . . metamelesthai that one has a different feeling about it."

4. Vine: (metanoeo) "lit., to perceive afterwards (meta, after, implying change, noeo, to perceive; nous, the mind, the seat of moral reflection), in contrast to pronoeo, to perceive beforehand, hence signifies to change one's mind or purpose, always, in the New Testament, involving change for the better, an amendment, and always, except in Luke 17:3,4, of repentance from sin." (metamelomai) . . . "signifying to regret."

5. Chamberlain: "The word used of Judas' repentance, metamelomai, refers primarily to regret or sorrow for what has been done; the word that is used of Christian repentance, metanoeo, marks a complete change in mental outlook and of life design" (The Meaning of Repentance, pp. 30-31).

6. An example of the distinction in the two words: 2 Corinthians 7:8-10. "For though I made you sorry with a letter, I do not repent (metamelomai, regret), though I did repent (metamelomen, regret): for I perceive that the same epistle hath made you sorry, though it were but for a season. Now I rejoice, not that ye were made sorry, but that ye sorrowed to repentance (metanoian, repentance): for ye were made sorry after a godly manner, that ye might receive damage by us in nothing. For godly sorrow worketh repentance (metanoian, repentance) to salvation not to be repented (metameleton, regretted) of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death."

"Regret" is a much better translation of metamelomai.


E. Every Greek Authority Defines Metanoeo, "Change of Mind."

1. Bauer, Arndt, Gingrich (p. 513, 514)
2. Thayer (p. 405), "To change one's mind for the better, heartily to amend with abhorrence of one's past sins: Matthew 3:2; 4:17; Mark 1:15."
3. A Companion To The Bible (p. 357), "The Greek word which our translations usually render 'repent' means literally: to think again or to change one's mind."
4. Moulton (Bagster) on metanoeo: "to undergo a change in frame of mind and feeling, to repent, Luke 17:3,4, et al.; to make a change of principle and practice, to reform, Matthew 3:2, et al." On metanoia: "a change of mode of thought and feeling, repentance, Matthew 3:8; Acts 20:21; 2 Timothy 2:25, et al.; practical reformation, Luke 15:7, et al.; reversal of the past., Hebrews 12:17."



F. Gus Nichols: "Thayer's Greek English Lexicon says, in part in defining this word `metanoeo', it means `To change one's mind for the better, heartily to amend with abhorrence of one's past sins.' This is the duty that was to be preached 'Among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem' (Luke 24:47). So, repentance is an act of the mind, an act of man" (Great Preachers, p. 145).

1. He agrees with the general definition of scholars: "change of mind."
2. Nichols: "Repentance is an act performed with the mind . . . `metanoeo,' compound word, meaning 'with the mind,' meta (with) nous (the mind). Such a change of mind is involved in repentance as is for the better, and will cause one to amend one's ways and abhor one's past sins" (Speaking The Truth In Love, pp. 144-145).
3.G. B. C. Goodpasture: "The word repentance literally means a change of mind which results in a change of conduct" (Great Preachers, p. 6).

H. George Campbell (1788) said "repent" means to "reverse your thoughts." It "marks a change of mind that is durable and productive of consequences" (Preliminary Dissertations On The New Testament).
True repentance will not remain static or inactive, but is a dynamic notion which results in change.

I. Repentance Defined: A change of mind and intention. It is laying aside the old mind and assuming a new one.

1. A change of life design: the whole life pattern is changed. The goal of life is different. The aspirations are different. One is committed to a new direction for life.
The penitent mind thinks new thoughts, aspires for better things and acknowledges a new sovereignty (God's will, not one's own).
2. It deals primarily with "springs of action" rather than actions themselves. One has a new motivation in life.

a. We normally call the changes we make in life repentance. In a sense, we can, in the figure of cause and effect (metonymy of the cause—the cause is named to suggest the effect).
For instance, when one does something out of trust in God, we say, "Now, that's faith." It is really an effect of faith (comp. James 2:18).
Likewise, when one makes changes in his life — restores something taken, or reforms in behavior — we say, "That is repentance." Really, it is the effect or fruit of repentance.

3. Moulton and Milligan said that from the papyri, "repentance" calls for a "complete change of attitude, spiritual and moral, toward God" (Vocabulary of the Greek New Testament, 1930).
4. So, in repentance you change your mind, your ideals, your set of values. It calls for transformation of the mental outlook.

a. Change from wrong patterns for success, false ideas of happiness, perverted ambitions, misguided aspirations, misdirected quests in life, false standards of values, wrongheaded notions of God.
b. The sinner is so out of line with God, he must reverse himself completely. It begins with a complete change of attitude.


J. Note that the whole movement of Scripture seems to be directed at changing a person's view of life to God's view. It calls for repentance, or a change of mind, a revision of our sense of values, a redirecting of the major quest of life, a new mind (Proverbs 23:7).

1. When we think of metanoia we might think of metamorphosis. A metamorphosis of mind, heart and will for a new world of outlook.


K. Lactantius (A.D. 260-330): "For he who repents of that which he has done, understands his former error; and on this account the Greeks better and more significantly speak of metanoia, which we may speak of in Latin as 'a return to a right understanding.” — (Quoted by Chamberlain; to him, it was a recovery of one's mind).

1. Prodigal Son (Luke 15:18-19). Verse seventeen reads, "And when he came to himself. . . I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned." Repentance comes when one says "I will" — return, reform, restore.

L. We can represent repentance by the figure of a man with his back turned to God and moving away from Him; the figure stops still and then turns to face God and begins to move toward Him.

1. Mentally, he turns in repentance. Then changes in behavior begin to show up. Do an "about face" mentally.
2. Isaiah 1:16-17, "Cease to do evil; Learn to do well."


M. Nineveh Repented (Matthew 12:41).

1. Jonah 3:4-5, "The people of Nineveh believed God." People will never repent without first believing.
2. Jonah 3:10 "They turned from their evil way."

So, repentance is to change the mind with purpose to turn from evil.

III. The Psychology of Repentance

A. Repentance is that change of the sinner's mind which leads him to turn from his evil ways and life. The change of mind is so deep that it affects the whole person- ality. The intellect must function, the emotions must be aroused, and the will must act.

B. Intellectual Change (The sinner changes his thinking about God, His holiness, and his own sin). He sees his sin as heinous. He sees himself coming short and falling below the requirements of a holy God. Psalm 51:3, "For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me" (see also Romans 3:20).

C. Emotional Change (The sinner comes to love what God loves and hate what He hates). The emotional element is involved in repentance.

D. Volitional Change (Change of the will)
This is the most prominent element in the psychology of repentance. Repentance calls for change of the will. We resolve to do better.


IV. Restitution and Repentance
A. I have stated that restitution and reformation are effects of repentance.,
1. Certain things precede repentance:

a. Sin. Infants do not repent.
b. Faith. No sinner can repent without faith in God.
c. Regret (2 Corinthians 7:10). One must view his sin as disgusting; he must become dissatisfied with sin.

2. Certain things follow repentance:

a. Alien sinner confesses Christ and is baptized (Acts 8:37; 2:38). b. Reformation of life. The repentant ceases sinful practices, changing his behavior.
c. Restitution, where necessary and possible.


B. Genuine repentance implies not only a desire for future amendment of life, but the desire to repair or minimize injuries inflicted by the sin or sins already committed and now repented of. That is restitution. Restitution is the making good of whatever injury has been inflicted.

C. Webster: "1. an act of restoring or a condition of being restored: as (a) restoration of something to its rightful owner; the making good of or giving an equivalent for some injury (as a loss of or damage to property)."

D. Restitution Is A Biblical Principle.

1. Luke 19:8-9, "And Zacchaeus stood, and said unto the Lord: behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have taken anything from any man by false accusation, I restore him fourfold. And Jesus said unto him, This day is salvation come to this house." Restitution in this case was evidently approved by Jesus, even to fourfold.
2. Numbers 5:6-8, "Speak unto the children of Israel, When a man or woman shall commit any sin that men commit, to do a trespass against the LORD, and that person be guilty; Then they shall confess their sin which they have done: and he shall recompense his trespass [make restitution, restore] with the principal thereof, and add unto it the fifth part thereof, and give it unto him against whom he hath trespassed. But if the man have no kinsman to recompense the trespass unto, let the trespass be recompensed unto the LORD, even to the priest."
Under the Law, a sin against another was sin against God. He must restore to the party grieved and add one-fifth to it.
3. Leviticus 6:4, "He shall restore that which he took violently away, or the thing which he hath deceitfully gotten, or that which was delivered him to keep, or the lost thing which he found."
4. Jesus said to a distinguished lawyer, "Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself." (Matthew 22:39) If we do this, we will do by him as by ourselves (Matthew 7:12).


Do we wish others to withhold from us that which they have wrongfully taken, or restore it? This principle binds us to make restitution.

People may steal our possessions or our reputation. Restitution is required. Amends must be made for wrongs done, lies told or harsh treatment rendered.

E. T. W. Brents (Gospel Plan of Salvation, p. 239) says, “The determination to reform must be such as will lead the party to a reparation of injuries done to others, as far as may be in his power to make restitution. In vain may anyone tell me that he repents slandering me while he refuses to correct his false statements concerning me, or that he repents stealing my horse while he continues to ride him without my consent.”

Adam Clarke (as quoted by Brents, p. 240) says, “No man should expect mercy at the hand of God who, having wronged his neighbor, refuses, when he has it in his power, to make restitution. Were he to weep tears of blood, both the justice and mercy of God would shut out his prayers if he make not his neighbor amends for the injury he has done him.”


1. Sometimes Christians try to do this. One wrongs his brother. Then he expects to right it simply by a confession before the church. He must go to his brother. (Matthew 5:23-24). Deliver us from "the easy way out!" Alexander Campbell:
“If then, any one is convicted in his own mind, that he has injured the person, character, or the property of his neighbor, by word or deed, and has it in his power, by word or deed, to undo the evil he has done, or to restore what he has unjustly taken away, he will certainly do it, if his repentance be according to either the law of Moses or the gospel of Christ.” (Christian System, p. 38).

F. Repentance Is Proved By Reformation and Restitution.

1. The Thessalonians demonstrated repentance when they "turned to God from idols to serve the true and living God" (1 Thessalonians 1:9).
2. The Ephesians showed repentance when they "brought their books together, and burned them before all men" (Acts 19:19).
3. The Jailor — "Took them the same hour of the night, and washed their stripes" (Acts 16:33).
4. The Corinthians evidenced repentance when they turned from their corrupt and sinful practices (1 Corinthians 6:9-11).
5. Whatever is necessary to prove repentance, we must do it. Reformation and restitution demonstrate in life what has taken place in the heart — repentance.


G. Alexander Campbell's Illustration (Christians System, p. 256) “Peccator wounded the reputation of his neighbor Hermis, and on another occasion defrauded him of ten pounds. Some of the neighborhood were apprised that he had done both. Peccator was converted under the preaching of Paulinus, and, on giving in a relation of his sorrow for his sins, spoke of the depth of his convictions and of his abhorrence of his transgressions. He was received into the congregation and sat down with the faithful to commemorate the great sin-offering. Hermis and his neighbors were witnesses of all this. They saw that Peccator was penitent and much reformed in his behavior, but they could not believe him sincere because he had made no restitution. They regarded him either as a hypocrite or self-deceived, because, having it in his power, he repaid not the ten pounds, nor once contradicted the slanders he had propagated. Peccator, however, felt little enjoyment in his profession, and soon fell back into his former habits. He became again penitent, and, on examining the grounds of his falling off, discovered that he had never cordially turned away from his sins. Overwhelmed in sorrow for the past, he resolved on giving himself up to the Lord, and, reflecting on his past life, set about the work of reformation in earnest. He called on Hermis, paid him his ten pounds, and the interest every day he had kept it back, went to all the persons to whom he had slandered him, told them what injustice he had done him, and begged them, if they had told it to any other persons, to contradict it. Several other persons whom he had wronged in his dealing with them, he also visited, and fully redressed all these wrongs against his neighbors. He also confessed them to the Lord, and asked Him to forgive him. Peccator was then restored to the church, and, better still, he enjoyed a peace of mind and confidence in God which was a continual feast. His example, moreover, did more to enlarge the congregation at the cross-roads than did the preaching of Paulinus in a whole year. This was unequivocally sincere repentance."

Repentance is a change of mind for the better, but necessary reparations must also be made.
2. Illustration: A little boy saw a man praying. He said to his mother, "That man is asking God to forgive him, but he will not be forgiven today." The mother asked, "Why?" The little boy said, "He is down on only one knee. He will never be forgiven until he gets down on both knees." I'm sure God is not concerned about how many knees we pray on, but if one of those knees represents repentance and the other restitution (or sincere intention to do so), we will agree with the little boy that it takes both.


“Tis not enough to say,
I'm sorry and repent
And then go on from day to day
Just as we always went.”


V. Restitution When Possible
A. When necessary and possible, restitution, reparation, and restoration should be made.
1. Notice, I have repeatedly included "necessary" and "possible" in reference to restitution.
Restitution is not always necessary in every case of repentance. Sometimes, it requires one to just stop doing wrong. "Go thy way and sin no more" (John 8:11). Or start doing right.
2. What if it is not possible to make restitution?

B. Some Impossible Situations:
1. In the Case of Murder.
a. Restitution would be impossible. You could not restore the life
taken. You might have to suffer for the deed through imprisonment or death, but true restitution would be impossible. You could show sorrow, remorse and regret. You might try to do special things for the family, etc. Could one be forgiven since he cannot restore life?
b. The people on Pentecost were murderers of Jesus (Acts 2:36). They cried out, "What must we do?" The answer: "Repent." But they could not undo the deed.
c. Saul of Tarsus is another good example of one responsible for taking human life. Thank God he "obtained mercy."
2. When The Person Wronged Is Dead.
You can never make it right with that person. Desire and effort are certainly required. You might make restitution to his family, but never to him.
3. When a Person Takes a Sum of Money Impossible to Repay (Matthew 18:23ff). Surely, he must make an effort.
4. When a Person Cannot Find the Person Wronged. Maybe too many years have passed. He has moved. You have.
5. When So Many Sins Have Been Committed, He Cannot Remember. There are those who have lived their whole life in sin. They have committed so many sins, that they could never repent of each one.
6. When One Has Taken the Virginity of Another.
a. This could never be restored.
b. In case of rape, so much damage is done that one can never repair.
7. In A Wrongful Accident Where Someone Is Dismembered.
8. Slander Can Never Be Completely Rectified Or Cleared Up.
Lies told spread so far and wide (like feathers from a pillow that can never be gathered up).

C. In All These Cases: Intentions are right, but the possibility of restitution is absent. God does not exact the impossible. Do the best you can. Go on and live a godly life. God's mercy is sure.

VI. Conclusion
A. Repentance is a change of mind which leads to a change in one's life. It is the motivator for change. In repentance the mind is made up to change.
B. For that reason Repentance Is Not Necessarily a Long Drawn Out Process
1. Three thousand on Pentecost repented in a single service (Acts 2:38, 41).
2. Philippian Jailor, (Acts 16). He repented in the "Same hour."
3. It might take years to repair all the damage of wrongful acts, or one might never be able to do so.
4. N. B. Hardeman: "Sometimes the question is raised as to how long a man ought to repent. How long does it take him to fulfill this requirement? I think I can answer that correctly by stating that it takes just long enough for him to get the consent of his mind, of his will power, that he is tired of sin and of his former ways, and that now he firmly resolves and coolly decides to turn from his evil way and face about toward the 'city which hath foundations'. Whatever time is required, therefore, to make this decision, is the answer to that query."

His Definition of Repentance: "From these Scriptures I want to frame a definition of repentance, which is this: Repentance is a change of a man's will power. It is brought about by godly sorrow and results in a reformation of life" (Hardeman's Tabernacle Sermons, pp. 199, 202-203).

C. Our theme statement has been proven. Repentance is a change of mind which leads to a change in behavior. Where restitution is required and possible, true repentance will be followed by restitution.

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